YouTube has produced a skit that features the 11 disciples after Jesus' death. They confess to having stolen Jesus' body from His tomb and were discussing how they would say He had been raised from the dead – although, in the skit, that had certainly not happened. One of the disciples raised opposition to the plan. He said they would all be killed if they professed this lie. Then he said he had no intention of being killed for something they all knew was a lie.

This has been the subject of this blog. After abandoning Jesus as He was being crucified and Peter's 3-time denial of any association with Jesus, in a little over a month, all 11 disciples proclaimed they had seen and spent 40 days with the resurrected Jesus. Paul even mentions in I Corinthians 15:5-6 that, after Jesus' death, in his resurrected body, Jesus "appeared to Cephus (Peter) and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living …"

As we have seen from history, all 11 disciples dispersed to nearly all corners of the then known world, proclaiming they had seen and talked with the resurrected Jesus, and, except for John, each disciple was martyred by some of the most malicious execution methods of the time.

Even John was thrown into boiling oil by the Emperor Domitian. However, he survived and was then exiled to the Island of Patmos for the rest of his life.
Now, some have maintained that the stories of Jesus were all made up. However, there are several non-Christian witnesses to Jesus Christ from the time he lived, including historians and others.

Josephus
A Jewish historian who lived around 93–94 AD. His Antiquities of the Jews includes two references to Jesus, including the Testimonium Flavianum, which some scholars use to support the existence of Jesus' crucifixion.

Tacitus
A Roman historian who lived from 56–120 AD. His Annals of 116 AD describes Nero's persecution of Christians and the crucifixion of Jesus under Pontius Pilate.

Suetonius
A Roman historian and court official who lived around 120 AD. He made two references to Jesus, including one that some scholars believe notes that Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from Rome because of disturbances caused by Chrestus.

Lucian
A Greek satirist who lived in the second century. He alluded to Christ in a reference to someone who was crucified in Palestine for introducing a new cult.

Mara bar-Serapion
Wrote a letter after 73 AD that is now in the British Museum. He wrote, "'What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? It was just after that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged … the Jews, desolate and driven from their own kingdom, live in complete dispersion.'"  Most scholars believe the reference to the Jews' wise king was a reference to Jesus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sources_for_the_historicity_of_Jesus).

Time magazine and the Wikipedia (see above) say that Jesus was the most significant and best attested man of history.  

Now, Christianity grew mightily from the very beginning of the apostle's missionary journeys. In fact, the Roman and Jewish leaders considered them such a great threat to society in general that they began horrendous persecutions of the Christians. Shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection, Nero killed, as some have estimated, 989 Christians from AD 64 to 69. And the killings didn't stop there. Because of multiple persecutions during the first 3 centuries, by some estimates, 2 million Christians had been martyred by 325 AD, mostly by the Empire."

Tacitus, a Roman historian, wrote in his book, Annals, (AD 98 -138) "Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also …In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights."

However, in 313 AD, after the Diocletian Persecution, Rome legalized Christianity and religious freedom was granted to all citizens. In 381 AD, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Therefore, one would conclude from all these references, that Jesus was, in fact, resurrected from death – historically!  He is the Son of God who, now, through His death, intervenes on behalf of those who believe in Him and saves them to eternal life. For, as the disciples and those who historically followed them proved, no one would die for what they knew was a lie, but they would die for what they knew was the truth.

Thomas is not mentioned very much in the Gospels. In fact, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he is only in the lists of the disciples. However, in the Gospel of John, he is in two important stories. When Jesus planned to return to Judea because His friend, Lazarus, was sick, the disciples warned Him that the Jew’s tried to stone Him the last time they were there. In spite of their attitude, Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:5-16). In spite of his enthusiasm on this occasion, however, when after Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples told Thomas they had seen the risen Jesus in a meeting at which Thomas was absent, he replied he would not believe them unless he had physical proof of Jesus’ resurrection. When Jesus appeared to the disciples a second time, He asked Thomas, specifically, to touch His hands and His side. At his sudden realization of the truth. Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” It has been observed that he was the first person to acknowledge Jesus’ divinity.

Church history tells us that the emboldened Thomas traveled the farthest distance of any disciple to evangelize those in Muziris (Cranganore) on the Kerala coast in India in 52 AD. He established seven churches in Kerala. However, when an attack was threatened in that area, Thomas left northwest India and journeyed to the Malabar coast, visiting southeast Arabia and Socotra on the way. He landed at Muziria (Paraveer) in the company a Jewish merchant, Abbanes, and from there, he preached the gospel throughout the Malabar coast and founded many churches, most of which were located on the Periyar River where there were Jewish colonies. There is some evidence that he also traveled to China and then back to India. Another tradition has him going to Paraguay, as well.

According to one tradition, Thomas stood up to an Indian king (whose wife had become a Christian) when the king pressured Thomas to make sacrifices to an idol. The tradition goes on to say that the idol shattered into pieces when Thomas was forced to approach it. The king was so angry that he ordered his high priest to kill Thomas, which he did by piercing Thomas with a spear.

Another tradition states that the Brahmins, who were alarmed at the progress of Christianity, were resolved to put Thomas to death. While Thomas was praying at a tomb, the Brahmins threw at him a shower of darts, after which one of the priests ran him through with a lance. No matter how it occurred, Thomas was speared to death for preaching the resurrected Jesus.
What made this dramatic change in doubting Thomas’ life? He would say it was the moment he saw the resurrected Jesus and put his hands in Jesus’ wounds. Now, if this was a lie, as some today argue, would any man go such long distances from his home and die in such a horrendous manner for something he knew was a lie?

