...and not a bit wiser

PAKISTAN

2011-01-11T07:33:00.000+01:00

The governor of Punjab, Pakistan, Salmaan Taseer, was assassinated by one of his own guards on January 4, 2011. Taseer had spoken out against the nation’s blasphemy laws and was a supporter of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman imprisoned for blasphemy and facing the death sentence.

Salmaan Taseer, governor of Pakistan’s most populous province, was gunned down by a member of his team of guards on January 4, 2011. His death comes three years after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. Taseer was considered “one of [Bhutto’s] most prominent supporters.”

Taseer’s killer said he committed this murder as “punishment for a blasphemer.”

The governor had spoken out about Pakistan’s vaguely worded blasphemy laws, calling them harsh and unfair. “These laws are used to victimize Christians and other groups,” Taseer said.

He was one of only a few officials in Pakistan who defended Asia Bibi, a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Because of this support, “Taseer was threatened with fatwas demanding his death and fundamentalist parties mounted demonstrations against him.”

Taseer was not frightened by the protests and intimidation. “It was more important that he speak up for those who had long been suffering in silence.”

According to analysts, Taseer’s assassination has “plunged Pakistan into deeper instability…”

Taken from Praying through the Window

Prayer inspires

2011-01-05T10:49:00.001+01:00

2010-12-27T07:17:00.001+01:00

Prophecy Q&A: Importance of Public Prophecy from Jubilee Church on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T09:57:00.001+01:00

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim 1:15-17)

A cool clip

2010-12-11T12:46:00.002+01:00

2010-11-19T06:57:00.002+01:00

I have just returned from India. The place I was in suffered no grave persecution but in lots of other places in Asia and in the world people are really suffering for Christ's sake.

Christian in Bhutan Imprisoned for Showing Film on Christ

2010-10-19T14:41:00.000+02:00

Court sentences him to three years on dubious charge of ‘attempt to promote civil unrest.’
NEW DELHI, October 18 (CDN) — A court in predominantly Buddhist Bhutan has sentenced a Christian to three years in prison for “attempting to promote civil unrest” by screening films on Christianity.

A local court in Gelephu convicted Prem Singh Gurung, a 40-year-old ethnic Nepalese citizen from Sarpang district in south Bhutan, on Oct. 6, according to the government-run daily Kuensel.

Gurung was arrested four months ago after local residents complained that he was showing Christian films in Gonggaon and Simkharkha villages in Jigmecholing block. Gurung invited villagers to watch Nepali movies, and between each feature he showed films on Christianity.

Government attorneys could not prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that Gurung promoted civil unrest, and therefore “he was charged with an attempt to promote civil unrest,” the daily reported.

Gurung was also charged with violation of the Bhutan Information, Communication and Media Act of 2006. Sections 105(1) and 110 of this law require that authorities examine all films before public screening.

A Christian from Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, told Compass that the conviction of Gurung disturbed area villagers.

While Gurung has the right to appeal, it remained unclear if he had the resources to take that course.

Both Gonggaon and Simkharkha are virtually inaccessible. It can take up to 24 and 48 hours to reach the villages from the nearest road.

“Both villages do not have electricity,” the daily reported. “But Prem Singh Gurung, with the help of some people, is believed to have carried a projector and a generator to screen the movies in the village.”

Over 75 percent of the 683,407 people in Bhutan are Buddhist, mainly from western and eastern parts. Hindus, mostly ethnic Nepalese from southern Bhutan, are estimated to be around 22 percent of the population.

It is also estimated that around 6,000 Bhutanese, mostly from south, are Christian in this landlocked nation between India and China. However, their presence is not officially acknowledged in the country. As a result, they practice their faith from the confines of their homes, with no Christian institution officially registered.

Buddhism is the state religion in Bhutan, and the government is mandated to protect its culture and religion according to the 2008 constitution. As in other parts of South Asia, people in Bhutan mistakenly believe that Christianity is a Western faith and that missionaries give monetary benefits to convert people from other religions.

Yesterday’s Kuensel published an opinion piece by a Bhutanese woman from New York who described herself as “an aspiring Buddhist” condemning both the conviction of Gurung and Christian “tactics.”

“Although we may not like the tactics used by the Christians to proselytize or ‘sell’ their religion to impoverished and vulnerable groups, let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture, in terms of religious tolerance, and what constitutes ‘promoting civil unrest,’” wrote Sonam Ongmo. “If we truly want to establish ourselves as a well-functioning democracy, with equal rights for all, let’s start with one of the fundamental ones – the right to choose one’s faith. We have nothing to worry about Buddhism losing ground to Christianity, but we will if, as a predominantly Buddhist state, we start to deny people the right to their faith.”

While her view is representative of liberal Buddhists in Bhutan, a reader’s response in a forum on Kuensel’s website reflected the harder line.

“These Christians are a cancer to our society,” wrote a reader identifying himself as The Last Dragon. “They had crusades after crusades – we don’t need that. We are very happy with Buddhism. Once Christianity is perfect – as they always claim [it] to be, then let’s see.”

In July, the government of Bhutan proposed an amendment in the Penal Code of Bhutan which would punish “proselytizing” that “uses coercion or other forms of inducement.” (See, “Buddhist Bhutan Proposes ‘Anti-Conversion’ Law,” July 21.)

Christian persecution arose in Bhutan in the 1980s, when the king began a “one-nation, one-people” campaign to “protect the country’s sovereignty and cultural integrity.” Ethnic Nepalese, however, protested the move on grounds of discrimination. Authorities responded militarily, leading to the expulsion or voluntary migration of over 100,000 ethnic Nepalese, many of whom were secret Christians, to the Nepal side of the border in Jhapa in the early 1990s.

An absolute monarchy for over 100 years, Bhutan became a democratic, constitutional monarchy in March 2008, in accordance with the wish of former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who served from 1972 to 2006. Since the advent of democracy, the country has brought in many reforms. It is generally believed that the government is gradually giving more freedom to its citizens.

The present king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and Prime Minister Lyonchen Jigmey Thinley, are respected by almost all Bhutanese and are seen as benevolent rulers.

Sad, sad Pakistan

2010-08-14T13:04:00.001+02:00

In the immediate aftermath of the Kashmir earthquake of 2005, for example, the army was called upon to reopen devastated roads and distribute supplies. The scale of the disaster meant many victims were left pleading for more help. But, for all that, many acknowledged that the army did a pretty good job in atrociously difficult circumstances.

This time it's different. Hundreds of thousands of military personnel are fighting the Taliban in the north-west of the country. The constraints this has placed on the military's response to the flood has only served to expose more clearly the incapacity of the civil administrative structures.

The weakness of the state has reached extraordinary levels. Fewer than 5% of Pakistanis pay any tax. The government is unable to provide schools and medical care for tens of millions of people.

But even if the flood has heightened the level of criticism they face, the politicians will not be unduly concerned. They are so used to being viewed as incompetent and self-serving that they are largely immune to public criticism.

Some Pakistanis fear that hardline Islamists could exploit the state's failure by mounting relief programmes. But past experience has shown that the religious organisations also lack the ability to deliver aid on a national scale.

Except for a lucky few, Pakistan's flood victims are on their own. Many will survive only because their poverty has rendered them extraordinarily tough and resourceful.

Owen Bennett Jones

from the Guardian, 14th August 2010

The Floods in Pakistan continue to bring devastation

2010-08-12T07:45:00.004+02:00

The flooding in Pakistan continues. Fortunatly we have been able to gather donation and later today, I will send them to Pakistan. They will hopefully bring relief to many people.
These last few days, I have been preoccupied with the events in Pakistan and more or less holding my breath as money has been donated for this tradgedy. In the midst of this, I received good news from India. The school that we had collected for in March/April was opened last week.

2010-08-04T09:01:00.001+02:00

From: http://www.reliefweb.int

Terrible Floods in Pakistan kill more than 1000

2010-08-03T14:43:00.003+02:00

After terrible flooding following the monsoon rains more than 1100 people have been killed in Pakistan.
Worst hit is the Kyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the province that borders with Afghanistan. Dozens of people are missing and 27,000 are currently cut off by the floods. More than one million people are homeless.
As the waters slower begin to recede there is fear that diseases might break out.

India, South Asia

2010-08-02T07:44:00.001+02:00

Despite hundreds of acts of violence against Christians in India over the course of the past year, the Lord is moving powerfully. One ministry reported baptizing more than one million people between Pentecost 2009 and Pentecost 2010. Praise the Lord for this amazing work and for the faithfulness of His servants who are laboring in this dangerous harvest field. Pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to move in hearts, drawing Hindus and Muslims into relationship with Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to protect our Brothers and Sisters as they face intense and growing persecution, giving them courage, strength, wisdom, and the boldness to proclaim the Gospel without fear or hesitation. Pray for the incredible awakening in India to grow and spill into Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the other nations of South Asia. Invite God’s Kingdom to come, His sovereign will to be done in India as it is in heaven.

from WinNews
http://www.win1040.com/post.php?id=709

Two Pakistani Christian Leaders shot outside courtroom

2010-07-27T07:51:00.004+02:00

Two leaders shot outside courtroom after handwriting report threatened to exonerate them.

FAISALABAD, Pakistan, July 19 (CDN) — Today suspected Islamic extremists outside a courthouse here shot dead two Christians accused of “blaspheming” Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.

The gunmen shot the Rev. Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his 30-year-old brother Sajid Emmanuel, days after handwriting experts on Wednesday (July 14) notified police that signatures on papers denigrating Muhammad did not match those of the accused. Expected to be exonerated soon, the two leaders of United Ministries Pakistan were being led in handcuffs back to jail under police custody when they were shot at 2:17 p.m., Christians present said.

Rizwan Paul, president of advocacy group Life for All, said five armed, masked men opened fire on the two Christians amid crowds outside Faisalabad District and Sessions Court.

“Five armed, masked men attacked and opened fire on the two accused,” Paul said. “Sajid died on the spot,” while Rashid Emmanuel died later.

CLF President Khalid Gill said the bodies of the two Christians bore cuts and other signs of having been tortured, including marks on their faces, while the brothers were in police custody.

As news of the murders reached the slain brothers’ neighborhood of Dawood Nagar, Waris Pura, Faisalabad, Christians came out of their homes to vent their anger, Pagaan said. Police fired teargas cannons at Christian protestors, who in turn threw stones.

“The situation is very tense,” Gill said. “Police have arrested eight people for damaging property and burning tires.”

Paul of Life for All said tensions remained high.

“The situation in Faisalabad has deteriorated,” Paul said. “Indiscriminate shootings between Christians and Muslims have ensued. The situation has become very volatile, and local police have initiated a curfew.”

The courthouse shooters escaped, and Punjab’s inspector general has reportedly suspended the superintendent of police and his deputy superintendent for their failure to provide security to the slain brothers.

Lynch Mob Mentality
The report by handwriting experts to Civil Lines police station in Faisalabad presented a major setback to the case filed against Emmanuel and his younger brother under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s widely condemned blasphemy laws.

Muslims staged large demonstrations in the past week calling for the death penalty for the brothers, who were arrested when Rashid Emmanuel agreed to meet a mysterious caller at a train station but was instead surrounded by police carrying photocopied papers that denigrated Muhammad – supposedly signed by the pastor and his brother and bearing their telephone numbers.

The Muslim who allegedly placed the anonymous call to the pastor, Muhammad Khurram Shehzad, was the same man who filed blasphemy charges against Emmanuel and his brother and was already present at the Civil Lines police station when the pastor and an unnamed Christian arrived in handcuffs, said Pagaan of Harmony Foundation. Civil Lines police station is located in Dawood Nagar, Waris Pura, in Faisalabad.

Pagaan said that on July 1 Rashid Emmanuel received an anonymous phone call from a man requesting to see him, but the pastor declined as he was due to lead a prayer service in Railways Colony, Faisalabad. After the service, Emmanuel received a call at about 8 p.m. from the same man, who this time described himself as a respectable school teacher.

Pagaan said that Emmanuel agreed to meet him at the train station, accompanied by the unnamed Christian. As they reached the station, Civil Lines police surrounded them, showed them photocopies of a three-page document and arrested them for blaspheming Muhammad.

Sources told Compass that police released the young, unnamed Christian after a couple hours, and on July 4 officers arrested Emmanuel’s younger brother, a graduate student of business.

On July 10 and 11 hundreds of enraged Muslims paraded to the predominantly Christian colony of Dawood Nagar calling for the immediate death of the two Christian brothers. Some chanted, “Hang the blasphemers to death immediately,” sources said, adding that the mob hurled obscenities at Christ, Christians and Christianity.

Islamic extremists led the protests, and most participants were teenagers who pelted the main gate of the Waris Pura Catholic Church with stones, bricks and shards of glass and pounded the gate with bamboo clubs.

Some 500 protestors gathered on July 10, while on July 11 more than 1,600 demonstrated, according to Joseph Francis, head of Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement. Fearful Christians locked their homes, while others fled the area, as the demonstrators had threatened a repeat of the violence wreaked on Korian and Gojra towns in July and August 2009.

Nazim Gill, a resident of Waris Pura, told Compass that Muslims burned tires and chanted slogans against Christians last week, and that on Friday (July 16) announcements blared from mosque loudspeakers calling on Muslims “burn the houses of Christians.”

Khalid Gill contacted authorities to request help, and police forbid anyone to do any damage.

Saying “continuous gunshots have been heard for the past five hours now,” Kashif Mazhar of Life for All today said that Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had ordered the provincial inspector general to restore law and order and arrest the murderers of the Christian brothers.

Other Victims
Khurram Shehzad had filed the blasphemy case on July 1 under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are commonly abused to settle personal scores.

Section 295-C states that “whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shall be punishable with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall be liable to fine.”

Section 295-A of the blasphemy laws prohibits injuring or defiling places of worship and “acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class of citizens.” Section 295-B makes willful desecration of the Quran or a use of its extract in a derogatory manner punishable with life imprisonment.

Khalid Gill said Khurram Shehzad, a merchant of Rail Bazar, Faisalabad, filed the charge after his servant told him that the two Christians had put up blasphemous posters at a truck station.

The Emmanuel brothers had been running United Ministries Pakistan for the last two years in Dawood Nagar, area Christians said.

The last known Christian to die as a result of a false blasphemy charge was Robert Danish on Sept. 15, 2009. The 22-year-old Christian was allegedly tortured to death while in custody in Sialkot on a charge of blaspheming the Quran. Local authorities claimed he committed suicide.

Area Christians suspect police killed Danish, nicknamed “Fanish” or “Falish” by friends, by torturing him to death after the mother of his Muslim girlfriend contrived a charge against him of desecrating Islam’s scripture. The allegation led to calls from mosque loudspeakers to punish Christians, prompting an Islamic mob to attack a church building in Jathikai village on Sept. 11 and the beating of several of the 30 families forced to flee their homes. Jathikai was Danish’s native village.

Three prison officials were reportedly suspended after Danish died in custody.

In other recent blasphemy cases, on July 5 a Christian family from Model Town, Lahore, fled their home after Yousaf Masih, his wife Bashrian Bibi and their son-in-law Zahid Masih were accused of blaspheming the Quran. Some 2,000 Muslims protested and tried to burn their house, Christian sources aid.

Police have filed a case against them due to pressure from Muslim mobs, but local sources say the allegations grew out of personal enmity.

Faisalabad was the site of the suicidal protest of Bishop John Joseph. The late Roman Catholic bishop of Faisalabad took his own life in May 6, 1998 to protest the injustice of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.

Taken from: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/

Persecution continues in Sri Lanka

2010-07-23T16:12:00.004+02:00

In the aftermath of the Tsunami that occured on 26th December 2010, through the genorosity of the general public we were able to take fund to Sri Lanka to build a children's home. Running costs were to be paid for by the farm that was also being run there. It would be good for the children's education to learn how to take care of animals and do some small scale farming.
We began building in 2005 but only at the beginning of this year did the government give us permission to start using the project as children's home. However not everyone is happy. The village people are normally low educated people who are being abused by the monks for their purposes. They fear that if people turn to Christianity, they will forsake the temple ... which means they will not bring any financial offering and the monks will lose out. The Christian population of Sri Lanka and especially the evangelical population is so small. This is ridiculous! Just read part of an email that a friend sent to me:

Soon after the family camp, the villagers came and protested at the campsite at waga.There were real problems as usual.We didn't know there was opposition growing below in the village.The Buddhism protection society had a big protest meeting opposite the Home. About 600 people gathered including 10 leading monks,Government officials,Politicians the Police etc.The main issue was that under the guise of a children's home we were building a Church. They said that a Christian home is not necessary for the village and the usual accusations of Conversion with foreign funds etc.We had to go to the Hanwella Police and as it is in SL the police was on the side of the monks and the villages and referred the mater to Courts.
As we had all the Government approval the accusation was the piggery was a health hazard to the village.When we produces the Environment Authouritys license which is valid for three years,the Judge called for a report from the Authority.His report was that there was some irregularities we were given one month to correct it.They raised that a children's home can not have a farm as it affects the children.Today we are going to the probation office to keep them informed of the development.

End Human Trafficking

2010-07-22T08:46:00.000+02:00

Not For Sale | Shadowhands from Not For Sale Campaign on Vimeo.

No respite for Kenya

2009-12-18T08:15:00.001+01:00

Famine in Kenya from Newfrontiers on Vimeo.

A bit under the weather

2009-12-15T14:06:00.001+01:00

I've been a bit under the weather lately and have therefore not been able to do much blogging.
I'm still not better, but just wanted to write something to keep this thing alive.

Finding God again

2009-11-23T12:08:00.002+01:00

A friend sent this to me:

Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning - Ben Stein

I Only hope we find G'D again before it is too late ! !

