Dear Praying Friends,

Daily we stand in need of your intercession. Please pray for intimacy with the Lord Jesus, with one another, with our Board, and volunteers. Also please pray for God's physical healing of a Board members wife. Please also pray for my health. Pray for my wife and her physical and emotional health during the strain of running the ministry and for my leadership of the Tibetan Consultation in Colorado Springs in November this year.

Pray especially for the raising of ongoing monthly support from local
churches, ministries and from foundations. Financially things have been
difficult, because a major grant didn't materialize that we had expected to
help fund our annual budget. We are being asked to do far more than we can do any longer as a micro institute. Pray for funded staff. If the following issues weren't at our doorstep in America at present, I'd say we could postpone our activities. I am certain that the Lord intends rather that we take up our cross and together engage in addressing these issues and opportunities to take the gospel to our neighbors.

Today, I heard that in 2003, the LA Co. Museum of Art is planning a major exhibit on Himalayan Tantric Buddhist Art including large Thangkas, which are for Buddhist worship, featuring Tibetan ritual dance, ritual objects, such as skulls, thigh bones, etc. to introduce Tibetan Buddhist culture to LA. I have a strong feeling, that this is not a suitable subject for viewing by children. Bill Bennett, wrote in De-Valuing of America "The arts matter because they are among the instruments, the bearings, the trappings of civilization, that are a means of educating the young. They matter because on canvas, in paint, and in photographs, they say something about who we are, what we think, and what we believe. Because things are public, children see them and take something away from them." The Roman scholar Pliny said, "What we do to our children, they will do to society."

The late Mas Toyotomi, a Japanese American Christian warned, "Satan's
subtle strategy is to camouflage idolatry in such a way that even Christians do not recognize it as such. Christians today are not seeing idolatry as the most grievous sin that can be committed by man. Because there is practically no preaching against idolatry in America they are vulnerable to the temptations of modern sophisticated idolatry." Jeremiah spoke a similar warning to his countryman, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever" (Jer. 7:3-7). May God light our path and may we bold and wise enough to follow Him.

Presently, I also discovered that in Glendale Forest Lawn cemetery where my Grandmother Sheila Montrose and my Grandfather James Montrose, (sound producer for the first talking film the Jazz Singer at Warner Bro.) are buried, that Tibetan monks are as I write constructing a large 8 foot by 8 foot three-dimensional mandala representing the Buddhist conception of the state between life and death. Somehow it just doesn't seem to fit with the Wee Kirk O' the Heather that my grandmother's funeral service was conducted in.

On July 8-21, we are coordinating the Summer Institute of Religious
Studies co-sponsored by Fuller School of World Mission, Centre for South Asian Studies and (US) Sonrise Center for Buddhist Studies. The first week will focus on "Who Is My Neighbor? The Gospel in a Pluralist Society" featuring cameo lectures from some of the most outstanding scholars and practictioners in the Christian world. Dudley Woodberry on Islam, David Johnson on Islam in a pluralistic context, Hedlund on Hinduism, Dauerman on Judaism, Wijesiriwardena on Spiritual warfare, Rabi Maharaj on New Age, Peter Jones from Westminster Theological Seminary on New Age, Neo-paganism, David Basi on Sikhism, Ronald Enroth on religious freedom in a pluralistic context, Kurt Van Gorden on Mormonism, Paul Carden on Apologetics Research and contemporary issues in Europe, Joseph Wilson, a Native American on his challenges of pastoring in Los Angeles, and many others. Click here Click here to learn more about the speakers.

The second week, I will teach "The Cross and Lotus: An Introduction to Buddhism and the Christian Mission" and Roger will be conducting "Christian Witness in the Hindu World." Please pray a special spiritual covering and blessing for each lecturer, their families and lecture preparations and for the students who will attend, that it will truely be a profitable time of study and fellowship.

We stand in need of your corporate support as the Body of Christ, in
prayer and in sharing your resources. A tax-deductible gift at this time
from your church or fellowship would be most appreciated and timely. A major outreach such as is approaching can not be met without sacrificial giving on all our parts. If you or your church fellowship would like to be involved email us at JSNarnia@aol.com.

Please send your gifts and requests for an application to the Summer
Institute to: SCBS Inc., PO Box 116, Sierra Madre, CA 91025.

Thanks for your support and especially your prayers.

In Christ's refuge and strength,
James C. Stephens, Executive Director
Sonrise Center for Buddhist Studies, Inc.