The Milestones of Ed Decker - Happy 80th Birthday

This month we are celebrating my fathers 80 th Birthday and 40th year of full time ministry with
Saints Alive. I know he loves birthday cards and gifts like any Dad does! But more
importantly, he would love to hear from you! Our entire family is coming together for a
special time to celebrate Eds monumental birthday and give honor where honor is due! Please
pray for my father and our entire family (all the kids, spouses, grandkids and spouses, great
grand kids, cousins, aunts and uncles) as we travel from across the country and join together
during this coming Thanksgiving holiday to celebrate Eds 80 th birthday in California.
Ed has been married to Carol for 46 years! He is
the father of 8 kids, 10 grandkids and 5 great
grandkids!
Mostly everyone knows my Dad from his work in
Christian apologetics and his pioneering ministry
to Mormons.
As his son, knowing my father my entire 42
years, I want to attest to his faithfulness
based on one simple thing. My dad truly loves
the Lord and truly cares for the lost!
(PHOTO) Ed Decker with his sons: Jason, Jeff, (ED) John and Joshua.

Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the
world in every possible way. It is a desire which no man feels by nature, which the Spirit puts in
the heart of every believer when he is converted, but which some believers feel so much more
strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called zealous men. This desire is so strong,
when it really reigns in a man, that it impels him to make any sacrifice, to go through any
trouble, to deny himself to any amount, to suffer, to work, to labour, to toil, to spend
himself and be spent, and even to die, if only he can please God and honour Christ.-John
Charles Ryle

This scriptures best describes my dad and his unquenchable passion for the Gospel!

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Rev 12:11 NKJ

Eds zeal comes from the foundation of the simple joy of his own salvation: encountering the real
Jesus and then sharing his testimony!
Please take a minute to read two of his most important messages that really show
this is true!
1. His Testimony OUT OF MORMONISM LINK
2. Living a Christian life in a post-Christian world LINK
Here at Saints Alive it is our prayer that YOU will lay hold of the high call on your life,
that divine purpose for which Christ has reached you! We believe that is to live a life
of freedom from your sins and sharing his love to those He has placed you around and

also that you can set free by sharing your testimony and being a living example of
Christ!

Alive in Christ, A story of remarkable faith!

This past week my father asked me to visit a long time Saints Alive supporter named Eyrlis Mc
Clish. She is a feisty and generous 96 year old woman who has lived in our home town of
Issaquah for the past 30+ years and is an iconic figure of compassion and charity in our
community. She is an avid supporter of many Christian organizations, including us here at Saints
Alive. To us, Erylis is not just a partner or supporter, she is family!
Eyrlis used to be friends with my grandparents and attended the same church with them for
many years! When my wife and I lived downtown, we would always see her walking about town.
She walked everywhere or rode her bicycle, but everywhere she went she always had her eyes
open for people in need. She always fed the hungry, always invited homeless or needy people
over for dinner and often opened her home and housed many people in need.
When I arrived at Eyrlis home, she was busy packing her things preparing to move to Seattle.
We sat for a while among the boxes and reminisced about the good old days in Issaquah and
laughed quite a bit.
Then she took my hand in her worn hands and asked me to sit close so she could hear me talk.
This was a touching moment for the both of us! She told me how she was excited to move but
that she was afraid as shes lived in this house since the 1980s and will miss her friends and
community. She then asked me to pray with her, for peace, that God would use her to make a
difference with her new neighbors, that she can find a good church nearby and that she wouldnt
settle for just being okay herself but that she could share Christs love and make a difference.
Wow, this was amazing, this sweet old little lady who can hardly
walk, cant see and cant hear much asking that God would use her.
Eyrlis is a living example of what it means to be Saints
Alive.
When we think of Saints, the old song When the Saints Go Marching
In. We think of our grandparents and older generations, but really
its more about today and about us. No matter where we are or
what season of life you are in!
Our ministry used to be called Ex Mormons For Jesus. Then it
became a bit of a fad as other groups started using the name.
My dad decided to change the name and chose the name Saints Alive, because thats what
ministry is all about, its not about being an ex-Mormon, ex-Mason, ex-alcoholic, ex-atheist, etc.
its about what we become, a new creation, a new man and we do our good works because of
what Hes already done for us, not to earn it. Its not about being perfect, its about being honest
with God and open to laying hold of the purpose God has called you!