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it.It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... Terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it... No one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

FACTS AND FABLES

2009-11-03T14:22:00.001+01:00

18. In the study of God's messages to women, I wish you to approach His Book as though, like a pagan, you had never seen it before, and knew nothing about it. Will you endeavour to cultivate this spirit of fresh inquiry? When we have heard, over and over again, with unquestioning credulity an explanation of a thing, even though the explanation be grotesque, it comes back to us with all the force of natural fact. The mention of the thing recalls to the imagination that explanation, and no other seems right. If there be an error in the explanation, we arrive at a point where we can detect it only by a real effort; the false view comes to mind first, and hinders acceptance of the true. The rabbis told their Jewish scholars that there were many fish in the sea hundreds of miles long; and that Adam was so tall, before he fell, that his head touched the firmament. After hearing such tales, oft repeated as assured facts, it is not likely that the Jewish youth could hear the story of Jonah without imagining a fish such as never existed; nor could he hear the name "Adam" without thinking of a great giant; and he would probably suppose that the Bible said these things. They seemed natural conclusions from the Scripture, but they were wildest fables. Let us get false pictures out of mind, by weighing the evidence.

19. Therefore, we will accept no views as authoritative simply because that book, so valued among the Jews, the Talmud, teaches them,--not even because Christian tradition teaches them. We will test matters by the general trend of Bible teaching itself. The famous Earl of Chatham said, once, in a great speech in the House of Commons, "I confess that I am apt to distrust the refinements of learning, because I have seen the ablest and most learned men equally liable to deceive themselves, and to mislead others." Let us maintain this attitude of mind.

20. Savonarola wrought a revolution in the morals and manners of Florence, and he did it by adhering, and teaching the people to adhere, to two underlying principles upon which he based the chapters of his remarkable book, The Triumph of the Cross. These were, "Nothing has been learnt from any man,” and, "We accept no authority save our own experience and reason." Dr. Campbell Morgan has recently voiced the same spirit in his words, "Do interpret our Bible by what the Bible says, and not by what men say that it says." We will take these as our basic principles in Bible study.

21. But does not Savonarola's use of the word "reason" savor of scepticism? Yes, as to the worth of "traditions of men;" and it savors also of the "glorious liberty of the children of God," to study the Bible for themselves, under the immediate tuition of the Holy Spirit. Savonarola further explains himself: "Not that faith, the spontaneous gift of God, can be acquired through reason, but because reason is a useful weapon with which to combat unbelievers, or open to them the way of salvation, to arouse the lukewarm, and give strength to the faithful" (1 Peter 3:15).[4] But while not bowing to any human authority as final, yet we will glean what information we can from writers; we will quote them to corroborate our statements, especially if we might have expected the one quoted to have taken an opposite view, had it been tenable at all; and make use of their works in any manner useful to our purpose: But always remembering that we bow to no authority as final but the Word of God, as illuminated by the Spirit. We will endeavor to "interpret the Bible by what the Bible says, not by what men say that it says."

22. Some will say that it is not worth our while to expend any time on the early chapters of Genesis, but that we should treat them as mere "folklore." We are convinced that they are history, and to women very valuable history. But even if we did not believe this, yet women could not afford to ignore them, for the sufferings of women from a false interpretation of their teachings, have been no unreality, and that false interpretation must be resisted.

23. Please read Genesis 1:26-28, and with it, Genesis 5:2. We find that at the first the name "Adam" belonged equally to male and female. God said: "Let US make man [or "Adam,"--it is the same word] in our likeness;" and the story proceeds,--"In the image of God made HE HIM, male and female made HE THEM." Please note that in the second clause, man is spoken of as both singular and plural. What does this mean?

24. The theory has been held among the Jews, at least as far back as the days of Jesus Christ, as shown by the writings of Philo, that man was, at the beginning, male and female in one person. This belief will also be found among other people besides the Jews. Next, after the androgynous state, it is supposed that human beings were born in pairs, male and female twins. Then there would have existed a male and female Cain; a male and female Abel, etc.; and thus Cain secured his wife. If this be correct, it lends force to the Lord's words in Matthew 19:4 (R. V.), concerning the sanctity of marriage,—and we must remember He was speaking to men who were doubtless familiar with the theory: "Have, ye not read, that He Who made [no "them" in the original] from the beginning made them male and female." The rabbis did not seem to recognize an "and" in the expression in Genesis, "male and female," but read "male-female." Dr. Hershon, in his book, Talmudic Miscellany, says: "There is a notion among the rabbis that Adam was possessed originally of a bi-sexual organism, and this conclusion they draw from Genesis 1:27, where it is said, 'God created man in His own image; male-female created He them."' This view is not unscientific, but the reverse, as those know who are acquainted with such books as The Evolution of Sex by Geddes and Thomson. We will presently continue this topic.

25. Five blessings were pronounced on them by God. Genesis 1:28.
(1) "Be fruitful:" (2) "Multiply ye:" (3, "Replenish the earth:" (4) "Subdue It:" (5) "Have dominion over . . . fish . . . fowl . . . and every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Dr. Harper in his Hebrew Method and Manual renders this literally, bringing out the plural form of each verb, so we will reproduce his translation: "Be ye fruitful and multiply ye, and fill ye the earth, and subdue ye her [the word for earth is feminine]; and have ye dominion," etc. The plural is clearly expressed in each form. As the Word distinctly says that these blessings were pronounced upon male and female, we observe the perfect equality of the sexes by God's original creation.

26. Finally, note that when God had finished all His creation, including male and female man, He pronounced all "very good."

Additional Notes on Paragraph 24.

The word androgynous means the same as the adjective hermaphrodite, though it applies properly to the human species. Hermaphroditism is defined by Webster as "the union of the two sexes in the same individual." The following quotations from Geddes and Thomson may be useful to those who have not seen this work, or similar ones: "Some observations by Laulaine as to the embryonic organs are of interest. . . . He distinguishes in birds and mammals three stages in the individual development of the reproductive organs: (1) Germiparity, (2) Hermaphroditism, (3) Differentiated Unisexuality" (p. 35). "One view of the matter is that hermaphroditism was the primitive state among multicellular animals" (p. 84). "Minot in his Theory of Genoblasts, or sexual elements, ventures little further than regarding male and female as derivatives of primitive hermaphroditism in two opposite directions" (p. 127).

The following is from Darwin, whose Darwinian theory we do not believe; but that theory could never have gained acceptance anywhere had he not based it upon well-founded facts: "It has long been known that in the vertebrate kingdom one sex bears rudiments of various accessory parts, appertaining to the reproductive system, which properly belongs to the opposite sex; and it has now been ascertained that at a very early embryonic period both sexes possess true male and female glands." It is well to note, as we proceed, how the Scriptures in no way contradict scientific facts such as these, discovered only thousands of years afterwards by human research. However, in all this which we have said regarding the physical, or animal, form of mankind, as having resemblance to God, whose image man bears, we need to remember that God Himself is pure Spirit.
Notes

[4] “I oppose not rational to spiritual, for spiritual is most rational,” Whichcote.

TEXTUAL CRITICISM

2009-11-03T14:21:00.000+01:00

9. We repeat: The Hebrew text of the Old Testament, to which Jewish scholars have added both the vowel-letters “a h w j,” and vowel signs, may have mistakes, as regards these vowels, but must not be called into question any further. But there are destructive critics who go much farther than this. They manipulate the consonants. We will illustrate, in a crude manner—it cannot be critical—their method, taking an English sentence for the purpose. First we rob it of its vowels, and then we have the following:

GDSLVDTHWRLDTHTHGVHSNLBGTTNSNTHT
WHSVRBLVTHNHMSHLDNTPRSH.

10. Now let us decipher, remembering that according to Hebrew usage “the” is often lacking where we would use it, and therefore we may supply it; and sometimes we can read a consonant double, sometimes single. Beginning by supplying a “the,” and inserting vowels in small letters, at the same time spacing the words, we read: “The aGeD SLaVe DoTH WeaRiLy Do THaT Hay. i GaVe His [double the S] SoN LieBiG[3] To iNSiNuaTe [IHTW we alter to WTH WiTH] HiS VeRy BeLoVeD [we insert a D here, on the supposition that the text is incomplete] Tea (double the T] THeN He SHouLD NoT PeRiSH.” There is an M before the word “should,” but we drop it out.

11. In this long sentence we have not supposed many corrections necessary; and some of the corrections are lawful from the standpoint and practice of all who interpret the original text. But aside from these lawful ones, is this sort of manipulation of the consonants of the original text lawful work, with the Word of God? NO! The work of these destructive higher critics in clearing up obscure passages in the Old Testament is both tempting and fascinating, and in their works they give praise to those who have made “brilliant guesses” as to the meaning of certain sentences. The method is tempting because by its looseness almost any passage would permit of some sense being read into it, whereas, otherwise many passages will lie in more or less obscurity for centuries, before their precise meaning will be discovered. Yet, recalling the fact that though cut glass looks prettier than uncut diamond, it is worthless in comparison, we choose the consonants unaltered, even if the sense is obscure, to a pretty setting forth of mere sentiment.

12. Having made our choice, then, let us think again of the English sentence, as though it were, in very truth, an obscure Hebrew passage. It is, in point of fact, a verse from the Bible. If we cannot read it at once, we will keep it at hand and pray over it. If it be indeed a very word from God, it is worth years, or even centuries of patient waiting for God to reveal its meaning. We will assume that after a while you pass through a new spiritual experience, and all the Bible takes on fresh meaning to you,--for this result always follows a nearer approach to God. Your soul is full of love to God, and a deeper love of His Word. Fresh messages of love shine forth from every page of His Book. God is now first in all your thoughts, and turning to this sentence once more, for light, it seems to you that the opening consonants, GD, must mean “God,” not “aGeD.” Yes, and the next four consonants naturally suggest “So LoVeD.” Ah! now you have it! Not “aged slave,” but “God so loved.” We are on the right track. How beautifully it all unravels, without the loss or change of a single consonant! The printed Word tells you half the story, and your heart’s experience the other half, and the meaning of the sentence which so long may have baffled you is, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish.”

13. Now scholarship alone did not reveal the meaning to you, nor did experience alone, but a combination of the two. We are mistaken when we think we can get along on a slovenly and incomplete knowledge of the Bible. No amount of spiritual experience, or even the Spirit’s help and instruction will take the place of the study God requires us to put upon His Word. The world, the Church and women are suffering sadly from woman’s lack of ability to read the Word of God in its original languages. There are truths therein that speak to the deepest needs of a woman’s heart, and that give light upon problems that women alone are called upon to solve. Without knowledge of the original, on the part of a sufficient number of women to influence the translation of the Bible in accordance with their perception of the meaning of these truths, these needed passages will remain uninterpreted, or misinterpreted.

14. Such truths man is not equipped to understand, much less to set forth to the understanding of women, for, as the very learned Canon Payne-Smith has said: “Men never do understand anything [he refers to Bible translation] unless already in their minds they have some kindred ideas.” And such truths as are messages to women, women without knowledge of the original languages, even if having the spiritual experience, cannot discover. They find such a message often an inexplicable mystery, or even distorted into meaning something painful.

15. To return to the sentence to which we supplied the vowels: We purposely took a verse from the New Testament, and the greatest promise in the whole Bible. (Of course it does not stand in the original text in Hebrew, but in Greek). We wished to demonstrate that the most precious thing in the Word might be changed into insipid nonsense, perhaps, by the manipulation of two or three consonants of a vowel less language. They are like strong talons holding tenaciously to the only correct sense that can be legitimately made of the sentence. Bear in mind, further, a point which is passed over lightly by the destructive critics of the present time: With each consonant that is changed in Hebrew textual criticism, there is involved a change, or several changes, of the unexpressed vowels. The alteration of a consonant is not a trivial one at all, when it invades a consonantal language.

16. Twice, since the opening of the Christian era, Christians have so neglected the Hebrew Bible as to have lost the language, and they have turned to the Jews to acquire it again. They lost it first, Dr. Wall tells us, “for somewhat more than 100 years immediately preceding the time when Origen flourished [born A.D. 185]: and again, in the dark ages for a long series of centuries, terminated by the revival of learning in Europe.” The rabbis who taught the Christians each time would naturally teach them, not towards, but away from Christian ideals, and towards Talmudic ideals. Because of this fact, some things in the Old Testament, relating to women especially, demand a very careful, critical investigation, as to their precise meaning, since we know that the Talmudic view as regards women was not a just, unprejudiced view, by any means.

17. So much, as to the Hebrew Old Testament. As to the Greek New Testament, we shall not be faced with the same difficulties, and in our Lessons are not likely to call its text, as it now stands, into serious question. The Greek has always expressed its vowels, as well as its consonants, and hence no question arises at this point. The punctuation of the Greek, for the most part, is of recent invention, and at some points seriously to be questioned. But as to the interpretation of its words and their usage, there is an extensive Greek literature, independent of the New Testament, to give light, whereas, practically all that exists of ancient Hebrew literature is in the Bible. Modern Hebrew, as spoken by Jews, is merely the use of Bible words in their traditional meanings, which may be correct, but are sometimes doubtful, or even demonstrably incorrect.

Notes

[3] i.e., beef extract

1. FUNDAMENTAL

2009-11-01T19:26:00.000+01:00

1. The object of these lessons is at least three-fold:

(1) To point out to women the fallacies in the "Scriptural" argument for the supremacy of the male sex.

(2) To show the true position of women in the economy of God.

(3) To show women their need of knowing the Bible in its original tongues, in order the better to equip themselves to confute these fallacies, and also to show that such a knowledge of the Bible would have great influence for good on the progress of the Church and womanhood.

2. Our argument assumes that the Bible is all that it claims for itself. It is (1) Inspired, 2 Timothy 3:16;[1] (2) Infallible, Isaiah 40:8; and (3) Inviolable, John 10:35. Indeed, no other basis of procedure is available for us. However freely certain male scholars of the present day manipulate the text, no confidence would be placed in the results thus obtained by a woman, at once, she would be faced with the charge that she had manipulated the text to suit her argument. But a manipulation of the text is unnecessary, even if we thought it lawful under any circumstances.

3. The assumption that the text needs amending, to any great extent, is very erroneous. A candid acceptance of the testimony as to its history proves that the original text has been preserved in manuscripts with scarcely an important change. It is known that the Scribes wrote out their copy with immense care, as to the Hebrew Old Testament. They copied even supposed errors, calling attention to seeming irregularities by slight marks, but not venturing to correct. They have left records to show that when copying they counted each consonant and vowel-letter in each line, and kept records of the same, in order to verify their finished work. Superstition alone was enough to cause the Jews to preserve their Scripture text inviolable, they prized the letter beyond the spirit of the Word. The Apostle Paul speaks in direct testimony of their faithful preservation of the Hebrew text, since had it been otherwise, the Jews would have been less in favor with God, Romans 3:1-2. Jesus Christ strongly denounced the misinterpretation of the Scriptures by the "traditions" of the Jews, Mark 7:9-13, etc., but He never accused the Jews of corrupting the text of their Scriptures.

4. The Lord Jesus said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." The "jot" (letter j), is nearly like our single quotation mark ( ‘ ), in form and size; the "tittle" is not a letter, but the distinguishing point of difference between one Hebrew letter and another much like it. For instance, the Jewish rabbis, who taught also the infallibility of the text, in a treatise called Vayikra Rabba (s.19) declare:

1. "Should anyone, in Deut. 6:4, change
(d) to (r)
he would ruin the world."

2. "Should anyone, in Ex. 34:14, change
(r) to (d)

he would ruin the world."

3. "Should anyone, in Lev. 22:32, change
(ch) to (h)
he would ruin the world."

4. "Should anyone, in Psa. 150:6, change
(h) to (ch)
he would ruin the world."

5. "Should anyone, in Jer. 5:12, change
(b) to (k)
he would ruin the world."

6. "Should anyone, in 1 Sam. 2:2, change
(k) to (b)
he would ruin the world."

Because these passages would then mean respectively,

1. "Hear, O Israel; the Lord is a false Lord."

2. "Thou shalt not worship the one true God."

3. "Neither shall ye praise [for "profane"] My Holy name."

4. "Let everything that hath breath profane [for "praise"] the Lord."

5. "They have lied like [for "belied"] the Lord."

6. "There is no holiness in [for "none holy as"] the Lord."

5. But when we speak of the Bible as inspired, infallible and inviolable, we do not refer to our English version, or any mere version, but to the original text. Prof. Deissmann has well said, "All translation implies some, if only a slight, alteration of the sense of the original." Now we must explain more precisely what "the original text" really implies, and how much it includes. The original Hebrew of the Old Testament was written without any spaces between words in totally different looking letters from those we call "Hebrew” at the present time; and the language as first written contained no vowels, as though the English of Genesis 1:1 were written:

NTHBGNNGGDCRTDTHHVNSNDTHRTH

No distinction existed between small and capital letters, and doubled letters were often written only once, as we have indicated in the word, "beginning."

6. Hebrew ceased to be spoken by the common people during the Babylonian captivity. It was practically a "dead language" as early as B.C. 250. In the absence of expressed vowels, its pronunciation was likely to become lost. So the Scribes took four consonants, "a h w and j," and inserted them into the text to indicate the vowel sounds. While this device helped to some extent, in the end it led to confusion, often raising the question: "Is this letter a consonant, belonging to the original, or is it a vowel-letter, added by the Scribes?" Moreover the insertion of these vowel-letters did not prove sufficient; then, as late as 600-800 A.D., a whole system of vowel-signs was added, most elaborately indicating the vowels of each word as tradition had preserved it. These vowel-signs were interlinear, and therefore did not confuse the text, as did the vowel-letters. With vowel-signs we might indicate the pronunciation of Genesis 1:1, as given above, something like this (separating the words):

_N TH B!GNNG GD CR TD TH HVNS ND TH RTH.[2]

7. We understand, now that the Hebrew text may have mistakes which we are free (with due respect for the scholarship which has given to it its present form, and due reverence for God's Word), to amend, so far as the vowel-letters and the vowel-signs are concerned, for no one claims that the Scribes who made these additions to the text in comparatively recent times did "inspired" work, as did the original authors.

