Barnabas Aid March/April 2012

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1BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012

MARCH/APRIL 2012

THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH www.barnabasfund.org

IN THIS ISSUE

Equipping and resourcing leadership for the persecuted Church

The Arab Spring one year on: Islamism in the ascendant

Jesus Christ: the divine Son of God


2/24

Breaking throu he Barrie Leading Muslims o hristRosemary Sookhdeo

How can we understand o slim riend

and neighbours so that we can share the

Gospel efectively with the n her latest

book, Rosemary Sookhde s the veil o

Muslim religion, culture an practices to n

the points o contact that ill help Musli s

respond to the Christi Go el.

This accessible guid eals with th ruc al

diferences b ee slam and C ristian

an answers i portant questions, suc as:

Is the God o h Bible the same as Alla ? Is

the M s J us, Isa, th s as th Jesus

e k ow rom the Gosp ls? w uslims

iew heaven and hell at art oes the

second comi o s s pla i Muslim

thinking?

T i ook will hel you through the

challenges o s i evangelism and enable

ou to a good witness orChrist.

Isa Publishing, paperbac , 160 pp, ofer price

6.99 including posta e (R 8.99)

Understan ing Sharia FinancePa ic S hde

The global eco omy experiencinga prolonged p o r oil nd

upheaval, and in some coun r t

euro has all but collapsed.

A distinctively Islamic nancial system

has become a major player on the

world economic stage in the last 20

ears. Muslim scholars, clerics and

nan ial ro g nisati no s have g er te

a wide ra e o l er t ve ec no i

products, initiall in the u lim worldnd more recently in the West. These

r e el in in o a increasi ly

ucrati m r t.

n his signi ant s u oshar a

na ce, t ick oo d o is u ses

the proble s nd dange s p sented

y t e Is amic economy an ig ig ts

the implications or global economics

and politics, while also looking at the

nature and implications osharia itsel.

Isaac Publishing, paperback, 114 pp,

o er price 6.9 ni cluding postage

RP 6. )

Who s the sus?Unc vering t e uthH. Der ot McDonald

The NewT ament testies that the

Lord Jesus ist is both human and

ivine. His i tity as theWord o

God who became esh is at the very

oundation o r Christian aith, and

ut it that a th is in vain. Yet it

s oten called int uestion, even

s m t es rom within the churches,

by those who claim that Jesus was just

a good man. And Muslims, while they

acknowledge Him as a prophet, also

eny that He is God.

This new edition o H. Dermot

McDonalds compelling book clearly

presents the Biblical teaching on the

umanity and deity o Christ. The

uthor rst sets out the evidence

or Jesus human nature, tracess development and explains its

ignicance. Then he puts the case or

Christs deity and expounds it using

the titles that the Bible gives to Him.

He also provides a brie analysis o

Christs saving work and His exaltation

at Gods right hand.

This robust and rigorous introduction

uncovers the truth about the real

Jesus, and will strengthen and deepen

your aith in Him.

Isaac Publishing, paperback, 120 pp,

price to be conrmed

To order these books, please visit

www.barnabasund.org/shop. Alternatively,

please contact your nearest Barnabas Fundof ce (addresses on back cover). Cheques

or the UK should be made payable to

Barnabas Fund.

In this issue, we eature our latest book, which uncovers thetruth about the real Jesus, and also Rosemary Sookhdeos mostrecent book on how to reach Muslims or Christ.

6.99i

s

Comingsoon...

I6.99

RESOURCES


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WELCOME FROMTHE DIRECTOR


Inhis 1986 collection of essays

The Drowned and the Saved,

Italian chemist and writer Primo

Levi described a recurring nightmare that he

experienced after his liberation from Auschwitz.

In the dream, Levi returns from the Second World

War concentration camp and recounts its full

horror to his remaining family and friends, only

to see them turn away disbelieving or worse

still uninterested.For those who suffer and tell their

experience to others, it can be excruciating to

encounter a reaction of embarrassment, disbelief,

apathy or even denial of what they have endured.

