I hope this note finds you all well. I have just returned from weeks in India where I was speaking and also writing for my upcoming book, Has Christianity Failed You? As the team and I travel around the globe, it seems that no matter what city we are in these days the questions center around the economy. In India, I was interviewed by a newspaper in Bangalore, a technological hub, and asked questions about where the source of these economic times originated and if it was possible to believe in the existence of God when so many lives are in turmoil. After one of the meetings where I was speaking, a young man came up to me visibly moved. He told me how the ministry of RZIM had transformed his life. Through listening to the podcasts of our radio program and reading the books, the Lord had worked in his life in an enormous way. He told me that he wanted to give to the ministry but had no money. He asked me if I would accept a gift. I told him if that was what he felt the Lord wanted him to do then we would accept it. He took off a gold chain around his neck and placed it in my hand, saying he wanted to do something to express his thanks for what this ministry is doing and that was all he had to say "thank you." I was overwhelmed. There is no question that in such difficult times for all, we are seeing an even greater hunger for answers. In a country like India that was starting to boom economically, many quickly set their sights on things of a material nature and now the questions of meaning and existence cannot be avoided in these uncertain times.

Our team in India is there-Arun, Cyril, Neil, and others-placed strategically in cities where they have impact for the Gospel. They hold seminars for professionals, political leaders, and young cultural influencers, who are all asking the questions about finding hope and spiritual strength. Our team around the world travel to teach at the Academy of Apologetics in Chennai where men and women are being trained to grapple with and answer these questions of great importance in their own spheres of influence.

We want to thank you for the role you play in this ministry to so many hurting and questioning people. Not only do you enable this team to go and speak, you support us in training, too, so that the efforts can be multiplied many times over, that even greater numbers will come to know the credibility of the Gospel and its beauty. We know that in these difficult times so many of you are making sacrifices to come alongside this ministry, not unlike the young man with the gold chain. Our deep gratitude cannot be gainsaid, and we are doing everything we can to use our resources wisely and to honor the commitment and sacrifice you have made to this ministry in standing with us and the commitment that we have made to you and to the Lord. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there is any way we can pray for you and your specific needs. We would be honored to do so.

Thank you again for standing with us. Together we partner that the Lord may be honored. May God bless you richly.

Engaging Today's Culture with RZIM:

 

• Last chance for early registration discounts on Summer Institute!
  Summer Institute at Wheaton College
  The Apologetic Life: Consistent Living, Credible Witness
  
  

  June 14-19, 2009

  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.

  Our goal for the 2009 Summer Institute is to encourage, equip, and inspire our 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 divided by topic/emphasis, as well as daily corporate worship and devotions. Speakers include Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, Margaret Manning, and Stuart McAllister, among others.

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

  Continuing the celebration of our 25th anniversary, we are offering the next product in our "RZIM Classics Series": The Best of the Open Forum Series Part I (featuring question and answer sessions from Open Forums at Georgia Tech and Harvard Veritas Forum). Purchase this set for $25 during the month of May (regularly $17/each). Offer begins May 1.

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

• Responding to the Times
  
  

  Are you feeling at a loss for what to say or do during these uncertain times? Do you have questions about where God is in the midst of the difficulties that today brings? Do you have family or friends asking if there is hope beyond the hardships they may be facing? We pray these messages from our Spring Product Offer and website resources will encourage and inspire you:

  From Whence the Power? How Do We Live in Such Demanding Times?
  by Arun Andrews
  "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12). But why is it that we often feel like God is not there to be the third strand? Ravi Zacharias addresses this question and discusses the multiple strands that God has provided to shape the creation, the individual, and the community. In this message, Ravi shares that when we look a little closer at life we'll discover that even in our darkest moments, God has instilled in us the strands we need to have a strong three-corded life and to find our ultimate reality in Him.

