June 2016 issue of The Christian Messenger's English edition
14
Website: www.christianmessenger.in INDIA’S EVANGELICAL NEWS MAGAZINE Vol. 13, No. 2 | JUNE, 2016 | Rs.20/- THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 1 1 1 1 Pakistan’s Minorities: Fleeing Fire For A Snake Pit Pakistan’s Minorities: Fleeing Fire For A Snake Pit Foreign Funding Of NGOs Comes Down Under Modi Foreign Funding Of NGOs Comes Down Under Modi ‘Yield to be useful’ Photos from VBS ‘Yield to be useful’ Photos from VBS THE GOD WHO TESTIFIES TO THE GOD WHO TESTIFIES TO YOU! YOU!
Transcript
RNI No. TNBIL/2004/15307 Postal Registration No. TN/CCN/271/2016-2018Licence to Post Without Pre-payment WPP No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-77/2016-2018RNI No. TNBIL/2004/15307 Postal Registration No. TN/CCN/271/2016-2018Licence to Post Without Pre-payment WPP No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-77/2016-2018
Posted: 2nd to 8th of every monthPosted: 2nd to 8th of every monthth| Date of Publication: 25 of every monthth| Date of Publication: 25 of every month
Pakistan’s Minorities: Fleeing Fire For A Snake Pit
Pakistan’s Minorities: Fleeing Fire For A Snake Pit
Foreign Funding Of NGOs Comes Down Under ModiForeign Funding Of NGOs Comes Down Under Modi
‘Yield to be useful’
Photos from VBS
‘Yield to be useful’
Photos from VBS
THE GOD WHO TESTIFIES TOTHE GOD WHO TESTIFIES TO
YOU!YOU!
27
VBS IN KODAIKANALOur volunteers braved the chill and the inclement weather of the hillstation to bring the joy of VBS to children in Kodaikanal from May 7 to 9. It was such a delight to see the children
assemble at the VBS venue well before we arrived. The children enjoyed the songs and dance sessions in particular. While kids who answered questions from the day’s theme and
Bible were honoured, all children received gifts and certificates.
R ME G ISN SE IS O
S N
E S
M
R ME G ISN SE IS O
S N
E S
M
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
2
YIELD TO BE USEFUL: VBS IN CHENNAIJohn 12:24 was the foundational verse of this year’s theme for the Vacation Bible School meetings that
were held in Chennai and Kodaikanal. For three consecutive days from May 2, Messenger Missions held VBS for children in the 5 to 15 age category in Nolambur, Chennai. The children learned the Scriptural
truth of how yielding one’s life to Jesus was the only way to be useful to God. A dedicated team of teachers and volunteers regaled the children through songs and dance, while a three-part skit explained the theme.
Every day, the children were treated to delicious snacks and juices. Every child was prayed over and almost all of them made a decision to yield themselves to the Lord. To God be all glory.
The purpose of the news magazine is to report newsworthy religious events and activities within the local community, nationwide and around the world, to increase the awareness and activism of believers regarding the moral issues of today, to provide thought-provoking commentary, and to provide an effective advertising vehicle for Christian ministries and organizations, events and businesses that want to reach the Christian community. - Editor
The Team Managing Editor: Robin Sam Editor & Publisher: Elsy Robin Editorial Advisors: P I Samuel, Sheila BoseProduction & Sales: S Saravanan
TELEPHONE:Office: 044-65145334 (9 am to 6 pm; Mon-Fri) Editorial: 0-72990 63345 Advertisements & Subscriptions: 0-72990 63347Prayer Support: 0-98840 38002 (9 am to 9 pm)
Advertisements for the next issue should reach us before the 20th of this month along with the complete payment. Payment can be made by cash or demand draft in favor of ‘Messenger Communications Pvt. Ltd.’ and sent to our address below.
(Readers are advised to make thorough enquiries before acting on any advertisements. This magazine does not necessarily agree to the claims or representations made by any advertiser.)
Send your feedback to this issue at [email protected] us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/christian.messenger
Twitter: www.twitter.com/christmessenger
Send your feedback to this issue at [email protected] us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/christian.messenger
Twitter: www.twitter.com/christmessenger
06 THE MESSAGE >>
1013172124
SIGNS OF THE TIMESBBC’s Religion Head Says Channel’s ‘Too Christian’
NEIGHBOURS Christianity Growing Rapidly In Nepal
PERSECUTION
NGOs Has Come DownUnder Modi Govt, Funding Of
ADVERTISEMENT TARIFF
Ph:044-65145334 / 0-7299063345 / 7299063347
Centre Spread :Rs.16,000/-Back cover :Rs.8,000/-Inside Front Cover :Rs.7,200/-Inside Back Cover :Rs.7,000/-
Full page :Rs.2,500/-Half page :Rs.1,500/-Quarter page :Rs.1,000/-Mini Display :Rs. 500/-
BLACK & WHITE PAGESCOLOR PAGES
ADDRESS FOR COMMUNICATION
The Christian Messenger, 20/20, Bharathiar Street,
Srinivasa Nagar, Padi, Chennai 50.
Use this address only for postal correspondence. Please call us before visiting us.
GOSPEL MELA 201615 Specific Prayer Points For A 30-Minute Intercession
SUPPORT MINISTRYMissionary Children’s Educational Need Unmet
The Christian Messenger is supported only by subscriptions and advertisements. Please
consider supporting this media ministry through your prayers, subscriptions and advertisements.
YIELD TO BE USEFUL: VBS IN CHENNAIJohn 12:24 was the foundational verse on which this year’s theme for the Vacation Bible School meetings were held in Chennai and Kodaikanal. For three consecutive days from May 2, Messenger Missions held VBS for children in the 5 to 15 age category in Nolambur, Chennai. The children learned the Scriptural
truth of how yielding one’s life to Jesus was the only way to be useful to God. A dedicated team of teachers and volunteers regaled the children through songs and dance, while a three-part skit explained the theme.
Every day, the children were treated to delicious snacks and juices. Every child was prayed over while almost all of them made a decision to yield themselves to the Lord. To God be all glory.
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 6Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER7
THE MESSAGE
WE live in a dog-eat-dog world where everyone looks after his own interests. People will do anything to be successful – to get ahead in their career or business – even if it means badmouthing a peer or spreading canards about a rival company.
In the western countries, competitors fight pitched battles with each other through media advertising to prove a point. Pepsi will mock at Coca Cola while Unilever's toothpaste brand will claim they are better than Colgate.
This rivalry is not just in the corporate world, it's in every sphere of life. Desperate film-stars badmouth each other in private and gloat when their peers' movies bomb at the box office. In short, those who talk good about others and wish them success have become a rarity these days.
Christians are called to be different. Once, when Jesus' disciples disputed among themselves about who would be the greatest among them, the Lord called them and said to them: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
Again, when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him asking for the most special privilege of sitting at His right hand and left hand in His glory, Jesus taught them the greatest lesson in leadership – namely servanthood. He said to them: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 10:42,43).
