CHRISTIANS IN INDONESIA STAND STRONG DESPITE VIOLENT THREATS

Despite facing threats of violence in the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, a group of Christians in Indonesia is standing strong.

According to Bruce Allen of Forgotten Missionaries International, a group of believers, led by FMI-supported church planter Pastor Yudianto, was holding a meeting when about 20 radical Muslims interrupted.

The Muslims told the Christians to disperse and never meet again, threatening them with machetes and taking their pictures for future intimidation. Later, when the police arrived, Allen says boxes of weapons were found outside for quick access.

Pastors like Yudianto persevere under difficult conditions.

“Pastor Yudianto stayed a while longer with the family who had hosted the church meeting,” Allen says. “They just shared their heart with him, wondering, ‘How do we go on from here? We’re nervous, we’re scared, but what do we do next? We still want to be discipled by you.'”

Yudianto has a fairly well-established ministry site in Central Java, and has recently been pioneering evangelism in this second village where the attack occurred. Yudianto individually disciples about 15 believers in this village, and had gathered them together in one of their homes to discuss the idea of beginning a formal church when the attackers broke in. Despite the possibility of being killed, Yudianto plans on returning to the village later this month to continue his ministry.

“He’ll hold a meeting with all those Christians again, several different families and parts of families represented in that new congregation, and really encourage them, saying, ‘This is what we face as Christians in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim dominant country,'” Allen shares.

“Even though Christians enjoy protection constitutionally, on a local level, practically, they may not enjoy that because of radical elements that like to go from village to village and hunt down Christians.”

It’s hard for them to know who to trust. This past summer, Yudianto told Allen that in the village of his primary ministry site, there is a police officer affiliated with a radical extremist mosque, which stirred doubts in the Christians about their safety.

“So if the Christians need the protection of the police, if there is an attack, or churches are burned or bombed, or a Christian is physically harmed or threatened, sometimes they wonder, ‘Will the police really come to my aid?'”

That’s where FMI comes in. Allen says Yudianto will need to get creative to continue having an effective ministry, so the team is working to give him the training he needs to succeed.

 The congregation meeting at this site continues to gather for weekly worship as the walls of their church building grow up around them. (Photo and caption courtesy of FMI)

 “FMI’s leadership is helping him think through those types of issues, and in fact, even during my visit to Indonesia this summer, part of our ongoing training conference was talking about how our identity in Christ makes us more than conquerors,” Allen says.

“That whole concept is still what Paul says. We are like sheep led to the slaughter, but even in the middle of all these hardships and difficult circumstances, we can remain more than conquerors. We do not have to let these difficulties — tribulations, famine, persecution, things like that — they don’t have to defeat us. We can have victory even in the middle of them.”

BY REAGAN HOEZEE

SCIENTISTS CONFIRM THAT THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH

Life after death:  Scientists say they have found proof that people are still alive even after they have been declared clinically dead.  The research studied over 2,000 people and around 40% of them confirmed that even after they were already ‘dead’, they were aware of all that was happening around them.

The research was carried out at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

After years of massive studies, scientists have finally confirmed in a ground-breaking research that there is indeed, life after death. According to report in Daily Star UK, scientists at the University of Southampton found that consciousness continues even once someone dies. The scientists reached this conclusion after studying more than 2,000 people. They say that thoughts remain after the heart stops.

Daily Star reports that the extraordinary research also uncovered the most convincing evidence of an out-of-body experience for a patient declared dead. It wrote: “Of 2,060 patients from Austria, the US and the UK interviewed for the study, who had survived cardiac arrest, almost 40 per cent said that they recall some form of awareness after being pronounced clinically dead. Of all those who said they had experienced some awareness, just two per cent said their experience was consistent with the feeling of an outer body experience – where one feels completely aware and can hear and see what’s going on around them after death. “Almost half of the respondents said the experience was not of awareness, but rather of fear. But the most significant finding of the study is that of a 57-year old man who is perhaps the first confirmed outer body experience in a patient. “The man was able to recall with eerie accuracy what was going on around him after he had “died” temporarily,” Daily Star wrote.

