07 NOV 2008: BETHEL MINISTRIES UPDATE
Love and Greetings from Yangon, Myanmar.
I am so happy to send you the updates of Bethel Ministries.
Literature works: We thank the Lord that we could celebrate the 17th anniversary of Christian Literature Centre on Nov 1, 2008. There were about 700 leaders of ministries, denominations, pastors and friends from churches gathered together for thanksgiving. CLC have been doing publications and distributions of evangelical Christian literatures. The Lord enabled us to publish 127 titles so far. This vital work has been part of the church growth and evangelism in the this land.
Church ministries. One of our member at age 39 was called to heavenly home on the 28th of September. We met this lady, Ma Moe some 6 years ago and she was a traditional Christian because her father was a Christian. When we shared the gospel she got the assurance of salvation. And her husband from a catholic background. And then she had a burden to her widow mother who is a strong Buddhist and after a year turned to the Lord. There is concern that her two children, Noah(12 years) and Naomi(10 yrs). We ask the Holy Spirit's direction how best we can help.
And also there was little baby just 89 days old passed on the 26th of October. He is the only baby boy of one of our co worker. He has heart failure by birth and the doctors couldn't help. Soon after we came back from our church worship service a telephone call was received that this baby had no hope in the Hospital. Then according to the will of his parents we took him back to home. Soon he was breathless and peacefully went to be with the Lord. Their neighborhood is surrounded by other faith. The parents want to bury on the 28th of October. But it was about 4:00 pm we lately learned that the neighborhoods don't want to keep the deceased body in the area more than a day so we have to make the funeral service urgently. I preached the shortest message 5 minutes sermon on that day and by the time we reached the cemetery it was nearly 6:00 pm and the sun went down and the darkness was covered in the burial ground.
Church Planting Our church planters, Nam Kha(Makway), Khuppi(Inpha) and Win Aung(Paletwa) are keeping well and doing fine. Both of them are preparing for Christmas, which is a good time to share the gospel to the people who never heard about Jesus and His salvation. Pray that there will not be any hindrances and disturbances as they witness the birth of the Savior..
Bethel Baptist Bible Institute students are doing well in their studies. Many are not able to pay their tuition and messing fees. This cause us difficult to manage. We are in need of reference Books.
Nargis Cyclone Relief works We thank the Lord for His provisions through your generous gifts that enable us to help some of the needy. We are happy to serve these needy people as the Lord provides.
Building Projects We continue to pray and look to God for His intervention to this need The building is adequate to our ministries use. That is for the Church, Institute, literature works, children ministry as well as medical clinic for community.
We Love you and all the friends who are praying for us. We do pray for you from this corner of the world daily. The Lord bless you.
With love in Christ.
Jacob Mung
Bethel Ministries
Yangon, Myanmar
03 NOV 2008: URGENT PRAYER NEEDED FOR ORISSA, INDIA
This is a request for prayer for YWAM missionaries and their churches in Orissa, India. The request came Mable Hurst, an associate of HCJB Global. Please read and make this a matter of urgent prayer.
Dear beloved sponsors and friends of Good News India.
We have never seen anything like this. We knew that Orissa was the most resistant and hostile State in India as far as the Gospel is concerned. And we brushed off the continuous threats and harassment we faced as we went about His work. But none of our staff imagined that they would see this kind of carnage.... And it seems to be totally under the radar of the Western Media ....
Let me explain.... A militant Hindu priest and 4 of his attendants, who were zealously going around the villages of Orissa and reconverting' people back to Hinduism, were gunned down by unknown assailants in Central Orissa last weekend.
Immediately the Christians were blamed.. The cry rose up...'Kill the Christians!' And the horror began.... In the past 4 days, we have first hand witness to hundreds of churches being blown up or burned and many, many dozens of Christian tribals have been slaughtered. For no other reason than they bear the name of Christ.
Night and day I have been in touch with our Good News India Directors spread across 14 Dream Centers in Orissa... they are right in the middle of all this chaos. In Tihidi, just after the police came to offer protection, a group of 70 blood-thirsty militants came to kill our staff and destroy the home. They were not allowed to get in, but they did a lot of damage to our Dream Center by throwing rocks and bricks and smashing our gate, etc.
They have promised to come back and 'finish the job.' Our kids and staff are locked inside and have stayed that way with doors and windows shut for the past 3 days. It has been a time of desperately calling on the Lord in prayer.