  Having a Triple Strength to Your Life
  by Ravi Zacharias
  Times of uncertainty can tend to make us wish for "yesterday." And when it becomes harder to face the troubles of today, we begin to wonder if we will ever see victory. In this sermon, Arun Andrews, RZIM India's newest speaker, reminds us that we can raise this question to someone who will answer. When the circumstances that surround us seem overwhelming, we are reminded us that God invites us to sit at four tables in the midst of trouble. Jesus did not invite us to escape; he invited us to engage. And because of him, hope is not found in nostalgia. It is found in the victory we have already won.

  Divorce from Reality
  by Michael Ramsden
  The cry for freedom has become the battle cry of our culture. But what if in our unrelenting pursuit of freedom we have created something that is opposite, so unmovable and unchangeable? As much as the world tries to convince itself otherwise, we need not look further than our economic turmoil to realize a world of freedom without constraints-without absolutes-cannot work. In this message, Michael Ramsden reminds us how real freedom, real trust, and real restoration are found only through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

  Also read these stirring articles on our website:
  
  

  • An Uncompromising Faith Lived Out with Grace by Michael Ramsden
    
    
  • Holding on to Certain Things by Jill Carattini
    
    
  • Running from God by Stuart McAllister

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

United States

Ravi Zacharias
Ravi continues to focus expressly on his writing projects this month. He conducted one speaking event at the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies on April 4 but will continue the month writing. Please pray for him during this time that God would continue to guide him in finishing these projects.

United Kingdom

Michael Ramsden spoke at First Baptist, Woodstock, in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 5. He spoke at all three services and was informed that people came to Christ at all three services for the first time! Michael will conclude his month speaking at an outreach service at Cirencester Baptist Church in Gloucestershire on "Certainty in an Uncertain World."

Romania

Vlad Criznic began the month speaking at a youth meeting at Metanoia Church in Arad followed by a message at the Christian high school in Arad on April 7. On April 11 he spoke at Pancota Baptist Church. He is now dedicating the remainder of the month to preparing a few messages and to writing for his radio program.

Please pray for Vlad as he continues to minister in Romania and establish RZIM in the region.

India

Arun, Tejdor, and Balajied spent this month conducting a series of workshops as a speaking team. They taught an introductory course on apologetics at a Fingerprints workshop in Sikkim from April 3 - 5. Arun spoke on the "Problem of Pain" to a group of about 50 Christian professionals. The time of prayer with individuals who came forward didn't end until around 10 pm that evening! They then each spoke at a different location of Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Sunday, April 5. The team writes, "The road from Siliguri to Gangtok offers breathtaking views of mountains, valleys, and grand bridges, and we even saw the snow-capped Himalayan range. But the most satisfying part of our journey was that we saw apologetics had reached Sikkim in a special way."

The group then participated in two open forums from April 10-12. Arun spoke on the theme "Where Is God When It Hurts?" followed by Balajied, who gave a message entitled "Does Morality Matter?" at the Manipal University in Gangtok. They conducted the question and answer sessions as a panel, each taking turns to answer questions. Traveling home, they wrote, "On our way back our hearts were filled with gratitude. The journey downhill saw us reflecting on some of the questions raised on the heights of Gangtok. Our conversations brought reflections from Dr. Zacharias, Stuart McAllister, Norman Geisler, LT Jeyachandran, Alister McGrath, and others. One thing became clear: apologetics never makes poor traveling company!"

The team came back to a very full schedule as they entered Passion Week. Each team member, including Cyril Georgeson, spoke at Good Friday and Easter Sunday services.

Prakash Yesudian

Prakash began the month speaking at Maranatha Bible Training Institute and College where he was invited to teach on the "Importance of Apologetics as Evangelism." Dr. Isaac Johnson of the college wrote, "He explained how to share the Gospel in simple terms and how an evangelist has to contextualize the message without compromising the truth. On the last day Prakash fielded questions from the students, ranging from 'How to share the Gospel to one who does not believe in the Second Coming of Christ' to 'How to share the gospel to an atheist.'"