In the past, it was believed that the brain stopped all activity 30 seconds after the heart stops pumping blood about the body and with that, awareness ceases too.

But lead researcher, Dr Sam Parnia says, things are now seen differently as the new study now shows people still experience awareness for up to three minutes after they had been pronounced dead. “Contrary to perception, death is not a specific moment but a potentially reversible process that occurs after any severe illness or accident causes the heart, lungs and brain to cease functioning.

If attempts are made to reverse this process, it is referred to as ‘cardiac arrest’; however, if these attempts do not succeed it is called ‘death’,” he said.

By Ibizugbe Osahon

The Unreached People of the Day

MALAY, EAST MALAYSIA OF MALAYSIA  

Traditionally, the East Malaysia Malay worked as fishermen and traders. Today, many are employed in logging industries, palm-oil plantations, and civil industries. Good manners and respect is very important, especially toward elders. The value of saving face, observed in the community and workplace, is significant. It is unbecoming to cause another person to lose face. They are Muslim, but traces of animistic and Hindu beliefs are still evident and openly discussed.

Ministry Obstacles

These Malay people risk losing face and even offending people to follow Jesus, and are likely to experience other kinds of loss as well.

Outreach Ideas

Christian believers in the main coastal cities may be able to tell the East Malaysia Malay the good news about Christ, teaching them how to be real disciples of Christ.

Pray for the followers of Christ

Pray for the very few Christians among the East Malaysia Malay, that they will be zealous to follow Christ with a whole heart, being obedient and living holy lives.

Pray for the entire people group

Pray for an improvement in living conditions for these people, and for employment opportunities.

Scripture Focus

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Habakkuk 2:14

NORTHERN CAN WITHDRAWS FROM CAN, URGES EFCC TO INVESTIGATE ORITSEJAFOR, OTHERS

A group under the aegis of Concerned Christians of Nigeria and Northern Nigerian Christians on Sunday said they are reverting their membership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to the pre-independence Northern Nigeria Christian Association.

The group which is a conglomerate of churches from the North, also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the activities of CAN under the leadership of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

Addressing journalists in Jos, through its leader Rev. Luka Shehu, the group said, “In the spirit of freedom of choice and liberty to choose, we hereby state emphatically that those who wish to continue membership of CAN in the North are free to do so.

“However, considering our common shared values and peculiarities as Christians from the the North and in the absence of any understanding or compassion from CAN and after wide consultations amongst Christians leaders, traditional rulers, youths and women, we under this auspices from the North have unanimously decided to revert to the pre-independence Northern Nigeria Christian Association.”

According to Rev. Shehu, the Northern Nigeria Christian Association had joined CAN so that the interest of Christians from the North would be protected, “but if that cannot be achieved, then there is no need being associated with the body.”

“Without sentiments or prejudice, today we have started a movement that will redeem the name of Christians in the North and Nigeria, through promoting equity and social justice, to fight corruption and promote evangelism”, he stressed.

The Cleric further stated that the election of June 14th, 2016, that brought the Rev. Supo Ayokunle led CAN executive, “was contrary to CAN constitution and the greatest travesty of justice, lies, manipulation and imposition by men in white collar and cassocks.

“Therefore, we the Concerned Christians of Nigeria and the teaming Christians of the North renounce and reject every process of 14th June, 2016, and Ayo Oritsejafor with mockery to due process and integrity handed over to his choice.

“The outgoing CAN President, Oritsejafor, the CAN General Secretary Rev. Dr. Musa Asake and the TEKAN/ECWA Bloc leader Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau need to account for the five prado land cruiser jeeps given to CAN.”

Also responding to questions from journalists, Elder Peter Luka, said, “We are writing to EFCC to come and investigate CAN. The history of that aircraft of Pastor Oritsejafor should be investigated.