8. And then, women must never forget that all this addition to the text was not only the work of men exclusively, but of men who, in their day, were, as Jews, bitter opponents of the teachings and of the spirit of Christianity. Furthermore, if we may judge from the spirit of the teachings of the Talmud on the "woman question" (for the Talmud was then in the ascendancy, and the sayings of the rabbis considered more authoritative than Scripture itself), these amenders of the original text, as a class, held women in utter contempt. Dr. Paul Isaac Hershon (to quote one of the many witnesses to this statement) says: "The rabbis, over and over again, teach the utter inferiority of woman: they put a definite seal as it were on the degraded life of the female sex which for ages has been lived by women in the East as in the West." A certain Rabbi Yochanan, we are told, quotes the Mishnic (the Mishna is the most ancient and important part of the Talmud) rabbis as teaching that a man may do as he pleases with his wife: "It is like a piece of meat brought from the shambles, which one may eat, salt, roast, partially or wholly cooked." A woman once complained before Rav (a great rabbi) of bad treatment from her husband. He replied: "What is the difference between thee and a fish, which one may eat either broiled or cooked?" But Jews alone did not hold women in contempt at that time in human history. It was an unfortunate time, as regards women, for fixing the sense of the Holy Scriptures.

[1] We shall use the Authorized Version of the Bible throughout these Lessons, unless we indicate the Revised by "R. V." In this place (2 Tim. 3:16) the R.V.is both incorrect and misleading.

[2] The dash (-) before three words takes the place of a needed consonant, -since no word in the Hebrew begins with a vowel. The ēē sound is always indicated by the "jot, "additionally,—so we introduce this "jot" three times.

GOD'S WORD TO WOMEN by Katherine Bushnell

2009-11-01T19:23:00.001+01:00

AUTHOR’S NOTE

"Dost thou desire to study to advantage? Consult God more than books, and ask Him humbly to make thee understand what thou readest. Go from time to time to be refreshed at the feet of Christ, under His Cross. Some moments of repose there give fresh vigor and new light: interrupt thy study by short but fervent supplications."

This is a Study Book, yet it has been our hope to make the book equally interesting for mere reading.

Having been planned as a Study Book, paragraphs are to be paid attention to, not pages; it is indexed at the back on this plan. Those who do not know Hebrew and Greek, and yet wish to test its every point, will find much help in doing this in Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, especially in editions from the seventh onward, because of the valuable Index-Lexicons at the end of the volume, informing the student of the number of times any certain Greek or Hebrew word occurs in the Bible and of all its various translations.

Some years ago, Mrs. Alexander Whyte, wife of the late Principal Whyte of New College, Edinburgh, Scotland, became interested in the Lessons, and appealed to Dr. Rendel Harris for an opinion of them from his point of scholarship, or of some other able critic. Dr. Harris referred Mrs. Whyte to Dr. A. Mingana, Professor of Arabic at Manchester University, England, and Curator of Oriental Manuscripts in the John Rylands Library, which contains a wealth of such matter.

Dr. Mingana has read carefully through the Lessons of the book, and given me the benefit of his criticisms, which, for the most part, are very encouraging. In issuing this second edition, it has seemed well to add in footnotes the substance of his comments. I have not a personal acquaintance with this most obliging and helpful gentleman, but I hope that he will, as well as Mrs. Whyte, accept this acknowledgment of valuable help as the best return I am able at present to make. I understand that Dr. Mingana's name is one that stands high in rank among philologists and Orientalists. He is a voluminous writer for theological and other journals, and the author of a Syriac Grammar; of two volumes on Syriac Sources; a volume on The Ancient Koran; two volumes on The Odes and Psalms of Solomon; a work on Early Judeo-Christian Documents in the John Rylands Library, and of several other books.

While we in no wise question the authority and inviolability of the original text of the Bible, we hold that the present English translation of Genesis 3:16, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband," is erroneous, and proved incorrect by the ancient versions. Therefore the interpretation of St. Paul's rules regarding the conduct and treatment of women, since based on the erroneous translation, is incorrect.

A few persons will, of course, resign a measure of faith unless the traditional interpretation is left undisturbed. This cannot be helped. We must continually improve in our understanding of God's will, and this necessitates a continual improvement in our interpretation of God's Word. So the question is, --Shall the Church change its present treatment of women, or its interpretation of St. Paul? Its present course of inconsistency, in teaching Paul one way, and treating women in a more honoring way, is mischievous:

(1) The Church itself, thereby, sets an example of defiance of the authority of the Bible.

(2) To explain Paul by apologizing for Paul's faulty rabbinical logic involves the expositor in an attack on the inspiration of the Bible (see Lesson 46).

(3) If women must suffer domestic, legislative and ecclesiastical disabilities because Eve sinned, then must the Church harbor the appalling doctrine that Christ did not atone for all sin, because so long as the Church maintains these disabilities, the inevitable conclusion in the average mind will be the same as Tertullian's,—"God's verdict on the sex still holds good, and the sex's guilt must still hold also."

(4) At no point is faith in the entire Bible being so viciously and successfully attacked today as at the point of the "woman question," and the Church so far attempts no defense here of her children. It assumes that the interests of merely a few ambitious women are involved, whereas the very fundamentals of our faith are at stake.

2009-10-16T15:57:00.002+02:00

This is a spiritual song of searching and longing. But it is also one of confusion and at finally hopelessness. It sounds like, it would be nice if Jesus had died for me and can offer all that it said he would give us, but in the end I just can't believe it'. There are too many obstacles to faith.

The is a yearning for significance and meaning, the quest for hope and love - all of which can be found in Jesus Christ.

Disasters in India and Philippines

2009-10-12T23:34:00.002+02:00

As we have been concentrating on the famine in Kenya, news came in about first of all the flooding in Manila. More than 500.000 people are homeless. We had hardly really digested that and then we got news about more floods in India. The very places we had visited in August were now under water. Three villages in the immediate vincinity of Chillakallu have been swept away in the deluge.
Our friends are now trying to feed 10,000 people.

CLIP ABOUT THE DROUGHT/FAMINE IN EAST AFRIKA VIA SKY NEWS

2009-10-12T11:59:00.000+02:00

PHOTOS FROM SRI LANKA

2009-09-18T12:15:00.005+02:00

MORE GOOD NEWS DESPITE ALL THE BAD NEWS

2009-09-18T12:03:00.003+02:00

There was quite a lot of bad news pouring in on me during the last few days. Good news seemed to be rare. However we continue to be encouraged by the generosity of friends who are supporting our effort to serve the people in Northern Kenya who are going through a famine.
The depressing news I received from Sri Lanka was also offset by good news that followed. During the (our) summer time they had a number of camps and special events for children, including the launching of a new book for children. At the events it seems that there were between 100 and 300 participants.
Good news for a far off land is like cold water to a thirsty soul.

BAD NEWS BUT ALSO SOME GOOD STUFF

2009-09-16T14:27:00.003+02:00

I felt a little depressed yesterday as one email after the other rolled in. I got an update on the situation in Kenya. The famine is bad and our friends are looking after up to 3000 people. The best case is that they need to feed the people until spring of 2010, when the next harvest is due. If the expected rains in October fail, then this period will stretch on indefinitely. The burden is enormous as food prices have sky rocketed.
More bad news was received from Pakistan. I wont go into details as it starts to depress me when I just think about it.
I also received an email from Sri Lanka giving me the latest on the situation there. It is also a hard place to serve God in. Intimidation and threats have been expressed to our friends. We sent six good working photo-copiers and they arrived in the country in April. To this day they are still being held by the customs and excise. The children's home which we build in 2005 has still not got permission to start working.

The news is grim and depressing.
But this morning as I looked over our bank accounts I noticed that people have been generous and have given a good sum to help with the famine in Kenya. We are very pleased and relieved about that. Perhaps only a drop on a hot stone but very encouraging.

NEWS FROM NEPAL

2009-09-14T08:09:00.002+02:00

Christians Plan Missionary Campaign. There are little more than 600,000 Christians in Nepal, less than one percent of its population, yet according to a Christian publication, Christianity Today, Nepal has one of the fastest-growing Christian populations among Asia’s 51 countries. A recent meeting of more than three dozen senior Christian missionaries at “a quiet resort just outside of the capital city” was devoted to forming “overarching strategies for the Himalayan region [Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan]” to encourage this growth. These included targeting “people not yet reached”; establishing a presence in the “neediest geographic areas”; and encouraging and promoting an indigenous Nepali missions movement. The areas of Nepal that were deemed to need most attention were its northern Tibetan Buddhist districts, the far west, and some districts in the Terai. As part of this campaign, the missionaries hope to “place personnel in national organizations or in government-sponsored positions.” They aim to establish churches on several different levels, from primary to discipleship, and give the missionary movement a “bi-vocational” character by combining its “church planting vocation” with projects that give it a “credible presence in the country,” such as hospitals. They recommend that their members seek non-tourist visas for entry into the country since “we believe it is easier to live and work in the Himalayan region as a resident expatriate.” Student visas that later could be converted might be considered as an opening option. Nepal, the world’s only official Hindu nation, allows freedom of worship but forbids proselytizing. The International Hindu Federation strongly condemned the Christian missionary plan after news of it was released, stating that any activity aimed against the national religion is a serious crime. The Christian effort may have been inspired by Pope Paul II’s call for greater evangelization in Asia and a need for “aggressive conversion” there. (Kathmandu Post, January 10, 14; February 10)

Sacrifing to the Wrong Goddess. For many years, locals have been sacrificing goats, buffaloes and chickens before a statue of the goddess Durga in Dev Daha Bhawanipur in Rupandehi district in south central Nepal. Recent excavations have revealed that the image is not that of Durga at all, but of Maya Devi, the mother of Lord Buddha. Buddhists, who are opposed to the taking of life, have tried to stop people from sacrificing animals there, and although the practice has decreased, it has not totally stopped. With its newly discovered identity, the statue has become the second most important place of Buddhist pilgrimage in Nepal, after Lumbini. “We tried to stop animal sacrifice at Dev Daha,” complained a leader of the local government, “but our efforts have gone in vain. We sought help from the District Administration Office and the Department of Archaeology but to no avail. Now we have formed a struggle committee to fight the evil practice.” (Kathmandu Post, January 20)

Drought-stricken Kenyans struggle for one meal a day

2009-09-13T19:00:00.002+02:00

In Kenya's Rift Valley, crops have failed due to the prevailing drought. People are lucky if they can manage to eat even one meal a day. They are faced with a choice of moving to urban slums or trying somehow to make a living where they are.

In recent years there were two previous droughts but this is more serious. Livestock has already died.
During the best times 2.6 million people in Kenya receive food from the World Food Programme. There has been a sharp rise during this present drought that has turned into a famine. By November it will reach a staggering 3.8 millions.
Typical work for people who stay on in the rural area is work in the quarries. They fill 20litre buckets with broken stones and these are sold for 5 Kenyan shillings. A 2kg bag of maize cost 105 Shillings.
Wells and bore holes have dried up. People are walking as far as 30km searching for the precious liquid.

MURDERED OVER A CUP OF TEA

2009-09-13T18:58:00.000+02:00

Young Christian murdered in Pakistan for drinking from Muslim teacup

Ishtiaq Masih, a young Christian man from rural Pakistan, was taking a long distance bus to the big city. His bus had been bumping along the dusty roads for hours, and there was no air conditioning. The passengers were ready for a break. At Machharkay village, the bus finally stopped to let the passengers get out and stretch their legs. Ishtiaq piled out with the others and followed a crowd to a tea stall on the side of the road.

Sadly, Ishtiaq did not notice a red sign with a death’s head painted on it posted on the wall that said, “You must declare your faith before you are served.” He innocently ordered his tea, sipped it quick ly, and went to the cashier to pay for his drink as the driver gave warning that the bus would be leaving soon.

However, when Ishtiaq showed the cashier his teacup in order to pay his bill, a routine bus ride turned into an afternoon of terror. The cashier was Mubarak Ali, the owner of the tea stall, a radical Muslim. Ishtiaq was wearing a cross necklace, and when Ali saw that a Christian had drunk out of his teacup, he became enraged. InPakistan, restaurants routinely provide different silverware for Christians because it is a Muslim belief that

Christians defile what ever they touch.

Ali grabbed Ishtiaq and shouted for his employees to bring anything avail able to beat him for violating the sign posted on the wall. Fourteen men responded and gathered around Ishtiaq, beating him with stones, iron rods and clubs, and stabbing him with kitchen knives as Ishtiaq pleaded for mercy.

The other bus passengers and passers-by finally intervened and took Ishtiaq to the Rural Health Center in the village. There Ishtiaq died as a result of spinal, head, and chest injuries. The doctor who took Ishtiaq’s case told that Ishtiaq had excessive internal and external bleeding, a fractured skull, and brain injuries.

People visited the tea stall and the large red warning sign with a death’s head symbol which read, “All non-Muslims should introduce their faith prior to ordering tea. This tea stall serves Muslims only.” The warning also threatened anyone who violated the rule with “dire consequences.”

A neighboring shopkeeper told on condition of anonymity that Ali is a fundamentalist Muslim and all his employees are former students of radical Muslim madrassas (seminaries).

Ishtiaq’s family said that they immediately reported the incident to the police and filed a case against Ali. Though the police registered their case, no ac tion has been taken to apprehend Ali or his employees.

When Iasked the Pindi Bha tian Saddar police station about the murder, the po lice chief said that inves tigations were underway and they are treating it as a faith-based mur der by biased Muslims. When asked about Ali’s warning sign, police chief Muhammad Iftikhar Bajwa claimed that he could not take it down.

However, the constitution of Pakistan ex plicitly prohibits such discrimination, and the police could take strong action against the warning sign. But because the police are also Muslim, Ishtiaq’s father claims that they are being derelict in their duties to prosecute the murderers who are still freely operating the tea stall.

There is a day

2009-09-10T13:48:00.000+02:00

Revelation Song

2009-09-09T12:00:00.000+02:00

Bad News from Kenya

2009-09-08T14:25:00.004+02:00

Meru, Kenya: Bad news has reached us from our friends Edward and Fridah Buria in Meru, Kenya. They report widespread starvation in the Samburu area of Northern Kenya. The famine has been caused by the ongoing drought. This drought is party man-made as Kenyans have been cutting down large areas of forest for revenue for the timber. The climate in a place like Samburu is very harsh and without man's interference in the environment, life is still hard.
Buria claims though that this famine is more severe than the one they had in 2006. People look to him and his co-workers for help. The weak, aged and the very young are the most vulnerable and they suffer more than the others.
Groups of people have been coming to the church meeting places waiting for help of some kind. For a number any help is already too late. They have buried their dead on ground besides the churches.
Buria had appealed to friends all over the world to come forward and help. Since the famine of 2006 the price for food had increase enormously. Edward Buria is normally positive even in the most difficult situations, but this time, he confessed: "I have never seen such hopelessness."

Police arrest NDA chief

2009-09-07T15:27:00.002+02:00

Shekher Ragmi
BIRATNAGAR: Nepal Police arrested Ram Prasad Mainali, chief of the Nepal Defence Army (NDA), an underground outfit, along with another four persons with weapons from Saranavatti, Jhapa on Saturday.
Organising a press conference, police announced the arrests of Mainali and Police Biswash aka Tribhuvan Yadav, Morang commander of the NDA.
According to Debendra Subedi, SP of Regional Police Office Biratnagar, Mainali and Biswash ware arrested from Jhapa and Morang respectively by the Special Task Force of Morang. He added that cases like killing, abduction, and possession of weapons would be filed according to their criminal activities. The police have found a pistol and 14 rounds of bullets, a revolver and five rounds of bullets, a dozen cell phone sim cards, different pamphlets and warning letters.
The NDA is responsible for the explosions in Assumption Church in Bhanimandal, Lalitpur on May 22, a mosque in Biratnager on March 29 and the Nepali Congress central office on August 11, 2009. Five persons were killed in the Lalitpur and Biratnagar incidents.

INDIA: Christian Elephants

2009-09-05T08:23:00.001+02:00

In the last 40-50 years, no one has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as has been recently witnessed by the people of Orissa State, India. These elephants are not ordinary elephants; these elephants are on a mission. With smaller brutes preceding the herd to apparently survey each village, larger elephants soon follow and get the job done. "Just what is their job?" you might ask. We think that it might have something to do with avenging the blood of martyrs. In fact, the local people have christened these elephants, "Christian elephants."

Were these elephants summoned by God? One would wonder, as it was in the month of August a year ago around 7-8PM that Christians in this same area began to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by anti-Christian rioters. Exactly one year later, at the same time of the day, the persecutors are now running for their lives, from nothing less than a herd of wild elephants! These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement. They then went on to destroy his house and farms. Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes demolishing gardens and singling out the homes of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched. People ran to the police station to report the disastrous news. In one case, a police jeep that attempted to drive away the herd was attacked and the occupants barely escaped. Truly, God is the avenger of the helpless.

According to the news report by Kusanath Pradhan, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in more than 30 villages and killed 5 people.

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

Behind enemy lines

2009-09-04T15:24:00.000+02:00

Behind Enemy Lines from HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

Who will go?

2009-09-04T14:06:00.000+02:00

Beautiful Feet from HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

Another inspiring video

2009-09-04T14:03:00.000+02:00

Shine from HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

Tears of the Saints

2009-09-02T08:15:00.002+02:00

Tears of the Saints - hi res from Charlie McDavid on Vimeo.

Watched this video earlier today. It is motivating and moving.

Youth Conference in Chillakallu

2009-08-29T14:31:00.002+02:00

India

2009-08-29T12:37:00.003+02:00

From Rajahmundry we travelled on to Chillakallu. It is always a joy to be there. This was my 12th or 13th trip!
Our friends also run a children's home, they have a Bible school, plant churches and have around 120 church in their New Hope Ministries.