Philip, the apostle, is not mentioned in the first three gospels other than in the lists of the apostles. However, he is a frequent character in the book of John.  Philip had been among the followers of John the Baptist and he is unique in that Jesus called him personally to be His disciple. Jesus simply said to him, “Follow Me.” Philip answered Jesus’ call and was instrumental in bringing Nathaniel (Bartholomew) to Jesus who also became one of the twelve apostles.

For three years, Philip lived with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and heard Jesus’ teachings. When Jesus and His disciples went to Jerusalem, some Greek men from Bethsaida wanted to see Jesus; so, they came to Philip to help them meet Him. During the Last Supper, Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus replied that He and the Father were one.

After Jesus’ ascension, Philip preached in Galilee where he performed many miracles including restoring the life of an infant in his mother’s arms. Then, he went to Greece and preached to the Jews there. In response, some scribes and a Jewish priest came to Greece to interrogate Philip. These men claimed that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body and hidden it. Philip replied that the Pharisees had bribed the Roman soldiers who were on watch over Jesus’ tomb to spread this story. When these Jewish men began to insult Jesus and lunged after Philip, they were struck blind. However, when Philip prayed for them, their eyesight was restored. Many believed in Jesus as a result of this miracle.

The Acts of Philip, written by Eusebius, recounts the preaching and miracles of Philip. He reports that he was a missionary, along with Nathaniel (Bartholomew) and his sister, Marianne, to Greece, Phrygia, and Syria. (Other sources add Scythia – a region in central Eurasia – Asia Minor, Lydia, and Emessa). Eusebius’ book also recounts that, through Philip’s preaching and a miraculous healing, Philip brought to conversion the wife of the proconsul of the city of Hierapolis. This enraged the proconsul and he had all three of the missionaries tortured. Then, he had them crucified upside down on crosses. Philip preached from the cross and, as a result of his preaching, the crowd released Bartholomew and Marianne from their crosses, but Philip refused to be released and he died on the cross.

Philip’s tomb was found in the ancient city of Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale) in 2011.

Matthew was a tax collector in the service of Herod Antipas, tetrarch  of Galilee. As such, he was hated by patriotic Jews and the general populace. Tax collectors most often increased the amount of money they charged the Jewish citizens, keeping some of it for themselves. So, Matthew was wealthy and well-educated – he knew both Greek and Aramaic. A Levite, he  was also very familiar with Jewish tradition and Scripture. Yet, he immediately gave up his high paying job and all the money he had collected to follow Jesus. That night, he threw a banquet for Jesus and included other tax collectors and sinners drawing intense criticism from the Pharisees. But, even though he followed Jesus during His three-year ministry, he was among the disciples who fled at Jesus’ crucifixion.

However, forty days later, and throughout the rest of his life, he unashamedly preached the gospel of Jesus, going as far away as Ethiopia (to the south of the Caspian Sea) and Egypt. Some early church authors even had him traveling also to Persia, Macedonia, and Syria. In addition, Matthew wrote the gospel bearing his name (attested by Papias – 95-110 AD, Irenaeus – 180 AD, and Origen – 185-254 AD, among others).

The accounts of his death are sparse and varied and are mostly from church tradition. But the majority say he was martyred – burned, stoned, or beheaded. One source says he was impaled to the earth by a spear and then beheaded.

What made this dramatic change in Matthew’s life? He said it was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Now, if this was a lie, as some today argue, would any man go long distances from his home and die in such a horrendous manner for something he knew was a lie?

Thaddeus was born to a Jewish family in Panias Galilee near where Jesus grew up. He was a farmer by trade, his mother was a cousin of Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his father was a brother of Joseph and James the Less. In 37 AD, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, he traveled with Simon Zealot throughout Mesopotamia, Libya, Turkey, and Persia. With Simon, he helped create the Armenian Apostolic Church and is known as the patron saint of desperate causes and lost cases.

Though disputed, he may have authored the book of Jude, a letter to the Eastern churches who were under persecution around 60 AD. It was a warning against pseudo-teachers who were spreading false ideas about the early Christian faith. He encouraged followers of Jesus to persevere in the face of harsh circumstances, to keep the faith, and to stay in the love of God.

Along with Simon Zealot, he was decapitated with an ax in Beirut, Lebanon in 65 AD. That is why, in early pictures of him, he is shown holding an ax. Later, his body was brought back to Rome and placed in a crypt under St. Peter’s Basilica.

When Jesus called John to be a disciple, he was fishing with his brother, James, and his father, Zebedee. When John encountered Jesus, he and his brother left their fishing nets behind to become Jesus’ followers. However, even though John was considered the beloved disciple, he did have a darker side.  He and his brother were called the Sons of Thunder. On one occasion, Jesus and His disciples were going into a Samaritan village. The disciples were sent ahead to make arrangements, but the people there did not welcome Jesus. When this occurred, James and John said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” (Luke 9:54) Jesus rebuked them. Another time, James and John asked to sit on thrones beside Jesus when He comes in glory. Jesus rebuked them again and warned them that they would face much suffering in the future. John was the only disciple at Jesus’ crucifixion. From the cross, Jesus commended His mother to John’s care.

Fast forward a few years and we see John, in contrast, being called the apostle of love. In his writings, he emphasizes the importance of love and the promise of eternal life to believers.  After Jesus’ death, there was so much persecution of Christ followers under Herod Agrippa that John took Jesus’ mother to Ephesus and cared for her there until she died (mid 60’s). While there, he wrote the Gospel of John and guided the Ephesian church . Then, he and Peter (who had paired together before Jesus’ death) emerged as leaders of the Christians who performed miracles  (Acts 3:1-4, 3-11), went to jail (Acts 4:1-3), defended the faithful before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:-12, 19), and served as emissaries to confirm the reception of the Gospel.
John was the youngest of the apostles and the last to die, so, during his 95 years, he was able to write five books of the Bible: the Gospel of John, the three letters of John, and Revelation. He wrote all of his books after the other books of the New Testament. Consequently, his work is more explicable to modern readers because he had time to answer the doubts and questions raised in 50+ years after the resurrection. He is also reported to have arranged the books and finalized the canon of the New Testament.