Servanthood, however, should not be confused with settling for the least. It’s a deliberate choice
made by those who have the clarity that the One they are serving is the Master, and He owns everything. God desires the best for His children. He is concerned for them and cares for their needs. He always wants to give them the best. The best comes when we give heed to God's Word.
Three times in the book of Psalms, God specifically calls His children ('O My people') and asks them to incline their ears to His words.
The three verses talk about three phases in the life of a child of God. We will look at each one of the verses to understand the scriptural truths behind them.
1. God says: I will testify against youThe first instance of God calling out to His
thchildren as 'O My people' comes in Psalm 50. The 7 verse reads thus: “Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you.'
This phase of life has occurred in every believer's life. Before salvation, God and His Word continually testified against us. “…for at one time you were darkness”, says Ephesians 5:8. We were called as the 'sons of disobedience' then. Before we accepted Jesus as our saviour, “the handwriting of ordinances was against us,” says Colossians 2:14.
Isaiah 59:12 says: 'For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them…'
When our life was in a mess, when we lived in open rebellion to God and His Word, He was still merciful to us. When we went astray, He came looking for us. Oh, thank God for the love that sent His only begotten Son into the world! One of the biggest praise points the redeemed children of God
need to utter frequently is that He didn't snuff out our lives when we were yet sinful. Hebrews 10:31,32 say: '…The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'
God in His mercy sent His Son Jesus who “wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us” (Colossians 2:14). Jesus accomplished this by taking what was against us out of the way and nailed it to the cross. Oh, praise God for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Three areas where we need to be vigilant Children of God, although redeemed once,
need to be aware that they can fall into sin anytime and make God testify against them again. There are three areas where we need to be cautious.
a. We should never compromise in the area of our devotion to God. Joshua, in his final sermon to the Israelites, warned them against rebelling against God by building an altar beside the altar of the Lord, God (Joshua 22:19). Nothing and none can replace the position of God in our lives. No man, however holy he may be, should be equated with God.
b. The Word of God has been given to us to guide us in the life on the earth. We should be careful to read it every day and meditate on it. While reading it, we should listen carefully to the voice of God. Reading the Bible should not be a mindless exercise. 2 Kings 22:13 warns us against kindling the wrath of God by not obeying the words of the Book.
c. The people of Israel thought they were opposing Moses and Aaron when they murmured against them. But, Moses made it plain that murmuring against God's anointed ones is murmuring against God Himself (Exodus 16:8). Apostle John warns against this in 3 John 10.
2. God says: I will testify to youThe second instance of God calling out His
children as 'O, My people' is found in Psalm 81:8. It reads: 'Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you.'
Admonishing is an act of disciplining. The same verse is found in KJV as '…I will testify unto thee.' Disciplining is for our benefit. Hebrews 12:5,6 underline this: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”
The God who admonishes us reminds us of three important things in Psalm 81. We will look at them briefly.
The three things God reminded Israelites then, and reminds us now
i. I am your GodPsalm 81:10, 'I am the Lord your God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.'
The Israelites knew who their God was. They knew it was He who brought them out of the land of slavery, but as years went by, they conveniently forgot their God and turned to their own ways. In John 9, we read about Jesus healing a man who was born blind. After an encounter with Jesus, the man could see but did not know who had healed him. The Pharisees did not believe the man's testimony and cast him out. When Jesus heard that the man who had a miracle was thrown out, He met up with him again. If you read John 9:35-37, it is interesting to note that Jesus did not introduce Himself as the One who healed his blindness but as the Son of Man. When the blind man started to see, Jesus had gone away from the place. However, Jesus' voice must have been clearly etched in his mind's eye. So, Jesus does not take the trouble of introducing Himself as the Healer (which He is), but as the One who is called the Son of Man. Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.”
Hallelujah! This is how He deals with us too. When we had our first encounter with Jesus, He came as our Saviour. As time goes, He wants to know if we would accept Him as our Lord.
ii. There shall be no other gods before youPsalm 81:9, 'There shall be no foreign god among
you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.'God knew it was not just enough to tell the
Israelites who He was ('I am the Lord your God'). It was also important to command them about the way forward. The way forward should be one of total and absolute devotion only to Him, the Almighty God. Because He is a zealous God, He does not like His children to go after false and worthless gods.
In Jesus' time, once a woman who was caught in the act of adultery was brought before Him. In those days, punishment for those caught in adultery was death by stoning. When the accusers wanted to know from Jesus how the woman should be dealt with, He bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. When they pestered to know His mind, Jesus threw a game-changer at them. He asked the one without sin among them to throw the first stone against the woman. There was none who was sinless. As the crowd slowly dispersed, Jesus refused to condemn her either. However, He showed her the way forward. He told her, '…Go, and from now on sin no more' (John 8:11).
Jesus said the same thing to the man who lay by the poolside in Bethesda. He had been an infirm for 38 years and would have continued to be infirm until
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 6Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER7
THE MESSAGE
WE live in a dog-eat-dog world where everyone looks after his own interests. People will do anything to be successful – to get ahead in their career or business – even if it means badmouthing a peer or spreading canards about a rival company.
In the western countries, competitors fight pitched battles with each other through media advertising to prove a point. Pepsi will mock at Coca Cola while Unilever's toothpaste brand will claim they are better than Colgate.
This rivalry is not just in the corporate world, it's in every sphere of life. Desperate film-stars badmouth each other in private and gloat when their peers' movies bomb at the box office. In short, those who talk good about others and wish them success have become a rarity these days.
Christians are called to be different. Once, when Jesus' disciples disputed among themselves about who would be the greatest among them, the Lord called them and said to them: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
Again, when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him asking for the most special privilege of sitting at His right hand and left hand in His glory, Jesus taught them the greatest lesson in leadership – namely servanthood. He said to them: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 10:42,43).
Servanthood, however, should not be confused with settling for the least. It’s a deliberate choice
made by those who have the clarity that the One they are serving is the Master, and He owns everything. God desires the best for His children. He is concerned for them and cares for their needs. He always wants to give them the best. The best comes when we give heed to God's Word.
Three times in the book of Psalms, God specifically calls His children ('O My people') and asks them to incline their ears to His words.
The three verses talk about three phases in the life of a child of God. We will look at each one of the verses to understand the scriptural truths behind them.
1. God says: I will testify against youThe first instance of God calling out to His
thchildren as 'O My people' comes in Psalm 50. The 7 verse reads thus: “Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you.'
This phase of life has occurred in every believer's life. Before salvation, God and His Word continually testified against us. “…for at one time you were darkness”, says Ephesians 5:8. We were called as the 'sons of disobedience' then. Before we accepted Jesus as our saviour, “the handwriting of ordinances was against us,” says Colossians 2:14.