More police have come to offer protection. In Kalahandi, the police and some local sympathizers got to our dream center and gave our staff and kids about 3 minutes notice to vacate. No one had time to even grab a change of clothes or any personal belonging. As they fled, the blood thirsty mob came to kill everyone in the building. We would have had a mass funeral there, but for His grace. In Phulbani, the mob came looking for Christian homes and missions. The local Hindu people, our neighbors turned them away by saying that there were no Christians in this area. So they left.. We had favor. The same thing happened in Balasore.
All our dream centers are under lock down with the kids and staff huddled inside and police outside. The fanatics are circling outside waiting for a chance to kill. Others were not so fortunate. In a nearby Catholic orphanage, the mob allowed the kids to leave and locked up a Priest and a computer teacher in house and burned them to death. Many believers have been killed and hacked into pieces and left on the road.... even women and children.
At another orphanage run by another organization, when this began, the Director and his wife jumped on their motorbike and simply fled, leaving all the children and staff behind. Every one of our GNI directors that I have spoken to said: 'We stay with our kids.... we live together or die together, but we will never abandon what God has called us to do.' More than 5000 Christian families have had their homes burned or destroyed. They have fled into the jungles and are living in great fear waiting for the authorities to bring about peace. But so far, no peace is foreseen.
This will continue for another 10 days.... supposedly the 14 day mourning period for the slain Hindu priest. Many more Christians will die and their houses destroyed. Many more churches will be smashed down. The Federal government is trying to restore order and perhaps things will calm down. We ask for your prayers. Only the Hand of God can calm this storm. None of us know the meaning of persecution. But now our kids and staff know what that means. So many of our kids coming from Hindu backgrounds are confused and totally bewildered at what is happening around them. So many of their guardians have fled into the jungles and are unable to come and get them during these trying times.
Through all this, I am more determined than ever to continue with our goal: the transformation of a community by transforming its children. Orissa will be saved... that is our heart's cry. If we can take these thousands of throw-away children and help them to become disciples of Jesus, they will transform an entire region. It is a long term goal, but it is strategic thinking in terms of the Great Commission.
What can you do? First, please uphold all this in fervent prayer. Second, pass this e-mail on to as many friends as you can. We must get the word out and increase our prayer base for this is spiritual warfare at its most basic meaning. We are literally fighting the devil in order to live for His Kingdom. The next 10 days are crucial. We pray for peace and calm to pervade across Orissa.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please pass it on and help us to get as many people to partner with us on this cutting edge effort to fulfill His mandate: Go and make disciples of all nations....Prayer works!
Blessings,
Chip & Sandy Wanner Col 2:2 MBI
Team Facilitators to YWAM frontlines
Another account of the situation by Pastor Paul P. Akbar Khan:
Since August 2008, a nominal Christian position is very very shocking in INDIA and the political situation is not good. Everyday it is becoming worse. My neighboring states are Karnataka and Orissa. In this two states, Christians were burnt lively and more than 100 churches were burnt, Christian women and nuns were raped publicly in the market places and on the roads, pregnant ladies were torned the wombs by knifes, the featous were fallen from the womb. Christians were burnt in the churches while they are worshipping on Sundays-lively. The anti-christian groups like Bhajarang dal, VHP, other extremists holding weapons like lathis, axes, spades, crowbars, iron-rods, sickles etc. They cut the blouses, open sarees, cut the petticots and undergarments, and raped publicly and they shouted to rape 100 people on one women. The orissa government is in hopeless position. More than 1000 christian families left the villages and some escaped from their houses. Everything is gone, nothing is left. More than 199 churches were burnt-brutally.
And in Karnataka state too, the situation is the same. Churches were burnt, believers were killed, Christians running away. Horrible situation.
In my state, Andhra Pradesh, in Ananthapur district one of the pastor was beaten up when he was distributing our tracts. And in Hyderabad region four pastors were beaten up, when they are in street preaching.
. . .
01 NOV 2008: LATEST WORD FROM MARANATYA, INDIA
Love and Greetings from Bangalore.
We returned from Kerala yesterday. My Father was buried on Saturday. There had been so much rain all that week but the Lord heard our prayer and he stopped the rain from 8 am to about 1 pm. The sun was shining and there was not even the dark cloud. that is normal with the N E monsoon.
Appu and four other pastors who work in Kerala came for the Funeral. One of them spoke well representing the Reaching ministry in Kerala. Most who gathered for the funeral had not known about the Reaching Ministry in Kerala, of course it is far from them.