Tertullian (155-300 AD) tells us that, in 95 AD, the Roman Emperor Domitian was vigorously persecuting Christians and he ordered John to be executed by throwing him into a cauldron of boiling oil. When John suffered nothing and did not die but continued preaching from the cauldron, Domitian was angry and then had him exiled to the isle of Patmos, a prison colony off the coast of Turkey where John couldn’t talk to anyone  (95 AD). Eighteen months later John was released under Emperor Marcus Coccceius Nerva and moved to Turkey where he died of old age. He was the only disciple who died naturally.

John did not die a martyr’s death, but it wasn’t because Domitian didn’t try. John certainly lived a martyr’s life. What made this dramatic change in John’s life? He said it was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Some today argue Jesus’ resurrection is a lie. However, no man will willingly offer himself to die in a cauldron of boiling oil for something he knew was a lie.

James and John, fishermen and two of Jesus’ disciples, were brothers and possibly cousins of Jesus. Their mother, Salome, was the sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Jesus called James and his brother, John, “Boanerges” which meant the “Sons of Thunder” – possibly because of their bold and aggressive personalities.

At one point in his journey with Jesus, James and his brother, John, asked Jesus if they might sit, one on His left side and one on His right side, in His future glory. Jesus rebuffed them and asked if they were ready to drink the cup from which He was going to drink. Furthermore, He said, this was an honor that was not His to grant.

James was one of the three disciples who were chosen among the others to witness the raising of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus’ transfiguration, and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. After Jesus’ ascension, he was firmly entrenched in the leadership of the early church in Jerusalem – so much so that Herod Agrippa put him to death at the age of 48 – 14 years after Jesus’ ascension. His death, the first of the apostles and the only one mentioned in the New Testament, was possibly the incentive that caused the apostles to leave Jerusalem and go to the outer parts of the then known world.

Herod had lived as a faithful Jew who tolerated the Christians at the beginning of his reign. However, his popularity with the Jews led him to lay violent hands on those who were Christians. He also thought that James had led the city of Jerusalem astray. And, according to Jewish custom, execution (beheading) with the sword was punishment for apostasy (Deuteronomy 13:6-18).

Although his life was relatively short, James turned his life around into a powerful instrument God could use. His life is a lesson that, whatever our gifts and personalities may be, when we dedicate them to God’s service, we can accomplish great things for His glory.

As our team prepares to go in Jesus’ name, we would deeply appreciate your prayers during this season of preparation. Lucie, Sam, Alex, Sammie, Darren, Denise, Ryan V, Boaz, Dan, Allison, Ryan W, and Rob have each answered the call to “Here I am, send me.” This team is passionate about serving others and sharing God’s love, and we are grateful for your support and prayers as we get ready for our mission trip.

If you want to GIVE to a team member, you can do so here . Every gift counts!

We’re excited to travel to Costa Rica this July 18–25 to serve alongside our global missionaries, Lonney and Paula Moore, with Hope Partner International. Hope Centers are currently making a meaningful impact around the world, and we’re honored to support the incredible team in Pavas who selflessly pour into the lives of children and families every day. We would deeply appreciate your prayers as we prepare for this week of service, connection, and ministry. It’s truly a privilege to be part of what God is doing in their community this summer.

Frisco Bible Church | July 6–13, 2025

What a week! As our team wraps up an unforgettable mission trip to Word of Life in upstate New York, our hearts are full—with gratitude, growth, laughter, and most of all, the presence of God.

This trip was more than a service project—it was a living testimony of teamwork, discipleship, family bonding, and the power of stepping away from the everyday to serve together.

? Spiritual Highlights

We began each day in God’s Word, and every devotional set the tone:

Day 1 reminded us that God works through those who show up in obedience.
Day 2 taught us the connection between justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Day 3 deepened our focus on prayer and perseverance.
Day 4 inspired us with servant leadership and the power of “next steps” in faith.
Day 5 challenged us to resist temptation and glorify God in the big and small.
Day 6 encouraged us to choose eternal over the expedient

Throughout the week, kids and adults alike reflected on what it means to follow Jesus practically—through sweeping, painting, serving meals, and listening to one another with love.

?️ Service Projects Completed-720 Hours of work with $10,000 in materials donated by our team

• God gave us strength, humor, and plenty of bug spray to accomplish a lot:
• Painted the train station and completed touch-up projects
• Finished a new roof on the Ranch office (thanks to our awesome dads!)
• Cleaned the Huskies soccer field, The Den, and Bollback Student Life Center
• Prepped and cleared walking trails for better accessibility
• Weeded landscaping and refreshed spaces around the Bible Institute
• Helped support kids’ camp programming and outdoor games

Every chore became an opportunity to serve with joy.

? Relational & Family Moments
From worship at the Ridge Rally to pulling weeds competitively, from hiking to ice cream at Martha’s, this trip was packed with unforgettable relational moments:

• Campers made faith decisions at the Ridge after powerful evening rallies
• Our team bonded deeply—sharing meals, devotions, and lake walks
• Younger children stepped up to serve boldly alongside adults
• Families laughed, prayed, and rested together under God’s open skies
• We ended with a night at the Word of Life Rodeo—a fun, festive finish!

