With this edition of 'The Aussie Outpost Wider Church Prayer Letter,' the world finds itself nearing war with Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. I guess one of the question's being asked by many of the world's Christians is 'Should we support such a war?' Well I'm not going to answer the question for the world's Christians, but I will give a few observations that will probably give away what side of the fence I sit on (and I do have a firm position) - things to perhaps think about.
When did Christianity go hand in hand with Pacification? Was it about the time that Christianity gave in to a cheap idea of love? How is it a loving thing to allow the people of Iraq to be continually suffering at the hands of a despotic tyrant, who kills people at his own whim and fancy when they disagree with him? How can it be loving to allow a people to be systematically wiped out, such as the Kurds in northern Iraq? How can it be loving to simply accept the Saddam-led Iraq when he is intent on destroying the Christian church in his country (I'm not advocating war with every persecuting nation - only highlighting how western Christians have forgotten the persecuted in Iraq)? We could go on for some time asking the same sort of questions couldn't we?
Sure, if we attack Iraq people will die, including coalition forces. I do believe Cain asked the question once, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' Are we happy to just forget about what is happening to our brethren in this country? 'Peace in our time' has also been a common thought throughout the ages - the only problem is that sooner or later you have to fight the looming threat (but of course it is a much bigger problem later on - take Adolf Hitler and the Nazis for example).
Perhaps these things are just a 'simple' man's way of looking at things - certainly it is not an exhaustive approach to the problem, just a few thoughts. Anyhow, just thought I would put a few of these things down in 'cyber-print.' Enjoy this issue of the wider church prayer letter - remember our brethren in Iraq.
Contents:
Nepal:
Nepal is facing chaos due to Maoist rebels, which is also causing problems for the church, yet the church continues to grow in Nepal. Churches are also being planted throughout Nepal. Missionaries have been sent into Nepal, India, Bhutan and the Tibet border region.
Sri Lanka:
Christians are continuing to face persecution in Sri Lanka. There is a push for an anti-conversion law, as churches are destroyed, Christians attacked and murdered.
Japan - Karuizawa - Brian and Yoko Broaddus:
Karuizawa is found in the mountains of central Japan. Brian is now learning Japanese full time - please pray about this, for this will obviously allow a greater opportunity for ministry in that country.
Pray also for a new church plant in Hikoshima.
Vietnam:
It is believed that three Christian were recently executed in Vietnam. Vietnam had been seeking to eliminate Christianity before the close of 2002. This of course has not happened, but the government is continuing its crackdown on Christians. Some 1 000 people have fled to Cambodia, with more than 350 churches destroyed and some 50 pastors having disappeared. For more information, visit:
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/vietnam.html.
Recently noxious gas was used to break up a church meeting among Hmong Christians in the Dien Bien Dong area. Some of the brethren are extremely ill as a result.
Christian areas are now heavily guarded, church services prevented and all Christian literature destroyed. Christian homes without pagan symbols are fined, families arrested and poisoned food distributed among Christians.
There has also been a crack down on Montagnard Christians in the central highlands of Vietnam. The repression is being linked by the government to the independence movement in that area. The government claims that Christianity is part of this rebellious movement. In the last year some 400 churches have been closed down as part of the crack down.
There is also a movement aimed at infiltrating all of the approved religious organisations in Vietnam be small Communist party cells. This would appear to be for the purpose of gathering intelligence.
For more information visit:
http://www.hrw.org/background/asia/vietnam/vietrights.pdf
South Africa - Bethesda - Rene and Sonia Einfeldt:
The Einfeldts' are now living in Pretoria, South Africa and have begun their work with Bethesda International. Some personal items took a while to arrive from the USA, but they are now all there. They also have a vehicle which will allow them to travel around South Africa and serve in their role with Bethesda.
Please pray that a buyer will be found for their USA vehicle and a renter for their USA home.
