April 4, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

The newest Sivulka
The big news to share is that Tara is pregnant! We are growing our ministry! She has started a pregnancy blog with ultrasound pictures on our family site. She is due on November 9th, so since Tara has the health benefits, we’ll probably stick around Dallas until then... UNLESS we can raise the necessary monthly funds through this ministry. Please pray for a healthy baby and momma.

If we sell our townhome soon, then we’ll rent around the area. We have had a good amount of showings up until the last couple weeks. Please pray that we’ll be able to sell it soon, despite the troubling market. We realize what difficult economic times these are, but we cannot underscore enough what a strategic time this is for us to buy a home in Utah to house Christian missionaries for short periods of time. Home prices have fallen, and mortgage rates are at 30 year lows!

Rob sharing at fundraiser
Last month Tara and I shared our ministry and vision with a small group from our church, a high school group at Dallas First Baptist (with some adults), and a fundraiser for some of our friends. We have also been ministering again at Divorce Care and Maddy has been ministering at Divorce Care for Kids (DC4K). Tara and I have a group of about 10 that we meet with every Wednesday night. This is a real rewarding time for us to see God bring peace to those hurting from divorce. I also wrote a new blog in response to last month’s Nightline Face-Off debate on the existence of Satan. I took on Deepak Chopra’s view, which indirectly attacked the Christian view of God.

I want to remind you of the important calling we have as a Church to persuade and save. Throughout my years of ministry, I have continued to hear believers say that we don’t need to convince others of our faith or even save them—that is God’s job. I am yet to hear a verse on this. Simply because a verse says that God persuades or saves it in no way negates our responsibility to persuade or save to some extent. Ultimately, of course, it is God’s job to convert or give new life, but the Apostle Paul was clear that part of our calling as believers is to “persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11). He also said that he was attempting to “save some” in 1 Cor. 9:22. Since this is the case, we don’t merely share what we believe and focus on living good lives. We also patiently tell others why they ought to believe. This is part of contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

Tara and Rob at 1st Baptist Dallas
Would you please take some time to seek the Lord on how you can best invest in this ministry? For those of you led to financially partner with us, please send in a tax-deductible investment today. If everyone reading this simply gave $25 per month, we would have no problem being at 100% of what we need. Currently, we are nowhere close to being in a position financially to move to Utah with committed monthly support. We have an electronic funds transfers program available if you are interested in the simplicity of monthly withdrawals without the stamp. Finally, if you are interested in taking advantage of tax-free stock donations (e.g., an IRA rollover to CCU), we can also help you with that. This will help you avoid capital gains taxes. Please see our "Invest" page for all the details of how you can partner with us financially.

Thank you so much for your concern, financial investments, and prayers for this ministry, and for those trapped by false religions and philosophies.

Rob Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
[email protected]
MormonInfo.org
JWInfo.org

****PRAYER REQUESTS****

1. For Tara’s morning sickness battle
2. For my book I’m writing
3. For more fundraisers

****MAILBAG****

Hi Rob, I saw some of your videos on YouTube of the Mormon Pageant. I'd heard about it from James White and was glad to finally SEE some of it. One of my desires is to share the truth of the Bible w/ Mormons as well. Thanks for the work you're doing!
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Subject: Helping your cause
Rob, I am a Mormon Philanthropist but yet a very strong believer in religious diversity. In short, I do not oppose what kind of work your site says that you are involved in. My passion comes from the interreligious discussion that takes place with the spirit of Christ in mind. I would like to catalogue Websites containing LDS websites and the many forums of discussion within the church. I notice the section for donating money and wondered if you would consider selling your domain name. This would in turn help you financially in your cause while I would be assisted in mine. Respectfully yours,
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Rob and his family presented their outreach ministry last Sunday March 1st to our 11th grade SS class. It was an excellent education to our youth regarding how other religions (specifically Mormans) target other Christians and how they need to be prepared to witness and know what they believe.
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I just read your article, "Why didn't Jesus come back by 1891 as Smith said in the History of the Church 2:182?" You leave out the main reason why Joseph Smith thought that the Second Coming would be by 1891. Look at D&C 130:14-17. Joseph Smith was given an incomplete answer in verse 15. When he made his 56 years statement he was clearly referencing this. The time line works out perfectly. Look at verse 16. He didn't know how to interpret the revelation that he received. He clearly got the interpretation wrong in 1835.

[I responded:] Keep in mind the HC 2:182 was given in 1835. I don't think this is a clear case of a false prophecy for the reasons stated. It probably is, given what we know of Smith, but there's still wiggle room here. The D&C 130 passage was given 8 years later. This can't be counted as a false prophecy either, since there is nothing false about the conditional here, viz., if Smith lived until he was 85 he'd see the face of the Lord. Since Smith didn't live until he was 85, all bets are off.

[He said:] Section 130 is a compendium of various revelations given at different times. The revelation given just before the one about the second coming was given in 1832 (v.13). Portions of Section 131 and Section 132, as with 130, were given at many different times. It is my belief that 130:14-17 was given to him before 1835 but I have no way to prove it. Because the 1891 date is exactly the same in the 1835 quote and in section 130 I would cite this as evidence that this portion was given before quote. The explanation on your website is pretty good. I just think it should include this connection as well.
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Praise the LORD for you and your wife bro[.] May the LORD make His will for your lives be clear as day[.] I will be mindful to pray for you on a regular basis[.] Unfortunately bro, I think we’ve all bought into the comfort thing[.] May the LORD change our hearts concerning the needs of a dying world[.] May the LORD grant us the faith to trust HIM for what HE has called us to do[.]

Add Comment
Diana says... (Reply)
"Rob and Tara, Congrats on your new addition to your family! I am thrilled for you and pray for an uneventful pregnancy and delivery, and a most rewarding experience for you both as you continue your ministry and her pregnancy!Sincerest and warmest wishes for you all! Keep us all posted!-----Diana-----" (4/4/09)
Ryan says... (Reply)
"Rob congrats!! We just had our second baby!

Check out our pictures!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36943192@N03/

Infant potty training. Yup, it REALLY works!
" (4/6/09)