Before the pastors' conference started, we spent time visiting in the villages. On two evenings I spoke at a mini-crusade in a village. On both nights around 500 people attended. We also attended the engagement of a couple and I preached at the celebration with around 2 minutes notice!

I think we had around 120 pastors at this conference, which also lasted for three days. I also took the subject of 1 Thessalonians. I was so amazed and impressed that God was obviously doing much more than I could preach. He also confirmed his word with healings and prophecies.
The pastors were very encouraged and so was I!

India Report

2009-08-29T12:31:00.003+02:00

It is of course quite difficult in just a few words to report how things went in India.
We flew first of all to Rajahmundry, a large city on the Godavari River. We have contacts there who run a children's home and minister to a number of rural churches. I spoke for three days to a group of around 60-70 pastors.
We met in the living room of a large house in the city.
It was a joy to meet those people who are serving the Lord in difficult situations. I did a series of talks from 1 Thessalonians and it went down very well. The people were very appreciative. I prophesied and also prayed for the sick. Many were healed.

Trip to India

2009-08-29T11:21:00.002+02:00

I got a bit mixed up with the last two contributions. They are both in German and were meant for a German blog that I have.
I have just arrived back from India, where I spent the last three weeks. Over the next couple of days, I'll try and report what happened while I was there. We had a very good time, in fact it was one of the best and most effective I have had.

Indien Bericht 2

2009-08-24T15:34:00.000+02:00

Inzwischen ist die Pastorenkonferenz vorbei.
Etwa 120 Pastoren und ihre Frauen sowie etwa 15 Bibelschüler haben teilgenommen. Der Lobpreis ist anders als bei uns. Die Melodien sind schwer zu erkennen und der Rhythmus, unterstützt von den unterschiedlichen Trommelarten, geht unter die Haut. Doch mit der Zeit gewöhnt man sich dran und hat sogar etwas Freude dran.
Elisabeths Themen waren, Dienst als Team (Mann und Frau), die Herausforderung vom Dienst (Finanzieller und Erwartungsdruck), Wie lebt man unter engen finanziellen Bedingungen – die biblischen Prinzipien vom Zehnten-geben usw.
Ich bin durch den 1. Thessalonicher-Brief gegangen, was mir große Freude gemacht hat. Viele Elemente haben sehr gut in die asiatische (indische) Kultur hinein gepasst und die Leute sehr angesprochen.
Die Konferenz ging bewusst um Samstagmittag zu Ende, damit die Pastoren früh genug nach Hause kommen können, um den Gottesdienst für Sonntag gut vorzubereiten. Doch viele sind so lange wie möglich geblieben, damit sie die Gemeinschaft noch genießen konnten! Sie sind bestimmt nur wenige Stunden oder gar Minuten vor dem Beginn ihres Gottesdienstes Sonntagmorgen angekommen.
Ihre Bedürfnisse sind vielfältig und zum großen Teil ganz anders als unsere. Sie kämpfen wirklich ums tägliche Überleben und müssen sich mit dem Hinduismus und Zauberei auseinandersetzen. Die meisten brauchten Hilfe in ihrer Ehe und mit ihren mangelnden Finanzen. Auf der anderen Seite stehen sie treu für Jesus in einer feindlichen Umgebung.

Armut, die Armen und mein Beitrag zur Erleichterung

2009-08-04T09:02:00.002+02:00

„Nur um eins haben sie uns gebeten: dass wir die Armen nicht vergessen sollten. Und dafür habe ich mich immer eingesetzt.“ (Galater 2:10 Hoffnung für alle)

Erste Eindrücke
Es ist nun Jahre her, als ich das erste Mal die Stadt Mumbai (Bombay) in Indien besuchte. Das Flugzeug verließ Frankfurt mit Verspätung und ich verpasste mein Anschlussflugzeug in den Emiraten. Fast 12 Stunden bin ich hin und her geflogen von Bahrain nach Abu Dhabi nach Dubai nach Dohar, bis ich endlich einen passenden Flug nach Bombay bekam. Die protzigen Gebäude mit der prunkvollen Ausstattung habe ich hinter mir verlassen, um indischen Boden zu betreten.
Der Gestank der 16 Millionen Einwohner-Megastadt stieß mir in die Nase. Der Lärm und die Hektik versetzte mich in einen nervösen Zustand, als ich auf einen Taxi wartete. Bettler umzingelten mich mit ausgestreckten Händen. Sie deuteten mit den Fingern auf ihren Bauch und Mund, dass sie Hunger hatten. Mein Herz verschmolz.
Auf dem Weg zum Hotel schaute ich aus dem Fenster. Auf beiden Seiten der dreckigen, lärmenden, überfüllten und verstopften Straßen befanden sich Barracken, beschaffen aus Pappkarton, Plastikplanen und kleineren Abfallresten. Die Szene reichte soweit die Augen sehen konnten.
Frauen hockten am Straßenrand vor kleinen Feuern und versuchten Mahlzeiten zuzubereiten. Autos fuhren nur ein wenig von ihnen entfernt vorbei. LKWs bliesen ihre Auspuffgase unbarmherzig über sie. Nackige Kinder spielten in den offenen Abwasserkanälen. Menschen mit fehlenden Gliedern oder Körper, die so verformt waren durch Krankheit, Unfall oder sonstiges saßen passiv in dem Schmutz und starrten vor sich hin. Insekten schwirrten umher.
Menschen werden täglich dort geboren und sterben dort nach einem kurzen Leben im Elend.
Jahre sind vergangen seit ich diese erste Begegnung mit Menschen gehabt habe, die in der absoluten Armut leben.
Inzwischen habe ich in vielen Ländern elende Armen getroffen: Pensionäre in Minsk, die Mülleimer durchwühlen um Essbares zu finden, Straßenkinder in Kampala, Kiew oder Katmandu. AIDS-Kranke in Kenia und Indien, Drogenabhängige, Strafgefangene, einfache Menschen, die versuchen ihre Familie durchzubringen… die Liste ist unendlich.
Armut und die Armen
Armut ist der Zustand, indem sich die Armen befinden. Die Armen sind nicht abstrakte Wesen! Sie sind Menschen mit Namen, Gaben und sind eigentlich Menschen mit einer Berufung von Gott. In Anlehnung an Richard Mouws Klassifizierung (Nach zu lesen in „Walking with the Poor“ von Bryant L. Myers) stellen wir fest, dass
• Die Armen wurden in dem Ebenbild Gottes geschaffen. Sie sind arm, weil ihnen die nötig Fähigkeiten und Möglichkeit fehlen. Sie brauchen Gelegenheiten.
• Die Armen sind Menschen, die rebellieren gegen Gott. Dies kommt durch den Sündenfall. Sie sind arm, weil sie immer wieder die falschen Entscheidungen treffen und haben einen falschen Lebensstil.
• Die Armen sind Christus im Fleisch. Wir lesen in Matt. 25, dass Christus sich mit den Kranken, Nackten und Gefangenen identifiziert. Mutter Teresa: „…wir sehen Christus in der Gestalt der verzweifelten Armen“. Es mangelt ihnen an Liebe und Beziehungen; sie gehören nirgends wohin. Sie brauchen Begleitung und es liegt an uns, das Leid zu erleichtern.
• Sie sind Gottes Lieblinge. Sie sind gesegnet, denn ihrer ist das Himmelreich. Sie sind arm, weil sie unterdrückt sind durch das Sozialsystem, das sie in der Armut hält. Sie brauchen Gerechtigkeit und Hilfe, damit sie ihre Stimme finden in dem Wirtschafts- und Politiksystem.
• Die Armen sind verloren. Jesus ist für alle gekommen, aber besonders für die Armen.
Wer sind denn die Armen?
Die Armen sind Menschen, die akuten Mangel leiden. Armut bedeutet nicht nur, dass man keine ohne wenig finanzielle Mittel zur Verfügung hat. Materielle Armut ist ein Mangel an Vermögen (das Wörterbuch erklärt „Vermögen“ als „wertvolle Kraft“). Es geht nicht nur um Finanzen, es bedeutet auch schlechte Wohnbedingungen, wenig Land, kaum Vieh u.s.w.
Eine materielle Armut führt auch zu einer physischen Schwäche. Man ist unterernährt und empfänglich für Krankheiten. Man wohnt sowieso in einer Umgebung, in der die medizinische Versorgung nicht gewährleistet ist.
Ein weiterer Punkt ist die Isolation. Die Armen haben keinen oder kaum Zugang zur Bildung. Sie wohnen dort wo keine Schulen sind. Wasser ist auch schwer zugänglich. Kapital und Kredite sind fast unmöglich zu bekommen.
Dies alles führt zu der Verwundbarkeit. Es gibt keine Reserven für Notfälle: Plötzliche Krankheit oder eine wetterbedingtes Unglück. Sie sind auch kulturellen Forderungen ausgesetzt, wie z.B. der Brautpreis oder Mitgift bei der Eheschließung.
Wegen dieser Zustände sind sie machtlos. Sie haben keinen Einfluss oder soziale Kraft. Sie haben keine Stimme, werden oft entrechtet und ausgebeutet.
Und letztlich sind sie auch geistlich arm. Ihre Beziehung zum Schöpfer ist nicht vorhanden oder funktioniert nicht. Durch falsche Religion werden sie von dem lebendigen Gott, der die Armen liebt, abgehalten. Leider, leider wird in vielen Teilen der Welt ein verfälschtes Evangelium verkündet, die die Menschen tiefer in die Gebundenheit der Armut stößt.
Wir verbessern die Welt
Als kleines Mädchen sagte eine meiner Töchter, dass wenn sie groß ist, möchte sie ein „Welt-Verbesserer“ sein.
„Es gibt viel zu tun, warten wir es lieber ab!“ „Was können wir schon bewirken?“ Lieber Leser, seien Sie ermutigt. Der große Monsun beginnt mit einem kleinen Regentropfen.
Ich kam einmal zurück von Indien mit einer Bitte um etwa 300 €, um einen Brunnen zu bohren. Der Regen blieb drei Jahre lang aus und die meisten Brunnen waren vertrocknet. Aber so wie es ist, haben wir gerade ein anderes Projekt unterstützt und die Finanzen in der eigenen Gemeinde waren auch nicht so gut!
Jedoch die Kinder in der Gemeinde haben dieses Anliegen aufgenommen. Sie haben am zwei oder drei Sonntagen Eis nach dem Gottesdienst verkauft. Ein Gärtner in der Nähe hat dann eine Tonne Äpfel (Fallobst) gespendet und sie haben Apfelkuchen,-saft, -marmalade, etc hergestellt und verkauft. Sie sammelten 300 € und ein Brunnen konnte gebohrt werden. Als das Geld in Indien ankam, war Besuch dort. Er hat mitbekommen von wem und wofür der Betrag war. Sehr motiviert hat er für 10 Brunnen gespendet und hat das Anliegen nach Hause gekommen in die USA. Er war inspiriert von den Kindern in Deutschland! Als ich das nächste Mal in Indien war, habe ich ein paar der 69 Brunnen fotografiert, die durch den Einsatz der Kinder möglich geworden waren. Übrigens dort wo ein Brunnen gebohrt wurde, ist auch eine Gemeinde entstanden.
Geben wir eine Angel statt einen Fisch
Ein bekanntes Sprichwort sagt, dass wenn wir jemandem einen Fisch schenken, hat er für heute zu essen. Wenn wir ihm beibringen, wie er angeln kann, hat er sein Leben lang zu essen.
Es gibt viel zu beachten, wenn wir mit den Armen arbeiten. Wir versuchen immer wieder darauf zu achten, dass wir Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe leisten. Dies ist nicht nur wirtschaftlich sinnvoll sondern hilft den Menschen wieder ihre Würde zu gewinnen.
„Der Geist des Herrn ist auf mir, weil er mich gesalbt hat; er hat mich gesandt, den Armen frohe Botschaft zu verkünden, zu heilen, die zerbrochenen Herzens sind, Gefangenen Befreiung zu predigen und den Blinden, dass sie wieder sehend werden, Zerschlagene in Freiheit zu setzen…“ Lukas 4:18

I wish I were younger!

2009-08-03T16:06:00.002+02:00

Report aus Kenya

2009-08-02T08:48:00.001+02:00

Edward and Fridah Buria from Meru, Kenya visited us recently. During their stay they make a number of short video clips about, towns, people and churches. After getting back to Kenya they had their media team cut the clips up and put them together as part of a tv programme about their trip to Germany. The result was overwhelming as viewers from all parts of East Africa rang in for personal help, prayer or just to express their appreciation.
Edward and Fridah are apostolic leaders in Kenya.

Quotation

2009-08-01T17:32:00.003+02:00

"When we are free from the law and the insanity of performance and trying to impress one another with ourselves and we find grace and the mercy and kindness and grace of God and the majesty of the gospel then it breaks down the dividing walls of prejudice and helps us see that the drunk in the street and the prostitute down the road is loved equally by God and we are as sinful as they are because there is only one standard and it is absolute perfection and anything below it is absolute imperfection. So who wants to be the best sinner?! Because the best sinner in hell is not a great rating to have. No one will get to heaven except by perfection".
Rob Rufus - "We Are God's Workmanship" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 24th May 2009.

The Use of Panta ta Ethne in the New Testament

2009-07-30T10:21:00.002+02:00

Our immediate concern is with the meaning of panta ta ethne in Matthew 28:19,”Go and make disciples of all nations.” Since this is such a crucial phrase in the understanding of missions, and since it is tossed about as a Greek phrase today even in non-technical writings, I think it’s important to make all the uses of it readily accessible for the non-Greek reader to consider. Therefore in what follows I will provide all the texts where the combination of pas (all) and ethnos (nation /Gentile) occurs in the New Testament, either in the singular (“every nation”) or plural (“all nations/Gentiles”). The different forms of pan, panta, pasin and panton are simply changes in the grammatical case of the same word to agree with the various forms of the noun ethnos (ethne, ethnesin).
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by panta ta ethne because of My name.
Matthew 24:14 "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to panta ta ethne, and then the end will come.
Matthew 25:32 "Panta ta ethne will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." (This context seems to demand the meaning "Gentile individuals" not people groups, because it says that Jesus will `"separate the sheep form the goats." This is a reference to individuals who are being judged as the "cursed" and the "righteous" enter hell or eternal life. (Cf, verses 41, 46.)
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of panta ta ethne, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Mark 11:17 And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for panta ta ethne '? But you have made it a robbers' den." (This quote from Isaiah 56:7 The Hebrew phrase behind pasin tois ethnesin is lekol ho’ammim, which has to mean”all peoples” rather than “all people.”)
Luke 12:29 "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 "For all these things the panta ta ethne of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.
Luke 21:24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into panta ta ethne; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (This warning echoes the words of Ezekiel 32:9 where the correspoinding Hebrew word is goyim which mans nations or people groups. See also Deuteronomy 28:64.)
Luke 24:47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to panta ta ethne, beginning from Jerusalem.
Acts 2:5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. (This must clearly refer to people groups rather than individuals. The reference is to various ethnic or national groups from which the diaspora Jew had come to Jerusalem.)
Acts 10:35 but in panta ta ethne the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. (Again this must be a reference to people groups or nations not to individual Gentiles because the individuals who fear God are “in every nation.”)
Acts 14:16 "In the generations gone by He permitted panta ta ethne to go their own ways;
Acts 15:16 'After theses things I will return, and I will rebuild the Tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins and I will restore it 17 so that the rest of Mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,' (I render the verse at the end which this awkwardly literal translation simply to highlight the fact that this is a quotation from Amos 9:12, which in Greek follows the Hebrew with similar literalness. Again the Hebrew word behind ethne is goyim which means nations or people groups.)
Acts 17:26 and He made from one, pan ethnos of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, (As with Acts 2:5 and 10:35 this is a reference to “every people group” rather than individuals because it says that every nation is made up “of men”. It would not make sense to say that every indivdual Gentile was made up “of men.” Nor does the suggestion of some that it means “the whole human race” fit the meaning of ethnos or the context. )
Romans 1:5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among panta ta ethne for His name's sake,
Galatians 3:8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "Panta ta ethne will be blessed in you."
2 Timothy 4:17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that panta ta ethne might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth.
Revelation 12:5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule panta ta ethne with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
Revelation 15:4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For panta ta ethne will come and worship before you; for your righteous acts have been revealed”
Out of these 18 uses of panta ta ethne (or its variant) only the one in Matthew 25:32 would seem to demand the meaning “Gentile individuals”. (See comments above on that verse.)

Let the Nations be Glad! The supremacy of God in Missions by John Piper Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids MI 2000, pp193

Power in Poverty

2009-07-23T08:13:00.003+02:00

Lyrics | Jason Upton lyrics - Poverty lyrics

Power in Poverty

2009-07-23T08:06:00.001+02:00

Interview with Ed Stelzer

2009-07-06T19:44:00.001+02:00

Couldn't embed the interview, but you can find it under:

http://theresurgence.com/blog

Pakistan

2009-06-16T21:07:00.000+02:00

I got this email today:

Today I would like to draw your attention over the distress condition of God's people in Pakistan, the Clashes between Government forces and militants in north-west Pakistan are continuing to uproot people from their homes, with nearly 130,000 people being registered daily as displaced.

The provincial government authorities have noted that the number of uprooted from the Swat, Lower Dir and Buner districts registered in a fast-track process since 2 May has now reached almost 2.4 million people, still these figures are being verified and could change.

We had identified food, safe water, medical assistance and shelter from the sweltering heat as priorities, also recognizing the need for displaced children to continue schooling and for mothers and babies to access special health and nutrition assistance.

There are 250 Christian families affected by these clashes between Govt. Forces and Militants. These families need our support. We are urging the churches and ministries to show their solidarity with the nearly 2 million people who have been driven from their homes by violence in Pakistan’s north-west.