South Africa - Martin and Elsabe Holdt:
The 3 Grace Ministers Conferences in January held at Magaliesburg and Cape Town were a success. Malcom Watts and Geoff Thomas spoke at the conferences.
Mark and Christine Harding are seeking to establish a home for babies with AIDS. Please pray about this very necessary ministry in South Africa, where AIDS is a major problem as in the rest of Africa.
The Emmaus Baptist Church is now being pastored by Harry Davies.
China:
China is continuing its opposition to Christianity with a crack down on Protestant and unregistered churches in the country. A secret force has been established with the purpose of infiltrating unregistered churches in order to gather intelligence against Christians.
An Evangelical church leader has been sentenced to 18 months 're-education through labour.' He was arrested for holding a house church service in December. He is also ill.
India:
Two new churches have been started in Orissa State. Please remember Pastor Raju Athawale, Sunil Kathale and brother Bhattacharya ministering in the Nagpur area. Weekly Bible studies are also held at Sonba-nagar, Defence Colony, Mhada Colony, Korardi, Tekdewadi and Yogendra-nagar. There are also many other meetings and services. The Grace Bible Institute in Nagpur is slowly progressing, with funds needed for further construction work.
In other news, the growing movement for a Pro-Hindu state is growing in momentum, especially in regions such as Gujarat. In Gujarat, Christians that seek to evangelise a regarded as committing a public outrage. Hindu extremists have also attacked missionaries working among the Dhakti Bhils people in the Thar Desert region.
In the Madras region a group of 10 000 people who were seeking to be baptised was broken up by Police, with quite a number arrested. Soon international journalists and press arrived, allowing some of the group to actually be baptised when the Police backed off. Thousands of Indians belonging to the lowest class of Hinduism are attempting to reject Hinduism in favour of Christianity. However, a growing movement of fanatical Hindus are moving against those seeking Christian conversion, including a move to fine those who convert to Christianity with a 100 000 Rupee fine and four year jail sentence. Some Christians have also been killed. There is a move to banish all missionaries working in India.
Pastor Billa Nelson of the Biblical Baptist Church in New Colony, Bhadravati, informs us that his wife Ruth is now recovering after her recent serious illness. This is something that we can be thankful for and rejoice together with our brother. Billa asks that we also pray for Israel who has a blood clot in the brain and is currently in hospital at Bangalore.
Also pray for the church's building project and for the spiritual growth of new converts in the church. If you are able to aid the church in India, please contact me and I'll pass on details of how you can assist the church at Bhadravati.
Reunion:
Reunion is a small island nation in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It has a population of some 700 000 people. There is freedom of religion in Reunion, with most being associated with Roman Catholicism and Occultish beliefs. Some 5% of the population are regarded as being Evangelical. There is a great need for trained pastors, established churches, evangelism and deliverance from Occult habits.
Israel - Grace and Truth:
Israel's high court has ruled in favour of the Grace and Truth congregation for its construction of a building for worship. Extremist Jews had sought to prevent the building of the church building. Grace and Truth faces continuing opposition to its Christian witness.
Israel - Voice in the Wilderness (Antony Simon):
Antony Simon has now completed his term in Israel's army. The time proved an opportunity for Christian witness to many.
Voice in the Wilderness is advertising in southern Israel in order to give away free Bibles and the Jesus film. This is being done in Ashkelon, Shterot, Ashdod, Kiriat Gat and Beer Sheva. Tracts have also been handed out in mail boxes in Ashkelon for people to see the Jesus film.
For more information visit:
Philippines - Cubao Reformed Baptist Church:
There are some 84 million, largely Roman Catholic, people in the Philippines. There is freedom of religion in the Philippines, with some 15% of the population regarded as Evangelical. There is also a strong Islamic area in the south of the Philippines, which is seeking to become a separate Islamic state. This Islamic region is largely unreached with the gospel.