Appu and his fellow Pastors are facing a problem. The previous day(Friday )one of their church member had died. Earlier when somebody died they buried him in a Pentecostal cemetery ( I think) but this time they had no place to Burry. Each denomination or church have their own cemeteries. We do not have one of our own in Kraal. To buy a small piece of cemetery it will cost about 10- 15 thousand dollars. Reason is that very few people will sell their land for burial ground. second many neighbors will object to having a cemetery near them. Third we can get cemetery only adjacent to another cemetery. A few churches may help one time but strings attached to it. like the family come to that church. We did discuss these problem earlier and I told them to talk to another church that has the cemetery.
Many of Appu's believers are unhappy over the issue. All the churches are also either in rented houses or in a believers house. These days there is so much public pressure to have one's own place of worship. If Hindu neighbors do not like to having a worship place in a house next to them and in a residential area they can file a complaint. We can buy property and register it and have worship places. Some of Appu's groups have grown and have over forty members. Most houses are small and often believers are poor. The is blessing the Reaching ministry and it is growing. Prabudas, Pradeep, Appu and Paul are all asking for larger rented houses or some little land to build church buildings. At least if we can buy a small piece of land like 40 by 60 or so the churches could slowly raise the money and put up inexpensive structures for worship. I told Appu and Paul that their churches should start building projects and raise money to buy property and build. But I know all the practical difficulties and the their poverty. Pradeep put up a little thatch hut in a field where they are worshiping. Often new believers do not realize (and it takes time to teach them about giving tithing etc.) that it is their responsibility to have their own place of worship.
So, this a very practical difficulty and I do not know what to do. Would appreciate your prayers. One immediate remedy App suggested was that they could buy burial Cell/s. I told him to find out the details.
But these are good problems that we should pray. It is because the churches are growing. It is because people want to do right things. These are Organizational issues. If our churches have grown to be 17 then we know that we have to do more organizational work. There are other charismatic and coltish groups trying to lure away our people.
You remember one of our first person (churches) that we supported was Philip. He had needed a place of worship as the church grew so fast and somebody else offered a place and support etc. At that time he said that he is self supported and that he will not take our support. So we had then stopped supporting him and started a new missionary-Pradeep or someone else.
How we thank the Lord for a wonderful work that that the Lord is enabling us to do.
It is His grace and mercy.
We Love you and are praying for you daily. The Lord bless you.
Lovingly,
PJ Mathai
Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Bangalore India
31 OCT 2008: SATYA REPORT FROM INDIA
"For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Rom 8:26
Need for help from capable people:
I have been traveling to meet asking for help here. Probably I need to do more of that. I am also going around local Churches asking for help with regard to personnel, prayer and support for the work in RL areas. Pray for me as I continue to work as bridge between RL ministries and local Churches and others. Spoke and taught at two retreat for workers, pray that I may be given grace to build workers. I have continued to intercede at 4 AM or earlier, pray for me to survive and be fruitful. Pray for my protection even as I continue to walk some of these hard areas to intercede and help workers. At times I do feel as if everything has gone out of me. I seem to be OK now after some serious bronchial problems triggered by pollution. I also need physical and mental strength and grace to cope with very intense work. It is all consuming, sometimes.
Need for Care:
There has been more little girls released from trafficking than ever before, more need to be brought out. Praise God for all the recent answers to prayer in bringing out many. There is a great need for them to be rehabilitated, we need secure Homes. We need some who are willing to face all the problems for running a Home, men and women of sacrifice and love. I have been looking around for help and for those who are willing to do it. I have been traveling to meet people for Homes and also for Hostel for children from RL areas. I have been meeting people in leadership to decide to take children from RL areas into their hostel. We need this help especially for women with children, who have come out of their former profession. Slowly but steadily I have been finding a great willingness to help those in need. Pray for things to work out on the ground.
Attrition:
Continue to pray for God’s forgiveness of past sins in some of these areas. There seems to be a huge curse and we are not really able to break through it. . Rape, murder, cruelty, human sacrifices, trafficking in little girls—pray for the Lord to forgive our sins here. There has been a huge drain on workers and many may not survive emotionally to continue. There has been a huge depletion of team members, please pray, this is not new though . There has been a huge spiritual resistance in starting and maintaining steady prayer, finding office space and place of prayer, and keeping godly workers from breaking down.
What we need:
We need much more prayer support to really breakthrough in some areas. We need more people with relevant experience to pitch in and help us. Pray for spiritual resistance to be broken. There are high levels of occult in some areas. Pray that I may be able to focus and prevail in prayer in all the areas of difficulty. We need special wisdom and humility to keep learning.