On 22 December the British Daily

Telegraph published an article headed How

can we remain silent while Christians are

being persecuted? This was followed on

31 December by an article in the prestigious

Economistmagazine on Christians and lions: the

worlds most widely followed faith is gathering

persecutors. These were for me among the

greatest encouragements of 2011, signalling that

the persecution of Christians is being recognised

as an urgent issue, no longer to be swept under

the carpet. I believe that this change is due at least

in part, under God, to the efforts of grass-roots

Christians over many years who have signed

petitions, written letters, campaigned and prayed

for persecuted Christians.

As Christians we are familiar with

suffering. Our Saviour is a man of suffering,

and familiar with pain (Isaiah 53:3). Our God

is a suffering God, one whose heart of love can

be broken. Such thoughts will be uppermost inour minds as we approach Good Friday, and

remember the suffering and death of Christ on

the cross for our sins. We glory in His cross as

well as in His resurrection on the first Easter Day,

and accept the call to share in His sufferings.

So we must not deny, dismiss or minimise

the suffering of our persecuted brothers and

sisters. Is such silent indifference really so far

from Pilates hand-washing? Pilate tried to

distance himself from the crucifixion of Jesus

by refusing responsibility, and thus salving his

conscience. Tragically his example is followed

by many governments and even Christians today.

A small community of Afghan Christians

is living in Delhi. As converts from Islam, theyare in severe danger in their home country. But

India does not allow them to settle permanently,

and Western governments, who are quick to

condemn non-Western countries for human rights

abuses, will not accept them. One New Zealand

diplomat even said that the converts brought their

predicament on themselves by choosing to leave

Islam.

Even more disturbing, in this and many

other cases, is the failure of Christians in positions

of political power to use their influence on behalf

of their suffering brothers and sisters. The

leadership of the Church is often little different.

To be silent in the face of an abuse is to

condone it and share the guilt. When the British

House of Lords debated the position of Christians

in the Middle East on 9 December 2011, Lord

(Dolar) Popat, a Hindu who fled Uganda when

Idi Amin persecuted the Indians in 1971, spoke of

the enormity of this sin: to witness persecution,

then sit back and do nothing to stop it.

As we reflect on the suffering of our Lord

this Good Friday, let us take every opportunity

to speak up for suffering Christians where

they cannot speak for themselves. Let us alsoremember that although Pilate washed his hands,

our Father God did not wash His hands, but rather

raised up Jesus from the dead, vindicated and

victorious.

Speaking Outfor Persecuted Christians

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo

International Director

To guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your understanding.

Front cover: Pastor Y put aside the possibility of leading an affluent urban church in order to pastor a small poor church in rural Java,Indonesia. He also serves in a wider ministry and is very much on fire for the Lord. Last year, while on a ministry trip, he broke his leg in amotorcycle accident where he ended up in a canal and his helmet broke in two. Funds from Barnabas covered his surgery, treatment andrehabilitation costs.

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for stories and images used in this publication. Barnabas Fundapologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright.

Barnabas Fund 2012

Contents4 Compassion in Action

Flood relief in South Asia, winterwarmth in Armenia

8 NewsdeskThe Arab Spring: Islamists takecontrol

10 CampaignSpeaking out for persecuted andvulnerable Christians

PULL-OUT Equipping the ChurchWhat does the Bible say about theLord Jesus Christ?

11 Barnabas Partners

Can you help us make known theneeds of the suffering Church?

12 Spotlight

Equipping and resourcing Christianleaders

14 Learning from the PersecutedChurchProtection and guidance through faithin Christ

16 Biblical ReflectionPresent suffering and glorious hope

18 In TouchNew Barnabas offices in Scotlandand Northern Ireland

The paper used in this

publication comes fromsustainable forests and

can be 100% recycled


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4 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012

how barnabasCOMPASSIONIN ACTION

68,064 for support of

Christian school(US$104,705; 82,441)

An Arabic Christian childrensmagazine is full of Bible stories,colourful cartoons withcontemporary Christian messages,attractive images and crosswords.Many of the readers, aged 7 to 15,send in their solutions to the quizzesand provide their photos to bepublished as friends of the

magazine. Not only do they learnmore about their faith, but also theygain greater confidence in theirChristian identity. This is important ina context where Christians aredespised by society at large.

