Film: Keesee, Tim, and Peter Hansen. Dispatches from the Front: The Power of His Rising (South Asia). Frontline Missions International, 2013.

Running Time: 65 min

Point: God is able to use the skills, strength, and everyday experiences of individuals to take the Gospel to lands who attempt to shield its entrance.

Path: Tim Keesee follows up after three years with an entrepreneur in South Asia who is using coffee to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through instructing tribes how to plant and harvest coffee, to teaching men and women how to roast, prepare, and present coffee, to sitting with them in his shop and explaining what he is doing, this missionary is using bitter beans to tell of the sweet savor of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Presentation: I enjoy the way in which these videos are presented. You walk along with Tim as he visits missionaries in their work. Most of the video you watch the interaction and hear the flowing narrative of Tim’s journal. His ability to communicate through metaphors always encourages me.

Agreement: These films give a variety of views of missions and are sure to challenge the viewer in their love of Christ and devotion to his mission.

What I especially appreciated about this episode is that they honestly showed the struggles of tent-making missions. Their decisions were hard. Their days were long. Often times the results were few. But they were realizing each day how great their God is.

I think it is easy to romanticize about the possibilities of tent-making missions without being ready to embrace the difficulties. I think this film was a valuable reminder that missions life is hard, but Jesus Christ is great.

Personal App: Am I thinking creatively about Gospel contacts?

Favorite Quote: “Hebrews eleven, the great chapter of faith of the Bible, was written in complete sentences. But it was not lived out that way. We know now how things turned out, but at the time, they didn’t.

Stars: 5 out of 5

It would be worth watching again and I would recommend it.

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