God’s Word Reigns Despite Religious Persecution

Friday, 01 July 2011 – Robert T. Frank News – Featured News

God\'s Word Reigns across the Nations of the World

When our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, they considered religious freedom one of Americans’ most fundamental rights.

Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, also wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. He considered these two of his most important accomplishments, along with founding the University of Virginia, and left instructions for them to be inscribed on his tombstone.

Today, our commitment to religious freedom has gone global, and it has become part of the fabric of our diplomacy. In 1998, Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act, and now the State Department issues an annual report on religious freedom. (more…)

Continue ReadingGod’s Word Reigns Despite Religious Persecution

Zimbabwe: Anglicans evicted from churches and homes

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin  – Special to ASSIST News Service  – By Elizabeth Kendal – Wednesday, June 8, 2011

A call to pray for the church in Zimbabwe

AUSTRALIA (ANS) — RLPB 110 on Zimbabwe was issued last Wednesday 1 June after news emerged that churches were facing escalating levels of political violence (see also Religious Liberty Monitoring). This political violence is doubtless intended to inject fear into the churches and to silence them ahead of what are likely to be rigged elections. The regime aims to force the churches to adopt a position of compliant subjugation if they want to survive. On 2 June the Bishop of Harare, the Rt Rev Chad Gandiya, issued an urgent appeal for prayer, detailing more persecution.

On Sunday 29 May a priest belonging to the pro-Mugabe faction (led by excommunicated bishop Nolbert Kunonga) broke into the home of the Rev Charles Muzanenhamo, an Anglican priest in the Mubayira area of Mhondoro. Muzanenhamo was away visiting rural parishes at the time. When Bishop Gandiya alerted Muzanenhamo he returned home immediately and expelled the intruder. However, when the police subsequently arrived they arrested the pastor, charging him with assault. Muzanenhamo had to spend the night in detention before the bishop could bail him out. That same evening, a newly ordained deacon, Noel Magaya, was also illegally and forcibly evicted from his home-church. Once again, when the police arrived they sided with Kunonga’s criminals. On 30 May when Rev Julius Zimbudzana tried to notify the police about Magaya’s eviction they refused to open a docket, so officially the incident never happened.

(more…)

Continue ReadingZimbabwe: Anglicans evicted from churches and homes

The Dark World of the Arab Child Slave Trade

Arab child slave tradeIn a story last week in the British newspaper The Sun, a private investigator stated that Madeleine McCann, the subject of probably the world’s most famous unsolved kidnapping case, is in the United States. The British girl was three years old when she went missing five years ago from a seaside resort in Portugal, where her parents were vacationing. The Portuguese police, in what has been termed a “bungled investigation,” at first accused the parents of the abduction but later cleared them. Portuguese security officials halted their investigation to find the missing child in 2008 after stating she had probably been “stolen to order.”

Since her disappearance, numerous alleged sightings have been made of the little girl across Europe, Africa, in North America and in Australia. The investigator making the latest claim concerning McCann’s whereabouts is an amateur sleuth originally from Angola. He told The Sun that a Portuguese pedophile ring, also responsible for other child abductions, took the McCann girl and has handed his findings over to authorities. The claim that a pedophile ring is responsible for McCann’s disappearance has been made before, especially concerning one in Belgium. And while Madeleine McCann girl may have very well been snatched by such evil hands, it is surprising that an equally depraved institution — one of gigantic size — has never even been considered by investigators or the media as McCann’s possible kidnapper: namely, the Arab child slave trade.

(more…)

Continue ReadingThe Dark World of the Arab Child Slave Trade

Current Events In Light of Bible Prophecy

By Joel Rosenberg – posted on May 11, 2011

Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39, what Bible scholars describe as the coming “War of Gog & Magog”

Over the next few days, I’ll share with you some of my notes. Today, let’s start by defining who “Gog” and “Magog” are, when this prophecy will take place, and what countries will be participating in the coalition against Israel:

1. The Hebrew Prophet Ezekiel lived in Babylon (Iraq) more than 2,500 years ago and the Lord gave him a vision of events that would take place in the future.