❤️ Gratitude
We’re deeply thankful:

To Word of Life staff for welcoming and guiding us
To our servants —parents, teens, and kids—who served with excellence
To our church family, who prayed us through this mission
To God, who made every moment meaningful

? Final Takeaways
This trip reminded us that missions don’t always require a passport. When we step into service with humility and joy, God uses it—whether it’s painting a building or holding a kid’s hand during a game.
We return home encouraged, unified, and eager to continue living on mission—at home, at church, in our schools, and beyond.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
? Until Next Time…
Please continue to pray for those we served, and for our team as we carry the mission back to Texas. God is not finished—this is just the beginning.
With love,

The WOL NY Mission Team 2025

Frisco Bible Church

July 11, 2025
by Chandra Shekhar Manne

We began our Friday morning with a powerful devotional titled “The Weight of Glory and the Dumbbell of Temptation.” It centered on the importance of glorifying God in all we do and resisting the daily temptations that try to pull us off course. It was a timely reminder as we prepared for a full day of both service and celebration.

Morning: Paint Brushes & Power Sweeps

Our group split into two hardworking teams:

• Team One returned to the Train Station to finish the last touches of painting. It was satisfying to complete the job we had started earlier in the week, knowing future campers will enjoy a refreshed and welcoming space.
• Team Two, made up of volunteers and energetic kids, tackled cleaning the Huskies soccer field, The Den, and the Bollback Student Life Center. Sweeping, scrubbing, and tidying as a team gave us a sense of shared purpose—and more than a few giggles as we worked alongside each other.

After the cleanup, the kids were rewarded with some long-awaited fun and games at The Den and the Living Area. Their joy was infectious as they ran, played, and let loose in the afternoon sun.

Afternoon: Sweet Treats & Scenic Moments

Following a quick lunch, our caravan headed into town for a special treat: a visit to the famous Martha’s Ice Cream in Glens Falls. With cones piled high and sundaes in hand, we enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship—laughing, sharing stories, and simply savoring a cool break together.

From there, we made our way to Lake George. The younger kids splashed and played in the water, while others explored the arcade. Families strolled along the lakefront, enjoying the peaceful views and local shops. It was a refreshing pause from the busyness of our service projects—a time to soak in God’s beauty in creation and one another.

Evening: Rodeo Under the Stars

As the sun set, we gathered for one of the most exciting highlights of the trip: the Word of Life Rodeo. With horses galloping, music playing, and crowd cheering, it was an evening full of energy and joy. For many, it was their first rodeo—and it did not disappoint! It was a perfect way to end a day full of meaningful work and rich community.

Reflections

Today beautifully balanced serving with joy and resting in fellowship. Whether sweeping soccer fields, finishing paint jobs, enjoying ice cream, or cheering at the rodeo, everything pointed back to glorifying God—just like our morning devotional reminded us.

Today was our 4th day at Word of Life Bible Institute. After a delicious breakfast of pancakes, we went to the train station at Ranch / Ridge area to continue painting. With brush in hand, the two of us started edging the walls of the train station building in yellow. Almost the entire team went to paint except for two dads who were finishing putting the new roof on the Ranch office.  
That job took a long time, but thankfully the kids got a break and went to the petting zoo. (Warning - Donkeys may bite!)

After lunch, we were promoted to "paint rollers". Then Ms. Denise organized a weed pulling contest for the kids. Jake was the first to pull 100 weeds. Luke got the most weeds pulled overall. Ms. Denise then rewarded us with candy (Thank you Ms. Denise!). There is still some painting to finish for tomorrow, but the roof was completely and utterly done.

Later that evening, we went to dinner (Shout out to John the security guard.) After that, we went to the Ridge Rally where Mr. Tiago spoke to the middle school campers about taking Next Steps in their faith.

We feel that this week at Word of Life, we learned how to work hard with the right attitude.

A delicious breakfast of pancakes fueled our work today, just like reading God's Word fuels our next steps in faith. (Lanyard drop!)
Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes! 

This mission trip in New York, the state, is wonderful!! My (Elizabeth, E) favorite thing has been getting to play with Natania and having fun with her. My (Natania, N) favorite thing has been holding the chicks in the petting zoo. The service part I (E) have enjoyed the most was making a hiking trail through the woods and my (N) favorite service part was painting the walls of the train station. This week I (N) have learned that God is the Savior. I (E) was reminded how God made everything, even the beetles and bugs. While we were weeding flowerbeds, we discussed John 15. Summarized by Elizabeth: "Jesus is the root of the plant; the parts that are broken and crumbled will be burned and the good pieces will produce fruit. The bad parts will be cut off with clippers, but the good ones will live forever." Part of our service project is taking care of the tasks we are given and all of the glory goes to God. We get to take care of the gardens here like Adam and Eve were told by God to take care of the garden and animals.

We had lots of fun today and worked really hard to bring glory to God. We went on a boat trip around Lake Schroon and saw the Word of Life Island, used for the high school student camps, then I (N) saw a really old house on another island.

Some of the dads worked on the roof all day. In the morning the ladies and kids weeded, and in the afternoon we joined the other dads painting the train station.

We ask for prayers for rest and good food. (Parents ask for patience, haha). 

Our team attend Dedication Night at The Ridge.  These are middle school students who are dedicating their lives to serve and follow the Lord. Our team did all the new mulch for the benches on Monday. It was very exciting to see our work come to full fruition.

Day Two at Word of Life! Today we did various projects around the Bible Institute campus, including roofing at the Ranch and weeding flowerbeds. While we were working, we started thinking about how these projects apply to our life. We discussed how our work here at Word of Life ties into a Christian life through justification, sanctification, and glorification.

