Recently a USA Today article cited a 2008 survey that concluded that religious groups in the US have lost ground. Said survey co-author Barry Kosmin, "More than ever before, people are just making up their own stories of who they are. They say, 'I'm everything, I'm nothing. I believe in myself.'" It is possible this survey is accurate in its findings, but I have to say that is not what we are finding in our travels around the globe. Or at least those who may try only believing in themselves seem to end up in a search for something beyond themselves. Already every meeting this year has been packed. Kansas State University, Gastonia, NC, meetings in Alaska-all of them full. The venue originally booked for the Alaska meetings had to be traded up for a larger one. It was the largest they could get and in the end it was full. When one earnest soldier who recently returned from Iraq stood and asked his question, there was stunned silence across the whole auditorium.

I say all this to only express to you that these crowds, these questions, this yearning suggest that there is indeed an openness to the Gospel. The crowds are not there to see any of us; they are hungry people in search of answers to their deepest questions. We are doing our best to answer them. The invitations are many and the team is taking on as many as they are able. We are training future apologists and hoping to eventually add to the team, but for now we are on the road and around the globe as a team of 16 apologists backed by a larger team of more than 100 worldwide.

Friends, thank you for your partnership that makes all this possible. I cannot say enough how much your prayers and gifts enable this work and encourage us too. We are always mindful of your personal sacrifice as you give to the Lord through the calling of this ministry. Thank you for standing with us.

May God bless you richly even through the reading of the reports and stories below.

Engaging Today's Culture with RZIM:

• Spring Offer 2009
  
  Our Spring Offer featuring the latest products from the RZIM team is now available and includes Ravi Zacharias's latest message, "Having a Triple Strength to Your Life," and resources from Arun Andrews, Michael Ramsden, and more! As always, you will receive a free CD with purchase. This time you will receive Michael Ramsden's message delivered at the University of California at Berkeley in October 2008, "Is Faith Delusional?" Click here to view more information or to order now!
• Summer Institute at Wheaton College
  The Apologetic Life: Consistent Living, Credible Witness
  
  

  June 14-19, 2009

  Our goal for the 2009 Summer Institute is to encourage, equip, and inspire the participants to embrace the full meaning and implications of truly living the apologetic life. The Summer Institute is an in-depth week of study conducted by RZIM speakers and multiple adjunct lecturers. The week is a series of five sessions broken out by topic/emphasis, as well as daily corporate worship and devotions. Speakers include Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, Margaret Manning, Stuart McAllister, and others.

  Early Registration: There is a $200 discount for registrations made before April 30, 2009. For more details regarding the schedule, speakers, and registration information visit http://www.rzim.org/USA/Events/EventDescriptions/Institutes/WheatonSummerInstitute.aspx.

• Eight-Week Apologetic Course in Oxford
  An invaluable investment for businessmen and women
  
  

  The much-praised eight-week Business Program at the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) is all set to begin on May 11 this year. For those from the USA looking to enjoy the incredible Oxford UK experience, there has never been a better time given the current exchange rate!

  This course is designed for those with a passion to make Christ known in the workplace and with a desire to learn more about the key role that apologetics can play in your daily life. Many participants say that it is a life-changing experience.

  For further details and to apply for this course click here http://www.rzim.org/USA/Events/BusinessProgramattheOCCA.aspx.

• RZIM Classics Series: A Celebration of 25 Years of Ministry
  
  

  Continuing the celebration of our 25th anniversary, we are offering the next product, Cries of the Heart by Ravi Zacharias, as part of our "RZIM Classics Series." This product will be available at a 20% discount during the month of April.

  Cries of the Heart is a book that both inspires and reassures. It uncovers our hidden longings and reveals God's endless, inescapable presence in every moment of our lives for a journey that ends in the consummate answer to the cries of the heart.

  RZIM Classics collection is a unique anniversary series showcasing Ravi and the team's most memorable messages and celebrating the wisdom and wit that has come to characterize RZIM. Look for a new discounted product each month of 2009!

Where in the World is RZIM? Highlights from across the globe...

Ravi Zacharias
"Is Faith Delusional?" featuring Ravi and Dr. John Lennox was held at the Civic Center February 26, 2009 and was a wonderful event for all. The venue was full and both Ravi and Dr. Lennox gave powerful messages on the "delusion" of atheism. The diverse crowd included many high school and college students, professionals, and longtime supporters of the ministry who brought friends and colleagues who were seeking to hear the Gospel message. If you were not able to join us for the event, you can look for a DVD product of the evening to be available in May 2009.

The team reports on the next engagement: "Ravi and Michael Ramsden went to Kansas State University after the Atlanta event for meetings and had about 1,500 in attendance. Ravi spoke for over an hour and was given a standing ovation as he entered and another as he left. The Q&A went on for 45 minutes and he and Michael took turns answering questions. It was a powerful event!"

