John Rowse – Moses’ Radio Opportunities

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Dear John,

It is so interesting to see how the Lord is using the radio in this part of the world for many more people to hear the gospel.

A Two-hour Gospel Opportunity

Last Saturday, I was given a rare opportunity to share the gospel of grace with our Provincial Permanent Secretary. I went to Chinsali for a personal program. When he learned that I was travelling back to Isoka that same day, he offered me a free ride in his official vehicle. In the front seat were the driver and the Messenger. The back seat was occupied by the Permanent Secretary and myself. The driver is one of those who came to Christ through Radio Delight Kwitonta during the time when I was preaching on the same radio while in Chinsali. I and my wife used to visit him and his wife and some of their neighbours for Bible studies until he started coming to church.

An Opportune Call

Just about ten minutes after starting off from Chinsali, I received a phone call from James Mwansa, one of the listeners in Kanchibiya district. He asked, “Pastor when you were preaching on ZNBC Radio yesterday, you said, a true believer in Christ who shoots himself goes to heaven while a non-believer who dies while doing a good deed such as saving someone else’s life goes to hell, how can that be?” The PS heard the question and he became curious. I thanked the caller for the very good question and said, “James, suppose your wife worked hard all night to prepare a very tasty, nice cake for the Provincial Minister who comes for a special visit to your house. The cake is nicely done and ready to be presented to your very important visitor. Then, while your wife is busy trying to clean up the small child, the visitor arrives. She has no time to go and wash. Then she presents the nice cake which she laboured for throughout the night with hands that are contaminated with the filth of the small child, do you think the visitor would accept the present?” James said, no. Then I said, how can a holy God accept a good deed offered to him by a sinful person? God is just, He does not accept bribes. Your good deeds cannot cover up for your sins against God.

How Does Punishment Work?

You must be punished for your sins even if you died doing a good deed. However, if you stop trusting in your good deeds for your salvation and put your faith in Jesus who was punished instead of you for your sins, you will eternally be saved. The death of Jesus covers for all your sins so that through him you look perfectly clean in the eyes of the holy God. The Spirit of God will come to abide in you. He will be washing you inwardly on a daily basis so that you grow in your holiness. Every true believer dies with some sin in them. But the death of Jesus covers for all sins including the last sin that a genuine believer commits before he dies. That includes even the serious sin of shooting yourself, which is murder.

It is possible that a genuine believer can commit suicide because of various reasons, maybe because of spiritual immaturity. When one is saved it does not mean that they have become superhuman so that they are immune to sorrow. To say it is not possible for a genuine believer to commit suicide is living dangerously. As I was explaining this to James who was very attentive, the line suddenly cut because of bad network. The P.S., the driver and the messenger were also following the conversation very closely. When the line cut because of the network, the P.S. quickly loudly exclaimed, “Pastor, that was an excellent explanation of what it means to be saved by grace. I have never heard of such an explanation. The passages of scriptures that you were referring to are very commonly used by different Pastors, but they have never explained them the way you have done it. With this, I think, salvation is guaranteed to me if I rely on Jesus only for my salvation”.

Encouraged to Keep Preaching

The driver also responded and said, “Sir, this is the reason why I have always complained about his transfer to Isoka. The first time when I heard him teach on Radio Delight, I was shocked by the clear explanation of the scriptures. Then when he came with his wife to share the gospel with me and my wife, both she and I decided to give our lives to Christ. Since then, I have never been the same, I have changed. Now I have missed his teachings during Bible studies at my house and at the church. Too bad the line cut and James in Kanchibiya can’t hear more from you. But we can continue the discussion, Pastor.

The P.S. then continued asking more questions about justification by faith. The P.S. and the Messenger excitedly decided to put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation. Then I said to the PS, “Sir, bringing this teaching on the suicide of a true believer on public media may not be that easy, as some people may misquote me. But this is a reality. No one can run away from the fact that anybody including a child of God can possibly commit suicide.” I also gave him some examples of some pastors who killed themselves. The PS personally knew one of them, he also said, the one he knows who was a United Church of Zambia pastor was actually denied a church funeral because everyone condemned him. After praying with him, Henry the P.S., instead of warning me not to again go to any radio to preach on the suicide issue, thanked me and encouraged me to do more of these teachings on salvation by grace so that many more people can hear and be saved.

What People are Saying

Yesterday, Sunday, I had a meeting with the Isoka church leadership. Everyone was testifying about how the people in the community are responding to the radio messages on Iso Radio. It is interesting to realise that the people have embraced the teaching that they are inviting and encouraging anyone they find to be listening to my radio programs because my teaching is Bible-based. Others say I am not like the other pastors who go to the radio to excite people with prosperity gospel messages. Others are saying, they had never had time to hear the true gospel which gives assurance of one’s salvation. I have made a program where I have included all the leaders for personal evangelism and follow-up of the people that are giving their lives to Christ. Every one of the leaders is excited about this program which Iukhas already commenced.

Please pray for:

  • the P.S. to continue growing in his faith. That the Lord will grant him the grace to develop the desire for God’s word;
  • the clarity of speech as I continue communicating the message;
  • the Spirit of God to open the lives of people to receive the gospel;
  • the church leadership to continue with the spirit of oneness in ensuring that the gospel is preached in its fullness.

Thank you so very much brethren for the prayers you are rendering to God and for the great support for the radio ministry here. Please do not relent, God is at work.

In Jesus,

John Rowse and Moses