CHRISTMAS BOOK SALE

Since 2011, we have authored over two dozen books related to our ministry and mission work in Eastern Europe. As several of the prints are now almost exhausted and second/third editions and several new titles are under way, we are releasing all currently available editions in a Christmas sale through the month of December. All titles are available at up to 30% off and Amazon offers free shipping and extra savings for bundle purchases.

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in America (2022 Report)

CURRENTLY ACTIVE CHURCHES/CONGREGATIONS:

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Chicago (2017 Report)
Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Texas (2017 Report)
Bulgarian Evangelical Churches – West Coast (2017 Report)

• Los Angeles (occasional/outreach of the Foursquare Church – Mission Hills, CA)
• Las Vegas (outreach of the Foursquare Church – http://lasvegaschurch.tv)
• San Francisco (occasional/inactive since 2012, Berkeley University/Concord, CA)
• Phoenix, Arizona

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches Canada (2017 Report)

• Toronto (inactive since 2007)
• Toronto/Slavic (active since 2009)
• Montreal (occasional/inactive since 2012)

Atlanta (active since 1996)

CURRENTLY INACTIVE CHURCHES/CONGREGATIONS:

• New York, NY (currently inactive)
• Buffalo, NY  (occasional/inactive)
• Jacksonville, FL  (occasional/inactive since 2014)
• Ft. Lauderdale / Miami  (currently inactive)
• Washington State, Seattle area (currently inactive)
• Minneapolis, MN (occasional/inactive since 2015)

READ MORE:

• First Bulgarian Church in Chicago Opened in 1907
• Gateway Cities for Bulgarian Evangelical Churches
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

13 Years of Chaplaincy on the High Seas

We began our literal journey of ministry on the high seas in 2009. After exploring the opportunity for several years’ prior and submitting applications to various chaplaincy organizations which dealt with such ministry, the doors finally opened for Cup and Cross.

This search for a ministerial identity and its proper application in the real world coincided with the start of the Master’s in Chaplaincy Ministry Program which we designed for the Bulgarian Evangelical Theological Institute in Sofia around 2008-2009. The long standing relationships with professors, active military chaplains from various fields and countries, and the wisdom of several Generals in the field helped us calibrate our ministry focus with what is needed by real people in the real world.

The new fad “to be real” is not enough in a realistic ministry setting. When 25ft. high storm waves beat the aft and the ship is thrown towards the dark wall of ocean waters ahead, one cannot help but “to be real” and depend on a very real and skilled crew. A captain alone cannot run the boat through a storm even if all systems are reported working. It is the crew deep down in the engine room and making its way on the slippery deck that makes it all happen.

The Crew. Some of them have not seen their families for months or even a year at times. They struggle with the same fears and anxieties as the rest of us. Except, while the rest of us can hold on to something for dear life, the crew is obligated by duty to continue to serve and move the boat ahead. The little chapel on the top deck becomes a passage to a lagoon past the riffs of stormy life where stories are shared, prayers are lifted up together and human lives are reclaimed anew for Heaven.

We have found these nontraditional paths of travel and ministry yielding the most unique encounters and connections for Kingdom growth.  Our family is thankful for these 10 years and looking forward to even more means of ministry outside of the four church walls.  If you would like for us to come to your church as share our journey feel free to reach out to us.

7 LAST DAYS SIGNS in 2022

Russia recently announced a stoppage of the flow of gas to the EU through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and that the flow will not be restarted until the EU cancels its economic sanctions on Russia.

Some EU citizens are starting to suffer, and they know their suffering is going to get much worse when winter arrives.

It is not surprising:

• That the value of the Euro is at a 20-year low.
• That the high cost of utilities and food have triggered a cost-of-living problem, and many EU citizens are moving toward poverty (owning nothing but not happy).
• That more than 70,000 Czechoslovakian citizens recently marched on their capital (Prague) to protest the situation and to call for an end to the sanctions on Russia.
• That all the EU nations are anticipating more protests in the coming months.
• That this is happening and the rider on the black horse during the Tribulation Period is hyper-inflation, economic collapse, and famine (Rev. 6:5-6).