Ravi then traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, where he spoke at an event for the Alaska Family Council. They had to change their first venue as it proved to be too small and the second one, the Center for Performing Arts, which is their largest, also sold out at 2000 (including 300 military personnel in attendance). His topic was "The Intersection of Faith in the Public Square." The audience rose to their feet in appreciation four times: when he was introduced, after his lecture, before the Q&A, and when the Q&A concluded.

Next Ravi spoke on Sunday, March 15, at the Evangelical Church of Bangkok at two evening services. He remains overseas working on a few projects.

Stuart McAllister was in Youngstown, Ohio, during the first part of March and spoke at Ashland Seminary in Ashland, Ohio. He then left for the Middle East and is scheduled to speak in Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt until the end of the month.

Michael Ramsden joined Ravi Zacharias for an open forum at Kansas State University on March 3. After that event Michael traveled to Washington, D.C., where he spoke at the US Naval College on March 5 and then conducted apologetics training on "Answering the Hard Questions of Life" at the C S Lewis Institute the following day.

Thank you for your prayers for the event with John Lennox and Christopher Hitchens. Dr. Lennox directly answered Hitchens' questions and was able to use the question "Is there anything good a Christian can do that an atheist cannot?" to point to the person of Christ and how he laid down his life for the sins of the world. One report suggested that the best answer to Hitchens' claims of Christian arrogance was John's demeanor and well-thought words: "The perfect character to both silently and verbally answer."

One of the earliest media reports about the event can be read in The Samford Crimson at: Lennox/Hitchens Debate report

Vlad Criznic spoke again at the Christian high school in Timisoara on March 5. He then attended a national conference organized by BIG Impact Organization from March 9-12. This was a unique opportunity for him to meet many Christian leaders from all over the country and at such a meaningful conference. For many of the evangelicals this conference is the highlight of the year.

Please pray for Vlad as he conducts ministry in the region and for God to open up opportunities for RZIM to minister in Romania.

Cyril preached at the City Fellowship Church, Delhi, on March 1. He then spoke at a retreat organized at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, on the "Unique Claims of Christ." The audience included final-year students of different academic programs and friends of other faiths.

On March 14, Neil spoke to a small group of students and faculty from other faiths at an informal setting at Loyola College, Chennai.

Arun addressed a keen group of Christian professionals at the Catholic Club in Bangalore in a seminar titled "Where is Your Anchor?" and received a very enthusiastic response.

Neil and Arun addressed the themes "Mountains & Valleys: Treading through Difficult Terrain" for senior leadership in the marketplace in Hyderabad on March 7.

The team looks to conclude the month with a hectic schedule. Please pray for their safety as they travel and for God to continue to open up ministry opportunities for them.

The Canada team is just weeks away from its first big training weekend of the year, "Believing Is Seeing." They are looking forward to several hundred taking part in this event and are thrilled that it is coinciding with the timely theme of the "Is Faith Delusional?" presentation in Atlanta. Learn about their event here: Believing Is Seeing.

Rachel Tulloch returned home from a challenging three weeks in Honduras where she was able to reconnect and personally engage with a community in which she has invested herself for the past few years. She also continues to co-teach the world religions course in the School for Urban Biblical Studies.

LT Jeyachandran spoke on apologetics at a youth service at Family of Grace Evangelical Free Church on March 8 and conducted lectures on apologetics at Tung Ling Bible College, Singapore, from March 9-13.

Please pray for the team in Singapore as they fulfill their ministry opportunities and for God to continue to strengthen them.

Stuart McAllister will be in the region for the launch of the ME Curriculum Series. He will conduct the first topic in the series as part of a two-year program. At the end of this program, trainees will be eligible for a certificate. The latter part of his trip will be spent training and speaking in church settings. Please do pray that the Lord will use these meetings to better equip Middle Easterners to face today's challenges.

Senem is working on the preparations and announcements for LT Jeyachandran's upcoming trip in March. He will be speaking at a church service and at a general meeting for the Turkish church in Istanbul. Senem appreciates your prayers for the overall blessing of the event.

Grace recently held her second Bible study with the booklet "Is God Real?" from the RZIM Critical Questions series. With so many women from all sorts of faith or atheistic backgrounds, much of the challenge is to present the material in a way that meets everyone so as to promote helpful study and discourse. Participants agreed to keep dialogue amongst the group "in confidence" and this has really encouraged participation.

Please pray for a particular handful of women who are taking a serious look at God and the Bible for the first time in their lives and for those who say they don't believe in the One true God. There are several weeks ahead and it is a joyful time of challenge and discovery.

Please know that we are here to serve you in any way that we can. Feel free to contact us by phone at (770) 449-6766 or via our website, www.rzim.org.

God bless you,