Maui Fire Survivor Recounts Experience, MBTS Acquires Spurgeon Heritage Collection & Reasons We Should Evangelize

When Mari Finn awoke on Aug. 8 to heavy winds and no power in Maui, she assumed it was like any other storm that would pass. But as the storm progressed, a wildfire blazed through Lahaina. It ultimately destroyed more than 2,000 acres and killed 97 people.

Months later, Finn finally was allowed to return to her property, but she was not alone. A team of Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers were right beside her in October as she sifted through the ash, hoping to find anything that may have survived.

Due to the condition of the properties and the potential of unsafe particles, volunteers must be fully suited in personal protective equipment from head to toe – white Tyvek suits, booties, a hood, goggles and a mask.

The work is so physically demanding, the teams are required to rest 20 minutes for every 20 minutes of work.

To learn how you can help in relief efforts visit SendRelief.org.
===

The Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has announced its recent acquisition of the Heritage Collection from Spurgeon’s College UK. The collection consists of thousands of books, manuscripts, letters, artifacts, newspaper cuttings and more from Charles Spurgeon.

The Heritage Collection offers an unparalleled glimpse into the life and ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), the legendary preacher and pastor of London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle, and the Pastors’ College that he founded.

Over the years, many documents, papers, and personal items from the Spurgeon family were deposited with the college, now named Spurgeon’s College UK, turning it into a de facto repository for all things related to the Spurgeons. Additional items have been added to the collection as individuals have donated Spurgeon-related memorabilia passed down through the generations.
The resources should be on display very soon at the seminary in Kansas City.

—
Good News for Today is sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.
===

Why should Christians share their faith with others? Tyler Sykora lists several reason in the Baptist Press Toolbox. Here’s a few of them.

First, because God tells us to. Find that in Matthew 28:18-20.

We evangelize because tomorrow is not promised. Our lives, and the lives of those around us, could be gone in an instant. As we are told in James 4:14, our life is but a vapor. Therefore, we seek Gospel conversations with others in the here and now because tomorrow is not guaranteed. The Bible is clear that Christ could return, or we could die at any moment. Let’s share the Gospel with diligence and zeal because we never know when the Lord will either return or call us home.

We evangelize because it sanctifies us. Evangelism is one of God’s means to kills our pride and make us more dependent upon Him. Some of you might find that evangelism is one of the hardest things you will ever do. You will find that you pray for strength a lot when you are sharing the Gospel with people. But this is intended! God designed it that way because we were never meant to live in our own power. Dependence upon God is a good thing. So, when you feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or fearful. Pray. That may be exactly why God has you in that moment.

We evangelize because we love God. This is, perhaps, the most important reason. The fuel for our evangelism should not be out of duty or dread. Rather, we should strive to be obedient in evangelism because we love the Lord, and we want to see Him rightly honored and worshipped.

You can read the full piece and learn more about our daily emails at Baptist Press.com.