With much love and prayers,
Satyanandan
Calcutta, India
27 SEP 2008: REPORT OF VIOLENCE IN INDIA
One person has been killed and several others injured in fresh violence in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, a police official has said. This comes days after Hindu mobs vandalised a church and dozens of houses in Kandhamal district. Two group of villagers fought pitched battles in the area on Thursday. Orissa has seen anti-Christian violence for several weeks. At least 20 people, mostly Christians, were killed after a Hindu religious leader was shot dead.
Hindus groups have long accused Christian priests of bribing poor tribes and low-caste Hindus to convert to Christianity. Christians say lower-caste Hindus convert willingly to escape the Hindu caste system. Correspondents say Thursday's violence was caused by ethnic tensions rather than religious reasons. The majority Kandha tribespeople of the area attacked the minority Hindu untouchable Pana community. A large number of Hindu untouchables in the district have converted to Christianity in the district in the past few decades. In the latest violence on Thursday, the man killed by the mob of tribespeople was a Hindu untouchable man.
Surge in violence
There has been a fresh surge in violence in Kandhamal district since Tuesday when one person was killed and two others injured when police opened fire on a mob that attacked a police station in Raikia area. The mob was demanding the immediate release of two persons arrested in connection with the month-long anti-Christian violence in the district.
Kandhamal police chief S Praveen Kumar said at least 60 houses and four Christian prayer houses were burnt or demolished in the violence that followed the police firing. He said round the clock curfew had been imposed in some "highly sensitive areas" in the district.
Violence broke out last month after Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was shot along with four others in an attack in the Kandhamal district. A senior Maoist leader claimed responsibility for the killing, but Hindu groups accused Christians. Hindu mobs burnt down monasteries, churches and an orphanage.
There has also been anti-Christian violence in the southern state of Karnataka. More than 20 churches and prayer halls have been vandalised by Hindu hard-line groups in the state.
From John Bushey
26 SEP 2008: SATYA NEWSLETTER
"And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand." [Revelation 8:4]
Thanks again for all your prayers. I am sending this early as I will be traveling and I do not want this letter to be delayed. We do need much more prayers for the areas we work in, thanks. Please do continue to pray for the workers, worshiping communities to be formed, the work to be stable. Pray that God may give us all wisdom to do the work and that we may not make any major mistakes. We need good workers with dedication. Pray for workers to develop to be men and women of integrity. We also need people who are willing to sacrifice and suffer in order to serve.
Homes, Hostels:
I am working at Homes for women, speaking to many about this need. We need hostels to take children from RL areas; many are hesitant to take these children. I am speaking to many to help. I am traveling to meet some and get help and advice. Pray that I find favor with those I talk to. When women choose to come out of their old profession children also may need to be taken out to a better environment. Pray for office space and other property needs also. This has been a bottle neck for some time. Pray for God to break down every barrier.
Recovery:
Some of the workers seem to have broken down and cannot continue in difficult corners. It is a very tough work in some corners, but we will persevere. Pray that those in leadership may not give up. We need worshiping communities within those difficult corners. Pray for God’s forgiveness on all the sins, the bloodshed in those places. Pray for curses to be broken.
Website and Blog:
I had fever on and off for over 6 weeks. I am not fully normal yet. Trying to be more balanced, not easy to learn. I have had mild to severe headache for many weeks now. It is the stress here. Pray for my health. I have been waking up early 4 or even earlier. Pray for good sessions of intercession.. Pray for God’s provision in every way. I have just started a blog, you can visit. It will be to feed people spiritually.
The address is given below. There is also a new website where I have some material posted, mainly to cater to those who work in extreme places. There are documents that can be downloaded. Please introduce to others also. There will be more documents as time passes.. There is a document I have prepared on Sabbath if you want I can send it to you. Please write and ask
URL: http://www.satyanandan.name
Blog: http://blog.satyanandan.name
With much love and prayers,
Satyananda
Calcutta, India
SEP 2008: FLAME MINISTRIES NEWSLETTER
You will probably be hearing about an event called "Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed: Implications for Christians and Muslims" so . . . read on . . .
In October 2007, 138 Muslim religious authorities and organizational leaders, representing 41 nations, issued a letter addressed to Christian scholars and clerics of every denominational stripe. It is called A Common Word Between Us and You. In response, a document was produced by the Yale Divinity School entitled, "Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to a Common Word between Us and You," published on Nov. 13, 2007. A number of so-called "Evangelical leaders" – which has become a pretty much useless tag – signed this document, including such individuals as Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals; Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University; Duane Litfin, President of Wheaton College; David Neff, Editor in Chief of Christianity Today; John R. Stott, Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church, London; Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church; Bill Hybels, Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church; Robert Schuller, Founder of Crystal Cathedral and Hour of Power; Tony Jones, National Coordinator of Emergent Village; Brian D. McLaren, Emergent author and speaker; Jim Wallis, President of Sojourners; and Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary.