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay
hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not
count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 NKJ

LDS CHURCH ANNOUNCES NEW GAY MEMBER RULES

For some time now, it has seemed that the LDS Church had fully embraced the LGBT agenda.
But that all ended on November 5th, 2015 the LDS Church announced substantial and direct
changes in its leadership handbooks with regards to same sex marriage and additionally, to
children of parents in same sex marriage. http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/3147285-155/newmormon-policy-on-gay-families
The changes to the Mormon handbook disseminated this week to local church leaders around
the world say being in a same-sex marriage warrants ousting from the religion and that
children of gay parents must wait until they're 18 and disavow homosexual relationships to be
baptized.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/gay-mormon-church-members-say-new-rules-aredevastating/ar-CC3RnM?li=BBgzzfc&ocid=UP97DH
We regard same sex marriage as a particularly grievous or significant serious kind of
sin that requires church discipline, this means that discipline is mandatory and
needed in those cases. It is a statement to remove any question or doubt that may
exist. We recognize that same sex marriages are now legal in the United States and
some other countries and that people have the right if they choose to enter into those
(marriages) and we understand that, but that is not a right that exists within the
(LDS) church. Elder Christofferson interview link https://youtu.be/iEEMyc6aZms
The other major point in Elder Christoffersons interview clearly illustrates that the Church has a
much different view of Christ than we do as Evangelical Christians. We do agree that same sex
marriage is a sin, however, our response is to love those who are lost, not shun them, reject
them, judge them or push them away! How else are they to experience the reality of Christs
love, forgiveness and being saved by Grace through faith unless we love them? We must
respond with His love, not the law.
Here are a few points to consider regarding this major announcement
1. The double lost are still lost! A gay person and a Mormon are (each) still lost. Two
negatives do not equal a positive here. But the good news is that the blood of Christ
cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Pray that this will cause those caught up in this lifestyle AND Mormonism will leave the
LDS church and seek out not only a good Christian church that preaches the true Gospel of
Jesus based on the Cross, where we find mercy, forgiveness and grace rather than
judgment and condemnation! Pray that these people will come to know Christ
himself!
2. This action by the LDS church legitimately causes real pain that hurts real people and real
families who need Christs love, mercy, grace and forgiveness! Not rejection and judgment
a. https://www.facebook.com/devon.gibby/posts/10207980791302508
3. Pray for the local churches, ministries and believers in Utah, Idaho and other areas to
maximize this opportunity to show the love of Christ to those hurt by the judging, religious
spirit of the LDS Church.
4. This ruling not only affects those caught up in the LGBT lifestyle. It is brutal against the
children of those members. Children of LGBT parents won't be eligible for a naming
blessing, baptism or mission call without going through a special approval process with the
LDS leadership has outlined in the updated Handbook 1.
We pray that those who are burdened and put on the fence by the harshness of the LDS life of
works and those who are not necessarily in the same sex lifestyle, but those now charged to
follow orders of judgment. We pray it would birth a desire inside for grace and mercy and lay
down their heavy burdens.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My
yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls Matthew 11:28-29 (NKJV)

How will they know we are Christians? By our love!

When my father was pastoring, he was challenged on this issue. His answer:
At our Church, we welcome all believers and seekers of truth who come and worship with us. That includes those
who are living in any form of the sin nature, doing any one of a number of things that fall outside Gods will. Church
is a place where we can all come to the Father openly and without fear. Someone involved in the gay or lesbian
lifestyle is welcome and will be free to worship with us and fellowship with us, hear the Word taught from the pulpit
with us and react as anyone else would. However, he or she would not be accepted in membership any more than a
couple living outside the marriage covenant, or anyone involved in any number of Biblically errant behaviors. We do
consider the homosexual and lesbian lifestyles to be sin and I will try to clearly show you why. The Bible looks at this
as one of a number of things that displease God [Pastor] Ed Decker

This powerful message by Pastor Dave Patterson of The Fathers House at

www.tfh.org clearly illustrates what we believe is how Jesus wants His followers to
deal with those in same sex relationships. https://vimeo.com/135633888

Introducing MinistryLINK - This is going to be a new part of our regular newsletters.