We emphasized the urgency of rising over $30,000 this month to assist some of those affected Christian families by the clashes. As founder and president of ministry, I would like to extend an invitation to work with our organization to in Pakistan to help others, we will sent you reports and pictures after all campaigns.
Please prayerfully contribute and sow your seed in this kind act. You can contribute $ 500 for 10 families and $1000 for 20 families.

Some of our Ministerial fellows has been there to see all these families and they were crying over that situation and asking for urgent help.

Doctrine from true teachers

2009-06-16T11:51:00.001+02:00

Taken from the Mars Hill Blog with apologies

TEXT: 2 Peter 1:16–21
PREACHER: Mark Driscoll
RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2009
Introduction: Six Unique Claims of Jesus Christ

1. No one says they came down from heaven but Jesus (John 6:38, 41–42, 60, 66)
2. No one says they are God but Jesus (John 10:30–33)
3. No one says they are sinless but Jesus (John 8:46)
4. No one says they can forgive sins but Jesus (Mark 2:5)
5. No one says they are the way to heaven but Jesus (John 14:6)
6. No one promised to rise from death but Jesus (Mark 10:33–34)

Where can the truth be found about Jesus Christ?

Option #1 – Ridiculous nonsense from people educated beyond their intelligence who make stuff up about Jesus and should be ashamed of themselves and repent before they see Jesus and it goes über bad for them forever (2 Peter 1:16a).
Popular Myths (Lies) about Jesus

* Liberal “Christians” – Jesus was a good man, a prophet, and an example–not fully God.
* Mormonism – Jesus is one of many gods and the polygamist half brother of Lucifer.
* Jehovah’s Witness – Jesus is the archangel Michael, a created being who became a man.
* New Age – Jesus was an Eastern holy man with an elevated state of consciousness.
* Scientology – Jesus was an implant forced upon a Thetan roughly 1 million years ago.
* Levi Dowling – Jesus underwent 7 degrees of occultic initiation making him the Christ.
* Edgar Cayce – Jesus became the Christ after shedding his karma through 13 incarnations.
* Bahai – Jesus was a manifestation of God–a prophet, but inferior to Muhammad and Bahá’u’lláh.
* Buddhism – Jesus was not God but rather an enlightened man like the Buddha.
* Hinduism – Jesus was a wise man like Krishna
* Islam – Jesus was merely a man. He was a prophet inferior to Muhammad.
* The Dalai Lama said, “He [Jesus] was either a fully enlightened being, or a bodhisvatta [a being who aids others to enlightenment] of a very high spiritual realization.”
* Indian Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi said, “I cannot ascribe exclusive divinity to Jesus. He is as divine as Krishna or Rama or Muhammad or Zoroaster.”
* Dan Brown – Jesus married and had kids.

Option #2 – Believe the Bible.
Written by Eyewitnesses (2 Peter 1:16b-18)

* The gospel writer Matthew was one of the disciples.
* John wrote five books of the New Testament. He was one of the disciples, included in Jesus’ inner circle with Peter and James (John 19:35; 1 John 1:1–3).
* Paul wrote the majority of the books in the New Testament. He lived at the time of Jesus’ ministry. He initially hated Christianity, but was converted after an eyewitness encounter with Jesus (1 Cor. 15:6–8). He also worked with many of Jesus’ disciples.
* James and Jude were Jesus’ brothers and worked closely with the apostles ().
* Luke wrote a gospel account and the book of Acts. He was probably not an eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry, but emphasizes his exhaustive research, including interactions with eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1–4).
* Mark wrote a gospel account, and probably witnessed some of Jesus’ ministry. Though he was not an apostle, Mark worked closely with both Paul (2 Tim. 4:11) and Peter (1 Peter 5:13). Some early church fathers say that Mark’s gospel is a report of Peter’s own story.
* Peter was present with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36) and an eyewitness to Jesus’ three years of ministry (2 Peter 1:16).

F.F. Bruce writes in The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?:

One thing must be emphatically stated. The New Testament books did not become authoritative for the Church because they were formally included in a canonical list; on the contrary, the Church included them in her canon because she already regarded them as divinely inspired, recognizing their innate worth and generally apostolic authority, direct or indirect. The first ecclesiastical councils to classify the canonical books were both held in North Africa—at Hippo Regius in 393 and at Carthage in 397—but what these councils did was not to impose something new upon the Christian communities but to codify what was already the general practice of these communities (27).

Written by Divine Inspiration (2 Peter 1:19–21)

The Bible (both the Old and New Testaments) is:

* Prophecy
* God’s light in darkness
* Scripture (truthful, revalatory, without peer)
* Revelation (God’s self disclosure–as opposed to speculation)
* Divinely inspired

Key Doctrinal Concepts
Verbal Plenary Inspiration

* Verbal – The very words of Scripture… (Matt. 5:18)
* Plenary – …in all of Scripture… (2 Tim. 3:16)
* Inspiration – …are from God.

John Elder writes in Prophets, Idols and Diggers:

It is not too much to say that it was the rise of the science of archaeology that broke the deadlock between historians and the orthodox Christian. Little by little, one city after another, one civilization after another, one culture after another, whose memories were enshrined only in the Bible, were restored to their proper places in ancient history by the studies of archaeologists. . .Contemporary records of biblical events have been unearthed and the uniqueness of biblical revelation has been emphasized by contrast and comparison to newly discovered religions of ancient peoples. Nowhere has archaeological discovery refuted the Bible as history (16).

Inerrancy

The Bible is without error (Psalm 19:7; Proverbs. 30:5–6; John 17:17).
Sufficiency

The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God.
Sola Scriptura

Scripture alone is in highest authority, under which there are courts of lesser authority; there is truth to be found outside of Scripture (thanks to God’s common grace and general revelation), but all things are to be tested by the Scriptures.

That's the Spirit!

2009-06-15T08:25:00.001+02:00

Listen to three pagans commenting on a BBc religious programme broadcast on Pentecost Sunday:

Chris Moyles on his Breakfast BBC Radio Show talks about the BBC televised Pentecost service: 'That's The Spirit!' from Kingsgate Community Church (Peterborough) singing O, Happy Day by Tim Hughes

FIREPROOF YOUR RELATIONSHIP

2009-06-10T09:16:00.002+02:00

I am still enthralled with this movie. I stole this from its home page:

Relationships are wonderful gifts given to us by God. As we read in the Bible, the most-intimate relationship is marriage between a husband and a wife. Unfortunately, relationships today are under more cultural and interpersonal pressure and stress than ever before in our history.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Together, we can make a long-term difference for healthy relationships and marriages … starting with yours!
What can you do to make a difference?
Go to the Movies!
FIREPROOF, an action-packed love story from the creators of Facing the Giants, arrives in theatres this September. This heartfelt movie tells the story of a couple on the brink of divorce … until they discover God’s design for their relationship. Rally with others around opening weekend for FIREPROOF this September … and stand up for marriage and relationships!
Make the Most of This High-Impact Film:
● Plan a special date night to see FIREPROOF on opening weekend
● Invite members of your small group or Sunday school class to see the film with you
● Spend time after the movie at a coffee shop talking about the story and aspects that reflect
your relationship
● Band with others to form a FIREPROOF Action Squad by purchasing an entire opening
weekend show time for your friends, family, and coworkers.
After the movie, go to FireproofmyMarriage.com for information about:
● Understanding God’s love for you and His design for relationships
● Talking through (and listening to) issues in your relationship
● Accessing tools and resources for marriage education and training
● Investing in each other and your relationship
● Resolving conflict in a healthy manner
● Applying the relational principles from FIREPROOF in your relationship
To order FIREPROOF promotional materials, access web tools, or download business-specific resources, be sure to visit www.FireproofmyMarriage.com/couples.

Fireproof

2009-06-09T10:46:00.001+02:00

Never leave your partner behind!

The best movie I have seen this year

2009-06-09T10:43:00.002+02:00

Fireproof Trailer from LifeWay on Vimeo.

Bombs in Nepal

2009-05-25T11:17:00.002+02:00

Just, this morning (Saturday, 23rd May), a bomb explosion has killed two people and wounded at least 12 others at a church in Nepal,

The bomb ripped through the Church of the Assumption (Catholic) in the town of Lalitpur, south of Kathmandu, the capital, on Saturday.

The wounded people have been rushed to a local hospital and police are investigating. A witness who was attending the church service said a bag was left lying on the floor and someone moved the bag to make some space and it just exploded with a loud noise.

A Hindu extremist group, the National Defence Army, left a note found at the scene.
The National Defence Army, which says it is fighting to restore the nation's Hindu monarchy abolished in 2008, has previously claimed responsibility for the killing of a missionary in eastern Nepal last July.

About 500 people were attending a service at the time of the blast. A 15-year old student, Celestina Joseph, and 30-year-old Pabitra Paitri died in the bomb blast. Five of the injured are in serious condition.

Pakistan

2009-04-27T15:33:00.004+02:00

During my time at the seminar, I got the following report from friends in Pakistan:

Christian Breaking News from Pakistan
By Pastor John
Another Christian Colony attacked and burnt by Taliban
Karachi: April 22, 2009. The Talibanization of Karachi city; began with attack of armed Taliban on a Christian colony.
The recent attack on Christians here in Taisor town Karachi is a continuity of persecution or maltreatment that started years ago in Pakistan against the church. The attack seemed well organized and heavy firearms were used by many of Taliban to threaten unarmed Christian elders, women and children. The Taliban chalked slogans against Christianity and to accept Islam on Church walls in Taisor Town in night of April 21, 2009 which horrified and harassed Christian residents.

On April 22, 2009, the local Christians took out a peaceful procession in vicinity of Taisor Town to attract attention of local administration for protection of residents but no action was taken nor police guard were provided for protection of the Church.
On April22, 2009, many of the masked Taliban encroached in Taisor Town and attacked Christians with heavy machine guns. The feared Christian locked them in their homes but they pulled elders out on gunpoints and dragged women from hairs in streets and humiliated them.
According to some survivors, Taliban loudly said “You infidels have to convert or Embrace Islam or die and if you want to live here you need to pay JUZIA (Those who were made slaves during the wars they would pay money to the government that is known as JUZIA slaves in Islam). Why you wiped out our warnings chalked out or written on the walls of Church and home doors? How you dared to take out procession against Taliban? We shall uproot/wipe away your infidels from this land.
Some of the men who were in the area they agitated again their attack but they would not listen to them and they opened fires and killed one of the boy of 12 before the eyes of his father like they are being executed. Some of the men were shot on the neck, arms and legs and many other were injured on their resistance.
Police was there on the sight while this firing was going on they didn’t do anything they and people were crying and asking for help and they were watching these things like helpless spectators. After that, ranger came to rescue Christian community after the firing of three hours.
Then they started burning their homes, shops and made everything likes ashes on the ground.
Bishop Javed Nawab and other church leaders including, Pastor Muazzam John, Rev Yaqoob, Rev Farooq Amjad, Rev Robin Raz, and many others took immediate steps to help the Christian they went there to see the things and ground realities as they got telephonic calls from the affected people.
Bishop Rev Javed Nawab (Chairman Gospel Pentecostal Church) condemned the killing and attack on the Christians and their churches, he said,” it’s nothing other than a genocide of Christians here”.
They have press conference there in the Office of MQM 90 that was captured by media but because of the pressure of high authorities it has not been highlighted and brought into light.
Government did not declare anything to help those victimized people those who lost their homes and lives.

Call for Help: All of the Christians around the world are requested to pray for these victimized families so that may God give them peace and protect them from the enemy as they are committed to crush and destroy Christians from Pakistan as they said to come again.And lets stretch our loving hand towards our Christian fellows in these hours of need and help them with our donations so they can reconstruct their homes and can start their business again.
If you people need more information on these attacks and about the families please contact us on this following address. You are requested to talk with Government officials, NGOs and high authorities about persecution in Pakistan for the security of this area and churches.

Cross cultural communication

2009-04-27T15:26:00.002+02:00

One of the things I learned in the cross cultural seminar was that the is a very thick filter in the area of communication.
There is a lot of scope for misunderstanding between sending a message and a hearer receiving it.
Here are some of the elements in the filter:
1. The language
2. Non-verbal communication
3. The Way of communication
4. The social structures
5. World view
6. The way we think
7. The way decisions are made

This predestines problems in our church and business meetings!

We also had a go at trying to solve conflicts. We looked at the bible and looked at some practical example of conflict solution in a cross cultural setting. It was very interesting and challenging at the same time.

Cross Cultural Communication

2009-04-25T08:46:00.002+02:00

At the moment I am attending a course about cross cultural communication.
It is part of a MA degree that I am trying to obtain.
We spent a long time yesterday learning about conflict resolution in a cross cultural setting. This is very interesting and helps in the work I am doing.
We also learned about the different ways that communication takes place. That leaves a lot of scope for misunderstanding in a cross cultural setting.

Wayne Grudem on Why Theology is important

2009-04-07T07:48:00.003+02:00

Wayne Grudem is one of the leading theologian of our day and he explains why theology is important.

Dr. Wayne Grudem Addresses the Advance 09 Crowd from The Resurgence on Vimeo.

Good News from Sri Lanka

2009-04-07T07:33:00.001+02:00

After working in Sri Lanka for the past ten years, reporting good news from the island seems to be quite a paradox!
We are helping to set up a small farm in an area where water is in short supply. We have collected funds to build a well. Our friends got in touch with a Western NGO that helps to purify water. They have letf our friends with a number of purifying plants and they are now providing three villages with 350 families with clean water.

Genocide in Rwanda

2009-04-06T10:49:00.003+02:00

15 years ago today, the genocide began in Rwanda. It lasted until mid-July and cost around 800,000 lives. The world stood by and watched.
Romeo Dallaire's book "Shake hands with the devil" has the sub-title "The failure of humanity in Rwanda." He was the UN General in Rwanda at this time and tried his best to save as many as he could. In the end he "only" managed to save around 30,000 people, which caused him a decade of depression.
The Canadian is to be commended for his moral and physical courage.
Rwanda is still in turmoil but of a different kind. It is a country that is trying to enter the 21st century, the president wanting to make Rwanda the Hi-Tec centre of Africa. However they are struggling to get young people through elementary school.
We are engaged in building clinic in Rwanda, in a suburb of Kigali. Our expectation is that we will be up and running by May.

Feedback: Pakistan

2009-04-05T20:06:00.006+02:00

For about a week last November I went to Pakistan. This was my first time in that country. I was very surprised at the zeal of the Christian I met. They were very lively.
The people who I had the privilege to address were very open and very hungry for God's word. There was a lot of prophecy and God met a number of the people personally. I prayed also with a number of people for healing and was at first quite happy with the results.
However towards the end of my stay, people started coming who were in great need. Blind people wanted prayer for healing. Although I did pray for them, I am not at all sure that anything happened.
This opens a great debate about the question of why some are healed and some aren't. Why I rejoice over the healings that did happen, I was disappointed and in fact discouraged because of the failed healings.
I mean some of the people were desperate.
I left Pakistan and went to Sri Lanka.
I had a dull feeling inside of me that I had actually failed in Pakistan, although at the same time I knew that I could do nothing about it.
Last night - some months later, I had a talk to a friend who had just visited the same people I had. He was enthusiastic and reported to me that many -many more than I had personally witnessed- had been healed physically during my visit. This news really lifted my spirit.
I am learning to trust God more and more.

Fair Trade

2009-04-03T07:24:00.002+02:00

Yesterday, I went to see a fair trade exhibition at the new Exibition Centre in Stuttgart.
As the present financial crisis starts to touch our purse, we look for bargins and cheap goods to help us maintain our standard of living. "But where are the goods coming from?" is a question that we need to ask. Lots of good being sold in the West are being produced using child labour, or cheap labour, which provides no protection for employees; some production damages the environment and Western food needs rob land that could be used to produce much more Eastern type food.
I learned at the exhibition yesterday, that even grave stones are produced using child labour.
Of course not all economic goods have a dubious origin. But sometimes paying less can be an expression of exploitation of those already less forunate that we are.

A Break in Egypt

2009-03-17T10:44:00.002+01:00

After my bout of malaria, it took me quite a long time to recover. As I wasn't doing very much work during this time, we thought it might be good to take a break and use the time for our annual holiday. Actually we didn't get one at all last year and we were both feeling the strain of this.
We were hoping to go to Malaysia as we had tickets for Singapore and should have gone to Indonesia during this time. However for various reasons this didn't work out.
On a Wednesday evening we decided to go to Egypt and on the Saturday afterwards we were on our way!
We had a week on the beach at the Red Sea and another week cruising on the River Nile looking at some of the graves and temples of the old Pharaohs. This was very interesting.
The Bible reports that God sent a strong East Wind across the Rea Sea to open it up for the Israelites to cross. Well, this strong East Wind is still there. The sun was shining and the sky was blue. The sea was inviting. It was a really nice colour... turquoise and dark blue and light blue, but it was windy.
The time was very refreshing and now I feel that I am back on my feet and have started working as normal during this week.

Photos from Egypt

2009-03-17T10:33:00.005+01:00

Anti-Conversion Bill

2009-02-20T12:11:00.002+01:00

The government of Sri Lanka has put their anti-converstion bill to one side for the time being. They feel that there was too much pressure locally and internationally coming on them. This is a victory that has comes from prayer. However we are still not completly through. Probably at a time when the world is busy with some other crisis it was be speedily put to parliament.
We need to continue to pray for the island.

Slow Recovery

2009-02-20T07:17:00.003+01:00

I've been out of hospital for nearly two weeks and the malaria has completely gone. However, I am far from recovery. The parasites destroyed so many red blood cells and although I am getting stronger day by day, i am very tired.
I did a bit of shopping yesterday, but by the time I got home, I was exhausted. I lay down on the couch in the living room and slept for about three hours. In the evening I was still tired and slept all night!
My doctor said that I need six weeks to recover properly but others have said that it might take me as much as a year to get back on my feet. i must admit, I am getting a little impatient.

