Dr. Delron & Peggy Shirley
Teach All Nations Mission (TAN) is a global evangelical educational ministry birthed from the teaching ministries of Delron and Peggy Shirley. The name Teach All Nations Mission was chosen to carefully indicate exactly what the heart of Delron and Peggy’s mission is.
TAN’s commitment is to establish a solid foundation in the national pastors and leaders so that they can help enrich the people. The vision is Christian teaching materials (in English and the local languages) in printed form and on audio and video, providing scholarships to Christian colleges and Bible schools for promising students, assisting in establishing and building of Bible schools, and broadcasting via the internet, radio, and television.
This month’s report is a bit different from our usual editions in that we will be sharing more of the teaching from our mission to Canada than about the trip itself. We were invited as speakers for a convention of Nigerians from Dr. Tunde Bakare’s church that we minister at in Lagos, Nigeria, each year. When we say that they are from the church, we mean that very literally in that they are now living all over the world – the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia – but every two years, they come together for a reunion. This time, they gathered in Toronto, Canada, for fellowship and teaching from their pastor and several other teachers associated with his ministry. The theme of the conference was based on Modecai’s advice to Queen Esther who was reluctant to intervene to save the Jewish population of the Persian empire from genocide, If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14)
The message that resounded in lesson after lesson is that God has prepared His people for a destiny that is far bigger than most of us seem to realize. As believers, we have been brought into the kingdom, meaning that we have been strategically placed in our positions (whether in the secular world or in the ministry) and given spiritual giftings and natural abilities and resources as well as influence in specific spheres of society (our families, our communities, our nations) for a purpose. Just as Esther had no idea that God was orchestrating an elaborate plan behind the scenes, we very likely will not understand until after the fact the significance of most of the events in our lives.
In the I Samuel chapter seventeen, we read the all-too-familiar story of David and Goliath. However, because it is so familiar, we have a tendence to somewhat glaze over the account and miss some very significant points, assuming that we already know what the narrative has to say. Over the next few days, I am going to invite you to dig a little deeper into the story and discover some vital principles when you face your own giants – whether they be medial, financial, relational, spiritual, or in any other area of your life.
One of the first things that jumps off the page when I read the record of David’s encounter with Goliath is his identity. Notice all the ways that the Israelite army is identified throughout the narrative: the men of Israel (verses 2, 19, 24, 25), Israel (verses 3, 11, 21, 25), the armies of Israel (verses 8, 10), the servants of Saul (verse 8), the host (verse 20), the army (verse 22), the people (verses 27, 30), the assembly (verse 47) the men of Israel and of Judah (verse 52), and the children of Israel (verse 53). Yet, David had a totally different identity that no one else related to – the armies of the living God. (verses 26, 36) David was the only person in the Valley of Elah who saw himself from a spiritual perspective rather than. The physical standpoint that everyone else adopted. His understanding that the battle was not on a human plain totally changed the “playing field.” The men who saw themselves from a human point of view were looking up at the tall giant. David, on the other hand, looking down from God’s viewpoint, saw Goliath as a little speck on the ground.
This month’s report is a bit different from our usual editions in that we will be sharing more of the teaching from our mission to Canada than about the trip itself. We were invited as speakers for a convention of Nigerians from Dr. Tunde Bakare’s church that we...
In the I Samuel chapter seventeen, we read the all-too-familiar story of David and Goliath. However, because it is so familiar, we have a tendence to somewhat glaze over the account and miss some very significant points, assuming that we already know what the...
One last concept that I’d like to explore before we leave the story of the Apostle Paul is the fact that he was a survivor. We have already seen in II Corinthians 11:23-28 that he lived through tremendous difficulties that could have crushed even the strongest of men...
The main purpose of my trip to Taiwan, the first destination on my three-stop Asian odyssey, was to deliver the graduation speech at Charis Bible College’s commencement ceremony. In addition to the graduation, I taught in the school and spoke at an event for alumni...
For the past several years, kidnappings of foreigners, cartel violence, and COVID had put a stop to our ministry with our dear friends Bobby and Lynn Crow who pastor in Ciudad Victoria, Mexico; however, this year, we were able to return for four days of intensive...
Paul’s Prison “P”s One of Paul’s impactful ministries occurred in the city of Philippi – the first city that he visited in Europe. His initial visit may have been as short as just a couple weeks in that the account in Acts chapter sixteen says that he was there over...