“Is he encouraging every CAN President to get his own private jet? while the people are dying. It is injustice, wickedness and its malicious.

“We cannot continue to fold our hands while our leaders will be busy using jeeps, private aircrafts and building private Universities, and our brethren are dying of hunger.”

According to him, CAN leaders under the leadership of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor had never visited victims of insurgency in the north-east, victims of attacks in the middle belt region and other northern States.

SUPREME COUNCIL OF SHARIA CONDEMNS CAN FOR ASKING CHRISTIANS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES

The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has said that members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, the largest Shi’ite sect in country, indicted in the December 2015 clash with the Nigerian Army in Zaria should be punished.

The Sharia Council which made the call in a communiqué issued after a meeting in Kaduna on Sunday, August 7, 2016 said the indicted Shi’ites must be made to face the full wrath of the law for their deeds in the clash.

The call for the punishment of the indicted members of the IMN, according to Sheikh Yusuf Rigachikun, who read out the communiqué, is because Shi’ism is not Islam.

Rigachikun said from the series of lectures by Muslim scholars, it was obvious that “Shi’ism is not Islam” and that Muslims should acquire the knowledge of their religion, “so that they are not derailed.”

He noted that their action against the army was un-Islamic as such; they must pay for their action in accordance with the law of the land.

He argued that even before the report of the panel of inquiry that looked into the clash, the Islamic sect had shown much signs of guilt citing the IMN’s boycott of the commission of inquiry as an indication of guilt.

”From the delivered lectures, it has become obvious that Shi’ism is not Islam and Muslims should acquire the knowledge of their religion, so that they are not derailed from the true teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW),” the communique read.

“Muslims should also respect and revere all the companions of the Prophet (SAW), and should protect their reputation.”

The council also called on the government to release the White Paper on the crisis saying, “This will go a long way in curbing the menace of Shi’a in our society.”

The council also condemned the Christian Association of Nigeria for a recent call allegedly made by its northern branch to its members to defend themselves against assault from Muslims.

Rigachikun described as un-Christian calls by Christian leaders to urge their members to carry arms against their Muslim counterparts in the face of any crisis.

According to him, “It’s unbecoming of a body of clergymen to make such unguarded call.”

“The council condemned in strongest terms the call by the Christian Association of Nigeria to its members to take up arms to protect themselves,” he said.

COPTIC CHRISTIANS FACE RISING PERSECUTION

In recent months, Coptic Christians in Egypt have seen an increase in persecution attacks.

June marked the third year since protests removed President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood from power. Religious tolerance, however, has not improved since then.

It was also in June this year that an angry Muslim mob looted and burned 80 Christian homes.

Several news sources, including Ahram Online News, shares terrifying incidents that have taken place since May. One story details an angry mob dragging a 70-year-old Christian women naked through the streets. Rumors that her son, also a Christian, was having a relationship with a Muslim woman sparked the uproar.

SAT-7, a Christian satellite television ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, has also taken notice of the increased violence. We spoke with SAT-7’s Rex Rogers to learn more.

Coptic Christians living in fear

coptic-657862_640Rogers describes the events as situations spiraling out of control and causing fear among Christians: “Mobs attacking people, mobs attacking churches. There’s record of Christian women who are greatly concerned about kidnapping and rape,” he says.

Many of these women have been so afraid of their religious affiliation attracting violence that they’ve changed their Christian names to fit in better.

Christians in Egypt have difficulty, not only with building new churches, but even remodeling the ones they have.

It’s extremely difficult to rebuild in cases where churches have been burned down. Christians will wait in long lines to get permissions to build their church, and will often be ignored.

Persecution: a cry for attention

Rogers explains that in the past, Coptic Christians were generally left alone because they don’t usually proselytize. But with the rise of Islamic extremism, this is no longer true. He says these extremists attack to gain attention for themselves.