Duane Litfin later withdrew his endorsement, as did some others. Litfin said he originally endorsed the Christian response in the interest of peacemaking but changed his mind after critics prompted a rethinking. However, with typical contemporary non-judgmental style, he said, "I do not criticize others who do not share these qualms."
Some conservative Protestants have expressed vigorous objections to the substance of both statements.
R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, was not a signatory. He remarked that he would not apologize for the Crusades because there was sin on both sides, and he was thankful Muslims failed to conquer Europe. He also rejected the apology for the "war on terror" because such a statement wrongly identified Christianity with U.S. foreign policy. John Piper of Desiring God Ministries commented that the Christian Response involved an approach that was "to deceive, to be unclear at best" because it provided no "clear statement about what Christianity really is" and ignored that "the love of God is uniquely expressed through Jesus Christ." A Focus on the Family article indicated that the Response "appeared to leave the fundamentals of Christianity – especially the deity of Christ – open for discussion."
As a part of the continuing effort by the Yale Divinity School’s "Reconciliation Program," the university hosted an event called "Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed: Implications for Christians and Muslims." This four-day event was held in July. It was organized by Yale Divinity School’s Center for Faith & Culture under the leadership of its founder and Director, Miroslav Volk, together with the director of the Center’s Reconciliation Program, Joseph Cumming. The keynote speaker for the event was Senator John Kerry. His remarks could be best described as typical "comparative religion liberalism" (the kind of thinking taught in most colleges and universities by men who know nothing of genuine biblical faith.)
Over 140 conference participants unanimously approved a cooperative statement. This statement supposedly signaled a "new beginning of collaboration between Christians and Muslims." It began by affirming the "unity and absoluteness of God" and God’s merciful love as central to both religions. Participants of both faiths – Christianity and Islam – pledged to spend one week a year sharing the good aspects about the other’s faith. (The implication of this is that both Christianity and Islam are "good" religions and basically worship the same God.) This four-day July event was to be the first in a series of conferences slated for this year in the U.S, Britain and at the Vatican in Rome.
What is wrong with this approach? A number of things:
First, it gives people a false impression about God. A sentence in the Yale Center statement claims, "In the Muslim tradition, God, ‘the Lord of the worlds,’ is ‘The infinitely Good and All-Merciful.’" A reading of the Preamble of the document could lead one to think the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ were also the god of Muhammad and Muslims. I have often encountered people who say with great assurance, "Muslims worship the same God Christians do, but in a different way." Such a view is being reinforced by these joint events and their pronouncements. This notion is a logical absurdity in that the god of Muslims is strictly singular, with the passionate rejection of the idea that God has a Son; and the God of Christianity is a Trinity existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself said, ". . all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5:23, NKJV). He was not talking about honoring Him as a prophet or a good religious leader, but as the Unique Son of God. Without Christ as Savior and Lord, a person does not worship the true God. This truth is reinforced in the Epistle of 2 John, with a warning about making accommodation for those who reject it: "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (2 John 9-11, NKJV).
Second, it betrays a defective and one-sided idea of confession. The framers and endorsers of "A Christian Response" act as though they have the authority to take upon themselves the alleged wrongs and sins committed by so-called Christians "in the past (e.g. in the Crusades,") confessing not only to that but to alleged offenses committed against Muslims by "many Christians" in more recent times. And they are doing this in the name of the Muslim god, asking "forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world." What Scriptural authority is there for us to confess the alleged sins and offenses of others – let alone doing it to a god of another religion? Old Testament examples like Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel have to do with the Old Covenant arrangement of the nation of Israel, but it can be argued that such procedures today for various classes of professing "Christians" are a distortion of the covenantal relationship under Christ. This actually represents a non-biblical idea of "apologizing."
Does it not strike one as peculiar that there is no confession on the part of the Muslims of the 400 years of atrocities against "Christians" before the Crusades, and the terrible injustices and crimes committed through centuries and in recent times by Muslim authorities and adherents to non-Muslims in lands under Sharia law?
Third, it is a movement capitulating to a Muslim idea of peace. The underlying motivation of this effort is that we must learn to live in peace. The claim is Christians and Muslims make up over half the world’s population and there can be no meaningful peace without peace and justice between these two religions and the very survival of the world depends on this. People say, "Oh, we must have peace. That is the most important thing." So they see this as a noble attempt in that direction. Some are willing to do almost anything if they think it will result in peace. But peace is not the most important thing. The Bible indicates that people who think this way will be led astray. The prophets warned about those who say "Peace! When there is no peace."