Back from the dead

2009-02-09T16:16:00.003+01:00

After arriving back home from Africa, life began its normal routine. However after two days, I began feel ill. I vistied my doctor and we though that I had picked up the influzena that is going around.
However at the weekend, my temperature rose to over 40°C. Not really anyone could help us until we manaaged to see a doctor with tropical training. He had me rushed into the nearest largest hospital. By this time four days had past si.ce the first sysmptoms had been visible.
The doctors had now diagnosed me with malaria tropica. I was very sick. We had left it too last and the hospitial didn't have everything to help the speedist recoverery - except an extremely dedicated staff.
It was discovered that I a second strain and that the medicine wasn't working as well as was hoped.
A second lot was added and I began to doubt that I would make it.
The doctors were doing everything they could, but things were getting worse. In the meanwhile friends started a worldwide prayer chain and people were praying all over the world.
Praise the Lord!
Slowly the turnaround came. I thought, I wasn't going to make it. But God had other plans.
On Friday morning the doctor came to tell me that I was nearly through.
Finally, today, Monday morning the doctor allowed me as healed to go home.
I am still very weak and cannot write very much more. I did however really experienced God during my last night in the hospital.

Update: Sri Lanka

2009-01-29T07:47:00.003+01:00

The military in Sri Lanka are celebrating a victory over the Tamil Tigers (LTTE). While I don't have any kind of sympathy for the Tigers - they have been employing terrorist methods, child soldier, enslaved the population etc, I think their reasons for fighting, their grievances are justified. If the government, from a position of military power is benign and gives the Tamils freedom and equality, there is a chance of peace. If they come down on them as Singalese superiors, then the war will be prolonged, and that perhaps in a very bloody guerilla and city terrorist kind of war.

If these things were not enough, parliament is considering a bill, that will make conversion illegal. It is a bill against unethical conversion. This really means that people who are being converted by promises of financial gain will become illegal. However the Christians are so poor generally, that this is not a reality. In actual fact the bill will turn out to make evangelism of any kind illegal.
Everything in Sri Lanka society is geared to the Buddhist prejudice. This makes things very difficult for the Christians.
On 22nd January they had a day of fasting and held an open prayer meeting to pray that the bill would not become law.

The Miwani Center

2009-01-28T11:21:00.004+01:00

I just found this video in MySpace. I don't know the author but the center is from Nehemiah International!

Out of Africa

2009-01-26T15:28:00.002+01:00

I'm sitting in a hotel room waiting to either be picked up or my credit for the internet runs out.
Probably nothing happened as I expected and I hope still that I was of use and was able to help some people.
The last day always seems to take a long time. I am looking forward to getting home but am a bit sad to be leaving Kenya. It is really a spectacular country and the people are wonderful. Many are suffering.
A lady asked me yesterday, if we have famine in our country. When I said no, she said that we are truely blessed.
Yes, we are truely blessed and what a blessing it is to beable to help that a few of the people have a better futute.

Africa Impressions

2009-01-21T08:06:00.003+01:00

Africa

2009-01-19T16:57:00.002+01:00

I arrived in Africa about ten days ago. After spending about a week in Uganda, I came by bus from Kampala to Kisumu, Kenya. The journey took me about 6 1/2 hours. It quite good because the roads have been repaired.
It took us some time to clear the border, but that's life and after travelling into Kenya the police stopped the bus and we all had to show our passports.
So now I am about 12km outside of Kisumu, Kenya in a place called Miwani.
One of the oganizations I work with, Nehemia-Team, has a farm here.
We are about 10km south of the equator. It is very hot and dry and the ground is very hard.
To the northern side of the farm are some mountains about 2-3km from here. They suddenly shoot up to a height of around 700-800m (I guess). We are already more than 1000m above sea level.
Kisumu touches the banks of Lake Victoria, the source of the river Nile. That finds its way down hill through the Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterrainan Sea.
They tell me that on the other side of the mountains is a high plain which is part of the Rift Valley.
The strip of land between the mountains to the north of here and I suppose about 5km to the south, was given to the Indians after Independance. It was supposed to separate the Luo tribe from another tribe as they were always fighting with one another.
Most of the Indian families are still bere. They grow and process sugar cane.

2009

2009-01-08T08:22:00.002+01:00

So the new year has arrived.
It seems that this year it has come with such force. I spent New Year's Eve in bed with flu and since recovering have been working on my office. Actually although we have worked very fast, time has been lost on other things.
Tomorrow I am leaving for Africa and have not yet really had time to prepare myself.
Among the other things that I have to do today, I'll have to take care of that.

What's on this year?
I'm flying to Uganda tomorrow and will do some ministry in a network of churches there. With help from Germany, they have build a clinic in Kigali, Ruanda. A clinic? Well, a building, but during the next couple of weeks the clinic will get its inventory and soon it will be able to start. It will serve around 30,000 people in an area where there is no free medicine.
We also support a Street Children's Ministry "Chosen Generation" in Kampala and I will be paying that insttition a visit too.
I'll be visiting a farm in Kisumu, Kenya, that a ministry I am involoved in runs. I will also be going to see friends in Meru, near Mt Kenya. We have helped these people numerous times as they reach out to Kenyans. There last time was a year ago after the riots in Kenya that cause so many deaths and destruction.

We continue to work in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Nepal and the Philippines.
This year will be very full.

The Global Village?

2008-12-31T23:15:00.003+01:00

This is a very interesting clip that helps us to get things into perspective.

During 2009 let us hope for a more just distribution of wealth.

My New Year's resolution would be to live more simply and to be content with what I have.

Church History

2008-12-31T11:54:00.002+01:00

Why do we learn church history?

1. Church history shows us that God is working in the world to bring salvation to mankind.
2. It gives us an answer to many questions that concern our day to day practical living.
3. We can learn from the mistakes that others have made.
4. We can see good things that happened, analyse what made them good and pursue them.
5. Our consciousness for the body of Christ will be extended and we have good examples.
6. It is inspiring to learn about the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) that surround us.
7. Church history gives us a sense of destiny.
When we look at church history, we should be encouraged because we see God working out his purposes with imperfect people, like us and Luther, Carey, Wesley and Billy Graham.

What is church history?

1. Church History is the story of Jesus Christ here on earth. The church is His body.
2. It is the story of the Holy Spirit. 2. Corinthians 3:17 teaches us that “the Lord is the Spirit”. Therefore the history of the Holy Spirit is the history of Jesus and is our history, because we are His body.
3. It would be better to call the subject “the History of the Church of Jesus Christ on earth”! The beginning is in the Acts of the Apostles. Acts doesn’t finish with an “Amen” but continues to this day and will only finish when Jesus returns.
Studying church history helps us not to regard our experience as the “norm”. Many people have had many experiences with God before us. These experiences are often different than ours!
Living as a Christian is a process of “taking off” and “putting on”. We take off the old man and put on the new man. This is the process of discipleship.

Making Sense of Christmas

2008-12-29T10:15:00.003+01:00

This is a last Christmas blog this year!

That's Christmas! from andy pearce on Vimeo.

Hallelujah!

2008-12-26T15:41:00.000+01:00

Pictures of the Lippstadt barracks

2008-12-24T11:48:00.002+01:00

Nostalgia

2008-12-24T11:11:00.002+01:00

On Monday, I did a lot of travelling. I drove for just over 1000km. The weather in the morning was terrible. It was raining all the time.
I was collecting some photo-copiers for a project in Sri Lanka.
At lunchtime I was in the city of Bochum, where we used to live (1976-82). Elisabeth, my wife, grew up in that city. An old friend came to help me collect one of the machines in the city and the thing was so heavy, it nearly broke his back!
I went on to collect another and was going to go past Lippstadt. I used to live there too (1971-73). At that time I was still in the Army and lived in Churchill Barracks, Suedstrasse.
Thanks to my navigation-system I managed to find the street and was very surprised at the state of the old barracks.
They were in a magnificent condition. I suppose the British Army must have moved out there around the mid-90s. The buildings had been converted into flats.
The old cinema was a church. An open university is based there and it looks like the old Regimental HQ (which we referred to as the kremlin), was now a music school.
I belonged to 22 Signals Regiment. The place we were worked, garages where we kept our vehicles with equipment, were gone and other houses had taken their places.
At the other side of the camp other regiment was stationed - an artillery regiment (27 Regiment Royal Artillery). They used to have self-propelled guns, I think they were M110 or something like that. If I remember rightly they had 90lbs shells. Well, there a children's playground on the place were they used to be kept.
I walked around the place and memories began to be relived. I found my old room or at least the outside, I could see my old window.
During the two years I was there, I thought the time would never end. But in the meanwhile 35 years have past since I was last there.
As I pondered all the things that had happened over the last 35 years and at the same time the impressions of my time in Lippstadt were so present with me, I realised how quickly everything soon passes.
I wrote to our daughter in the USA, that even though she is so young, she need to make the most of every day.
Happy Christmas

The Suffering of the Brethren

2008-12-19T08:59:00.000+01:00

Recently I was in a Muslim country. I was amazed at the freedom the people had. we had public meetings on the streets. What a freedom. They told me that they had recording all my messages. I asked what they would do with them and they told me that they would be broadcast on public radio....

I didn't expect that.

But there is another story. In one place the police searched everyone going to church. Evenso half the men were armed! The police had been looking for bombs! Heavily armed they escourted us out of the town when the meeting was finished.

The pastor told me that 75% of the town belong to a radical islamic group and actually is was fearing for his life. It could no longer sleep in the town and comutes day by day to be with his people.

Last week a friend called me from Andhra Pradesh in India and informed me that five of his tribal pastors had been kidnapped by the Naxlites (Maoists). In the end they managed to be freed, but they had guns pushed into their bellies and put against their heads. Miraculously they were spared. The senior tribal pastor is the son of a martyr.

Friends is Sri Lanka started to extend their church building. People in the village protested first of all saying they were building a shelter for the Tamil Tigers. That brushed aside the local government said that to get building permission, you must obtain the signatures of 66% of the people living within 500 metres of the church. This is impossible as there is much intimidation going on. A deputy mayor, himself a Buddhist, was appauled at the injustice of this situation and he began a campaign to help the Christians. He gave the Christians to personally present their case before the appropriate government minister. They had four interviews with him. In the end the minister has declared the rule to be unlawful and the Christians are allowed to continue building.

Fanatical Buddhists are so enraged by this decision that they are going to hold a demonstation in front of the church this coming Sunday (21st December). The demonstration get out of hand because of agitation and they quite often turn out to be violent.

I wonder if you could prayer for this situation.

I am very moved by our brethren who are prepared to suffer for their faith.

Retooning the nativity

2008-12-19T08:19:00.002+01:00

H A P P Y C H R I S T M A S

Picture report of trip to India

2008-11-04T11:58:00.000+01:00

Kross-Kultural Konfusion

2008-11-02T19:51:00.002+01:00

Welch is a Celtic language that is not spoken by the English and mastered only by a minority of Welshmen. However all public signs in Wales need to be bilingual: English and Welsh.
Sign makers wondered how a certain traffic sign should appear in the Welsh language. They sent an email to the translator’s office asking for the correct translation of the sign. They received a prompt answer and could continue their work. The sign was finally mounted in the city of Swansea in South Wales.

What neither you nor the sign writer knows is that the Welch “translation” says: “I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated.”
The sign has been taken down.

The medieval church: Good, Bad and Confusing

2008-10-31T11:31:00.008+01:00

Erasmus (1467-1536)
God uses ordinary people, people are often reluctant.
Erasmus was a bridge to the reformation. Erasmus was a Dutchman, an illegitimate son of a monk and a nun. There were two children and the parents died while they were quite young. They were brought up by people who belonged to the “Brethren of the common Life.”
This was at the time of the Renaissance, which literally means “new birth” and it was a time when people were looking for their roots, looking back into antiquity.
They are looking back into Greek and Latin writings and studying the original sources.
The Turks invade Constantinople and suddenly all the ancient documents are available for study.
The Brethren of the Common Life
Now Erasmus was brought up in the Brethren of the Common Life wasn’t a monastic order but simple communities that committed themselves to living as close to the teachings of Jesus as they could. There were about 200 of these communities in the Rheinlands and the Netherlands.
One of the things that they did, was to give themselves to the study of ancient languages and particularly to the translation of ancient documents. This was through the Renaisance influence and obviously included the study and translation of the scriptures from the ancient Greek and Hebrew. They would also be reading and translating the works of the early church fathers like Ambrosius, Augustine, Origen etc.
The early church fathers were themselves grapping with truths. One of the things they grapped with in the first centuries was the relationship of Jesus with the Father. For us, this is very simple, we have a Bible, we read it and are in faith.
When the gospel went to the Greeks, who were of a polytheistic background, a Trinitarian Godhead smacks of polythesiticism for a Greek. How do you explain the trinity? One person – three gods? Three gods – three persons? One God – three persons?
At the time of the early church there were all kinds of heresies going around that were trying to grapple with the truth.
At the end of the 2nd century there was a heresy which was called modialistic monarchism. (One person revealed in three ways). We see the father in some things, Jesus in other and the Holy Spirit in the church.
It is not easy to fathom. Then comes the Greek influence, because they had a different creational tradition. The world was created by rivalling Gods battling against one another. For them material was inherently evil and only spirit was good.
When it comes to us, mankind, we have an evil body but a holy spirit. Redemption is actually our spirit escaping from an evil body. When the gospel went to the Greeks, they had to grapple with this question, how could Jesus come to this world and become material if material was evil? God can not have taken on an evil body. So they get round it saying, God came in the appearance of a man – not really as a man, just in the appearance of a man.
Other opinions said, no he was adopted at baptism. The Spirit came on him and adopted him for the period of his ministry. When he was crucified, the Spirit departed from him so that it wasn’t God who was crucified.
So they are grappling with these truths. It is when you begin to grapple with the truth that you begin to understand some of the difficulties we are facing, because the Bible is a book of revelation not a book of logic.
What the Greeks are bringing is logic not revelation.
Erasmus was bored with all these kinds of discussions. He wanted the church to be reformed, but only practice and morality. He became a priest and studied catholic theology, canon law and the decisions of the councils. But he wasn’t really interested, What he wanted to do was to make the word of God available for the people so that they could read it in their own language. So he gave himself to the study of ancient documents particularly to the scriptures.
He was what we would call the leading humanist of his day.
Erasmus gave himself to the translation of scripture. He translated it from Greek into Latin in a proper way. What he in effect did was to expose the irregularities of the Jerome (Vulgate) translation. He put a tool into the hands of the reformers that they needed for study. This was particularly interesting for Luther, Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli.
Erasmus had a real fear of sickness and in those days there was a lot of it around. Erasmus became very popular, but as soon as there was a wiff of sickness, he was off on his travels. So he travelled to the courts and universities of Europe. He went and spread his teaching. He put into the hands of lots of people the ability to see for themselves what the early church taught.
He was also a satirist. He wrote an essay called “In praise of folly”. He wrote it in just six days. It’s a take off of the church, of the cardinals and popes and their excesses and immorality. It was done in satirical form and was very funny. But what it did was to articulate for the common people, what they were feeling and it made them very anti-church. The church began to realise that Erasmus wasn’t doing them a favour. So he got blamed for the works of Luther and the like. The church began to blame him and in fact one monk said, “Erasmus laid the egg that Luther hatched.”
His 1516 translation was his main contribution. He said, “I want the farmer, the tailor and even the Turk to read the scripture in his own tongue.” He was much like Luther in that. In fact they had a lot of similarities.
The difference was this: He wanted to reform the church in practices and morals and Luther said, you have got to put the axe at the root.
You have got to get back to truth, to doctrine. They fell out after Luther was excommunicated.
The big issue at the reformation was TRUTH. Is the church the ultimate authority or it is scripture?
Sadly, Erasmus died a disillusioned lonely man because he wouldn’t break with the mother church and join in the reformation, but the Catholics didn’t really want him any more either.
But he was the bridge between the medieval church and the reformation.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Martin Luther was born in 1483. He was the son of a well to do peasant. His father was a common man, who was ambitious. He worked in the copper mines and he saved his money and in the end he owned several copper mines.
He married into a pretty well to family, in terms of well educated. His wife’s brothers were lawyers or doctors.
It’s the time of the universities. Not as we have today, but they were growing. A teacher would gather a group of students and teach them. They didn’t have a geographical base but they started to compete against one another.
Luther was born at this time and grew up at this time.It was possible to have a good education but it would cost. His father would give him a good education and this would be his pension plan was that Luther would be a lawyer and provide for him and his mother.
In terms of education, it was strict. They worked very long hours. His education was on the basis of reward and punishment.That is, if you got it right, you wouldn’t be beaten (reward) but if you got it wrong, you were beaten. According to Luther’s testimony, he got it wrong many times and it wasn’t seldom that he was beaten up to 15 times a day!
Part of their education was logic and disputations. They learned to debate and they learned logic and reason.
He was a good scholar and a fine musician too. And he said that music was God’s fairest gift to man.
He was destined for a career in law. He was studying law. What changed it all was that in 1505, he was struck by lightning. Different stories surround this incident. Some relate that he was with a friend who died. He cried out to St Anne, who was the saint who looked after the weather (and the miners too!). He said something like this: “If you save me, I will serve God for the rest of my life.” True to his word, he went straight from there to the Augustinian monastery. He didn’t see his father for a whole year, who was angry that his pension plan had just gone to wrack and ruin.
In those days, the highest way that you could serve God was become monk or a nun, because you gave up all worldliness and escaping the world was viewed as the highest calling. He gave himself to prayer and fasting.
Luther went through times of joy and he enjoyed the discipline and the fastings, because he thought he was getting right with God. However there were also times of despair, because he thought he was so far from God. He would sit in his cell and beat his body.
Johann von Staupitz was his spiritual father and a great encourager. He encouraged Luther to study Augustine and the church fathers. He had not read the Bible at this time. He had once seen one – chained to a lectern and had only looked at it for a short time.
After a year in the monastery, he was allowed to serve the mass. It was All Saints’ Day. He nearly fainted. He could hardly imagine that he was holding deity in his hands. “Who am I to hold such deity for I am but a pig!”
Every day, he would go to confession and spend hours there. Staupitz would get annoyed at him sometimes and tell him to go and do something worthy of confession.
In 1510, he was chosen as a delegate for his order to go to Rome. He was quite excited about this and thought that he would be able to find peace with God at the centre of Christianity. The Holy Father is there and this is the ultimate experience for him.
However he experienced Rome as hell of earth. It was full of brothels for priests and totally immoral. The were lots of drunkenness and Luther was shocked. He bought an indulgence for his grandfather, who he hoped would leave purgatory. Again, he was so shocked at the peddlers who were selling the indulgences.
After receiving his degree he was asked to go to Wittenberg as professor for New Testament theology. Staupitz encouraged him. He himself had been there as a lecturer.
Going to Wittenberg would give Luther the chance to study the Bible, which he did, aided by Erasmus books.
The great dread of his life was meeting God. God was a God of wrath, anger, very strict and who give us impossible standards to live up to and when we can’t live up to them, punishes us for it.
God was a God whom he hated. He knew he had to earn grace, but he just couldn’t. “If ever a monk could get into heaven by monkery, then I would get there.”
We all have a pilgrimage that we have to go through. There are issues that we have to work through and think about. Luther had to teach others the scriptures.
As he was reading through the Bible he was struck by two passages:
Psalm 22 The Cry of Dereliction “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
He could understand why God would forsook him, a sinner. But why would he forsake his own son? Slowly he realised that he had done it for Luther’s sake. The Holy Spirit hat begun to work and was bringing revelation.
The second passage:
Romans 1:17 “The just shall live by faith.”
After he experienced his breakthrough, he began to teach this to the church. He was now very happy as professor and as the pastor of a local church.