(More: On Sept. 7, 2022, EU Commission Pres. Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU plans to impose mandatory electricity rationing and price caps on natural gas from Russia. Vladimir Putin called the plan “stupid” and said prices will go even higher.)

(More: On Sept. 8, 2022, it was reported that tens of thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of the sick and elderly will die; think population reduction.)

(More: On Sept. 8, 2022, it was reported that a failure of EU banks this winter will impact banks in the U.S. and the value of the dollar—major economic problems could be just months away.)

(More: On Sept. 8, 2022, it was reported that proposed legislation in Switzerland requires citizens in gas-heated buildings to keep their thermostat below 66.2 degrees F this winter. Intentional violators will be fined and could face up to three years in prison.)

(More: On Sept. 14, 2022, it was reported that the sale of appliances and other expensive items is in decline because poverty is spreading.)

Be aware that some reports say this is happening because the EU is following the World Economic Forum (WEF) agenda, and it will happen to every nation on earth (including the U.S.) because the WEF agenda is a global policy.

(My opinion: The problems in the EU and the WEF agenda guarantee that the mess this world is in will get much worse before the end of winter. The upcoming election could be critical for the survival of America.)

When asked about the signs of His coming (at the end of the Tribulation Period), Jesus replied that there will be distress of nations, with perplexity (Luke 21:25).

Many prophecy teachers have long expected global problems that will cause people to accept “the man with a plan” who will rise in the EU and be known as the Antichrist.

At the time of this writing:

• The media has reported that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has passed away, and Charles is preparing to take the throne as the King of England.
• Charles has attended globalist Bilderberg meetings, has been an extreme climate change fanatic, co-hosted a WEF meeting, and is a friend of Klaus Schwab, but he now says he is going to change because the King is not supposed to be political (his change may be questionable, but time will tell).
• At the UN COP26 meeting, Charles called for trillions (trillions, not billions) of dollars to be available to someone (a male ruler; some think he was referring to “the man with a plan;” the Antichrist) to immediately change the global economy, go green, and bring about the WEF Great Reset.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMRjfKhCpSo&t=17s

Here are more events that seem to indicate that we are getting close.

One, concerning climate change and going green in the U.S.: on Sept. 8, 2022, it was reported that “Californians are being asked to cut back on cooling their homes and using large appliances to prevent rolling blackouts as the state buckles under the weight of its outdated infrastructure and increasing reliance on unreliable ‘clean energy’ sources.”

Governor Newsom advised citizens to:

• Set their thermostats at 78 degrees.
• Turn off unnecessary lights.
• Avoid using large appliances.

According to the report, part of California’s power shortage problem is its shift to the WEF Great Reset plan.

The report quotes WEF founder Klaus Schwab as saying every “country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed.”

(FYI: On Sept. 1, 2022, it was reported that a power company took control of the smart thermostats in about 22,000 homes in Colorado, and the homeowners could not control the temperature in their own homes.)

Two, concerning deceit, Pres. Biden (the “big man” in the Biden criminal cartel) recently addressed the nation twice:

There are too many lies and too much deceit to comment on, but among other things, the “big man” said (words in parentheses are mine):

• “MAGA (Make America Great Again) Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic.”
• “MAGA forces are determined to take this country backward — backward to an America where there is no right to choose (no right to an abortion), no right to privacy, no right to contraception, no right to marry who you love (no right to same-sex marriage).”
• “MAGA Republicans look at America and see carnage and darkness and despair. They spread fear and lies. Lies told for profit and power.”
• MAGA Republicans “are destroying American democracy.”