Isaiah 59:12 says: 'For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them…'
When our life was in a mess, when we lived in open rebellion to God and His Word, He was still merciful to us. When we went astray, He came looking for us. Oh, thank God for the love that sent His only begotten Son into the world! One of the biggest praise points the redeemed children of God
need to utter frequently is that He didn't snuff out our lives when we were yet sinful. Hebrews 10:31,32 say: '…The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'
God in His mercy sent His Son Jesus who “wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us” (Colossians 2:14). Jesus accomplished this by taking what was against us out of the way and nailed it to the cross. Oh, praise God for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Three areas where we need to be vigilant Children of God, although redeemed once,
need to be aware that they can fall into sin anytime and make God testify against them again. There are three areas where we need to be cautious.
a. We should never compromise in the area of our devotion to God. Joshua, in his final sermon to the Israelites, warned them against rebelling against God by building an altar beside the altar of the Lord, God (Joshua 22:19). Nothing and none can replace the position of God in our lives. No man, however holy he may be, should be equated with God.
b. The Word of God has been given to us to guide us in the life on the earth. We should be careful to read it every day and meditate on it. While reading it, we should listen carefully to the voice of God. Reading the Bible should not be a mindless exercise. 2 Kings 22:13 warns us against kindling the wrath of God by not obeying the words of the Book.
c. The people of Israel thought they were opposing Moses and Aaron when they murmured against them. But, Moses made it plain that murmuring against God's anointed ones is murmuring against God Himself (Exodus 16:8). Apostle John warns against this in 3 John 10.
2. God says: I will testify to youThe second instance of God calling out His
children as 'O, My people' is found in Psalm 81:8. It reads: 'Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you.'
Admonishing is an act of disciplining. The same verse is found in KJV as '…I will testify unto thee.' Disciplining is for our benefit. Hebrews 12:5,6 underline this: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”
The God who admonishes us reminds us of three important things in Psalm 81. We will look at them briefly.
The three things God reminded Israelites then, and reminds us now
i. I am your GodPsalm 81:10, 'I am the Lord your God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.'
The Israelites knew who their God was. They knew it was He who brought them out of the land of slavery, but as years went by, they conveniently forgot their God and turned to their own ways. In John 9, we read about Jesus healing a man who was born blind. After an encounter with Jesus, the man could see but did not know who had healed him. The Pharisees did not believe the man's testimony and cast him out. When Jesus heard that the man who had a miracle was thrown out, He met up with him again. If you read John 9:35-37, it is interesting to note that Jesus did not introduce Himself as the One who healed his blindness but as the Son of Man. When the blind man started to see, Jesus had gone away from the place. However, Jesus' voice must have been clearly etched in his mind's eye. So, Jesus does not take the trouble of introducing Himself as the Healer (which He is), but as the One who is called the Son of Man. Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.”
Hallelujah! This is how He deals with us too. When we had our first encounter with Jesus, He came as our Saviour. As time goes, He wants to know if we would accept Him as our Lord.
ii. There shall be no other gods before youPsalm 81:9, 'There shall be no foreign god among
you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.'God knew it was not just enough to tell the
Israelites who He was ('I am the Lord your God'). It was also important to command them about the way forward. The way forward should be one of total and absolute devotion only to Him, the Almighty God. Because He is a zealous God, He does not like His children to go after false and worthless gods.
In Jesus' time, once a woman who was caught in the act of adultery was brought before Him. In those days, punishment for those caught in adultery was death by stoning. When the accusers wanted to know from Jesus how the woman should be dealt with, He bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. When they pestered to know His mind, Jesus threw a game-changer at them. He asked the one without sin among them to throw the first stone against the woman. There was none who was sinless. As the crowd slowly dispersed, Jesus refused to condemn her either. However, He showed her the way forward. He told her, '…Go, and from now on sin no more' (John 8:11).
Jesus said the same thing to the man who lay by the poolside in Bethesda. He had been an infirm for 38 years and would have continued to be infirm until
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 8Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER9
his death had it not been for that encounter with Jesus. The Lord healed him and later when Jesus found him in the temple, He told him: “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (John 5:14).
Sin does not just cause a relapse of a physical infirmity, it also leads to spiritual decay. When we move away from Christ, we fall from grace, says Galatians 5:4. Turning to other gods is akin to turning our back on Jesus, the only Living God.
iii. Victory is round the cornerPsalm 81:14, 'I would soon subdue their enemies,
and turn My hand against their adversaries.'God gave His people a wonderful promise, that
He would subdue their enemies. God is pretty much telling us the same thing now. Romans 16:20 says, 'And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.'
God will accomplish our final victory when death itself is swallowed up. When the corruptible puts on incorruption and the mortal puts on immortality we will receive our final victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:56).
3. God says: You testify about MePsalm 78:1 has the third instance when God calls
His children as ‘O My people.’ 'Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your
ears to the words of my mouth.'When we first met God, our spiritual condition
was such that He would testify against us. When He made us His children through the blood of Jesus Christ, He testified to us and now when we walk daily in His footsteps He expects us to testify about Him to others. What a wonderful God we serve!
Why does God want us to hear the words of His mouth? There are at least two reasons found in Psalm 78. To reveal to us the dark sayings of old and to make them known to the generation to come.
Dark sayings of old are parables. Jesus often spoke in parables. When Jesus spoke in parables, His disciples thought He was being difficult to his audience. However, when He spoke in parables, He was in fact uttering things kept secret from the foundation of the world (Matthew 13:35). And, the disciples were a privileged lot to know the dark sayings of old.
What we testify about God is never in vain. It goes on from one generation to another. It goes on to even those who would be born someday (Psalm 78:6). What we do for the Lord never goes waste. The seed that we sow diligently today will sprout someday and give a yield 30, 60 or 100 times. To this generation and to the generations that are to come. Will you say an Amen to that?
Pakistan’s Minorities: Fleeing Fire for a Snake Pit
A successful state takes care of all its citizens irrespective of their color, caste, creed, gender or religion. But unfortunately, in Pakistan, the minorities are not taken care of properly. They are killed, lynched, tortured and expelled.
Pakistan's minority population has gone from over one-fifth at the founding of the modern state to a paltry three percent at present.
Christians are currently running from Pakistan; Sikhs have migrated to other parts of the world, and Parsis are now part of Pakistan's history. Only their graves bear witness to the existence of their once thriving community in Pakistan. It is only a matter of time that Hindus will leave their homeland in the Sindh province. In short, Pakistan is experiencing a mass exodus of its minority populations.
One of the main destinations of Christians fleeing Pakistan is Thailand. A documentary made by investigative journalist Chris Rogers and Wilson Chaudhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association on their dire circumstances was recently aired on the BBC.
The two went undercover to film the plight of thousands Pakistani Christian asylum seekers in stranded in Thailand.
Although it is a country known for its tourism industry and tradition of welcoming visitors, for asylum seekers, Thailand -- which is not a signatory to the Geneva Convention 1951 of Human Rights -- is not a safe haven for refugees.