On January 17, a missionary was injured in a motorcycle accident in Mindanao. A friend then tried to wheel the bike back home. However, he was shot and killed in trying to do so. It is thought that the whole may have been a set up by Islamic extremists. Death threats had previously been received. The murder leaves a widow and a 2 year old daughter.
Meanwhile the Cubao Reformed Baptist Church now has some 10 evangelistic Bible studies, with 70-80 people attending them. The number of people attending and joining the church itself is also growing. On Wednesday nights after the prayer meeting, an evangelistic team visits the shopping area in order to witness and distribute tracts. Each Saturday a group visits the local hospital and there is also a children's meeting held in a large squatter area.
On the 9/1/03, a large fire broke out in the nearby squatter area, leaving some 2 500 people homeless. The Cubao church is seeking to give as much assistance as possible to the people who have suffered the loss of everything in the fire. This may also be an opportunity to bear a greater witness to the people in the squatter area.
The Grace Ministerial Academy has seen a growth in numbers attending, including the eleven students who were formerly attending the Pentecostal denomination. Many of these students find it difficult to meet the financial requirements of the course, etc. If you would like to help Cubao and a student of the academy, please contact Brian Ellis at btellis@info.com.ph .
The pastor's conference held between February 4 and 6 was a success. Speakers included Jim Renihan from California and Wei En Yi of Shalom church in Singapore. From February 11 to 14, Jim Renihan took a modular course based on the 1689 Confession of Faith at Grace Ministerial Academy.
The book ministry of Cubao Reformed Baptist Church continues to struggle along. It has made a loss for the last three years and obviously it can't continue in this way. Please pray about this situation.
There are also two new churches that are under the oversight of Cubao. These have been established at Nueva Ecija and Antipolo.
In other news from Cubao, Matthew Gamston from Trinity Baptist Church, Gloucester, England, will be going to Cubao in July to serve as a missionary.
You can visit Cubao Reformed Baptist Church online at:
Ireland - Reformation Ireland:
The Reformation Ireland website is soon to undergo a makeover. Keep an eye on the website at:
http://www.reformationireland.com/
A new Reformed Baptist work has begun in southern Dublin, with seven adults and four children attending. The group is known as the 'Ballinteer Baptist Meeting.' On Sunday evenings the group is studying Acts, while in the mid-week meetings the group is studying John.
Russia - Grace to Russia:
Grace to Russia has had to change its operations structure, though it remains committed to its mission among Russian speaking people. Learn more at the website at:
Madang - Papua New Guinea: M'Liss Spero:
M'Liss Spero has recently completed her course in Pidgin in order to work as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. She is still learning to speak the language fluently. She is has also completed two weeks with Judith and Eric Hedeen among the Mualamunda tribe in order to pick up vital skills for missionary life in Papua New Guinea. The church at Malamunda has some 68 believers.
M'Liss Spero has now returned to her home base in PNG and is involved in the buying, packing and shipping of supplies to missionaries in the field.
Visit her site at:
http://wwwshilohcommunitychurch.org/mliss/
VISIT US ONLINE
Please visit The Aussie Reformed Baptist Outpost online at:
http://particularbaptist.com/index.htmlThe Outpost Wider Church Awareness Site can be found at:
http://particularbaptist.com.com/wider/widerindex.htmlFor email contact and further information regarding aid to the various ministries mentioned in the prayer letter, Kevin can be contacted at:
nrbcpastorkev@yahoo.com.auIf you are of Reformed Baptist persuasion and would like to add news of your church or work, or add requests for prayer to this prayer letter, please contact Kevin on the above Email address.
For 'snail mail,' write to 'The Aussie Reformed Baptist Outpost, 27 Middle Street, Cardiff South, NSW, Australia, 2285.
We thank all sources of information that have made this prayer letter possible and ask the church at large to commit to praying for one another. Brethren, please pray for us.
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10/10/2006
AN OUTPOST PRODUCTION