During the day, the men in our team worked on tearing off an old roof and putting on a new one. We thought about how this is a picture of the justification Christ gives to believers. In Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul says, "Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." We saw that the men taking off the old, deteriorated roof is a parallel to putting off our old, corrupt selves, and how putting on the brand new roof is a parallel to putting on our new selves in Christ. Our former manner of life was dirty and unclean like the old roof, but because of Christ's justification, we are in God's true righteousness and holiness, just like the new roof we put on today. Now that we are justified by faith, we need to daily live for Christ.

Today, the women on our team were pulling up weeds in the gardens around the campus. As we were working on this, we noticed that this is a good picture of how we sanctify ourselves daily as justified Christians. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This shows that we need to continue to repent of our ongoing sin, just like the weeds we pulled today will need to be pulled again. This verse says that when we confess, God will forgive us and cleanse us of our sin. This is similar to how when the weeds are pulled, the garden is "cleansed" of its hinderances and is free to grow. Our goal in the sanctification of our life is to enter into the glory of God after death.

Looking at the big picture of our work here at Word of Life, we saw how the greatness of camp happens because of the smallness of people's service. In Matthew 25:21, Jesus says, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." Today we saw that our simple, small task of pulling weeds and roofing all make the much bigger camp possible. All of camp is greater than the sum of its parts. Our glorification will be complete when we enter into our Father's joy and can praise God with all we are.

Our justification, sanctification, and glorification are essential parts in our walk with God. Ultimately, today, tomorrow, and every day, we need to praise God with our works and live a life that is glorifying to Him.

Wow! What a fantastic first day of work!
After a rather restless and hot night (no AC in the dorms), we got started with a devotional on God's Sweetness. A verse that resonated throughout the day was Psalm 104:34: May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the LORD.
We ate breakfast and started the morning picking weeds. The weeds here are happy to leave their earthy homes and have no spines, certainly not Texas weeds that prefer to dig in and protect themselves with spines and chiggers. This task was interupted by an untimely fire alarm in the dining hall that required all personnel on site to relocate to the soccer field. Luckily it was nothing of note, and we were released quickly to get about the day's work. Our next stop was the campfire area with amphitheater seating up a hill. There we had a nice hangout time by the lake as we waited for the mulch and equipment. The kids took that time to get some playing in! Then mulch was unloaded at the top and we spread it around the benches to prevent weeds. Beginning without wheelbarrows, we improvised by shoveling the mulch onto tarps and dragging that to wherever it needed to go. The kids and several diligent adults then took that mulch and spread it around. Fortunately, two wheelbarrows did arrive and we got a rhythm down and knocked out the rest before lunch.
 

After lunch we got to work on two areas. One crew headed off to clean the Bible Institue buildings, and the rest of us went to a project I loved! We began creating a walking path for the younger campers to be able to walk to their meeting hall without being on the road with vehicles. This meant we got to explore the wooded mountainside!  Eventually the path will be leveled for golf carts to be able to use it also, but we began by just identifying a trail. Then we started the clearing process and marked it out with logs. We (at least the kids and I) had a great time finding logs all through the woods to use. Below you can see the entrance to the trail beside the tired, but content crew.

As we walked back to get much needed showers, Chandra recalled what Paul said about Onesimus in Philemon 11: Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and me. Both crews were certainly useful today! We worked hard, but have a great sense of accomplishment, success and usefulness.
Tonight we went over to see the gospel presentation for The Ridge camp (middle schoolers). As about fifty kids came forward as first time believers in Jesus Christ, I teared up thinking that in heaven I'll get to talk with all of these young brothers and sisters and say "I was back there, praying for you and cheering you on." Years from now when other kids sit on the benches or walk the path we worked on and the Holy Spirit moves their heart to belief, what a privelige to know I got to be a part of God's plan.

Yes indeed Lord, as I rejoice in you, may my meditations be pleasing! (And may the night be cooler)

Last Sunday, our Word of Life Summer Mission Team was prayed over and commissioned by our Frisco Bible Church elders and congregation. We are excited to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He brings our way next week. Our team leaves early Sunday morning through DFW. Please pray for smooth flights and good weather. We know that God is in control. Mission trips are a wonderful way to get out of your comfort zone and experience the power of the Holy Spirit's working.  As with all of our mission trips, the goal is to leave the trip encouraged, energized and reminded to make each day of our lives a "mini mission trip". We will have several of our team members blogging throughout the week, so stay tuned for more.

Here is the disciple who stood in the back of the crowd at Jesus’ crucifixion, and, when he was asked if he was one of Jesus’ disciples, he exclaimed loudly, “I never knew him.” He had been at the very front of the crowd when Jesus had performed His many miracles, including raising the dead to life, and, yet he fled when Jesus’ died on the cross. However, turn to the book of Acts and you see an emboldened disciple who became a leader in the Christian faith named – Peter.

From the book of Acts, we know that, after Peter witnessed Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, he ministered in Jerusalem, Lyda, Joppa, Caesarea, Antioch, Corinth, and Rome in 67 AD where he says he was imprisoned and awaiting his death (2 Peter 1:14-15 AD). He went to Samaria where he encountered the magician and faith healer, Simon Magus; to Lydda in the Plain of Sharon where he healed the paralyzed Aeneas; and to the town of Joppa where he affected the cure of Tabitha (Dorcas). Then he went north on the Mediterranean to Caesarea where, through the conversion of Cornelius, he introduced Gentiles to the church, which brought the opposition of Jewish Christians because he ordered Cornelius and other Gentiles to be baptized without first being circumcised. This act probably led to his imprisonment there by King Herod. However, an angel delivered him from the jail  and he made his escape, going immediately to the house of Mary, the mother of John.