Even so, the UNCHR, under a separate agreement with the government, has established offices in Thailand to register asylum seekers and pass them on to different countries. Due to the increasing wave of migrants throughout the globe, however, Thailand is under stress and the military government is not allowing any refugee to obtain more than the standard tourist visa which allows a visitor to stay only six months.
A nationwide crackdown began this past March on all immigrants whose visas have expired. Even though the UNHCR issues ID cards to asylum seekers, these refugees are still considered illegal.
Yet due to the backlog and limited staff of the UNCHR, it is almost impossible to process asylum applications within six months of the immigrant's arrival. Applicants normally have to wait for years just for an interview!
While they are waiting, asylum seekers are not allowed to work to earn money to feed themselves. Once their visa has expired, their lives become hell. From time to time, they are arrested and sent to the
International Detention Centre, known as one of the worst prisons in the world.
Hundreds of people are imprisoned in inhumane conditions, making the center a breeding ground for serious diseases that many do not survive.
Still, Pakistani Christians take the chance and flee Pakistan for Thailand. From time to time, British MPs and Americans Congressmen who are aware of this situation raise their voices, but as Thailand has no legal obligation to deal with this issue, the authorities rarely pay attention to them.
The international community should take notice of the plight of Christian Pakistani asylum seekers in Thailand as they are not economic migrants. For Pakistan's Christians, who have been severely persecuted, the decision to say goodbye to their centuries-old homeland and sell their properties (those that have not been burned down) and set aside their social ties (if they haven't been totally ostracized) is heart wrenching for them.
Yet the prospect of being trapped in false blasphemy cases or having their wives or daughters join the thousands of minority women who have been forced into marriages and conversion is the alternatiave.
For the global community, it is time to take up the cause of Pakistan’s minorities’ – or be witness to their graves in a country increasingly on the path to violent, Islamist extremism.
BY KALEEM DEAN
ASIA NEWSTHE MESSAGE
A nationwide crackdown began this past March on all immigrants whose visas have expired. Even though the UNHCR issues ID cards to asylum
seekers, these refugees are still considered illegal.
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 10Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER11
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Redemption of our souls is possible only through Jesus, there’s no other way. Gospel is nothing but proclaiming that Jesus is the only way to be saved from our sins, to be delivered out of the bondage of our curses and to come out of darkness into His magnificent light. We are doing this in a concerted manner by targeting one State in the country every
shall be multiplied those who hasten after another god.' God instils fear in the hearts of people by using His armoury He has reserved in nature's reserves. We now need to pray for the disillusioned people to turn to the Only Living God, Jesus Christ.
2. There are hundreds of thousands of people in our country who are under the yoke of various bondages and held by the vice-like grip of ignorance and superstition. Who will tell them of the salvation freely available in and through Jesus? Shall we pray
15 Specific Prayer Points For a 30-Minute Intercession
fth; /gPr;rh;
GOSPEL MELA 201624-Hour Chain Prayer
Predominantly present in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, they also live in Pondicherry, Maharashtra and Delhi. Christians among them are estimated to be around 2.33 percent. Pray that in the coming days, the number of Christians among them will increase.
6. A huge amount of money is required to buy Bibles, New Testaments and Gospel Tracts in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Odiya among other languages month after month. Pray that these needs are met by God through Christians who come forward to store treasures for themselves in heaven (Matthew 6:20).
7. Pray for the Arundhatiyar community. They are also known as Madiga, Pagadi and Madari. Their literacy percent is only 15 percent. Pray for the salvation of the people of the Arundhatiyar people. Pray that the Arundhatiyar people's life will become better through development programmes of the government and NGOs. Pray that God may grant grace and strength to the missionaries who work among them.
Every nation, every tribe, every people and every tongue shall say: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10).
Praying with one accord for 2,234 people groups spread across 1.2 billion people in 29 states and 7 UTs in one nation.
8. Pray for the Bhandaris. Hinduism is interwoven in all of Bhandari life. Any attempt to share a different religious view will probably be viewed with suspicion or hostility. Focused prayer and sustained effort will be needed to reach this community with the Gospel. Although there are no known believers today, pray for those the Lord will draw to himself. Population: 615,000. Languages: Odiya, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and others.
9. Pray for the deaf people in India. It is estimated that there are around 15 million deaf in India. There are 478 schools that receive government funding and another 372 private schools for the deaf in India.
month for the next 12 months. We are reaching out to 100,000 people in each state with the Gospel message through tracts, other booklets and personal evangelism wherever possible. We are not working on this in isolation but have involved several local churches and missions organizations in each state. We have christened this effort as ‘Gospel Mela 2016’.
We need your prayerful support to make this a success. We lean on to the One who said: ‘…for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). God
expects us to intensify our prayers and give freely to the Lord’s work so hundreds of thousands of Indians will come to know that Jesus is the only way to salvation in the next one year.
Besides using these prayer points to pray for 30 minutes during the 24-hour chain prayer time, will you also set apart five minutes a day or an hour on any day of the week to join us in prayer? If you do, God will do wonders in this nation. Amen. Glory to God.
1. Our prayers so far under the aegis of Gospel Mela have borne fruit. Our prayer walk and Gospel work in and around a Hindu pilgrimage site resulted in a work of God that was totally unexpected and unprecedented. Psalm 16:4 says, 'Their sorrows
for those who are in the forefront of the evangelistic efforts? “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good th ings , who proc la ims salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!' ” (Isaiah 52:7).
3. Pray for the Sindhis. The Sindhi community members number about 96,000 people across the world. Although Islam is predominantly their religion, there are also those
who follow Hinduism. Professing Christians among them is a mere 1.5 percent only. Of that, evangelical Christians amount to 0.3 percent. Will you pray that God will minister to the Sindhis in a powerful way?
4. Rangaswami is a people group that speaks Marwari. Estimated to be 2,600 in numbers, the community members practice Hinduism. They are an indigenous group and among the least reached people groups in India. They are also known as Kabirpanthi and Vir Hanuman. Pray for them.
5. The Ambattan people group speaks Tamil, Malayalam and Tulu. They are also known as Panditan, Navidan, Kshaurakan and Izhavathi among other names. The indigenous group's population is estimated to be around 182,000.
We prayed, we will prevail!
M r s . M e e r a Priyadarshini
Praise the Lord. Last month, I took up a half-hour timeslot between 10 am and 10.30 am to pray for the Gospel Mela prayer points. However, I got ready to pray at 9.30 in the morning. Before I
began to pray, I went through the prayer points, underlined some in red to remember them during prayer, and kept a map of India beside me. I felt there was a revival in me. All the prayer points are vivid in my mind. Nowadays, I remember the prayer points and pray even while I am cooking. I am sure God will do mighty things in the nation.
Mrs. Padmini ChristyUntil I got a copy of the
Gospel Mela prayer points, I was praying for the salvation of the people of India in a general way. However, now I pray specifically for people groups and tribes. I praise God for giving me an
opportunity to pray thus. Last month, I prayed earnestly for all the prayer points printed in the magazine. It was a blessed experience. I intend to take photocopies of the prayer points and give them to 10 of my friends so they can pray too.