Featuring other ministries, churches, pastors or partners who are making a difference
in sharing the love of Christ!

The Life Church - Sun Valley, Idaho

https://www.facebook.com/LifeChurchSunValley
http://www.lifechurchsunvalley.org/
Congratulations to Pastor Mike and Carola Hendricks and The Life Church Sun Valley!
This church has been a special part of the Decker family for over the past 30 years! Jason served
as a youth leader when he lived in Sun Valley for a few years around 2000-2001 and The Life
Church has invited Ed to preach on many occasions.

How to support The Life Church:

http://www.lifechurchsunvalley.org/give/

Next Months MinistryLINK will feature: Tom and Cindy Bauer and Surfing The Nations

The Exigency of Saints Alive! By Jason Decker

I want us to consider this: With the state of our nation, the state of our world, the increase of evil
in these days as our culture spirals out of control! If all YOU have is today, this week, this month,
this year, this season of life, where would you want to be? What do you want to do? Who do you
want to reach? What would you do? God has called us for this time for today! We cant just coast
on what weve done in the past! Just like the scripture above, our testimony is built on the
foundation of the victory and freedom found in Christ.

My favorite word is: Exigence, which means a situation that demands our response.

Exigency or exigence [ek-si-juh n-see, ig-zij-uh n-]

1.
2.

3.

noun, plural

exigencies.

exigent state or character; urgency.

Usually, exigencies. the need, demand, or requirement intrinsic to a circumstance, condition, etc.: the
exigencies of city life.
a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency:

My father and I are spending this holiday season into the new year seeking the Lord
together regarding the future of Saints Alive.
We ask you to join us in prayer: that first and foremost, Christ will speak to us and open/close
doors to guide the ministry forward to make the impact He desires and fulfill NOT what we think
are great ideas, but the high calling He has before us which are exceeding and abundantly
above all that we can ask or think.

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [c] 15 from whom the
whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the
riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded
in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and
depth and height 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory
in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:1521

I am not my father, I am not a walking encyclopedia of apologetics, but we are very intertwined
in our purpose together. My birth was the catalyst for his encountering the real Christ and being
set free from the lie of Mormonism. I have never been a Mormon, but I have grown up in the
ministry, spent countless summers with our family on mission trips, ministry conferences, the
creation and boom of The God Makers, and seen the amazing harvest that all started from the
simple joy of his own salvation, encountering the real Christ, who is that friend closer than a
brother. From that point, his ministry started by him simply sharing his Testimony and devouring
scriptures and studying doctrine to help make sense of the lies he believed and followed for so
many years. Being set free from the idea that you must earn Gods acceptance and love. In the
last newsletter my father talked about getting back to the first works. We are on that solid path.

Prayer Points
1.
2.
3.
4.

Direction for Saints Alive, the next season! The next generation!
New opportunities for the ministry to help build the kingdom and preach the gospel
Support the body of Christ! New resources and tools
Ministry partners - Saints Alive is not just about the Decker family. Its about you, our
partners, our friends,
5. Your Story - my father has shared his story, we want to hear your stories, what is your
testimony, wed love to work with you to help you write down your story and share it to
your friends, family and the word.
6. New Evangelism + Outreach opportunities

ACTION POINTS
1. Pray with us!
2. Work with us if you know any individual or group who needs or wants help, please reach
out to us so we can work together
3. Support us in your giving. Make a year end sacrificial gift.
4. Share with us your story! We would love to share your story of freedom and victory and
equip you to be effective in sharing your life and light with other!
a. Please reach out to us if you need any assistance in sharing your faith!
MINISTRY NEEDS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

As Jason Comes on Board, we have immediate financial needs

New Graphic Design Package update our logo, website and newsletter look
New Website
New Printer
New Microsoft Surface Pro or Apple MacBook Air computer + Design Monitor
Software: Office 10, Video Editing Software,
Upcoming Travel costs - Jason will be traveling to Seattle, Boise and Salt Lake City this
Winter.
7. Upcoming Evangelism and Outreaches - TBD