Anaheim CA (ANS) – Heirloom tomatoes are the real deal. Dominic Sputo, the author of Heirloom Love, talked to me recently about how his grandmother would only use heirloom tomatoes in her authentic, homemade red sauce. She always knew when heirloom tomatoes were not used in a sauce. You could taste the difference. They were not genetically modified. They were authentic, imperfect, and tasted great. And that is the point.
Dominic, you wrote the book Heirloom Love and you started the ministry called Lumenlife to work on behalf of persecuted Christians. Can you tell us about that? Why the name Lumenlife?
“Well Jeff, the book of John says that if we love one another we walk in the light, and if we don’t love one another we won’t walk in the light. Thus, our name is meant to inspire believers to walk in the light by caring for our persecuted brothers and sisters overseas. As you know, the latest report from Open Doors states that 245 million believers around the world are “highly persecuted” for their faith meaning they suffer torture, murder, rape, false imprisonment and such.”
What can we do for the persecuted church?
“It starts with awareness. We must care enough to learn what is happening around the world and get informed. But marvelous things are happening. My chapter about heirloom tomatoes is really about authentic faith. Our brothers and sisters around the world suffer for their faith. Their authentic lives lived for Christ in spite of hardship results in persecution.
Local Churches Are Connecting to Persecuted Believers
We have churches actually hosting conferences in the USA and inviting other churches to come and work together. Some have joined to build a multi-purpose cultural center in a Muslim country. By day it is used by the local community including believers, and by night it becomes a refugee shelter. Rescues are taking place. Churches here join believers overseas to share the gospel. This is very exciting stuff. Our focus is on the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. We go to the ends of the earth to reach the unreached. It is exciting.”
Tell us about the Heirloom Love small group study guide.
The book Heirloom Love is really a biblical exposition, half of it is scripture. Thus our goal is to find what the Scriptures say about the poor, the persecuted, and what our biblical response should be. Hebrews 13:3 is our commandment:
Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, because you too are in the Body.
We discover how to live a biblical lifestyle best in small home groups. Authentic love for others is our goal. We are one body of Christ, and as people read the book, they began to give it to others and asked me about how to study this more in depth. So we developed the study guide as a companion to the book. You can start new home groups, or use it in your existing group. It is to be used in whatever small group you are a part of.”
Heirloom Love and the Small Group Edition are available on Amazon.com.
To learn more about Dominic’s travels and the work of Lumenlife.org contact him today. He would love to help you start your own small group. See his video speaking to the Family Research Council in Washington DC.