2. Ezekiel 38:16 specifically tells us these events will take place in the “last days” — that is in the End Times before the Messiah comes to set up His kingdom on earth.

3. Ezekiel chapters 36 and 37 set the stage for the “War of Gog and Magog” by describing that Israel will be reborn as a country in the last days, the Jewish people will come back to the Holy Land from exile all over the world, the Jewish people will rebuild the ancient ruins and make the deserts bloom again. These things have all happened, and this suggests we are getting closer to the fulfillment of the next set of prophecies.

(more…)

Continue ReadingCurrent Events In Light of Bible Prophecy

Was Osama a true Muslim or a radical Islamic extremist? / By Pr Daniel

Osama Bin LadenPastor DanielDear family and friends in Christ,

There has been much news in the media all over the world in the last few days regarding the death of Osama bin Laden.

This man who was driven by a very evil agenda and who managed to terribly change the world in some 10 years through violence and fear, has successfully put Islam on the global scene.

So, was he a radical Islamic extremist or was he a true Muslim who followed the Quran?? Click the following link to read a document and make up your mind as to whether this man followed the Quran or not??

https://reformationharvestfire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/we-must-care-for-australia.pdf

A true believer of any faith is a person who follows the fundamental doctrines of the faith, generally called a ‘fundamentalist’.

The question then needs to be asked, are there good Muslims? The answer is YES, of course.  However, they are not necessarily true Muslims according to Mohammed and the Quran.  Many Muslims have not read, nor follow the whole Quran, and prefer living a peaceful life.

(more…)

Continue ReadingWas Osama a true Muslim or a radical Islamic extremist? / By Pr Daniel

Millions of Muslims becoming followers of our Lord Jesus Christ

Dear friends and family in Christ in Australia and around the World, Following is an incredible 14 minute video link in regard to millions of Muslims becoming followers of our…

Continue ReadingMillions of Muslims becoming followers of our Lord Jesus Christ

Islamic extremists burn churches in Ethiopia

Christian Today – Christian Newspaper

by Brian Hutt Posted: Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Thousands of Islamic extremists have gone on the rampage in Ethiopia burning dozens of churches and the homes of Christians, according to Compass Direct News.

At least one Christian has been killed and more than 4,000 Christians have reportedly been displaced in and around Asendabo, around 186 miles from capital Addis Ababa.

The attacks occurred after a Christian was accused of desecrating a copy of the Koran by tearing it up.

(more…)

Continue ReadingIslamic extremists burn churches in Ethiopia

Algeria: Where Revival Refuses to Cease

Church remains after Muslim attackby Aidan Clay : Feb 28, 2011 : ASSIST News

“During that year we went to villages where there were no Christians, we prayed for the village, and after a few months we would hear that there were Believers there. People had dreams, visions; some of them discovered Christian radio programs. We didn’t share the Gospel directly with many people, but God in His way, preached the Gospel. It was like an explosion in all the Kabylie area and it’s continuing now.” -Pastor Raba.

(Tizi Ouzou, Algeria)—As reported in Assist News, last year, an angry mob damaged the Tafat Church in Tizi Ouzou. International Christian Concern (ICC), a Washington DC-based human rights organization, visited Algeria, including Tizi Ouzou, just months after the attack on Tafat Church. The purpose for the visit was to encourage Algeria’s Christians and assist their unmet needs, but as happens more often than not when meeting with persecuted brethren, it was ICC who came away more encouraged.

Meeting with house church pastors in remote villages in the beautiful Kabylie Mountains, they shared stories of God’s work amongst their people and reminisced about Algeria’s great—and enduring—20 year revival.

  (more…)

Continue ReadingAlgeria: Where Revival Refuses to Cease

South Sudan Set to Become World’s Newest Country

South Sudan is BornMonday, February 7, 2011 By Dan Wooding – Founder of ASSIST Ministries

Christians will now be free to worship without fear of bombings and even crucifixions

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (ANS) — ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com) is reporting that the streets of South Sudan’s capital Juba were filled with people dancing with joy over the official announcement today (Monday, February 07, 2011), that the proposed-nation’s independence referendum has passed with more than 98 percent of southerners voting to secede.

