FROM TABLOID TO TRUTH
By Joy Junction (11/22/05)
"From Tabloid to Truth" is a Life-Changing, "Must Read" Book.
It's funny, humorous, incredibly insightful and potentially life changing!
I'm talking about former British tabloid reporter Dan Wooding's book titled "From Tabloid to Truth," which would make a wonderful Christmas gift this year.
If you've been racking your brains and getting more and more frustrated daily as you wonder what to buy family and friends this year for Christmas, let me (strongly) suggest that you buy Wooding's book.
Unlike the hideously colored tie that gets given away as soon as the Christmas season ends or the rock hard fruit cake that mysteriously vanishes, "From Tabloid to Truth" is a great read that recipients will keep with them until they have devoured the very last page.
Here's an extra blessing. If you order "From Tabloid to Truth" from the Assist News web site (www.assistnews.net), Wooding will be happy to autograph the book for you.
ALL ABOUT DAN WOODING
Wooding used to work for the notoriously scurrilous British tabloids "Sunday People" and "Sunday Mirror." But that all changed when, as singer, actor and author Pat Boone wrote on the back cover of the book, "A spiritual renewal in Wooding's life, which began in a smoky bar in London, set him on a search for truth which has since taken him around the world interviewing the heroes of the suffering church, and he now tirelessly campaigns for his persecuted brothers and sisters. This book will inspire you to do great things for God."
The book (which reads like a fast paced thriller) chronicles Wooding's amazing life from birth, growing up, marriage and family life – and all that combined with his global traveling adventures – right up to his founding Assist Ministries, the Assist News Service (ANS), and continuing to direct both while still turning out countless quality stories.
Even if you have no interest in journalism at all, read the book from the vantage point of thinking what the Lord could accomplish through you if you yield yourself to Him like Wooding did.
Here are some snippets of information which you'll find in "From Tabloid to Truth." Hopefully they will serve to whet your appetite and cause you to buy the book.
Wooding started his current ministry, Assist (as his web site says), "as a way to help Christians living under difficult circumstances, and to share the Gospel with those who do not know Christ. The ministry has offices in Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. It has worked in countries like Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, North Korea, Romania and the former Soviet Union. (ANS) covers stories in more than 30 countries of the world."
The stories released by ANS are meaningful and have worldwide impact. For example, Wooding pointed out, "ANS has (sometimes) made (a) significant difference in getting out urgent needs to the world ... (For example), we were delighted to be able to bring the world's attention to the case of Bruce Balfour, who was arrested in Beirut, Lebanon, and charged with spying for Israel."
In addition to its news service, Assist runs the Bridge of Friendship pen pal program. Wooding explained that Bridge of Friendship began after the Christian Broadcasting's Network's (CBN) Stuart Bennett contacted him regarding a TV show he was putting together in the then Soviet Union called "What are You Living For?"
Bennett told Wooding that he needed a Western co-host who spoke Russian and would appeal to the youth of the USSR. Wooding said, "I suggested Barry Taylor, a founding board member of Assist and a former roadie with the rock band, AC/DC. Barry had become a Christian on the band's US ‘Highway to Hell' tour and was discipled by another former roadie. (He) then became a pastor of Lake Arrowhead Christian Fellowship in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California."
Taylor was also a fluent linguist, Wooding said, and had learned Russian, so CBN flew him to Moscow where his testimony was featured in the show. In addition, he also did an ‘altar call' in Russian at the end of the program while standing by the side of the Moscow River.
According to Wooding, "There was such a huge response to his call to receive Christ that Stuart suggested we start a pen pal ministry to help the new believers there to grow in their faith. It was initially by ‘snail mail' and we have linked about 12,000 people from there with people in the West. It continues today and is mainly now by e-mail with Christians from the former Soviet Union who contact us. (We) link (them) with Christians now in the United States. We also now have e-pals in Taiwan and China and we plan to expand the China program very soon via a website that has been set up in that country," Wooding said.
Assist also provides aid to persecuted believers. Wooding explained, "We have provided medical and relief aid to people in China and Russia via one of our board members who has sent over several containers to both countries. We also continue, via ANS, to provide information about persecuted Christians around the world. Since the fall of communism, persecution has continued in the one country where there is still a communist regime -- North Korea -- and also in the Islamic World. Sudan has seen terrible persecution and Nigeria, the country where I was born, is now in the midst of some horrendous violence."
Even though Assist has been very successful so far, Wooding is not resting on his laurels. "We are hoping to expand soon to a radio news service as well as a print service. We also want to continue to run our Bridge of Friendship pen pal programs and (continue) providing aid to persecuted Christians. It is difficult for us as we are a volunteer organization with no major backers," he said by e-mail.
As Wooding shows no signs of slowing down, I wondered why he felt that now was a good time to tell his life story. By e-mail he told me, "As the world continues to blow itself up, I wanted people to know that we need to be involved in world events and not withdraw from them. The time is now short and yet many Christians are involved in petty squabbles instead of trying to change the world. I also wanted to show that God can use anyone for His Glory if they are willing to be available. I have little no educational background and yet I knew that God wanted me to be a journalist and writer. Now for more than 36 years, I've been traveling the world reporting on world events and those who are changing them. This is my forty- second book and probably the one that means the most to me."
I asked Wooding what he would say to aspiring young writers who would like to have a career as exciting and productive as his. Wooding said, "I would suggest that they get training in secular media; learn how media works and get a good grounding in what it means to be a professional. It can be very difficult for a young Christians – as I found – but you will learn so much working in a secular outfit."
Wooding asked that people would continue to pray for both his wife Norma and he. "He said, "We have not taken a salary for 16 years and now, as we are in our sixties, we continue to live by faith."
To find out how you can order "From Tabloid to Truth" (and perhaps end up having a life at least half as exciting as Wooding's), go to www.assistnews.net/feedbkdan/indexBook.htm or make out your check in U.S. funds ($20.00 in the U.S. including tax, shipping and handling and $22 outside the U.S. including shipping and handling) to Assist and mail it to: Assist, PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126, USA.
For additional information about Assist, go to www.assistnews.net
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