The most important thing is the Lordship of Christ and obedience to the teachings of God’s Word. Jesus once said, "Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division" (Luke 12:51). Funny, isn’t it, how we select the biblical truths that seem compatible with our cultural and personal preferences and overlook those that do not fit our preconceptions? In a sinful world and among false religions, the truth of Christ will always be a trouble-causing factor. In an effort to find peace, men will deny, distort or minimize the truth of Christ.
Of course, Jesus Christ does provide peace for His people, but it is a different kind of peace. He said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27, NKJV).
Muslims have a concept of peace based on the world becoming submissive to Sharia law. Sharia law treats Muslims as essentially "first class" citizens and other groups which are allowed to live –particularly Jews and Christians – as "second class" citizens. The official name for this is dhimmitude. Dhimmis have had to pay special taxes which Muslims claim was money paid for their protection by the Muslims (even though they were in more danger from the Muslims than anyone else!) These people are always to conduct themselves in a submissive way to Muslims and never say anything against Islam. Attempts to witness about Christ to a Muslim are punishable by death. Muslim imams and leaders passionately believe such a society is the way of peace.
"Creeping Sharia" is a term used regarding how Western societies are complying with Muslim ideas and giving in to their assertions (e.g. removing all pork products from school menus and allowing Muslim taxi drivers to refuse rides to blind persons with seeing-eye dogs because of their belief that dogs are unclean). Islam is a very aggressive religion and historically has pressed by any means possible, including deception, to achieve its purposes. Under Sharia, Islam is always to be spoken of positively and never criticized. Could not this Muslim initiative actually be a way devised to subtly help advance Sharia?
Fourth, it is using a method that will not be productive in the advancement of the gospel. Enough attempts have been made with group dialogue in the past to cause perceptive people to realize that such efforts do not result in conversions. In fact, the whole purpose is contrary to the idea of conversion. Rather it stresses acceptance of the others’ position as valid. While some knowledge of the other side’s ideas may result from such efforts, people in each group also support each other in reinforcing their own ideas. So while Christians may proclaim the truth of Christ and salvation through Him in such a context, this is heard in an insulated way. Indeed, many contemporary knowledgeable Muslims know the fundamental Christian beliefs and have been well indoctrinated in how to reject them.
Actually while Christian participants may believe and argue that they are using these events as a forum for proclaiming the Christian message – and I believe many of them sincerely want to do that – they are actually using a method that does not have biblical precedent. Dialogue on a one-on-one individual level is another matter and has a different set of dynamics.
Fifth, it will have detrimental effects for Christians living in Muslim lands. Christian believers living in lands dominated by Muslims have a difficult time of it. Muslims are always trying to get them to come over to their religion. Some time ago, when a Bishop in the Anglican Church in England denied Christ’s resurrection, Muslim leaders in other parts of the world used this on simple Christian believers saying, "Look, one of your own leaders now is saying what Muslims have been saying all along. What is to keep you from coming and worshipping with us?"
The supposed cooperation between Muslim and Christian leaders, which many in the Western world may view in a positive way, can have an entirely different impact in Muslim lands. Muslim leaders may say, "See, Christian leaders are agreeing with us. You too need to realize that our religion is right and you have been wrong." Indeed, Patrick Sookhdeo, himself a convert from Islam, has reported that in the months subsequent to the Yale Center letter, church leaders and Christians across the Muslim-majority world have conveyed their bitter disappointment and sense of betrayal over the Yale Center response. One church leader in a largely Muslim country told him, "Now armed with apologies of Christian leaders of crusade (sic), our pressure has increased . . . We have now been lumped with all the West is doing . . . What we now have is Western Christian Christians leading in apology implicating many others . . . This situation plays perfectly into their hands to put us on the guilt trail that we cannot offer Christ for who He is to them."
Much more could be said but we are limited in what we can put in this newsletter.
One of the most troubling things about this movement is that it shows the continuing spiritual disintegration and disarray of what was once modern evangelical Christianity. Leith Anderson may claim that he represents the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) which covers 61 denominations and hundreds of evangelical organizations. But the day will come when, with the shift toward the left in the leaders of the NAE, Christians committed to biblical truth above cultural notions will want to disassociate themselves from the organization as not speaking for them. I suspect that just as the National Council of Churches (NCC) has been unacceptable for people of convinced historic biblical doctrine in the past, with present trends the time will come when they will feel the same way about the NAE.
