Despite it’s stunning beauty, New Zealand has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world and cutting (self harm) is now epidemic among young people there. Our Steiger New Zealand team recently ran a photographic exhibition called “Diaries of Despair” in Tauranga, New Zealand.
Artem is a 22 year old, award winning break dance champion from Zaporozhzhye, Ukraine. He wanted to use his ability for something more meaningful. So this summer he came to the Steiger Missions School in Germany to learn how to use his God-given talent as a tool for sharing the Gospel.
This summer, 55 students from all over the world (Spain, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Brazil, Portugal and USA) attended our Steiger Missions School (SMS) in Krögis, Germany. The school is designed to train and equip people to reach the secularized global youth culture for Jesus.
Busra, a 20 year old muslim girl, was mesmerized by the No Longer Music show she saw in her city of Manavgat, Turkey. She was the first to raise her hand when I asked who wanted to know more about following Jesus.
With the current geopolitical situation, the No Longer Music tour to Ukraine was never certain. The increased difficulty in crossing borders and obtaining permissions meant potentially all the effort and expense of heading there could be for nothing.
God has been moving powerfully through the No Longer Music tour. Thank you so much for your prayers! Last month we had a stretch of 10 concerts in 11 days in Poland. During this time, thousands heard the Gospel message and hundreds responded by praying to receive Jesus.
Paige Slighter (lead actress in the NLM team) talked to a girl called Monica after a No Longer Music concert in Jastrzbie Zdroj, Poland last month. Early in the conversation Monica said she did not believe in God and looked very angry.
Last month, my band "No Longer Music" performed a concert at Sterling College - a university in Kansas (USA). After the show, many young university students came forward and surrendered their lives to Jesus!
I first met Cocke in 2005 while we were on tour in Santiago, Chile. He was in a secular Chilean metal band. After one of our meetings, Cocke fell on his knees and gave his life to Jesus because he saw that Jesus was not just a bunch of words, but that he was powerful! Since then his life has been totally transformed.
Ukraine is in a historic time of revolution.
A few days ago Jodi and I were talking to Denis and Angela Tkachenko, the leaders of the Steiger work in Ukraine. They told us that the politicians that were in power in their country are criminals and completely corrupt.
I just received the following report from David Wilson who is the director of Turkish Asian Creative Outreach and Steiger's Middle East Advisor.
As we look back on 2013, we are blown away by the many ways in which God moved. We are so thankful to every one of you who volunteered, prayer and/or gave sacrificially to make this a reality. What a privilege to be used by God in this way!
Below are just a few of the ministry highlights of 2013.
This month, the first episode of a 10-part TV series will be aired on a national TV station in Poland. It is a talk-show format featuring David Pierce called "Narrow Road" that was recorded in Warsaw last July. The series will be repeated multiple times until the end of August, 2014.
Prisons in São Paulo, Brazil are controlled by a powerful criminal gang called the PCC or First Capital Command. Prison guards never enter the prison except when they conduct surprise raids to look for contraband. Because the gangs run the prison you need their permission and protection to go inside.
Below is a message we received through our No Longer Music website after an evangelistic concert in Fuenlabrada, Spain last month:
"Hi! My name is **** and I want to let you know that your music is awesome! And the form and the message that you act in the stage is incredible. I'm from Fuenlabrada, in Spain, and you opened my eyes to believe in Jesus. Thank you!"
Last month, Steiger Germany was responsible for one of the major stages (using our mobile stage trailer) at the Dresden City Festival which draws around 500,000 people. We had a large tea tent set up by our stage and an art exhibition, including the story of the cross using photographic art.
Last year, No Longer Music performed a concert in the center of the muslim city of Lushnjë, Albania. Hundreds of people responded to the Gospel that night. On July 11th and 12th of this year, we had planned to perform there again.
On May 13th, Steiger will officially release David Pierce's new book
"Revolutionary! Ten Principles That Will Empower Christian Artists To Change The World"
While the band was setting up, I asked for the guard's permission to talk to the prisoners who were watching us from the prison blocks surrounding the exercise yard.
Last year, many thousands heard the message of the cross and hundreds fell to their knees in city squares, clubs and concert halls all over Europe and the Middle East.