Mrs. Angeline AnbiahI prayed for all the listed
points under Gospel Mela last month. It was a beautiful experience. The first part of the prayer points that talked about setting our life in order before we get ready for intercessory prayer was an
eye-opener and very useful to me. I commit to pray regularly for the Gospel Mela initiative taken up by Messenger Missions to evangelise India. I thank God for including me as a prayer warrior in this venture.
(Have you been praying for the nation as part of Gospel Mela? Write to us about your experience. Email: [email protected] )
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 10Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER11
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Redemption of our souls is possible only through Jesus, there’s no other way. Gospel is nothing but proclaiming that Jesus is the only way to be saved from our sins, to be delivered out of the bondage of our curses and to come out of darkness into His magnificent light. We are doing this in a concerted manner by targeting one State in the country every
shall be multiplied those who hasten after another god.' God instils fear in the hearts of people by using His armoury He has reserved in nature's reserves. We now need to pray for the disillusioned people to turn to the Only Living God, Jesus Christ.
2. There are hundreds of thousands of people in our country who are under the yoke of various bondages and held by the vice-like grip of ignorance and superstition. Who will tell them of the salvation freely available in and through Jesus? Shall we pray
15 Specific Prayer Points For a 30-Minute Intercession
fth; /gPr;rh;
GOSPEL MELA 201624-Hour Chain Prayer
Predominantly present in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, they also live in Pondicherry, Maharashtra and Delhi. Christians among them are estimated to be around 2.33 percent. Pray that in the coming days, the number of Christians among them will increase.
6. A huge amount of money is required to buy Bibles, New Testaments and Gospel Tracts in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Odiya among other languages month after month. Pray that these needs are met by God through Christians who come forward to store treasures for themselves in heaven (Matthew 6:20).
7. Pray for the Arundhatiyar community. They are also known as Madiga, Pagadi and Madari. Their literacy percent is only 15 percent. Pray for the salvation of the people of the Arundhatiyar people. Pray that the Arundhatiyar people's life will become better through development programmes of the government and NGOs. Pray that God may grant grace and strength to the missionaries who work among them.
Every nation, every tribe, every people and every tongue shall say: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10).
Praying with one accord for 2,234 people groups spread across 1.2 billion people in 29 states and 7 UTs in one nation.
8. Pray for the Bhandaris. Hinduism is interwoven in all of Bhandari life. Any attempt to share a different religious view will probably be viewed with suspicion or hostility. Focused prayer and sustained effort will be needed to reach this community with the Gospel. Although there are no known believers today, pray for those the Lord will draw to himself. Population: 615,000. Languages: Odiya, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and others.
9. Pray for the deaf people in India. It is estimated that there are around 15 million deaf in India. There are 478 schools that receive government funding and another 372 private schools for the deaf in India.
month for the next 12 months. We are reaching out to 100,000 people in each state with the Gospel message through tracts, other booklets and personal evangelism wherever possible. We are not working on this in isolation but have involved several local churches and missions organizations in each state. We have christened this effort as ‘Gospel Mela 2016’.
We need your prayerful support to make this a success. We lean on to the One who said: ‘…for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). God
expects us to intensify our prayers and give freely to the Lord’s work so hundreds of thousands of Indians will come to know that Jesus is the only way to salvation in the next one year.
Besides using these prayer points to pray for 30 minutes during the 24-hour chain prayer time, will you also set apart five minutes a day or an hour on any day of the week to join us in prayer? If you do, God will do wonders in this nation. Amen. Glory to God.
1. Our prayers so far under the aegis of Gospel Mela have borne fruit. Our prayer walk and Gospel work in and around a Hindu pilgrimage site resulted in a work of God that was totally unexpected and unprecedented. Psalm 16:4 says, 'Their sorrows
for those who are in the forefront of the evangelistic efforts? “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good th ings , who proc la ims salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!' ” (Isaiah 52:7).
3. Pray for the Sindhis. The Sindhi community members number about 96,000 people across the world. Although Islam is predominantly their religion, there are also those
who follow Hinduism. Professing Christians among them is a mere 1.5 percent only. Of that, evangelical Christians amount to 0.3 percent. Will you pray that God will minister to the Sindhis in a powerful way?
4. Rangaswami is a people group that speaks Marwari. Estimated to be 2,600 in numbers, the community members practice Hinduism. They are an indigenous group and among the least reached people groups in India. They are also known as Kabirpanthi and Vir Hanuman. Pray for them.
5. The Ambattan people group speaks Tamil, Malayalam and Tulu. They are also known as Panditan, Navidan, Kshaurakan and Izhavathi among other names. The indigenous group's population is estimated to be around 182,000.
We prayed, we will prevail!
M r s . M e e r a Priyadarshini
Praise the Lord. Last month, I took up a half-hour timeslot between 10 am and 10.30 am to pray for the Gospel Mela prayer points. However, I got ready to pray at 9.30 in the morning. Before I
began to pray, I went through the prayer points, underlined some in red to remember them during prayer, and kept a map of India beside me. I felt there was a revival in me. All the prayer points are vivid in my mind. Nowadays, I remember the prayer points and pray even while I am cooking. I am sure God will do mighty things in the nation.
Mrs. Padmini ChristyUntil I got a copy of the
Gospel Mela prayer points, I was praying for the salvation of the people of India in a general way. However, now I pray specifically for people groups and tribes. I praise God for giving me an
opportunity to pray thus. Last month, I prayed earnestly for all the prayer points printed in the magazine. It was a blessed experience. I intend to take photocopies of the prayer points and give them to 10 of my friends so they can pray too.
Mrs. Angeline AnbiahI prayed for all the listed
points under Gospel Mela last month. It was a beautiful experience. The first part of the prayer points that talked about setting our life in order before we get ready for intercessory prayer was an
eye-opener and very useful to me. I commit to pray regularly for the Gospel Mela initiative taken up by Messenger Missions to evangelise India. I thank God for including me as a prayer warrior in this venture.
(Have you been praying for the nation as part of Gospel Mela? Write to us about your experience. Email: [email protected] )
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 12Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER13
Pray that benefits of government welfare programmes reach them. Percentage of Christians among them: 5.84. Pray that they hear the still, small voice of the Lord that beckons them towards El Shaddai, the Almighty God. Pray that the prophecy about the deaf, found in Isaiah 29:18 is fulfilled in our lifetime.
10. If every Christian family comes forward to send a person to missions or give generously for the needs of the missions, we can reach the unreached people of our nation (India) sooner than we think. Let 'Go, send or give' be the slogan and the heart's cry of every redeemed believer.
11. Pray for a mighty revival in the mission fields administered by Messenger Missions and other mission organizations. If God's work has to progress on war footing, Gospel outreach efforts have to be accompanied by signs and wonders on ground. Remember our mission fields in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
12. Do we trust God enough to save India? Half-hearted prayers won’t do. If you are wrestling with unbelief, read Isaiah 50:2. It says: ‘Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?’ Lord, we pray that Your hand will still do mighty things in our nation. With that hope, we pray: ‘Lord, save India.’