Indulgences
The Catholic teaching on Justification
On the Cross our original sin was dealt with. At baptism I receive forgiveness of my original sin. I receive a certain amount of grace for that. After that I need more grace for the sins that I accumulate. I take the sacraments that become effective if they are ministered by a priest.
For the backlog of my sins, I have to spend time in purgatory.
If you have unresolved sin (unconfessed sin) then you are in trouble.
People are collecting relics because that will help them. The Elector of Saxony, Friedrich the Wise, was reported to have collected relics worth 1900000 years purgatory!
People were writing in their wills that a chanting priest was to be employed to pray for them, when they died. Side chapels were put into churches – chancelleries - , where prayer for the dead could be offered.
The people volunteered for the crusades because plenary indulgence was offered.
All these things are denying people salvation.
Luther, who couldn’t find any peace in the works and sacraments of the church, discovered that only at the cross all sin is forgiven.
We are not in trouble if we have unresolved sin… everything is dependent upon Jesus.
Luther was preaching salvation to his church and he was very happy doing so too.
Pope Leo X loved the Renaissance. This time had its own special style of architecture. He wanted to leave a legacy for the church when he died and he decided that he would rebuild St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This was going to cost a lot of money that he did not have.
„Through this grace help will surely come to departed souls, and the construction of the church of St. Peter will be abundantly promoted at the same time.“
Thus read part of an instruction, issued in Germany in the early sixteenth century, which was to trigger radical change in the profession church. „This grace“ was the sale of indulgences.
The Pope at the time badly needed money both to support his lavish lifestyle and to further the building of St. Peter’s in Rome. Pushing the sale of indulgences was how the cash was raised. Devout church people were encouraged to believe that by the making of a cash payment their dead relatives could be instantly released from the supposed torments of purgatory into heavenly bliss.
He had a friend, the Archbishop of Mainz. He had borrowed money to buy some of he 18 bishoprics that he had. He’d borrowed the money from the Foggers who were bankers and had now recalled the loan.
Both of these men were in financial difficulties. So the pope appointed Johann Tetzel to sell some indulgences. Tetzel was an indulgence seller (broker) and he knew how to make a good sale. He would get a commission and the pope and the archbishop would split the proceeds between them.
Because Friedrich of Saxony himself had many relics, he wouldn’t allow Tetzel into his principality to peddle the indulgences.
People therefore went over the border and bought from Tetzel in the neighbouring states. On returning to Wittenberg, Luther’s parishioners explained to him that they had obtained the forgiveness of sins. Luther asked how that had happened and they produced their indulgences. Of course Luther explained to them that the paper was worthless, it had not eternal value. Only Christ can give a remission of sin.
He preached a sermon entitled “Grace and the Indulgence”. This was written down and over two years had 20 editions. It was translated into every European language and circulation throughout Europe.
This put a block on the sale of indulgences and Rome got to hear about it. “Who’s this little drunk German monk?” they asked and would have to deal with it. How did they deal with it? Normally, they would summon a person like Luther to Rome and when he got there he would either have to recant or they would kill him.
In the summer of 1520 a document bearing an impressive seal circulated throughout Germany in search of a remote figure. ”Arise,o Lord,” the writing began, ”and judge Thy cause. A wild boar has invaded Thy vineyard.”
The document, a papal bull – named after the seal, or bulla – took three months to reach Martin Luther, the wild boar. Long before it arrived in Wittenberg where Luther was teaching, he knew its contents. Forty-one of his beliefs were condemned as “heretical or scandalous, or false, or offensive to pious ears, or seductive of simple minds, or repugnant to Catholic truth.” The bull called on Luther to repent and repudiate his errors of face the dreadful consequences.
Luther received his copy on the tenth of October. At the end of his sixty day period of grace, he led a throng of eager students outside Wittenberg and burned copies of the Canon Law and the works of some medieval theologians. Perhaps as an afterthought Luther added a copy of the bull condemning him. That was his answer. “They have burned my books,” he said,” I burn theirs!” Those flames in early December,1520,were fit symbol of the defiance of the pope raging throughout Germany.
However Friedrich didn’t want to lose his infamous lecturer. Luther’s fame was good for Friedrich’s university. He reminded the Emperor Charles V that his grandfather had decreed that a German dare not be tried on Italian soil, he must be tried on German soil.
But he must appear. He attended three diets in all. The leading clergy and nobility of the land were gathered there to hear him.
Luther was pretty certain that he would not survive these meetings. He went disguised because he thought it might be safer. However many people had read his writings and he was recognised. He was exulted as their hero and people started to accompany him on his long journeys. They got in step behind him and marched with their scythes and clubs. This put a fright into the Romans as they had underestimated the popularity of Luther.
On approaching his third appearance at a diet in the town of Worms, his friends beg him not to go. However he is adamant that he is going.“ Were each of the slates on the roof a devil, still I would go.” He is reported to have said. When he gets there, he is quite sickly and in no condition to address the diet. The nobility and clergy are quite disgusted at this.
He is given a day to compose himself. This is just what he does. He gets into the presence of God, deals with the devil and strengthens himself.
His opponents had not expected such a fortified person to appear before them. They only want to hear from him one thing, and that is that he revokes all the things he has been teaching and writing. He does say, that if they can show him from scripture the error of his ways, then he will indeed recant. From this standpoint, he cannot move.
Luther is condemned, excommunicated, his writings are to be burned and he is to be arrested.
However, Friedrich has his officers dress up in uniforms of the imperial guard and they arrest Luther and take him to the Wartburg Castle were he is in safety.
He dresses himself in other clothes (discarding his identity as a monk) and takes on the identity of the Junker Jörg. During the time at the Wartburg he makes a collection of thought and writings about what the Reformation stands for and begins to write to the German nobility. He says that it is now time to rid themselves from the Roman oppression and exploitation. This can only happen though through the gospel. He urges them to open their territories for the gospel.
He also begins to translate the New Testament into German. This is a lively translation into the language of the people.
He is safe in the Wartburg but not happy. He hates the isolation and longs to be back among people. News from Wittenberg reaches him and he decides to show himself again.
Luther and the Bible
Both Luther and Erasmus wanted people to read the Bible. Luther started to work on the Bible during his stay in the Wartburg. He worked on it for the rest of his life. It wasn’t just one translation but a life time of revision.
He surrounded himself with Greek scholars with whom he had regular consultation. He met with them every two weeks up to his death.
He went to great pains to have the Bible put into a language that was understood by everyone. He did much to unify he German language.
Others had also translated the Bible into the vernacular but they did not have the Greek-Hebrew text and they had to write everything by hand.
Others had also tried to break with Rome, but now the time had come.
Why didn’t the Romans send an army to Saxony?
As far as the military was concerned, they were otherwise occupied with the invasion of the Turks. This was the sovereignty of God!
What was happening in Wittenberg?
Luther believed in doing things slowly. “The word does it all.” Was one of his favourite expressions. He was cautious and this earned him the nickname “Dr.Pussyfoot”. (Carlstadt)
But he did maintain, that you cannot ask people to go against their conscience. If people don’t want to drink wine, then don’t force them. Teach them and show them. Their conscience has to be informed and their mind renewed. Study the word and inform them.
With unprecedented power and courage Luther had brought to light the Scripture truths as to the individual salvation of the sinner by faith, but failed when he might have shown the way to return to Scripture in all things, including its teaching as to the Church. He had taught:”I say it a hundred thousand times, God will have no forced service.” “No one can or ought to be forced to belive.” In 1526 he had written: “The right kind of evangelical order cannot be exhibited among all sorts of people, but those who are seriously determined to be Christians and confess the Gospel with hand and month,must enroll themselves by name and meet apart, in one house, for prayer, for reading, to baptise, to take the Sacrament, and exercise othe Christian works. With such order it would be possible for those who did not behave in a christian manner to be known, reproved, restored, or excluded, according to the rule of Christ (Matt.18:15).Here also they could, in common, subscribe alms, which would be willingly given and distributed among the poor, according to the example of Paul.(2.Cor.9:1-12). Here it would not be necessary to have much or fine singing. Here a short and simple way of baptism and the Sacrament could be practised, and all would be according to the Word and in love…” After much hesitation he came at last to oppose any attempt to put into practice what he had so excellently portrayed.
Friedrich, the Elector of Saxony was his great supporter and in the end he got rid of his relics.
Instead of the mass being central it was now the gospel. The mass reminds us of our sinfulness, the gospel reminds us of grace.
Luther loved to preach. He spoke to everyday people and they loved him. He was full of sarcasm and humour. The services were in German and not in Latin. This was radical.
He allowed monks and nuns to revoke their vows, if they wanted to. He never forced anyone to go against their conscience.
He appointed travelling pastors to go through the province to teach and preach to the people and to expel immoral catholic priests.
He translated the liturgies into German, revised them and even wrote some new ones so that the people could learn as they went through the services.
He also sought permission from other protectorates to enter their territory to have the gospel preached. He had little alternative to do this.
The church though never became the church that he believed in. We could and do criticise him for this. However it looks like his destiny was to show the world the doctrine of justification by faith and to break with the past.
He influenced all the reformers including the Anabaptists.

Marriage
Luther never wanted to get married.“ Why make a woman a bride one day and a widow the next?” was his saying. There were many attempts to take his life.
He was involved in smuggling 12 nuns out of a convent. They had put them into beer barrels that were being used to transport herrings. These poor ladies had travelled for three days in these barrels.
He had got husbands for 11 of them but Catherine von Bora at 28 was a little bit too old for marriage. So a friend suggested that Luther marry her.
He did. And they had a wonderful marriage with six children. She was a real Proverbs 31 wife. She was very industrious.
In the monastery that they lived in, they had 47 rooms and they were nearly always full with guests. Catherine looked after them all.

Controversies
Luther had a controversy with Ulrich Zwingli (Zurich) about communion. It was about the issue of transubstantiation.
Luther still believed that God was present in the bread and the wine. Zwingli believed that it was on bread and wine. There was disunity among the reformers and disunity always weakens. They also published things against one another.
Weak man
He was a reluctant man and sometimes arrogant, sometimes dogmatic. He was sometimes quite weak as well.
Towards the end of his life, he was interviewed. People were wondering whether he would recant, but he died in faith. The Catholics acclaimed him to be the son of the devil, saying the devil had raped his mother.

The Peasants’ Revolt 1525
1. Causes
a. Luther stood before the decision to have a church of believers or a National Church. He decided to have a National Church. Unspiritual elements came into a spiritual movement. Luther’s writings were misunderstood.
b.The peasants are enslaved in serfdom and want their freedom.
2. Luther’s Statement
a. Writing: ”An exhortation to peace, addressed to the peasants of Schwabia.”
b. He travels and personally addresses the peasants in Saxony but to no avail.
3. The peasants use violent methods 1524/25
The leaders are Florian Geyer, Götz von Berlichingen, Thomas Münzer
a. Thomas Münzer is a great preacher of the Reformation (he propagates believers’ baptism and wants the true Christian to come together. Unfortunately, he’s too extreme. He puts personal revelation of the Spirit over the Bible. He become a revolutionary.
In Frankenhausen, he obstructs the peace negotiations that the besieged peasants are engaged in and calls them to arms.
b. The Peasants’ defeat: Mai 1525
The army of knights that the princes have got together defeat the peasants. Thomas Münzer recants under the pain of torture and he is executed. Bitter and bloody revenge is taken and even women and children are not spared.
c. Luther’s Paper (a virulent pamphlet) : “Against the Thievish and Murderous Hordes of Peasants” appears too late. He calls on the princes to “knock down, strangle, and stab … and think nothing so venomous, pernicious, or Satanic as an insurgent.” The people have pity on the peasants, who were so cruelly mishandled by the victors. In his writing “A hard pamphlet against the articles of the peasants”, he addresses the vengeance driven princes.
4. The peasants’ revolt collapses
In 1525 the revolt collapses. The nobles and princes crushed the revolt at a cost of an estimated 100,000 peasant lives. The surviving peasants considered Luther a false prophet. Many of them returned to Catholicism or turned to more radical forms of the Reformation.
Luther maintained that man is equal before God, but is also stressed that this is only true in the spiritual realm. Through his teaching about the two kingdoms he supported the feudal system and disappointed the peasants who had had hope in Luther, believing they would find help.
Luther continued to preach and teach the Bible in Wittenberg, but even sympathetic biographers have found it hard to justify some of the actions of his declining years. Time once put it like this, “He endorsed the bigamous marriage of his supporter Philip of Hesse. He denounced reformers who disagreed with him in terms that he had once reserved for the papacy. His statements about the Jews would sound excessive on the tongue of a Hitler.” Biographer Roland Bainton says that by the time of his death in 1546, Luther was “an irascible old man, petulant, peevish, unrestrained, and at times positively coarse.
Fortunately, the personal defects of an ageing rebel do not in any way detract from the grandeur of his achievement, which ultimately transformed not only Christianity but all of Western civilization.

Events leading up to the Refomation

2008-10-31T11:15:00.004+01:00

Was there power? Were there signs and wonders? Were people filled with the Spirit?
These people were amazingly powerful. Bede was the first church historian from England, who lived in the 8th century- he changed the weather. Cuthbert, a little bit before him, healed paralytics and deaf people. And he had an amazing relationship with nature.
Francis of Assisi was someone who moved in incredible power, but all mixed up with things like holy water and things that we would find quite difficult to accept.
But God honoured them, because He honours faith just as He does today.
There were those at this time who wanted a New Testament type of church. They lived in the alpine regions of Europe, a little remote. They had the scriptures and emphasised scriptures like the Sermon on the Mount, saying this is the way to live. The Roman church persecuted them. They were people like the Bogomils,” Friends of God” from Bulgaria. The Waldensians, who were the followers of Peter Waldo.
Before you can study the radical church, it’s important to have a look at the Orthodox Church, otherwise you don’t understand what they are reacting about.

Relicts
People regarded some people, some places and some things as holy.
In 1231 Elisabeth of Hungary died and was lying in state. She had lived a very godly life. Her body was in the cathedral and the people could go in and pay their respects to her. By the time they had finished, there was nothing left of her. Her corpse has been ripped apart! She was regarded as holy and being of value to save the owners time in purgatory.

There was the belief, the superstition, that if you wanted to holy, you should possess something that was considered holy.
So we are dealing with faith, with mysticism, with corruption and with superstition. There were shrines, where people would go because they though it would help them to attain grace. God’s grace had to be earned and you had to persuade God to give it to you.
The medieval church was a ritualistic church:

Penance
People would go and confess to a priest, an intermediary, and he would give them a penance to do (not repentance). This was to persuade God to give them grace.