“It’s still extremists who hate Christians and Christianity, who hate Christ, who hate the Church, and who see attacks on them as a means of shoring up their status and stature within their group. And they religiously believe this is a great thing to do.”

Our support

Though we may feel helpless from across the world, there are many things we can do to help our Christian brothers and sisters.

We can start with prayer, Rogers says, and let ministries working in these areas know we are praying. This is especially helpful for SAT-7 as a television broadcast.

church-676442_640 “You can get on air and speak to 20 million people in the Middle East and North Africa, it’ll be accessible to 500 million, and we can say to all those people, ‘Western Christians are aware, they are praying for you. They are part of the Body of Christ, they know you’re part of the Body of Christ.”

You can also give to SAT-7 or other ministries working in the area. Rogers says very little money is coming from Western civilization to reach the Middle East. And yet, so many people there are looking for hope only be found in the Gospel.

‘CHRISTIANS SHOULD DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST RELIGIOUS HATRED’: CAN ISSUES STATEMENT

PRESS STATEMENT BY CAN

NIGERIA: A MACABRE DANCE OF DEATH

The National leadership and the entire members of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, have received with rude shock and disbelief the report of yet another religious hatred motivated gruesome murder of a dedicated 42-year-old Christian mother of seven children, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, who on Saturday 9th July, 2016, was brutally killed while doing Christian evangelism.

Mrs. Eunice Elisha was murdered in Kubwa area of Abuja, FCT, in the early hours of the day. Her neck was slashed and she was also stabbed in the stomach. About a month ago in Kano, Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, a 74 year old Christian was murdered at Wambai market due to an altercation with a Muslim man who came to the front of her shop to perform ablution. Her offence was that she objected to the Islamic washing rite in front of her shop.

Just last week a clergyman of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Reverend Zakariya was killed by attackers suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen in Obi LGA of Nasarawa state. They attacked him on his farm, cut off his arms and legs, then they chopped his head with a machete. Another fresh but sad news reaching us is that of the Fulani herdsmen militia that is back on rampage killing 81 people in multiple attacks in Logo and Ukum local government areas of Benue state in central Nigeria.

In recent times, there have been multiple cases of attacks by Fulani herdsmen on various Christian communities, all over the nation. In the South East and in the South South zones, there have been gruesome attacks on IPOB members and on Christian communities in the Niger Delta. All these are in addition to the relentless attacks of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt and southern Borno.

The Christian Association of Nigeria commiserates with the families affected by these mindless orgies of death and destruction as well as with the entire Christian community in Nigeria. We pray that God in His mercy shall comfort and strengthen the families of all the Nigerians affected in these unwarranted murders unleashed upon the nation by religious extremists.

The recurring decimal of violence and murder of innocent Nigerian citizens on the basis of religious intolerance demands specific and relevant response from all concerned citizens in the country more so when the government in power seems to have adopted an attitude of lukewarm response to the evils being perpetrated in Nigeria in the name of religion.

The discrimination against non-Muslims in Nigeria under the Buhari Administration is assuming a dangerous dimension that should not be left to the vagaries of time and circumstance to resolve.

You will agree with me that with these happenings and the lukewarm attitude by the authorities concern toward putting an end to it, Nigeria is dancing a macabre dance of death, both for the nation and for its citizens. It is time to stop the beat and let common sense guide the nation out of the present quagmire. A stitch in time saves nine.

Before the situation escalates into an unmanageable national crisis, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is calling on the authorities both at the states and federal to do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to justice if the confidence of Christians on this government must be maintained.

The unprovoked attacks on Christians and the authority’s inaction is becoming unbearable and may not be tolerated anymore, inasmuch as we will continue to call on Christians to remain tolerant and law abiding, it is becoming inevitable to also call on them to buckle up and be ready to defend themselves against these incessant unprovoked and mindless attacks.

Signed…

Rev. Dr. Musa Asake

General Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)

10th July, 2016