Notice that Biden (who calls himself a good Catholic):

• Opposes Making America Great Again.
• Champions abortion (against his Catholic faith) and same-sex marriage (against the Scriptures).
• Accuses MAGA Republicans of lying (even though he lied about uniting the U.S. during his campaign, has changed his position on abortion and same-sex marriage from against to for, is lying about Hunter, lying about inflation, lying about the U.S. border with Mexico being secure, etc.).
• Wants citizens to believe that MAGA Republicans are destroying American democracy at the same time that he is working to destroy American democracy by bringing in the New World Order.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (Isa. 5:20-23).

(Something to think about: During his presidency, Biden has spent more time and money trying to kill babies in their mother’s womb than he has spent trying to get baby formula for those babies fortunate enough to be born.)

Three, concerning Israel having silver and gold, cattle and goods in the latter years and latter days: Israel is expected to start pumping gas at its big Leviathan field in about two weeks.

Some prophecy teachers have long believed that Israel’s oil and natural gas could be the hook in Gog’s jaw that leads to the Battle of Gog and Magog.

Four, concerning the coming economic collapse: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently warned that the Federal Reserve strategy to bring down inflation could launch the nation into a recession.

Five, concerning the economy and a coming global economic collapse during the Tribulation Period: on Sept. 13, 2022, it was reported that the U.S. inflation rate is up slightly to 8.3%.

This sent the Dow Jones Stock Market into a steep decline, and it lost 1276 points by the end of the day.

While this was going on, Biden was celebrating his $70 billion falsely named Inflation Reduction Act on the White House lawn.

Biden has now added $4.8 trillion to the national debt (which is now approaching $31 trillion) in less than two years, and he wants to keep spending.

Six, concerning persecution, censorship, and corruption of the DOJ and FBI: on Sept. 13, 2022, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell was approached by FBI agents and asked questions about Dominion voting machines (possibly used for election fraud); they served him with a warrant and seized his cell phone.

(More: Just one day before the seizure of Lindell’s phone, the U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) admitted that it recently served more than 40 subpoenas on associates of former Pres. Trump and seized the cell phones of at least two of Trump’s top advisors. The DOJ and FBI are supposed to treat everyone the same. They are seizing phones from Trump associates, but they helped Hillary Clinton destroy hers.)

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

Preparing for the Man with a Plan :: By Daymond Duck

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in the European Union (2022 Report)

• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Germany
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Spain
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in England
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in France
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Belgium
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Italy
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Cyprus
• Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Crete

READ MORE:

• First Bulgarian Church in Chicago Opened in 1907
• Gateway Cities for Bulgarian Evangelical Churches
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

Put-up or shut-up (for leaders)

Nothing smacks of poor leadership like a lack of performance. Nobody is perfect, but leaders who consistently fail are not leaders, no matter how much you wish they were. While past performance is not always a certain indicator of future events, a long-term track record of success should not be taken lightly. Someone who has consistently experienced success in leadership roles has a much better chance of success than someone who has not. It’s important to remember unproven leaders come with a high risk premium. Smart companies recognize potential, but they reward performance.

Not paying attention to the person

Leaders not attuned to the needs of the market will fail. As the old saying goes, if you’re not taking care of your customers, someone else will be more than happy to. Successful leaders focus on the consumer experience, which in turn leads to satisfaction and loyalty. The best leaders find ways to consistently engage the consumer and incorporate them into their innovation and planning initiatives. If you ignore, mistreat, or otherwise don’t value your customer base, your days as a leader are most certainly numbered.

The “A” word: Real leaders are accountable

Real leaders are accountable. They don’t blame others, don’t claim credit for the success of their team, but always accept responsibility for failures that occur on their watch. Most of all, leaders are accountable to their team. I’ve always said that leaders not accountable to their people will eventually be held accountable by their people.