People clap during the announcement of the preliminary results of voting in Sudan on Jan 30. South Sudan overwhelmingly voted to split from the north in a referendum intended to end decades of civil war, sparking mass celebrations.

 “In Khartoum, Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir and South Sudan President Salva Kiir were together as the official results were announced. Earlier Bashir repeated that the Khartoum government will accept and support the results,” Dana Hughes said in her story for ABC News.

Bashir said on state television, “Today we received these results and we accept and welcome these results because they represent the will of the southern people.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingSouth Sudan Set to Become World’s Newest Country

Christians And Their Churches Targeted By Radical Muslims

January 20, 2011

Militant Islam Monitor – By Emerson Vermaat

In December 2010 I reported that Christian asylum seekers in three thirds of the asylum seekers centers in Holland (so-called “AZC’s”) are seriously intimidated by Muslim asylum seekers. Too many Muslim converts to Christianity – often refugees from totalitarian Muslim societies – live in fear. However, the problem of harassing or attacking Christians is much more widespread. Many Christians in Iraq are persecuted by radical Muslims who bomb their churches, kill their pastors and priests. Many of them flee to the West. (Some them end up in Dutch asylum seekers centers where they once again face harassment by militant Muslims.) Coptic churches in Egypt have also been bombed. There was a major terror attack on a Coptic church in Alexandria, Egypt, on New Year’s day, when 25 Coptic Christians were killed.

Iran’s “Press TV”, Lebanon’s Grand Mufti, a Muslim Brotherhood official and an Egyptian lawyers group suggested that agents of the Israeli Mossad – “zionist fingerpints” – were behind the church blast. In a recent essay Raymond Ibrahim, author of the noteworthy book “The Al Qaeda Reader,” points out that “Islamists accuse Egypt’s Christians of behaving like… Islamists.” “Islamists regularly abduct, abuse, brainwash, and compel Coptic girls to convert – and now Copts are accused of doing the exact same thing; Islamists regularly smuggle and stockpile weapons, including in their holy places – and now Copts are accused of doing the exact same thing. Islamists are constantly either trying to break away or conquer infidel nations – and now Copts are accused of doing the exact same thing; Islamic martyrdom means participating and dying in jihad – and now Christian martyrdom is defined as the exact same thing.” “This recent batch of bizarre accusations is making Muslims more irate and paranoid, and bodes greater evil for Egypt’s beleaguered Christians.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingChristians And Their Churches Targeted By Radical Muslims

Atheism Becoming the New Religion, Evangelicals Warned

Lausanne Cape Town 2010-Carver YuBy Maria Mackay|Christian Today Reporter
 
Carver Yu, president and professor in dogmatics at the China Graduate School of Theology in Hong Kong, talks about the challenges of pluralism and atheism at the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization on Monday, October 18, 2010, in Cape Town, South Africa

He said the recent advertising campaign by Richard Dawkins and other atheists on London buses was a perfect example of the “enthusiastic zeal” with which atheists were campaigning against Christianity and religion.

“Atheism is about to become the new religion,” he said. “Christians must preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ fearlessly because he is the way, the truth and the life. Only he can lead us away from the present state of godlessness.”

Yu was addressing more than 4,000 evangelical leaders from around the world at Cape Town 2010, the Third Lausanne Congress on world evangelization taking place this week in the South African city.

(more…)

Continue ReadingAtheism Becoming the New Religion, Evangelicals Warned

‘Don’t blame racism for your problems’: Archbishop John Sentamu urges young black men to work hard for success

Archbishop of YorkBy Steve Doughty on 19th October 2010

The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu has urged young black men to avoid the trappings of crime

The Archbishop of York has urged young black people to stop blaming racism for their problems.

Dr John Sentamu warned that prisons, mental health units and young offender institutions held too many black people.

He told a new generation: ‘Your future success does not lie in guns, gangs and knives or in the worship of celebrities.’