I realize that in writing these things, some may accuse me of too much "black and white" thinking. They pride themselves in knowing the shades of gray, taking a so-called "nuanced" approach. When people have been unable or unwilling to analyze what they consider wrong with my reasoning, they have sometimes thrown up this objection thinking it discounts what I have said. However such a response is a dodge and does nothing toward the truth. Besides, many things ultimately are either-or, black-or-white.
We live in troubled times and, if the Lord tarries, will continue to live in troubled times.
I have special concern in these matters. I have been in Muslim-affected cultures. I have interacted with a number of Muslims. I have seen some Muslims come to faith in Christ. I have done many seminars on Understanding Islam. I have led multi-session studies on the Muslim Challenge and what it is like for Muslim-background Christian believers in lands of Sharia culture. Some missionaries to Muslims have intimated that I knew more about the religion then they did.
My heart rejoices that many Muslims today are coming to deliverance and new life through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and their Savior. Much of this is taking place "below the radar," so to speak.
I am also aware that too much exposure of what is happening may stir Satan’s wrath and hatred with much more suffering and death for these precious people.
For information about your church having a Presentation of Understanding Islam or for special Meetings contact us by mail, e-mail, or telephone (be sure to talk to the answering machine). FLAME MINISTRIES PO BOX 3333, EVERETT, WA 98213-8333 E-mail: FlameMin@earthlink.net Telephone (425) 347-3216
Thanks again to all you who read our newsletters, and especially to all you who pray for us and maybe even contribute to help with our ministry. We continue to pray regularly for all those who partner with us by their financial assistance.
John Hoeldtke
04 SEP 2008: MYANMAR UPDATE
Greetings from Yangon, Myanmar.
We want to thank you very much for your fervent prayer and financial support. The Lord has blessed the efforts as we join hand in hand in the ministries of the Lord. Thousands of peoples lives were touched with the aids delivered to them and the message of the gospel gave them hope.
I am so sorry that I could not send you the ministries reports in May, June and July except for the relief works. I am now putting altogether in this report.
Church ministries I would say that after the Nargis cyclone the Lord has made it good to our Church members. Attendance increased. Before that the regular attendance was about 80-90 and now 100-120. Some of the members who occasionally attended the church service are now awaked by the disaster. On the 8th of June 2 new believers took baptism. We have regularly held house meetings in the week days and the Lord also opened to held among the medical crops and their hearts are opened to the Lord. Many more are listening to the gospel we preach and share to them. We ask the Holy Spirit to work in their lives and change them.
Church Planting One of our church planter, Nam Kha is having been here for the past two years serving the Lord faithfully among the Shan Bhuddhist in Makway village, the northern part of the country. This village has no transportation nor communications. Its located in a remote area. The whole village has about 380 populations out of this only a dozen are Christians. In early May my self and Sandar visited there and held a discipleship training for three days(this is how we escaped from the Nargis cyclone). There were 14 attended. And in the month of August Nam Kha has a Bible study time with the non Christians, five attended. They wanted to have Shan Bible which is not available. Win Aung is now begin to reach among the unreached people group in Paletwa, western part of the country. There is no Christians in the area. They are in need of our prayers and financial support.
The Children Bible Club is conducting regularly. As this has been a way of reaching the unreach people the Lord has helped us to get contact with some families. From this year we are beginning to assist some of the needy children could not afford to their tuitions and text books so we are helping at present 17 children. This is a way of showing God’s love to them.
Bethel Baptist Bible Institute is doing well with 29 students. This time all are keeping well. The extension works of the kitchen is going on and we are still in need of finishing the walls. Benches for dinning hall is still needed. We have to pull the chairs in the class rooms when having meals and this has to be done three times a day. Many students are not able to pay their messing fees. We would like to add the volume of books for our library. At present we have about 1000 books that are essential and this is not enough. There are four places where the students went for outreach where the gospel is being shared to the friends and families of the contact people.
Nargis Cyclone Relief works Praise the Lord with us that we have concluded the first phase of relief works. By the provisions of God through your generous gifts and from our church together we successfully delivered 6610 kg of rice, 830 packets of which contain each of the followings: cookies(600gm), biscuits(500gm), Glucose powder(450 gm), medicines(vitamins, pain killers and balms), candles(20 pieces per packet) and gas light. There were also three kinds of books (655 copies of each) given to help the people to lookup above. 320 Holy Bibles and thousands of tracts were distributed. 1080 pieces of T Shirt and a hundred pieces of second hand clothes were given to those who don’t have more than a piece of cloth. 100 houses were covered with Taupolin. All together to the total of 18 villages just over 1000 families have been blessed one way or the other.