The intermediary, the priest
There were two persecutions, one in the first century under the Emperor Decius and in the fourth century under Diocletian.
For Decius, if things were going bad and the empire was suffering in anyway, it meant the gods were angry and that they needed in some way to be placated. As the emperor himself was deified, he wasn’t going to carry the blame. Up until the time of the burning of Rome, the Jews got blamed. After 64AD, the Christians got blamed. We don’t know why, but it is thought that it was because Nero’s wife was very sympathetic to the Jewish people.
Diocletian persecuted the church in the fourth century (303-312). He set out to destroy it, because he wanted unity in the empire, which was crumbling at this time, there were only 100 years left before Rome would be sacked. He ordered an empire-wide sacrifice to the gods. This meant that people went to the temple bought a meal offering and were given a document to prove that you had taken part in the sacrifice.
In the previous persecution in 250, many Christians apostatized. Over the next 50 years the church had a stricter discipleship and got ready in case another persecution came. When Diocletian’s persecution did come, the Christians were ready for it.
Many were put to death, many were put in prison and there were also those who apostatized. In the main they were the weak Christians who sacrificed.
After the persecution was over, a decision had to be made about what was to be done by those who had apostatized. There were two thoughts on it, one was forgive them and the other was, no we want a purer church and we do now have doubts whether God will forgive serious sins after baptism. Hence some people delayed baptism until their deathbed to ensure that they got in.
Those who had apostatized through the persecution felt that they needed absolution. Who do you go to, to get it? You go to those who had been in prison, those who had suffered and who are now regarded as special people. You would go to them and say, “I am so sorry that I betrayed you.” This wasn’t asking for forgiveness but it was the beginning of going to another and asking for absolution.
Some people went to other extremes and to possess something that had belonged to the people who had been martyred would keep them in good stead. People wore the bones of martyred Christians.
Out of that sort of practice people became saints, intermediaries between God and man. There were then the places where these people were martyred, which have holy significance.
Within 12 hundred years, we have things that started off in a harmless way becoming complete heresy.
The bread and wine
Where does the teaching come from that the bread becomes the flesh and the wine becomes the blood of Jesus? It comes from the second century.
In the 2nd century there was a Gnostic heresy. As the church battled against this heresy and it was a hard battle, they made entrance into the church much stricter. You weren’t going to get into the church until you have proved that you are a Christian.
In the Bible it looks like baptism is for sinners who have just got saved but in the 2nd century, it was for people who were living proven holy lives. So they went through two or three years of instruction, before they could be admitted to the church. That meant that they could not take the bread and the wine until they had been baptised. This meant that they had to be dismissed for the part of the service when the bread and the wine. As they were being dismissed there was a prayer for them that they might progress in the faith. But the emphasis shifted from them to the bread and the wine. In time the bread and the wine became the object of the prayer. In the end Thomas Aquinas said: This is Jesus.
So even today, sometimes in communion services, we ask someone to pray for the bread and the wine. Why? What do expect will happen to it? Pray for the people who are taking communion, not for the bread and wine.
Things that become heresies don’t grow up overnight. It takes time. When you depart from the scripture and start to rely on traditions and the decisions of councils, you are a long way from the teachings of Christ and the first apostles.
At the reformation it was Martin Luther who began to challenge these things. He did it in a time that was rife. Other people had said the same things before. People from inside the Roman church had said the same things, but the climate was not ready for change.
• Penance instead of Repentance
• The saints and Mary instead of Jesus as the intermediary between God and man
• The mass – a sacrifice again of Christ to obtain fresh grace
A lot the reformers, who came to Christ, came to Christ because they studied the doctrine of the mass.
The question is what actually happens when we eat bread and drink wine? Is this how we are justified? Is this a means of grace to us? Or is Christ alone enough?
Up to this point they didn’t have the Bible. The priests could hardly read. The monks never studied it. When Luther was made professor of New Testament theology, he had never read the New Testament. Church doctrine was mainly the study of the decisions of councils and popes, who regularly contradicted themselves. So theology was the study of traditions, decisions and canon law. It wasn’t until the Bible became to be studied from the original texts that the text of the Bible was studied.

Prevailing Conditions
What were the prevailing conditions at the time of Luther that caused such a reaction to his 95 thesis?
1. Anti-clericalism
The people at the time believed in God, but He was a God of wroth and anger, who could not be placated and who you could not know personally. The only way you could know God was by hearing the gospel and you didn’t hear he gospel.
The priests who were there to minister to you were so often absent.
One bishop called Anointine de Prat, the only time he was ever present in his diocese was when he was buried there. It was something he had bought.
The clergy collected titles as a means of making a living. They would buy the title of bishop etc.
The people were not ministered to. Even if you would attend a church or cathedral, everything was in Latin that the common person didn’t understand. It was up at the front and it was very mystical. You were denied participation. You were allowed the wafer but not the wine that was for the clergy. You were not holy enough to have the wine.
It was burdensome. There was a pecking order of sin that determined your penance. Compare this with the Pharisees in the New Testament. Legalism is deathly. The letter always kills.
In England, Cardinal Wolsey was the second most powerful man in the realm, but he lived openly with his concubine and had children. It wasn’t frowned up on, so the whole thing about celibacy was nonsense.
2. Power shift
Power was shifting from the papacy to the kings and princes. Cities were being raised up and fortified and they were even raising their own armies. There was a breaking away from papal dominance. Nationalism was rising.
Christendom was seen as the nations that were Christian and they were starting to react against it.
3. Unrest amongst the common people
This led to a peasants’ revolt in Germany. There had been a peasants’ revolt in England in the 14th century at the time of Wycliffe, who was a reformer in England.
Religious turmoil and revival stir up people who aren’t religiously minded. They don’t even get converted but it articulates something for them. It allows them to understand their grievances. Their reaction is not one of conversion, but is one of rebellion. Within a century of one another there was a peasants’ uprising in Germany and England.
4. The Black Death (1347)
Two thirds of the population died and infant mortality was high. This fed superstition and became ingrained in us.
5. The Printing Press
The printing press was a so radical invention like the internet today. Luther preached a sermon on grace at the same time as he wrote the 95 thesis. This was printed - 20 editions of it - and it went round Europe.
Luther becomes a hero overnight, because he is challenging the might of Rome. He is doing it because he believes he is living in the end times. The pope was the antichrist and this was the last battle. As far as he was concerned, the world wasn’t going to last much longer.
He was a national hero without people necessarily following his religion.

6. The Fall of Constantinople 1453
When Constantine moved the centre of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople he took with him the original documents of the early church. They were the scriptures and many of the writings of the church fathers, the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint) and many other things. They were copied and published but the originals never saw the light of day.
In 1453 the Turks invaded and the documents were taken out for safety reasons but they were also made available for study. What the people then realised was that the scriptures had been corrupted. The scriptures were very different than the decisions of church councils.
This is important because the big question at the reformation was what is the main authority of the church? Was it the head of the church, the pope who is by this time declared infallible? Is it the decisions of Church Councils? Or is it the scriptures? That became the issue and that was the issue for Luther.

When we see all these things developing and all the different groups springing up, we go to the Bible and look at what the Bible says. These groups didn’t. Some of them didn’t have the Bible. They were working things out as they went along.
It is difficult to judge them and to know where they really stood. We have the benefit of 2000 years development and really we should know better.

The Reformation

2008-10-30T10:26:00.007+01:00

A number of things that the people at the time of the reformation were reacting against came from the early church. It takes quite a long time for bad habits to become traditions and traditions to become heresy.
We need to have a look back to the early church to understand the conditions in the church at the time of the reformation.
As we look at the period of the reformation, we are looking at the early 16th century. In the year 1517 something really quite insignificant happened.
A young monk by the name of Martin Luther got stirred about things that were happening in the neighbour district. He decided that it was time that academics get together to discuss the value of indulgences, which was really selling salvation.
He was quite fed-up with what was going on. He had already preached some sermons about this and he wasn’t the first person to do so. But he wrote out a kind of agenda. He put some statements down on paper. There were 95 of them in all. He nailed this agenda to the university notice board, which turned out to be the church door. It was a pubic notice that he had written by hand in Latin, so the common people couldn’t understand it.
Within two weeks though, it was translated into German and printed in many editions. It became a manifesto of what we then called “The Reformation”. The German people got hold of it and it became more than a manifesto for a religious reform, it was a manifesto for a social reform too. It articulated for common people what they were feeling, particularly about Roman and Papal domination.
We must ask the question about how this little insignificant act of an unknown monk in a town that was the back of beyond; change the course of (religious) history?

What were the circumstances that made it possible?

We have to go back in history to the 4th century, to 312ad to a place called Milvine Bridge. A Roman Emperor or one of a series of Roman Emperors (by this time the emperors were generals and most of them weren’t even Romans, they were Germans), they were doing battle for dominance of the Roman Empire. Constantine was facing a decisive battle against overwhelming odds. This is myth/legend/truth, we don’t really known and it is difficult to find out so many centuries later.
The night before the battle, he was praying to his deity and he says he saw in the sky a cross and heard the words, “in this sign conquer”. This is how the story goes, so the next day his soldiers go into battle each with the sign of a cross and he won this decisive battle. From that time onwards, he began to show favouritism to the church, which had just been persecuted for the last eight years. This was a horrible persecution.
He saw the church as a way of unifying the empire. From Constantine onwards it went from favouritism to making Christianity state religion.
Therefore, anyone who was within the Roman Empire became a Christian. Conquered nations then become Christian nations. What we see from the early 4th century is that people become Christian because they are part of the empire and not because they have been born again of God. So there is a watering down of the gospel.
Constantine’s successors in the main linked the church with the state. The Roman deities were or had been the objects of worship, so Christianity became the state religion. Constantine mixed everything up. So we have the sun-god and that’s were Sunday comes from.
Once we start talking about Christian nations or towns, we are moving into an unbiblical realm. You can’t have Christian nation. You can have a nation that has been greatly influenced by Christians and even where the majority of the population are Christian. There is no such thing as a Christian nation; we are one new man in Christ, made up of many nations.
The linking of church with the state watered down the Christian gospel.
When things like this are done, there is always a reaction. So you come across those who want a purer gospel, they want a biblical church. It is at this time that we meet some people called the Donatists. They were led by a man called Donata. As with every movement, this too wasn’t pure.
Whenever you study the breakaway movements or the radical movements, there are always elements that you won’t be easy with. They also get mixed up with politics. You can never say that these people were pure in doctrine because there was always a mixture. If you don’t understand this, you get a wrong idea and particularly from the early church.
So from the time of the Donatists onwards, you get this reaction. Up until the 4th century you find the Romans persecuting the church, now you have the church persecuting the church. Constantine raises an army against the Donatists and they fight. So now we have the beginning of religious wars, which goes right back to that time.
When you link the church together with the state and the church gets involved in politics as many of these leading Christians did. They occupied important positions in the state – this always leads to corruption.
As Christians get involved with politics, there is a lot of competition. Bishops vied against bishops. This corruption comes into the church and you have reactions to that.
During this time, we have the beginnings of the monastic movement. That is those wanting to get back to the more pure kind of Christianity. It started with people who wanted to separate themselves from the world. True Christianity of course is not separating yourself from the world but separating yourself for Christ to get back into the world. This was a separating from the world, less the world defiles me.
There are some weird people at this time, e.g. the “Pillar saints.” They lived on top of pillars; they thought that if they could be on the top of a pillar, they would not be contaminated by the world.
Some of the early bishops lived in caves, a bit like hermits. Others began to gather around them and out of that began what we call the monastic movement. Their motives were good. It was to take the gospel and serve poor people. They took vows, but they took them voluntary, there was no pressure put on them. But as these things developed, they developed differently than a local church.
At the end of the day, if you do not build on the right foundation, it goes wrong; it must go wrong because there will come stresses and pressures that the foundation can’t take.
So then you get the vows of poverty and chastity and the call to celibacy.
In the medieval period there are all kinds of reactions, but you haven’t got a reaction in the way that we would look at church.

Martin Luther and Justification by Faith

2008-10-29T08:55:00.003+01:00

Much to the horror of his father, Luther had left his studies of law and entered a monastery as an Augustinian monk. He had had a life saving experience in a forest during a thunderstorm. He felt that God, whom he deeply feared, had spared his life. Luther wanted to serve Him in the only way he knew by becoming a monk.
He wanted to appease the angry God who was continually laying burdens on people, never satisfied with our performance.
Luther would study, pray, beat himself, perform rituals, have extensive and frequent times in the confessional, so that in end his spiritual father told him to go and do something that was worthy of confession. Luther lived in fear of God and couldn't find any peace.
It was suggested he apply for the post of professor of New Testament at the newly opened Wittenberg University. Luther agreed to this and thought it might be a good idea to read the New Testament.
During his studies Luther discovered the doctrine of Justification by Faith. This means that we cannot appease God by any means. God was appeased by the death of His perfect Son Jesus Christ. Now man's part is to believe this - accepted it by faith. Faith being a gift of God.
Luther doing this, was filled with peace. It was faith and not works that justified us with God.
This was Luther's message. He was a monk, a professor and now a simple church pastor. He was very happy in this role and had not aspirations to be the world changer he was to become.

The Reformation started 491 years ago tomorrow

2008-10-29T08:38:00.005+01:00

October 31st, 1517:
An Augustinian monk, Dr. Martin Luther hurries across the courtyard to nail his latest notice on the church door. The door served as a notice board for the newly formed university of Wittenberg. Luther was inviting learned people to come to a discussion about the development of the church. To stimulate thought, he suggested a 95 point thesis. This triggered off a worldwide movement which we now call the Reformation.
Someone translated the thesis into German and it was duplicated using a piece of new technology called the printing press.
Waves went around the empire changing structure, government and everyday life.

Clip regarding religious tension in Sri Lanka

2008-10-26T19:43:00.004+01:00

I have been travelling to Sri Lanka for a number of years. The country is truly wonderful and the people are very friendly. Unfortunatly, a civil war has been going on for nearly three decades causing the death of tens of thousands of people.
Religious tension is becoming more evident. Perhaps Christians are sometimes a little insensitive to people's feelings when they talk about their faith, but the violence that occurs is in no way justified.
Assertions that people are being converted by unethical means, that is by being given money is ludicrous. The Christians we know are extremly poor and can hardly make ends meet. They cannot possibly offer people financial gain if they convert.
Here's a documentary that features our friends and is quite balanced in its approach.
Protestant Christians, among which are a number of nominal Christians, are less than 1% of the population. Fear that the country could be taken over by Christian fundamentalists are gravely exaggerated!

Persecution in Iraq

2008-10-20T08:28:00.001+02:00

At least seven Christians were murdered between October 4 and 8, 2008—killed execution-style by gunmen, according to Barnabas Fund. A Christian music storeowner was shot to death in Mosul, Iraq on October 13, 2008, the Associated Press reported.
Officials in Mosul have told the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) that the number of Assyrians driven out of Mosul in the past two weeks has risen to 15,000, or about 2,500 families, Assist News Service (ANS) reported.
“We left everything behind us. We took only our souls,” Ni’ma Noail, 50, a civil servant who had to abandon his home in Mosul and is now living in a church, told Barnabas Fund.
An AINA spokesperson told ANS that “threats, intimidation and murder by unidentified groups have instilled fear and panic in the Christian Assyrian community, causing a massive exodus into the Assyrian villages in the Nineveh Plain. Thirteen Assyrians have been killed in the past four weeks. … Notes have been left instructing the Assyrians to leave the city immediately or face reprisal.
“It is not clear who is behind the campaign against Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans and Syriacs),” the AINA spokesperson added. “Some suspect Al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups, but a spokesman for Iraq’s Interior Ministry said there is no evidence to support this. An Iraqi member of parliament has accused the Kurds of orchestrating the campaign to shift the demographic balance of Mosul in their favor.”
The latest violence against Assyrians in Mosul continues a pattern that began on June 26, 2004 with the first bombings of Assyrian churches, ANS reported. Since then, Baghdad has been nearly emptied of Assyrians and it is estimated that 30-50% of Assyrians have fled to Jordan and Syria.
Northern Iraq is the historic center of Christianity in Iraq. Many Christians from Baghdad and Basra had fled to the north for safety in recent years. The estimated Christian population of Mosul is now 50,000, Barnabas Fund said. Five years ago, Mosul had almost 200,000 Christians, Open Doors said.

Indian persecution of Christians

2008-10-17T10:09:00.002+02:00

Since Christianty came into existence the norm has been persecution. This is what God's Son, Jesus Christ experienced and it will continue until he returns.

More about Orrisa

2008-10-17T10:04:00.000+02:00

Murders in Khamman

2008-10-15T23:03:00.003+02:00

During our stay in India, we dedicated a church building in the city of Khamman. Our friends are working among the poorer part of the population, so the building wasn't anything grand. It will hold about 60-75 people, which means around 40 Westerners! It was very rudimental. Lots of people came to the dedication and we had a good time.
About the same time the Maoists (Naxalites) abducted 8 tribal people (India is a country with lots of different people groups. The Dalits or unscheduled castes (formally known as the Untouchables)are made up of a number of different tribes. Most of these tribes are not Hindu but rather animists. However they are very open to the gospel and you can find many Christians among them.
Eight of them were abducted because according to the Naxalites they were traitors and had given the security forces information about them. Today two of them were found dead just outside the cits.
Although the Christian persecution in Andhra Pradesh is at a minimun. The Christians and the rest of the population are faced with a terror group that causes hardship and spreds terror among the people.
Kife isn't easy for our friends out there.

India in Germany

2008-10-15T22:43:00.003+02:00

(Photo out of Wikimedea)
I first came to Germany in 1971. In the very first year here, I met the girl who was to become my wife. I was a British soldier stationed in Lippstadt. She was living with her parents in a city called Bochum. To get to Bochum, I used to catch a train. Normally it took just over an hour to get from Lippstadt to Bochum.
About half way on the journey we came to a city called Hamm. Hamm was a strange place. The train pulled into the station and we waited there for 10-15 minutes. Then the train moved out the same way we came in. The locomotive had been moved from the front to the back.
For some reason Hamm always remained with me. Years later, I heard that one of my old Bible School friends had gone to live there. At some point a church was also planted.
These days Hamm is well known for something else.
The Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple has been in Hamm since 1989. Originally, it was situated towards the west of the city. In 1997 together with its gods, it relocated to Hamm-Uentrop.
In 2002 a big new temple was opened, which is in fact, the biggest Hindu temple in Germany.
The temple's goddess looks from the central shrine to the east, towards the rising sun. Every year in May - June around 20.000 visitors come to th annual pu blic procession. The statue of the godess, Sri Kamadchi, circulates th temple through the nearby streets on a special chariot. As well as being seen by many people, Hindus believe she is blessing the town and its citizens.

So Christian Europe goes pagan, fasinated by the glimmer of Eastern religions.
it is time that Europe awakens and remembers it Christian heritage, not to despite people of a different culture, but to remember the message of the cross that brings life and not religion with all of its rules and regulations.