User Profile

"Please do not distribute these poems for any fee, unless you first contact mertaka@everybody.org . You may also contact the author at this email for any other questions. For other writings, visit http://poeticpreacher.openweblog.com/ ... (c) by Mert Hershberger as dated. You may share any poem here without cost or notification via e-mail with this note attached. The author bears the responsibility for any errors, but does invite correction & encouragement."

Key Verse for this Collection:
"Folks, if anything is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, – all that is excellent or praiseworthy – dwell on it."
from Today's Missionary (Philippians 4:8, Internet Paraphrased Version)

<><
A number of people have suggested that I publish my writings in order to make them more permanently and more publicly available. Many of these were first distributed through a weekly email list which communicated missionary prayer requests from around the world and a poem. In fact, the poem "Again They Come, I Come, and He Will Come Again," is really the first poem sent out to this list. The purpose of this open website, like the retired email list is to encourage apostolic laborers in their service, to share the Good News in a creative way, and to encourage saints to fully enjoy the Lord Jesus.

Some readers will perhaps miss a poem that was their favorite while others may be offended at the pattern of some of the poems or my metaphors. If you wish for one of my poems to be added, please email: mertaka at everybody dot org. If you need help in understanding the Lord Jesus, please spend time with a group of people who believe & live the Bible as God's word or email me: mertaka at everybody dot org. Almost all communication is culture-bound. But further down, I hope that every reader will encounter the offense of the cross which alone breaks down cultural barriers. These poems are born out of suffering, loneliness, anxiety, and the inexpressible joy which God gives to His people in the midst of difficulty, as well as the more ordinary beauty we see each day. The very act of writing helped resolve some particular worry I had or gave expression to some insight that had been mulling around in my mind.

If you find anything that is untrue to God's works, ways, word, or wonder, please let me know! On the other hand, if you find any help in these pages, credit does not belong to me. Trusting that these writings will be of use to you if read with the right attitude, I give all credit for the usefulness of these writings to the Author and Finisher of our salvation. I also confess that the poem of my own life is still unfinished. Therefore, please pray for me.

In fact, this was the primary purpose for sending out the poems for so long: I needed people praying for me. I still do. And you do too. Let me know how I may pray for you by emailing me. Thanks. May God bless these words and grant you His love in abundance as you enter His presence daily.

Compelled by the Love of Christ,
Mert Hershberger
mertaka@everybody.org

=====
Now for some silliness: Essentially, you might define me in this role as a experimentationalistic artisan of interpretable lexicographical collages with semantic significations; rhymic, rythmic, and other auditory effects; as well as melodic intonations for open publication & distribution for the benefit of general audiences as they receive true information both inspiring and encourgaging of temporal and eternal benefit relating to the interplay of the divine and mundane via the incarnation: i.e. I am a poetic preacher. I try to get my point across with pleasant words that edify & upbuild as people are pointed to Jesus.

Born in 1975
Born-again around 1981
Evangelism Explosion teams from ages 14-16
Baptized in water February 1992
"Baptized in the Spirit" March 18, 1992
Began to sense a call for vocational ministry October 1992

Been on the staff of 3 different churches at various times.
Began one email ministry.
Have seen Muslims as well as nominal-christians to Christ.
Worked with Praying Through the Arabian Peninsula since 2002 as the North American Coordinator (kind of a glorified secretary-mail clerk.)

Shared the good news in 5 countries: USA, Mexico, Indonesia, Ukraine, Korea.
Have ministered with these sorts of people: Indonesians, Mexicans, Pakistanis, Ukrainians, Indians; Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, Pagans, and nominal Christians; homosexuals, faithful heterosexuals, clergy vowed to chastity; rich, homeless, and a wide variety of classes of folks in the middle.

Ministry sample: blessed the newborn babies of the unwed, counseled those desiring or in marriage, and buried the neglected; seen the diabetic healed, the demonically-possessed delivered, the lost sheep saved, the prodigal son come home, those on their deathbed restored to life ...

But, all these are really works of God. I am just a child of His, happy to spend my days with Him. Resting in His presence as He works so very hard on our behalf. These are a few of my thoughts, which I thought were worth sharing with others.

(... I suppose one could talk about visions, dreams, and such, but as Jesus said to Paul, "Love's enough. Perfection comes through pain." Today's Missionary (2 Corinthians 12:9, Internet Paraphrased Version)