It is clear to many New Testament scholars that he assumed a missionary role. By the end of the 1st century, there existed a tradition that Peter lived in Rome and further evidence is found in the Letter to the Romans by St. Ignatius, the early 2nd century bishop of Antioch – among many other historical documents.

John 21:18-19 is the earliest reference to Peter’s future death where Jesus says to Peter, “ ‘...when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will carry you where you do not want to go.’ (This He said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.” In the ancient world, “stretch out your hands” frequently referred to crucifixion. With this statement and others (John 21:19, 13:36), Peter lived his life after Jesus’ resurrection with the full reality that he would face martyrdom as Jesus did. In 2 Peter 1:12-15, Peter writes knowing his death is imminent, and 1 Clement 5:1-4 (AD 95-96), attests to Peter’s martyrdom during the Neronian persecution of Christians. So, the many references to Peter’s death by crucifixion are quite reliable, and some of them mention he was crucified upside down.  

What made this dramatic change in Peter’s life? He said it was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Now, if this was a lie, as some today argue, would any man go long distances from his home and die in such a horrendous manner for something he knew was a lie?

Summer Mission Trip 2025
Our Summer Mission Team is making their final preparations this coming week. We covet your prayers and are excited to serve with our Global Missionaries, Tiago & Amy Braganholo.
Here's our prayer request below. 

Andrew was a fisherman and a follower of John the Baptist when, one day, Jesus was passing by and John said, “Look, the Lamb of God.” When Andrew and another man heard this, they followed Jesus and spent the day with Him and the crowds. When Jesus saw them, He turned around and asked, “What do you want?” They asked, “Where are you staying?” Jesus answered, “Come and you will see.” So, they stayed with Him until evening. Then, the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Peter, and tell him, “We have found the Messiah!” and he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:35-42). Consequently, Andrew was Jesus’ first disciple and the first to call him, “Messiah.” 

The Bible doesn’t say much about Andrew, but the Gospel of Matthew’s report of the feeding of the 5,000 has a significant account of him. A multitude of people had spent the day listening to Jesus, and as evening approached, the disciples came to Jesus and suggested that He send the people away so that they could buy themselves some food. Jesus replied, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Peter responded that 200 days’ wages would not be enough for each person to have a little bit. However, Andrew bravely brought a little boy to Jesus who had only five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus multiplied them to feed the whole crowd with twelve basketfuls of broken pieces left over. 

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Andrew is said to have preached in areas around the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and he established the early orthodox church at Patras called the Church of Saint Andrew. At one point in Andrew’s ministry, the Roman Proconsul Aegeates was visiting Patras. His intention was to put an end to the new Christian religion and convince Christians to honor Roman gods and offer sacrifices to them. When Andrew heard about this, he ran to meet Aegeates telling him that the Son of God came on account of the salvation of men. Of the Roman gods, he said, “...these idols are not only not gods, but also most shameful demons and hostile to the human race…” Aegeates was outraged and carried out a long dialogue with Andrew suggesting Jesus’ teaching was false doctrine and His death was foolish. At the end of their conversation, Aegeates ordered Andrew’s crucifixion. Andrew did not see crucifixion as an instrument of torture and death but as sharing Christ’s suffering and redemption. So, he ran to the cross and embraced it wholeheartedly. He insisted that the cross take an X shape instead of a T and was bound to the cross instead of being nailed to it.

Andrew’s relics are at the Church of St. Andrew in Patras, which was renamed to Constantinople, and is now Istanbul, Turkey.

James, the son of Alphaeus is one of the least known of the twelve apostles. H.S. Vigevno calls him “the unknown apostle.” Apart from the lists of the twelve apostles, he appears nowhere else in the New Testament. So, in order to know about him, we have to turn to extra biblical sources. In doing so, we run into a problem. Since there are numerous references to James son of Zebedee, James the brother of Jesus, James the Less, and James the More. We don’t know for sure where he went after Jesus’ ascension, but we can be confident that he went somewhere to spread the gospel.

Jerome (345-420 AD) says James was Jesus’ brother, a leader of the church in Jerusalem, and author of the book of James in the Bible. Tradition has James establishing Christianity in Spain, and he has become the patron saint of Spain. Nicitas (324-337 AD) tracks his travels through Elevtheropolis, Gaza, Tyre, and multiple smaller towns. And. Nikephoros (802-811 AD) suggests he wound up in Egypt in the city of Ostrakine.

There are equally several accounts of his death. Hippolytus (170-235 AD) says in Hippolytus on the Twelve, “And James the son of Alphaeus, when preaching in Jerusalem, was stoned to death by the Jews, and was buried beside the temple.” Two other traditions say he was crucified, places his journeys and crucifixion in Persia, and reports that James preached from the cross. The final story worth mentioning states that he was pushed from the pinnacle of a temple and then beaten with a fuller’s club.

Although it is difficult to know exactly what James’ life and death were like, The Center for Online Evangelism comments, “But even though we don’t hear much about who James was or what he did, that doesn’t mean he didn’t do amazing things for Christ. After all, each disciple was chosen specifically by Jesus. James, the son of Alphaeus, was selected by the Son of God to learn from Him, minister with Him, and represent Him to the world.”

The name, Bartholomew, appears in the New Testament only in the lists of apostles. There is nothing describing him or his work. However, it may be that Bartholomew was a family name meaning “son (Hebrew – bar) of Tolmai or Talmai (9th century tradition). It is possible that his first name  was Nathanael. There is a story in John 1:43-51 about Nathanael  being called by Jesus into discipleship with Philip. When Jesus saw Nathaneal, He said, “Behold, an Israelite in whom is no guile.”  Since Bartholomew is mentioned nowhere except in apostle lists in the first three gospels, and Nathaneal is mentioned and explicitly described in the book of John as a disciple called by Jesus but who is never mentioned in the apostle lists, it is possible that the disciple’s full name was Nathanael bar (son of) Tolmai.