Looking for people with five to 10 years of experience in promotions and grassroots level work in Christian missions’ organizations and parachurches. Must be a born-again believer with impeccable integrity. Educational qualification: B.Th. or M.Th. from any Bible college recognized by ATA/NATA. Experience in forming cell groups, spearheading special projects, fundraisers and evangelistic crusades is mandatory. Salary commensurate with skillsets and experience. Age limit: Below 50.
SITUATIONS VACANT
Messenger Missions, 20/20, Bharathiar Street, Srinivasa Nagar, Padi, Chennai 600 050. Or email: [email protected]
OFFICER - PROMOTIONS
EDITOR – HINDI
CARTOONIST – ILLUSTRATOR
Require a committed, born-again believer with Graduate/Post-Graduate degree in any discipline to launch a Hindi magazine for Christians. Should have in-depth knowledge of Hindi and English. Seven to 10 years’ experience in writing, editing and translation. Hindi typing knowledge desirable. Experience in Journalism will be an added advantage. Salary commensurate with skillset and experience. Age limit: Below 55.
Require cartoonists / illustrators who can bring a page alive by doodling characters, caricatures and toons. Ability to work independently or along with a storyteller in developing a two-line synopsis. Must possess excellent colour sense and provide variation in sketches. Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, CorelDraw and other related tools essential. A graduate degree in drawing and painting preferred. Age limit: Below 30.
Apply with latest bio-data photograph and personal testimony before June 30, 2016. Write to:
All positions are to be based in Chennai.
13. Pray for the Kurmi people group. The Kurmis are found throughout India, from Punjab to Bengal in the east as well as southern India. Although Kurmis are Hindus, Buddhists and Jains can be found amongst them, too. The Kurmi need the salvation offered by God. They need Jesus Christ. The word 'kurmi' literally means 'I can' or the 'I am able'. Pray that Kurmis meet with the God who goes by the Name, I AM THAT I AM. Let them realize the significance of what Jesus Christ said in John 15:5, 'I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.'
14. We're all set to reach out to a particular district in Madhya Pradesh with the good news under the
Gospel Mela prayer umbrella. Tracts, New Testaments and other Gospel literature have been either bought or printed in huge numbers. Pray for the campaign. Pray for the protection of the workers. Pray that the vision of Gospel Mela spreads across India like wildfire.
15 In the second leg of Gospel Mela, we are reaching out to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Large number of Gospel tracts and New Testaments are required in Punjabi and Hindi. Pray that Gospel workers who speak Hindi, Punjabi, Kinauri, Dogri, Kangri and Pahari will be equipped with literature, strategies and the vision to reach the people of the two states.
The next 24-hour chain prayer will be from midnight of June 29, 2016 to midnight of June 30, 2016.
For any other assistance, call 044-65145334 or email: [email protected]
PRAYER POINTS
THE broadcaster’s head of religion and ethics, Aaqil Ahmed, accused his own organisation of being too Christian in a new report.
Muslim critics meanwhile suggested the Beeb could televise Friday prayers, cover the Eid festival or show children attending madrasahs.
“Christianity remains the cornerstone of our output and there are more hours dedicated to it than there are to other faiths,” said Mr Ahmed, in a statement handed to the Sunday Times.
“Our output in this area is not static, though. It has evolved over the years and we regularly assess it.”
BBC director general Lord Hall has been handed Mr Ahmed's dossier and is believed to be mulling over the suggestions.
Mr Ahmed sparked anger last summer by comparing Jesus, Mary and Joseph to Calais Jungle camp migrants.
It comes after last month's government white paper which said the broadcaster needed to offer more for ethnic minorities.
Gobby Katie Hopkins ranted about non-white recruitment at the BBC during the same time.
The part taxpayer-funded Beeb boasts Christian-orientated programs such as Songs of Praise and
BBC’s Religion head says channel’s ‘too Christian’
Sunday Morning Live.Other religious programmes, also on radio,
include The Life of Muhammad, Moral Maze, Beyond Belief and Thought for the Day.
A BBC spokesman said: “We fully explained to the Sunday Times that we are actually intending to do more programming around Christianity and more on other faiths as well, so there is absolutely no question of an ‘either or’ on our output.”
But Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said: “There is a real feeling by Christians of being let down by the establishment. Christianity is fighting for its life in western countries.” Daily Star
Mr. Vincent I thank you for roping me in for the Gospel Mela
2016 prayer and evangelism initiative. I am truly happy about it and praise God for it. Since all the prayer points were clear, it helped me to intercede sincerely and earnestly for the nation. I am sure God will hear our prayers and open the doors to let in several people into the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I thank you once again for this initiative.
We prayed, we will prevail!
Jesus said to His disciples: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
In a believer's life, there's a difference in the quality of his life before and after the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 32:15-20 gives the details. Read them for yourself.
When the Spirit is poured upon us from on high…
I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25).
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 12Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER13
Pray that benefits of government welfare programmes reach them. Percentage of Christians among them: 5.84. Pray that they hear the still, small voice of the Lord that beckons them towards El Shaddai, the Almighty God. Pray that the prophecy about the deaf, found in Isaiah 29:18 is fulfilled in our lifetime.
10. If every Christian family comes forward to send a person to missions or give generously for the needs of the missions, we can reach the unreached people of our nation (India) sooner than we think. Let 'Go, send or give' be the slogan and the heart's cry of every redeemed believer.
11. Pray for a mighty revival in the mission fields administered by Messenger Missions and other mission organizations. If God's work has to progress on war footing, Gospel outreach efforts have to be accompanied by signs and wonders on ground. Remember our mission fields in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
12. Do we trust God enough to save India? Half-hearted prayers won’t do. If you are wrestling with unbelief, read Isaiah 50:2. It says: ‘Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?’ Lord, we pray that Your hand will still do mighty things in our nation. With that hope, we pray: ‘Lord, save India.’
Looking for people with five to 10 years of experience in promotions and grassroots level work in Christian missions’ organizations and parachurches. Must be a born-again believer with impeccable integrity. Educational qualification: B.Th. or M.Th. from any Bible college recognized by ATA/NATA. Experience in forming cell groups, spearheading special projects, fundraisers and evangelistic crusades is mandatory. Salary commensurate with skillsets and experience. Age limit: Below 50.
SITUATIONS VACANT
Messenger Missions, 20/20, Bharathiar Street, Srinivasa Nagar, Padi, Chennai 600 050. Or email: [email protected]
OFFICER - PROMOTIONS
EDITOR – HINDI
CARTOONIST – ILLUSTRATOR
Require a committed, born-again believer with Graduate/Post-Graduate degree in any discipline to launch a Hindi magazine for Christians. Should have in-depth knowledge of Hindi and English. Seven to 10 years’ experience in writing, editing and translation. Hindi typing knowledge desirable. Experience in Journalism will be an added advantage. Salary commensurate with skillset and experience. Age limit: Below 55.