Beware the know-it-all leaders

The best leaders are acutely aware of how much they don’t know. They have no need to be the smartest person in the room, but have the unyielding desire to learn from others. I’ve often said, leaders who are not growing cannot lead a growing enterprise. One of the hallmarks of great leaders is their insatiable curiosity. If a leader isn’t extremely curious about every aspect of their organization, trust me when I say there are huge problems on the horizon.

The Non-Chalcedonian Eastern Church: West Syrian (Jacobite)

Dony K. Donev, D.Min.: Eastern Pneumotology Lectures

Eastern Orthodoxy can be expressed in one word: theism. The purpose and meaning of life is to become more like God. Deification is pursued by all means of human existence. This quest for divine likeness often includes the typical for the Eastern Church, speculation on the divinity and humanity of Christ, traditions on the doctrine of the Trinity and non-traditional mystical experiences. They appear in the context of both physical and spiritual characteristics in individual and corporate ecclesiastical environment. The role of the Spirit in the process of deification is threefold and involves: creation, re-creation and theism. Eastern Pneumotology follows the graduate process of theism development. The Spirit is involved in the original creation of the world as well as the new-birth experience. His work however, does not end there, but continues throughout the process of personal deification of the believer.

The Non-Chalcedonian Eastern Church: West Syrian (Jacobite)

The Jacobites viewed the presence of the Holy Spirit in three prime settings. Firstly, He is the agent of the original ex-nahilo creation and the spiritual re-creation in the second birth. Secondly, He is present in the baptism and chrismation. Lastly, He is the Transfigurator of the Eucharistic elements representing the body and the blood of Christ.5 [1]

Our prime source of information on the corporate ecclesiastical Coptic tradition is a document entitled The Odes of Solomon. Interesting to notice in this context of this writings is the fact that the Spirit is referred in a feminine gender.[2] However, this conception declined as the devotion to the person of Mary grew.[3]

Such a devotion is extraordinary noticeable in the life and writings of Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306-373). He further compares the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Mary as the Spirit’s descent over both the water baptism and the elements of the Eucharist.[4] This is why in the Syriac baptismal service; the holy oil is powered onto the water.[5] For the same reason, Ephrem states that the Eucharist means involvement with the hosts of heaven.

Ephrem recognizes Spirit-activity through the entire panorama of salvation. The Spirit is present in the transformation of the fallen human creature into “the pristine of paradisiacal state.”[6] The gift of the Spirit is received in the water baptism where the believer receives a divine armor.[7]

A follower of Ephrem is Philoxenus of Mabbug (ca. 440-523). Among other issues, in his writings, he states that the life in the spirit is nothing else but a process of sanctification. He refers to it also as the spiritualization of the body, which is expressed through the domination of the body by the soul. The above results are possible only after fasting and prayer.[8] A contemporary of Philoxenus by the name of Severus of Antioch (ca. 465-ca. 539) adds to the above process the presence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church as a sign of God’s divine election. In this sense, the Jacobites are carriers of the already-not-yet idea.[9]

[1] J. H. Barnard, The Odes of Solomon, Texts and Studies 8:3 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1912), 120-21.

[2] Ibid., 67, note on verse 17.

[3] Robert Murray, “Mary, the Second Eve in the Early Syriac Fathers,” Eastern Church Review 3:4 (Autumn 1971): 373.

[4] Ephrem, Nisibene Hymns 37.4 in CSCO 241, Syr. 103:13, and NPF 2^nd Series 13:295.

[5] Ephrem, Hymns of Paradise 11, in CSCO 175, Syr. 79:43-46.

[6] Jean Danielou, From Shadows to Reality (Westminster: The Newman Press, 1960), 23-30.

[7] Ephrem, Hymns of the Epiphany 3.1-3, in CSCO 187, Syr. 83:18-19.

[8] E. A. Wallis Budge, The Discourses of Philoxenus, Bishop of Mabbogh, AD 485-519 (London: Asher and Co., 1894), “Eleventh Discourse on Assistance,” Budge 264.

[9] Burgess, 178.

« Previous Page — Next Page »