Barnabas latest grant helps pay forthe salary of three members of staffas well as printing and distributioncosts. Competition prizes such asbooks or other gifts are also bought

with the grant. Thanks to thissupport the copies can be givenaway free or for a tiny sum.

Every inch of the school buildingis full of children. This was thedelighted comment to Barnabasfrom the head teacher of a Christianschool we support in Bethlehem.The school always accepts themaximum number of students it canaccommodate, and the total in thisacademic year is 280 (aged 3-11).But even after building an extensionlast year, which was also fundedby Barnabas, they still have to turndown many children because of lackof space.

What makes the school so attractive

is its positive Christian atmospherein a town where many of theChristians are leaving because ofthe many pressures they face. Thegood quality of the education, theclean and cheerful surroundingsand the strong commitment andloving care of the teachers add to itsappeal. Many Christian families inBethlehem are very poor and needy,but with Barnabas Fund helping tocover the running costs, the school

charges only minimal fees. Theneediest children of all are allowedto attend for free.

As we distributed the seed packs,we were struck by how manyvulnerable people were beingreached. A blind woman was led bya small girl, some disabled folk werehelped by friends and many old orpoor folk thanked us profusely.

Barnabas Fund not only providedemergency relief for hungryChristians during the East Africadrought but also helped with longer-term solutions. About 3,000 highly

vulnerable Ugandan Christiansreceived seed for harvesting theirown crops.

Each household received threebags with seed of sorghum, rice andsoy bean. These are quick-growingplants that are ready for harvestingwithin 90 days.

The recipients also receivedinstructions on how best to plant

the seeds, and during the growingseason the organisers visited themto advise them on the growing.

Arab World:childrenenthusiastic aboutChristian magazine

Brimmingwith children:Christian school inBethlehem

Famine preventionin Uganda

Discussing a popular Christian

hildrens magazine in the Arab

world

Christian children in the

Bethlehem area feel safe at this

Christian school

Ugandan C ns on theirist

way home w gs of seedth b

or p ant ng t own c ops

Projectreference

XX-207

Projectreference

65-420

Projectreference

25-359

7,000 for Christianchildrens magazine(US$10,700; 8,400)

9,980 for seeddistribution(US$15,360; 12,090)


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is helpingCOMPASSIONIN ACTION

You have put a lot of smiles onthe needy, vulnerable widows andorphans in this ministry. A group ofChristians in Kenya, supported byBarnabas, are feeding 31 orphansand providing for their healthcareand school fees. With our help theyare also creating opportunities forChristian widows to generate theirown income.

The ministry is working in a ruralarea where Islam is growing rapidly.They feel called to provide hope andpractical help to His children whosuffer the discrimination that resultsfrom their faith in Him.

Last years severe East Africandrought caused them to step uptheir feeding programme. This wasquite a challenge, because the costof food had become extremely high.They told us that they work hardday and night to order and bargainfor the best prices.

With the latest grant from Barnabasthe ministry bought and installed a

maize mill. This enables Christianwidows, who work together in ashop, to earn a small income.

Barnabas Fund is helping to supportthe family of Aasia Bibi, a Christianmother who has been in jail foralmost three years. She was falselyaccused of defiling the name ofMuhammad in June 2009 andsentenced to death.

Because of his wifes situation itis now too dangerous for Aasiashusband, Ashiq, to go out to work,and the family have been leftwithout any income. The Christiancommunity where they live is tryingto help them but are too poor tocover all their needs.

Our most recent grant providedurgent needs such as winter

bedding and warm clothing. We alsoprovide them with a monthly foodparcel.

Farkhod and Zukhra, whoreceived support from Barnabas fortheir upkeep, recently moved to acity in Tajikistan close to the borderof Afghanistan to share the Gospelwith anyone who is willing to listen tothem. Almost everyone living thereis Muslim.