Require cartoonists / illustrators who can bring a page alive by doodling characters, caricatures and toons. Ability to work independently or along with a storyteller in developing a two-line synopsis. Must possess excellent colour sense and provide variation in sketches. Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, CorelDraw and other related tools essential. A graduate degree in drawing and painting preferred. Age limit: Below 30.
Apply with latest bio-data photograph and personal testimony before June 30, 2016. Write to:
All positions are to be based in Chennai.
13. Pray for the Kurmi people group. The Kurmis are found throughout India, from Punjab to Bengal in the east as well as southern India. Although Kurmis are Hindus, Buddhists and Jains can be found amongst them, too. The Kurmi need the salvation offered by God. They need Jesus Christ. The word 'kurmi' literally means 'I can' or the 'I am able'. Pray that Kurmis meet with the God who goes by the Name, I AM THAT I AM. Let them realize the significance of what Jesus Christ said in John 15:5, 'I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.'
14. We're all set to reach out to a particular district in Madhya Pradesh with the good news under the
Gospel Mela prayer umbrella. Tracts, New Testaments and other Gospel literature have been either bought or printed in huge numbers. Pray for the campaign. Pray for the protection of the workers. Pray that the vision of Gospel Mela spreads across India like wildfire.
15 In the second leg of Gospel Mela, we are reaching out to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Large number of Gospel tracts and New Testaments are required in Punjabi and Hindi. Pray that Gospel workers who speak Hindi, Punjabi, Kinauri, Dogri, Kangri and Pahari will be equipped with literature, strategies and the vision to reach the people of the two states.
The next 24-hour chain prayer will be from midnight of June 29, 2016 to midnight of June 30, 2016.
For any other assistance, call 044-65145334 or email: [email protected]
PRAYER POINTS
THE broadcaster’s head of religion and ethics, Aaqil Ahmed, accused his own organisation of being too Christian in a new report.
Muslim critics meanwhile suggested the Beeb could televise Friday prayers, cover the Eid festival or show children attending madrasahs.
“Christianity remains the cornerstone of our output and there are more hours dedicated to it than there are to other faiths,” said Mr Ahmed, in a statement handed to the Sunday Times.
“Our output in this area is not static, though. It has evolved over the years and we regularly assess it.”
BBC director general Lord Hall has been handed Mr Ahmed's dossier and is believed to be mulling over the suggestions.
Mr Ahmed sparked anger last summer by comparing Jesus, Mary and Joseph to Calais Jungle camp migrants.
It comes after last month's government white paper which said the broadcaster needed to offer more for ethnic minorities.
Gobby Katie Hopkins ranted about non-white recruitment at the BBC during the same time.
The part taxpayer-funded Beeb boasts Christian-orientated programs such as Songs of Praise and
BBC’s Religion head says channel’s ‘too Christian’
Sunday Morning Live.Other religious programmes, also on radio,
include The Life of Muhammad, Moral Maze, Beyond Belief and Thought for the Day.
A BBC spokesman said: “We fully explained to the Sunday Times that we are actually intending to do more programming around Christianity and more on other faiths as well, so there is absolutely no question of an ‘either or’ on our output.”
But Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said: “There is a real feeling by Christians of being let down by the establishment. Christianity is fighting for its life in western countries.” Daily Star
Mr. Vincent I thank you for roping me in for the Gospel Mela
2016 prayer and evangelism initiative. I am truly happy about it and praise God for it. Since all the prayer points were clear, it helped me to intercede sincerely and earnestly for the nation. I am sure God will hear our prayers and open the doors to let in several people into the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I thank you once again for this initiative.
We prayed, we will prevail!
Jesus said to His disciples: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
In a believer's life, there's a difference in the quality of his life before and after the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 32:15-20 gives the details. Read them for yourself.
When the Spirit is poured upon us from on high…
I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25).
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 18Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER19
NEWS
cs;Ns:
n
n
n
n
n
GJ caph; nfhLj;j Njtd;
cd;dj miog;G
,sikg; gUtj;ij ,NaRTf;fhfr; nrytpl;l GU]; Xy;rd;
vJtiuf;Fk; fhj;jhNt?
kiyfs; tpyfpdhYk;
jp fpwp];bad; nknrQ;rh;www.ChristianMessenger.in
,g;NghJ tpw;gidapy;
thq;fp tpl;Bh;fsh?
fijay;y ep[k;
Fl;b nknrQ;rh; FWf;nfOj;J rpWfij n[gf; Fwpg;Gfs;
| | |
| | |
ghly; gpwe;j fij NtjNk ntspr;rk;
100 Bibles in ________________________(specify the language here) 50 Bibles in ________________________ 25 Bibles in ________________________ 10 Bibles in ________________________ 1 Bible in ________________________
I am enclosing a cheque/DD in favor of MESSENGER MISSIONS for Rs.___________/- as my gift.
I would like to partner with MESSENGER MISSIONS by gifting
I am enclosing a cheque/DD in favor of MESSENGER MISSIONS for Rs.___________/- as my gift.
I would like to partner with MESSENGER MISSIONS by contributing
Rs.5,000 to print 50,000 Gospel tracts in Hindi or Punjabi ( Tick the appropriate box)
Rs.5,000 to support a missionary in one State once a year / every month
To send your contribution through Bank Transfer, Net Banking or Money Order, please check details on Page 21.
Join MESSENGER MISSIONS in taking the Gospel to the unreached people in
Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh besides, of course, in Tamil Nadu.
THIS BOOK HAS BROUGHT HOPE, JOY AND LOVE IN MILLIONS OF LIVES!
Will you now place it in the hands of those who seek the Truth? Will you now place it in the hands of those who seek the Truth? Wasn’t your life also transformed for the better by the Bible?
R E MG ISN SE IS O
S NE SM
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
GIFT someone a Bible in Hindi or Punjabi today. A copy of the full Bible
in Hindi / Punjabi costs Rs.200/-
Sh
e G
l
ar
ospe
b
fg
b
y gi
tin a
Bi
le
EVANGELIST Franklin Graham issued a strong rebuke of the Obama administration's recent decision to direct public schools to permit transgender students to use the bathroom that corresponds their gender identity, asking whether Obama believes he's “the sultan of Washington.”
“Who does President Barack Obama think he is? The sultan of Washington?” Graham wrote on his Facebook page. “Does he think he can just make a 'decree' and we will bow down and simply obey?”
The Christian leader, who is president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, went on to say that he believes that the directive ignores the protection and privacy of other students, likening it to “discrimination” and claiming that the provision “opens up bathrooms to sexual predators and perverts.”
Graham also reminded his Facebook followers that the Obama directive does not carry the force of law.
“A decree does not carry the force of law – that's the job of Congress,” he continued. “The president obviously must have no fear of God, who made us and created us male and female.”