Bartholomew has been mentioned in many accounts as having ministered in India, Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Parthia (in Iran), Lyconia (in Turkey), and Armenia.  It is reported that, when 4th century Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea visited India, he found a Hebrew copy of the Gospel of Matthew which had been left by Bartholomew (Ecclesiastical History). With Jude Thaddeus, Bartholomew brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Both Jude and Bartholomew are considered patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to Armenian traditions, Bartholomew is the second Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian-Apostolic Church.

According to Hellenic tradition, Bartholomew was kidnapped, beaten unconscious, and thrown into the sea to drown. He was martyred because he had brought Christianity to Polymus, the local king. Enraged by his brother’s conversion and fearing Roman backlash, Prince Astyages ordered Bartholomew to be flayed (skinned) alive and then beheaded. Other accounts identify Bartholomew’s murderer as Agrippa (identified with Tigranes) or Sanatruk of Armenia. There are various accounts of Bartholomew’s death, but they all unilaterally agree that Bartholomew died as a martyr – executed for reasons tied to his faith.

In the 13th century, the St. Bartholomew Monastery was constructed and identified as the supposed site of Bartholomew’s martyrdom in Vaspurakan, Greater Armenia (now southeast Turkey). Azerbaijani Christians say Bartholomew was the first person to bring Christianity to the area. This church existed until 1925 when the Soviet campaign against religion demolished it.

Our team is so excited to serve the Lord together next month at Lake Schroon, New York with our missionaries, Tiago & Amy Braganholo. It's been a wonderful process to see the Lord bring just the right team together. Three families are coming to serve: The Chandra family; the Miller family and the Nicholson family. We have enjoyed two team meetings so far. Our first meeting we met at Braum's Ice Cream shop and last weeks meeting we had a team picnic. At our first team meeting, we decided on a team mission statement and team verse. At our second meeting, we discovered our Basic needs and how these can come into play during a mission trip. Our team has also been preparing physically through personal exercise to get our bodies ready for whatever the Lord brings; as well as spiritually through personal reflection questions. We would love your prayers and we continue to prepare.

We will leave you with this fun silly picture. We are looking forward to serving the Lord with great JOY and FUN

Thank you all for your prayers. If you'd like to financially GIVE towards our trip, you can do so https://friscobible.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2284/responses/new

Sunday, April 13- Today was our final full day as a team. We woke up this morning and headed to church in Prague via the metro subway where Matt and his wife Patty worship. The name of the church is Cirkev Bez Hranic (CBH) which stands for Church Without Borders. Matt and Patty have attended this church since their time in Prague beginning in 2017. CBH has a smaller church plant in Sedlecany which is where we spent the most of our week. This is where the connection began for English week in the public schools and where we served for the past week . CBH also hosts a summer english camp week in the Czech mountains every July and both the Prague & Sedlecany Churches come together. The church meets in a few quaint coffee shop, The Crowd Cafe and you can purchase coffee while you worship. Speaking of Worship, what a joy it is to worship the Lord in a different language. It gives us just a small glimpse of what heaven will be like! 

Here's part of our Texas team: Makenzie, Jaime, Sherry, Karen, Kelly, Jennifer, Jefferson & Jennifer

Today's Scripture was on 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. We were reminded to change our mind about Christ. As I've shared before in this blog, Czech's might acknowledge God but do not acknowledge His Son, Jesus. To a Czech, Jesus is the baby at Christmas time that brings presents. The Pastor reminded us that Yeshua is God and so metanoia- repent & come to Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Our team was grateful for Petra, who translated the message via WhatsApp, isn't technology amazing! Our team went to the first service as the church as been growing. That is so great to see God moving and His Spirit allowing many Czech to metanoia about Jesus.
After church we headed over to lunch and had a delicious Czech dish, Snitzel. Have I told you already how amazing the food is? And you can drink the water, it's delicious! There is no need to avoid the food and drink here.

During lunch, Sherry did the last devotional time with our team. She reminded everyone that "everyday that goes by, we get a little closer to Jesus". Our team has really seen God work, from bringing together twelve individuals into ONE UNITED team with a purpose. It's so amazing to think that we will all worship the amazing Yeshua and our prayer is that our students would also come to personally know Yeshua themselves.

Here's one of our team members, Jefferson. Cheers to Jefferson! Everyone needs a Jefferson! He's been contemplating God's calling to join Matt & Patty in the Czech. This trip was an exploratory trip for him. Would you pray alongside Jefferson? We can't wait to see where the Lord places him.
After lunch we had some time as a team to go into old town Prague to see the Astronomical clock. It's a famous clock that moves and chimes each hour. Then we had a chance to do some last minute shopping in Wenceslas Square. It was so beautiful with all of the Easter markets out.

Our team enjoyed this last full day in Prague soaking it all in and basking in all that the Lord did this week. Some fun reminders from our trip- Czech's love their dogs and they don't place them on leashes. As you walk along the streets be careful of "dog bombs"... Yep! that's right.  Chimney cakes (like a cinnamon roll minus the frosting) were a lovely dessert while shopping or just people watching on this beautiful spring day.

Overall, this mission trip has been amazing. Sherry and I both have a great love for the people of the Czech Republic. Will you continue to pray for our students in Sedlecany and for the country of Czech that they will come to know the Savior Jesus and to understand "No Greater Love (John 15:13)". Thank you to all of our readers who have read to the end of this page and our blogs over the past ten days. Our team is currently preparing to travel back to Texas. We look forward to taking everything that we have learned and pondered into our hearts. We pray that we also will live out "No Greater Love" in our lives as well.  All Praise be to God. He gets all the Glory!
This concludes our blog- Czech Mission Trip Out...