Instead, they should ‘work hard’ and ‘stay focused’, he said. (more…)

Continue Reading‘Don’t blame racism for your problems’: Archbishop John Sentamu urges young black men to work hard for success

Missionaries: Church Failing to Reach One-Fourth of the World

Lausanne World Evangelism Conference 2010 - Unreached People GroupsBy Michelle A. Vu – Christian Post Reporter

Missions – Fri, Oct. 22 2010 
 
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – More than 25 percent of the ethnic groups (unreached people groups) in the world, or about two billion people, are not represented at the Lausanne Conference.

An unreached people group means that cross-cultural mission is necessary for a person in the group to hear the Gospel because they cannot find people within their ethnic group to share with them the good news.
Mission leaders on Wednesday said the hardest obstacle to overcome in reaching unreached people groups is the obedience of the church. They spoke at the Lausanne multiplex session titled “M*ss*ng People: The Unserved One-Fourth World.”A video shown at the beginning of the session highlighted that despite the fact that 86 percent of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists do not personally know a Christ follower, 90 percent of missionaries go to “Christianized” regions, according to the World Christian Database.

“In my 14 years working with Muslims, mobilizing churches in Korea, I came to realized that Muslims haven’t been missing people to God, but to God’s people,” said Henry Lee, a mission leader based in Seoul, South Korea, and part of Ethne to Ethne (Greek for people to people), a global mission network focused on getting the gospel to unreached people groups.

Kent Park, president of U.S.-based Mission to Unreached Peoples, explained why churches do not share the Gospel with people groups that need to hear it.

(more…)

Continue ReadingMissionaries: Church Failing to Reach One-Fourth of the World

Africa is the Church of the Future, Says Lausanne Officer

Lausanne World Evangelism 2010 in Cape TownBy Michelle A. Vu – Christian Post Reporter

World – Sat, Oct. 23 2010 09:35

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – There is hope in Africa – a continent ravaged by conflicts, poverty and HIV/AIDS – because God is at work in this land, said African Christian leaders Friday at the Lausanne conference.

In the last century, the African church has grown 3,000 percent, said Daniel Bourdanne, general secretary of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students and international deputy director for the Lausanne movement, during the evening plenary focused on Africa. Even though Africa does not have money or technology, Bourdanne said, Africans can celebrate because God’s grace has been poured out on the continent.

“This (church growth through the Holy Spirit) is more than technology, more than money, more than anything that we can have,” declared the African leader from Chad, drawing loud applause from the 4,000 attendees of Lausanne III.

Christian leaders from over 190 nations are gathered in Cape Town, South Africa, for The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. While all three Lausanne conferences have focused on sharing the Gospel worldwide, this conference is also addressing a wide range of global problems facing the Church, such as pluralism, globalization, HIV/AIDS, and prosperity gospel.

(more…)

Continue ReadingAfrica is the Church of the Future, Says Lausanne Officer

Former Muslim: Mullahs, Imams Coming to Christ in West Africa

Lausanne World Evangelism Conference 2010 in Cape TownBy Michelle A. Vu – Christian Post Reporter

Missions – Fri, Oct. 22 2010

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Hundreds of imams and mullahs from West Africa have been coming to Christ in the past decade and in turn sharing the Gospel with their peers, said a former Muslim who witnesses to Muslim scholars and clerics.

Brother Daniel (last name withheld for security reasons) said that the initiative he started has exposed over 10,000 scholars, clerics and mullahs to the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ over the past 10 years. From that number, some 1,000 have come to Christ with 500 of them having completed discipleship training. Currently, 58 former mullahs, imams, and scholars from the initiative are sharing their faith in Christ, exclaimed Daniel to applause from the Lausanne III crowd.

“The Muslims that are around us are good people; they are sincere in their beliefs,” said Daniel Friday morning. “[But] even though they are very sincere, they are sincerely wrong.”

Daniel, who grew up in a Muslim setting in Africa, said Christians are not eager to share their faith with Muslims even though Jesus commanded them to spread the Gospel. Christians are “disobedient and fearful” to share the Gospel even though the Holy Spirit has worked on the hearts of Muslims and they are open and waiting to hear the good news, Daniel remarked.

(more…)

Continue ReadingFormer Muslim: Mullahs, Imams Coming to Christ in West Africa