Graham concluded by saying that he hopes to see school districts across America openly defy Obama's efforts to “promote and advance … the LGBT
Who does Obama think he is? Franklin Graham launches blistering attack on US president
agenda.”Conservative politicians and leaders have had
some strong reactions to the Obama administration's move, though White House press secretary Josh Earnest said on Friday that it should be perceived as “guidance” for school leaders and not a threat.
Five things will happen. (From Isaiah 28:7-13)1. God will bypass them for a younger (next)
generation2. He will mock at them and talk to them in an
alien language3. He will make them realize the folly of their
own tough-to-follow preaching4. He will catch them in their own craftiness and
make them fall5. Their end will be disastrous.
When the preacher’s lifestyle doesn’t match his preaching,
what happens?
Relying on men for help and ignoring God is perilous both to the helper and the one who’s helped (Read Isaiah 31:1-3). In times of need, whose strength do you count on? Man’s or God’s?
A word of caution to those who look up to men for help
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2016 20Website: www.christianmessenger.inEmail: [email protected]
JUNE 2016 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
HOW TO SEND YOUR OFFERINGS TO OUR MINISTRYYou can support this ministry through your sacrificial contributions & donations once a month or every quarter, half-yearly or even once a year.
1. CHEQUE/DD: When you send us a cheque or a DD, please send it in the name of MESSENGER MISSIONS. Or you can send it in the name of MESSENGER MISSIONS, A/c No. 913020055473409. If you are sending a cheque, please ensure it is crossed (A/c Payee Only) for added safety. 2. DIRECT BANK TRANSFER / NET BANKING: Please use the appropriate and relevant information given in
the box to send us your contributions directly through your bank or online banking.3. MONEY ORDER: Your contributions through money order can be sent to us directly at Messenger Misssions, 20/20, Bharathiar Street, Srinivasa Nagar, Padi, Chennai 600 050. Please let us know of your money order remittance by phone (044-65145334, 0-7299063345) or email: [email protected]
Please send us your cheques and demand draft directly to our office and not to the bank address. Please tell us how you would like your contribution to be used. Giving us your details such as your full name,
complete address, phone number and email ID will help us acknowledge your contribution and send you receipt.
MESSENGER MISSIONS (missions wing of The Christian Messenger) 20/20, Bharathiar Street, Srinivasa Nagar, Padi, Chennai 600 050. Phone: 044-65145334 / 7299063345
application for the 2.9ha development in September, and will be assessed by the Joint Regional Planning Panel.
The proposed building on 1650 The Horsley Drive will include the church, a 700 sqm multi-purpose indoor recreation facility, office, meeting rooms, library, amenities and off-street parking for 83 spaces.
Church trustee George Paniker said the name was derived from the Assyrians because the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar was part of the ancient Christian community in Kerala, India founded by St Thomas.
“We are Mar Thoma Christians, meaning the Christians of Saint Thomas, and belong to the churches of the Assyrian tradition,” Mr Paniker said.
He said about 350 Indians would travel from all over Sydney to attend.
“This would be our main church so we're very excited about it,” Mr Paniker said.
“We chose Horsley Park because it's a predominantly Christian area and it's close to everything and everyone. Right now we're worshipping at an Anglican Church in Harris Park so it would be great for us to have a home.”
The church will provide religious services including weekly Sunday services, Sunday school, bible studies baptisms, weddings and funeral services as well as religious festivals.
Mr Paniker said many fundraising and charity events were planned to help raise the money needed to build the church.
“We expect construction to start as soon as it's approved and to finish the work in about five years.”
According to the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics, close to 2000 Indians live in the Fairfield region.
Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said many religious places are starting up in the area and was proud that more than $500 million of investment will occur in Fairfield this year alone. “Since the financial year ending June 2002 and up to June 2015, Fairfield has had $1.7 billion worth of residential development and $1.5 billion in commercial development.” Daily Telegraph
Proposal for Mar Thoma church in Sydney gains support
THE first Indian church in the region, Bethel Mar Thoma, an Assyrian name, could welcome worshippers by 2021 if the proposal is approved.
T h e $ 1 1 m i l l i o n development in Horsley Park would be the state's largest Indian church and is expected to attract people from all regions.
Be the l Mar Thoma C h u r c h S y d n e y Incorporated lodged the
I greet you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ who said in Luke 10:42: 'But one thing is needed: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.'
We greet the children who are getting ready for a new academic year. We remember in prayers those children who are getting into new classes in schools and colleges; those who are getting into colleges for the first time and those children who are going to a new city or country to pursue higher studies.
Chances are there are no school- or college-going children in your home. Perhaps, they have completed education and are now earning or married and living independently. Or perhaps, you still have your children in schools and colleges. As a parent, you know the hardships you went through to pay their fee on time. If it was a struggle to you, I urge you to imagine the plight of our missionaries who have forsaken everything to be in the Lord's service.
We need to raise Rs.1,38,000/- towards the educational expenses of our missionaries' children before the end of the month. From this year, we have decided to sponsor the fees of a Bible college student as well.
If God speaks to you to meet this need either partially or fully, I urge you to come forward and support us. I pray you would send your contributions
to us at the earliest. We need your prayerful support to let the ministry go on unhindered.
Pray for our ministries in Madhya Pradesh through Gospel Mela. God-willing, next month new initiatives of Gospel Mela will be launched there. Pray for all the meetings. May God bless you.
Missionary children’s educational need unmet
Messenger Missions’ workers with believers of a village church in a mission field in Gurdaspur, Punjab.
“Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of
a disciple, assuredly, I saw to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:42
27
VBS IN KODAIKANALOur volunteers braved the chill and the inclement weather of the hillstation to bring the joy of VBS to children in Kodaikanal from May 7 to 9. It was such a delight to see the children
assemble at the VBS venue well before we arrived. The children enjoyed the songs and dance sessions in particular. While kids who answered questions from the day’s theme and
Bible were honoured, all children received gifts and certificates.
R ME G ISN SE IS O
S N
E S
M
R ME G ISN SE IS O
S N
E S
M
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
2
YIELD TO BE USEFUL: VBS IN CHENNAIJohn 12:24 was the foundational verse of this year’s theme for the Vacation Bible School meetings that
were held in Chennai and Kodaikanal. For three consecutive days from May 2, Messenger Missions held VBS for children in the 5 to 15 age category in Nolambur, Chennai. The children learned the Scriptural
truth of how yielding one’s life to Jesus was the only way to be useful to God. A dedicated team of teachers and volunteers regaled the children through songs and dance, while a three-part skit explained the theme.
Every day, the children were treated to delicious snacks and juices. Every child was prayed over and almost all of them made a decision to yield themselves to the Lord. To God be all glory.
RNI No. TNBIL/2004/15307 Postal Registration No. TN/CCN/271/2016-2018Licence to Post Without Pre-payment WPP No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-77/2016-2018
Posted: 2nd to 8th of every monthth| Date of Publication: 25 of every month
