Raised as a preacher's kid in a liberal mainline denomination, one could scarcely predict during his childhood that Douglas would really meet Jesus as his Lord during his college years, and then "hear" Jesus call him during seminary days to serve overseas in missions. Yet he regarded growing up in church as a privilege, and as soon as he could read, regularly devouring the Bibles that both Sunday School teachers and his parents gave him over time.
Now with 37 years’ experience under his belt of teaching His Word with doors that have opened to him in as many as 35 nations thus far, many saints and servants with whom he has served now send questions to "Pendeta Douglas" as they call him in Indonesia (pendeta means pastor), seeking his counsel on quite a range of subjects. He recounts, "They may send me only a 3-line text, but I often feel like the guidance they need requires a much longer answer than the brief way they presented their problem."
So, what follows in this book is a collection of his messages to those inquiring souls. In many ways, missionaries must become a jack of all trades when it comes to giving counsel that is according to His Word. At other times, there are articles that bubble up from within this servant's heart, which later have been sent out via WhatsApp. Often the feedback from many has been, "You should write a book!"
And so, what follows here is a collection of Douglas' correspondence with recipients who range from Asia to the Caribbean to Mexico to Central & South America, and to Canada and Eastern Europe, as well as to his homeland of America. As of this writing, he is still based overseas, and holding regular seminars with church leaders and with students in various training programs as they prepare to go and plant new churches after they graduate.
As the disciple John said, "These things have been written unto you, that your joy may be full." I John 1: 4. May the full counsel of His Word continue to guide His followers in all matters.
