THe Pineapple Story Seriesby Otto Koning
In his entertaining style, veteran missionary Otto Koning shares 15 humorous and inspirational messages, beginning with the story of how a pineapple garden taught him the important lesson of yielding rights. These lively true stories from his missionary experiences in Irian Jaya are encouraging and motivating for all ages.
he Pineapple Story is a best-loved classic. How was it possible that a pineapple garden and a village full of thieves were used of God to instruct a missionary in Biblical principles? Join Otto Koning as he unfolds the hard-earned lessons he learned in Papua New Guinea about surrendering rights and conquering anger. His humorous yet profound message bears witness to the power of lordship and explains how each area of life and everything we own must be wholly yielded to Christ before we can effectively make disciples for the kingdom of God.
The surrender of pineapples and possessions was not the end of the story for Otto Koning. Before he knew it came the second and third grade in God’s school of surrender. Through the same tribal people and their need for a genuine demonstration of servant leadership, God teaches the missionary that not only the things we own, but also our time and reputation are most effectively and efficiently used of the Lord to reach into the lives of others when given to Him. Otto Koning’s testimony is a testimony of the unexpected ways God works when we lay down our life rather than fighting and struggling for the methods we think are best. Brace yourself for a personal challenge and a new approach to ministry.
Oftentimes, problems are merely God’s way of getting our attention. Why then do we wait so long to give our rights to Him? In this session, Otto Koning amplifies the principle of yielding rights and abundantly illustrates how the Lord will turn around impossible situations to His glory when we have given Him full control in the area He points out.
You are a missionary just off the mission field, with a small family to provide for and no supporting mission board. In the Hitchhiking Story Otto Koning tells of the miracles worked by the Lord when He was trusted, as Jehovah Jireh, the Provider at home in the States just as He had on the field. What took place between Huntington, West Virginia and Rives Junction, Michigan not only built his faith but multiplied his assets in ways you will have to hear firsthand to believe.
Based on God’s dealing with Job we may receive either comfort or correction when we see our own possessions, family, or health being broken up. Truly, being under God’s authority is the only way to safeguard what He has entrusted to our authority. What do we do if our hedge of protection is broken down? How do we trace jurisdictional losses to our own areas of disobedience? In addition to a warning about the irresponsibilty of depending upon insurance and the dangers of developing an independent spirit, Otto Koning shares the value of understanding and cooperating with the protective power of God.
The eyes of the Lord still run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him (II Chronicles 16:9), and if this is true, have you ever thought that God really must enjoy doing what we consider impossible? In this touching message Otto Koning brings illustrations from on the field and off, from his own life and from the lives of others, from Louisiana and West Virginia, as well as from both the Old and New Testaments about the miracles God has done for those who trust Him even with the impossible!
“Because He had seen heaven.” With these words at the conclusion of his message, Otto Koning details how Christ’s focus on the things of eternity enabled Him to make the most of His short time on earth. Throughout His daily walk He was able to see His heavenly Father turning circumstances into discipleship opportunities: “divine appointments”. As a believer—or even a missionary—you will benefit from the reminder that people are one of the few things that will last forever. May his perspective be a lasting motivation for us to invest our time and resources wisely, and share in the joy of discovering what it means to lay up treasures in heaven.
What do you do when those to whom you are called refuse to believe? What if, after years of language study, persuasive speaking, or hard work, your audience still seems unconvinced, blinded to the truth? Are you a failure? This was Otto Koning’s dilemma as a missionary to the tribes of New Guinea, a people group immersed in the traditions of their ancestors and spirit worship. Prepare for a surprise as you witness in this testimony the miracles God used to win village after village to Jesus Christ.