Saturday, April 12
This morning our team was able to sleep in before heading back to Prague. We packed up all our things from the Community Center in Sedlecany and moved back into our hotel rooms in the big city where we will spend today and Sunday. Although we spent a day here at the beginning of the trip, to be quite honest most of us don't remember much because we were still adjusting to the jet lag- ha! Now, it's time for us all to enjoy time in Prague. Our team dropped off our luggage and headed into the meeting room for lunch and some orientation about riding the metro around the city. Then we were given our bus passes and tickets for the day to enjoy the Prague Castle Complex. 

The weather was beautiful today! A little history about the Prague Castle is the largest castle complex in the world with an area of almost 70,000 square meters. We also walked and visited St. Vitus Cathedral and walked the oldest bridge, Charles Bridge

After all of those steps we were ready for dinner of Czech Dumplings Housekove Knedliky (meat, gravy & dumplings). It was a beautiful time of celebration for all that the Lord did for us in Sedlecany this past week- Cheers to an amazing day, week & team that the Lord put together!  We look forward to worshiping with the our Czech brothers and sisters on the Lord's Day tomorrow.

For those interested, here's accommodations of the the community center where we stayed in Sedlecany. The center contained a full kitchen, 2 dining rooms, a large entry way and large great room, 5 washrooms, 2 shower rooms, 10 bedrooms- 5 of those bedrooms were large rooms that could sleep 2-4 people per room. 

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Friday, April 11. Well, here we are it's Fri YEAH! Our team cannot believe that a week ago we began this journey to the Czech Republic. We've had emotional mixtures full of fun, frustration (from time to time for each team member), flexibility, and now the finality- the final day in the classroom with our students. Today our students and us as the teachers needed to flex and teach at another school campus today because the 16-18 year olds were participating in standardized testing. The good news was that this campus was much closer to our lodging at the community center and so we were able to sleep in just a tad bit more this morning. We began the day with our team devotions. I, Denise your daily blog writer had the privilege of leading the team this morning. We read from Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing." I reminded the team that knowing God fiercely protects and delights in us should give us peace especially when we face unfamiliar environments. His protective LOVE provides a refuge and safe place no matter what challenges or fears we may encounter. I encouraged our team to boldly rely on God's presence & protection while rejoicing (even through maybe a few tears of good-bye today) in the security of His presence not only for us but for our students that we will be leaving behind in Sedlcany. 

  Today's english topics were Camping because Czech's love nature ( yes, their country is full of nature) and Culture.  We began the day with discussing english vocabulary words and played the game, Headbands. Oh my goodness, they loved this game. We as their teachers are so proud of the improvement and confidence in their english since Monday. The students were engaging with one another and really practicing. Although every once in a while we would have to remind the class "this is english class, english only please."  Then our class went into an Indirectly direct discussion about how could all this the nature come about, was it chance? luck? fate? or could their be a Higher Being with Intelligent Design at work? We encouraged the students to think through these questions. A few students agreed that nature could not have "just happened" and that there MUST be someone who MADE it all.  Sherry and I encouraged our students to come back this afternoon for our last afterschool activity. 

After our twenty minute morning break, we began our discussion about Culture. Sherry and I wanted to bring in traditions and values. Since the Easter holiday is soon approaching, we decided to focus on how we in America celebrate Easter. We shared that Easter is a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's Son from the dead.  We explained that this is called "Passion Week" for us beginning with last Sunday called Palm Sunday where God's Son rode into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey while the people celebrated His entrance with Palm Branches then a week later the same people killed God's Son; He died and was buried on a Friday. Then on Sunday, God raised His Son from the dead. This is why we celebrate Easter, the resurrection of God's Son from the dead. We also shared that we have the symbol of the Easter egg and how we hide the eggs. Then we asked the Czech students how they celebrate Easter. The students shared that they celebrate Easter on Monday. Boys gather branches and braid colorful ribbons together. Then they go from house to house, whipping girls so that they stay healthy and young all year round. The boys in return receive colorful eggs and chocolate as a reward for their whipping. This is called Sibacka (we as a team were already prepared in our training time about this). The girls shared how much they hate this tradition and don't like being whipped while some of the boys like this tradition, there were a few boys that did not necessarily enjoy this celebration and agreed that they like the American Easter celebration instead. We also had a discussion about freedom & dreams. I asked the student if they had the freedom to dream in the Czech.  One very brave student, who really didn't talk much at all during the week, raised their hand and boldly shared that they like America better because we have the freedom to dream BIG. I'll just let that one sink in. We finished our last day with a time of reflection and encouragement for our students. Sherry and I wrote each student a note of encouragement and invited them to come back to the community center this afternoon for Games and snacks.

This was our fun colorful english conversation board at the school promoting our afternoon activities. Students could write notes to us and we as teachers could write notes to them.

Our afternoon activities were a BLAST. Sherry and I taught our students to play "Mexican Train" with the Dominos. We also played Skipbo with other students as well. We so enjoyed interacting one last time with them before we leave tomorrow back to Prague. We had about seven student come to our event and four of them allowed us to pray for them individually. The prayer of our hearts is for our students is that they would know the Savior is Present and He LOVES them Deeply.

It was the first of "lasts" for our team- last day with our students in the classroom, last day doing afternoon activities, our last day in Sedlcany, tomorrow we will pack up and head back to Prague. We will enjoy a wonderful day sightseeing tomorrow in Prague. But for now we will say good night & sleep.