One student commented:

"Dr. Yesudian is one of the most modest and down to earth preachers I have seen. His personality of humility spoke to us more than his preaching. We understood how thinking and the guidance of the Holy Spirit go hand in hand in the ministry. After each day's session he spent about a half hour talking to the faculty where we could learn precious life lessons from a man who has lived his message, and made his life to make a lasting impact on others, just as his lips have been to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you, Dr. Yesudian, for investing your valuable time to inspire and challenge us about evangelism and more importantly about the high calling of an evangelist."

Prakash then spoke in Allankulam on the "Supreme Love of God" revealed to us on the cross of Calvary. When the Gospel invitation was given, hundreds of people stood and dedicated their lives to the Lord. Prakash spent Passion Week near Bangalore giving a series of messages.

Thank for your prayers for the team as they conducted so many meetings and workshops during the Easter season.

Canada

The Canadian team just completed another successful RZIM training weekend! After weeks of preparation, the team traveled to Philpott Church in Hamilton, Ontario, for a "Believing Is Seeing" weekend training session entitled "Is Faith Ridiculous?" The team writes, "With many voices rising, stating that believing in God is not only ludicrous, but dangerous and harmful, we wanted to set the record straight. With the help of Dr. Craig Evans, Andy Bannister, and Rachel Tulloch, we were able to respond to these accusations in a polite, informative, and effective way. Craig Evans spoke on the credibility of both Scripture and Jesus. Andy addressed the rise of the new atheism and our response to it. Rachel spoke on the issue of plausibility of the Christian faith. The communicators gave of their time to answer our eager attendees' many questions-sometimes one on one. This, combined with pointed video clips and worship, made for a meaningful weekend."

"Believing Is Seeing" is gaining momentum and helping to build relationships with churches that desire it to train their people to discuss their faith in an informed, engaging way. Thank you for your prayers and support for these training weekend endeavors.

Singapore

LT Jeyachandran spoke to the Japanese Fellowship of St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore, on April 4. He then gave a message at Bukit Panjang Methodist Church Youth service on April 5 followed by a message for the Good Friday Service at Bethesda Chapel, Kembangan, the following week.

Please pray for the team in Asia Pacific as they minister in this region and continue their many engagements.

Middle East

Stuart McAllister's trip to the region last month was very productive and the team is excited about all that came of it. Stuart spoke at different churches and at the Christian Alliance Institute of Theology throughout his eleven-day trip. He spoke twice at a church in Cairo where more than 1,000 people attended. He also met with leaders and pastors of different denominations who have expressed the need and the importance of having a M.E. curriculum.

This month the M.E. team also hosted LT Jeyachandran, who visited Dubai and spoke to a large group of Christians. Many from those meeting have expressed interest in attending a systematic apologetics training conducted by RZIM.

LT then visited Senem for a short ministry trip to Istanbul. He spoke at local churches, including a general gathering at Besiktas Protestant Church. His topic was "Reflections on the Trinity." There was standing-room only at this last meeting and the question and answer session lasted until 11 pm. The feedback from the event has been tremendous and the team has received numerous emails asking when the next event will take place. Senem writes, "Many thanks for your prayers specifically for this event. I have felt God's grace and opening of our minds to these complex issues and I am thankful to our brother LT for his service among us."

China

Grace Lee
Grace reports, "We had a tremendous time in our weekly women's Bible study: LT joined us from Singapore, via Skype/Webcam, to teach and expound on the topics of morality and God and the confluence of Asian culture and Christian faith (i.e.: Where does fung shui fit in the makeup of my new home and should I place the family's Chinese deities in our new living room out of respect for my husband and in-laws?). LT had a captive audience in the conference room and deftly and graciously directed these inquisitive women to the Word for answers to their many questions. Everyone left invigorated, and the women who are not yet believers or unsure of how Christ would fit in their Chinese culture left with expressions of big thanks for the thoughtful and very helpful time. After this particular study, I am encouraged to know there are ways we can use technology to intersperse the team into this community as we do ministry, with personal attendance as book-ends to other sorts of creative interaction during weeks/months in between events."

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,