This is the story of the way God prepared a missionary for his people group and a people group for their missionary. On Otto Koning’s part, the Lord used his growing up years in Holland during World War II followed by a turbulent immigration into Canada to prepare him with a message of deliverance from the fear of death. Meanwhile, on the part of the Obhoi Tribe in New Guinea, the Lord had prepared an unidentified messenger to announce the coming of a white man who would answer their question about “how to die right.” Combined with the testimony of Doug Miller and the Muscona Tribe, this account sheds new light on God’s plan for the nations. The Surprising Ways of God will encourage you to heed the call of the Savior and bring the good news to the uttermost parts of the earth.
God still looks for stewards, on whose behalf He may show Himself strong, and use in miraculous ways to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Before sharing his heart for the unreached people groups of the world, Otto Koning shares several examples of how God rewards us when we make the choice to lose our lives for Him. From his church planting work in New Guinea, to the crippled missionary in Ethiopia, to the widow woman in Pennsylvania who gave everything beyond her basic needs to the missionary, we see living illustrations of the glory and joy of giving our lives and resources to God.
Snakes symbolize the powers of evil in more cultures than one. In The Snake Story, an introduction to the weapons of our spiritual warfare and the second part of the Pineapple Series, Otto Koning recounts the terrifying moment of truth when it came time to prove on the field in the jungles of New Guinea what it means to resist the Devil. This victory unlocked the door to a heavily restricted area and brought to three chiefs and nine hundred villagers that had been held captive to animism and spirit worship. Be encouraged and challenged for “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” and the authority of Jesus’ name is available to you in your Christian walk just as it was for this Christian soldier on the trail in the rain forest.
Have you noticed that significant spiritual growth often comes in the wake of a situation that seemed completely devoid of any potential for good? In such tests of faith we see in new ways that the point of transformation is one and the same as the time we choose to rejoice and give thanks. In this series of three testimonies, Otto Koning describes the amazing ways God worked all things together for good when he learned to respond in such an unnatural way. It requires obeying first and understanding later, but it can produce spiritual growth in any problem – and even problems of our own making. Learn and experience the difference between a “Vicious Cycle” of begging and pleading and the “Victor’s Cycle” of surrendering and rejoicing.
The prayer team was split. They had been asked to pray for a cancer patient to be healed and yet they knew that there were significant ways God could be glorified whether he was healed or not. On the mission field earlier, Otto Koning had been confused in a similar way when fervent prayers for one man’s salvation evidently failed while God seemed to transfer those prayers to the man’s brother. The answers and insights he learned at that time from Romans 8 about the intercession of the Holy Spirit brought peace, joy, and one accord to the prayer team. May they also be a refreshment to any prayer warrior who seeks the balance between determination and sensitivity in prayer.
“Love conquers all” . . . when it is that perfect and unconditional love which flows from the Father through believers willing to obey a command like “Love your enemies”. And if anyone would know, it would be a missionary to cannibals and headhunters–but what about Soho and Ketoho, Otto Koning’s arrow-happy and machette-happy arch enemies, the toughest leaders in their tribe? This testimony details a classic transformation of demon-possessed enemies into devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. You will be surprised to discover how the warring tribes of Hoshima, Obhoi and Amenda became one and built a mission station which included, among other things, the house which Don Richardson (author of The Peace Child) used to begin local translation. Once again listen as God does the impossible, overcoming evil with good.
There could not be a more fitting capstone for the Pineapple Story series than The Weapons of Our Warfare. Found throughout Scripture, these five commanded responses make up a single, invincible tactical toolbox for the Christian soldier. Met with a variety of challenges on the homefront, in ministry, and on the mission field, believers must be quick on the draw with the right weapon at the right time. Separate from the defensive armor detailed in Ephesians 6, you will be amazed to see how perfectly accurate yet counter-intuitive each of these weapons are in their advancement of the kingdom of heaven. They cannot miss! If you want to play defense a little less often, if you believe God has a definitive plan of action for maturity and victory in the Christian life, and if it’s your sincere desire to see the Church of Christ move forward, here and now, this is the field guide you need. Onward Christian soldiers!