The Lord opened doors to share the gospel because of Nargis cyclone. We have shared to several places and people the churches. We are going back to some places in December to preach the gospel during the Christmas Season.
We are looking forward to help rebuild over 300 houses and 6 churches in the days to come as the Lord provide.
Building Projects As mentioned in my April report the Presbyterian Church building of which we have rented for the past 6 years is on sale. And there are coming up now competitor buyers. In fact as we are in good relationship with the landlord he wants our church to take over as he could not handle any longer. So at this point of selling this has been our prayer to use not only for our church, but very adequate to the need of our Bible Institute. This building (four storey building 50' x 150' ft) can accommodate up to 300 congregations in the chapel and 100 students for boarding, class rooms and library. This is a great challenge to our church of whom we are like David facing the GIANT GOLIATH to meet the need for this building.
If we can have this building this is good not only for the church but also for the Institute and other church related ministries such as children and literature ministries altogether. We can use this building without any trouble because this is a licensed church building while the authorities do not allow new church building for the past three decades.
We would like to make the following request
1. God’s protections as we are in the fore fronts of the ministries.
2. Pray for the need of the church building project.
3. Pray that over 300 houses and 6 churches to rebuild
Lets continue to pray that God will supply all the needs.
Thanks and Blessings
Jacob Mung
Bethel Ministries
Yangon, Myanmar
02 SEP 2008: SATYANANDAN UPDATE
Thanks for all your prayers. The events of this month show that we need much more prayer. Please feel free to ask friends and family to pray for the needs mentioned here. Please continue to pray for us.
THE STORM:
It has been a difficult month; it is difficult to understand or explained what really happened. That is a futile exercise. There has been sickness, discouragement, hopelessness and bewilderment (as many events cannot be explained). There is all the more the need to walk by faith and not by sight. When someone hears the Truth and you know that person and she is murdered it is difficult for the workers. There are also instances of teenage girls dying of AIDS, normally some other reason is given. Many teenage girls are trafficked and what they face is unimaginable. Often the work carefully done seems to fall apart. Those who work with you seem to break down and give up. When workers are afraid that if they speak or do something they could be killed and it is real, we need to work through. We have faced all of this through the month. I had fever on and off for a month which made me weak, looked serious. I have recovered. This time my sickness was severe and my mind seemed to go blank. I was unable to pray. This h
appened the night before I was supposed to return from Chennai. I returned with my sickness on a hunch that workers might be in trouble and I was right. I am yet to return to the level of intercession I like to be at. I think I get too much of bad news all the time and may be my body and mind struggle too much. Pray for me. Now that I am alone if I am too sick it is a problem. Pray.
AFTER THE STORM:
We need to just keep going, after picking up the pieces. I wrote a document called "Counting the Cost" just to help the workers focus on the job in progress. We need to be willing and be prepared mentally to be willing to suffer and sacrifice in order to do the work given by God. Workers need to learn to persevere and not give up when things look too dark. The fact that I have gone through a lot and have seen God at work has helped to stand firm and not be shaken. The work is beyond human skills and ability. The level of faith among workers needs to go up--.
THE NEED:
Pray that God may continue to bless us with more faith and His grace. Pray that all those who work in RL area may not be overcome by fear or hopelessness. Pray for godly, stable people and orgs to get involved. Pray for ethics and integrity among workers, orgs and believers. We get into a lot of mess because we lack integrity, and we tend to be a low trust society, including Christians. Not good.
THE INITIATIVES:
Continue to pray for Homes, Hostels, Schools which will accommodate those form RL areas. We have been taking multiple initiatives to bring new people to do their bit. In spite of all this the Lord is working and bringing others to work. I need to go to various places to meet people face to face to raise more prayer and also to get help for the work here. People who have succeeded elsewhere need to help and teach us here.
With much love and prayers,
Satyanandan
Calcutta, India
[I work in red light areas and Pastor teams. On the whole in many areas where we never had much work God’s people are doing great work. In some areas though, we have had extraordinary battles. I personally feel that these are areas of much occult activity and probable animal and human sacrifices to covenant with spirits. There are upfront demonic demonstrations to overwhelm us get us frightened. We go in His Name and are not in any way frightened. But the battle sometimes is intense. Continue to pray for us. Sometimes the workers on the field are traumatized and I care for them. Pray.]