The city is a dangerous and

spiritually dark place, notorious forits drugs and arms. Large numbersare unemployed, and many peopleeither end up working in illegaltrades or addicted to drugs. Ashockingly high number of peopleoverdose on drugs or commitsuicide.

The couple are in a good positionto bring the Gospel there. Beforefinding freedom in Christ, both

were drug addicts for many years.Farkhod converted from Islam andZukhras father is a Muslim.

Kenya: caringfor orphans andwidows

Pakistan: help forAasia Bibis family

Tajikistan: formerdrug addictsbecome Christsambassadors

Orphans in rural Kenya are fed

a healthy meal of maize, beans

and rice

asia Bibis husband Ashiq

with daughters Eisham 12 ,

Sidra (18) and Esha (13)

Baptism of one of the first

believers from a dark region of

Tajikistan

Projectreference

25-1019

Projectreference

00-345

Projectreference

50-957

The Bible encourages us to love our brothersand sisters in Christ (1 Peter 1:22). Thank youfor making this love practical and enabling usto help our persecuted Christian brothers andsisters around the globe. On these pages is aselection of reports about some of the manypeople we have supported recently, thanks to

your gifts. Please pray as you read.

5,000 for orphan andwidow support(US$7,700; 6,000)

500 winter needs forpersecuted Christian family(US$760; 600)

2,913 for evangelistcouples upkeep(US$4,486; 3,529)


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COMPASSIONIN ACTION

bringing hope,Keeping warm in Armenia

Barnabas Fund helped 200 Christian families innorth-west Armenia stay warm during the freezingwinter months. Winters are extremely harsh fromNovember to late May in this high-altitude region.Temperatures can drop to a staggering minus35-40C. Piled-up snow blocks the roads fortwo months, making some villages completelyinaccessible.

Ever since an earthquake destroyed many of

their houses in 1988, they have been living indomings, shacks made out of scrap metal whichare very badly insulated (see photo). These hutswere meant to be only temporary homes, butbecause the Christians are so poor they cannotafford new houses.

Many do not have gas or electricity connectionsin their homes and Barnabas gave them stocksof wood for fuel. Those few with connectionsreceived a small grant to cover the utility

expenses. The average cost per family was 136(US$210;165).

In a short period we receivedso much knowledge aboutGods Word which we canapply to our Christian life andchurch ministry.Christian couple in Kazakhstan

Barnabas Fund recently supported two Christian

training initiatives in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.Forty church leaders, many from distant, isolatedparts ofTajikistan, met together for a three-daystudy programme. All of them are converts fromIslam. Salman (see photo) testified, I believed inJesus two years ago and after that my wife cameto Jesus too. We are from a very difficult regionfor sharing the Gospel. This seminar encouragedus in our ministry and helped us to be strong infaith. I had many questions when I read the Bibleand I have received answers to my questions.A grant from Barnabas paid for the students

transport costs and stationery, as well as utilitiesand food for the three days.

Several churches in a city inKazakhstan joinedforces to provide a one-year Bible school. It wasdesigned to be intensive but also tofit into busyfamily, ministry and work schedules and so washeld on three evenings in the week. Last year23 students graduated from the programme.Barnabas paid for transport costs for teachers,books and teaching materials.

One student writes,During all the period of study I was thankingGod for this school, for teachers, for His love tous. Study timeflew by as if it was just one day.It was very valuable for me that teachers sharedtheir own experience and feelings. I felt very closepresence of God during my study.

Project reference 79-719

Project references24-925 (Kazakhstan Bible school)50-1003 (Tajikistan leadership training)

27,283 for fuel during winter(US$40,000; 33,000)

Many Christians in north-western Armenia live

in domings, draughty shacks in which they

cannot stay warm during the winter months

Barnabas Fund provided Christian families

with wood and grants for gas to keep them

warm during the freezing winter

Salman and his wife were greatly

encouraged by the three-day leadership

training programme in Tajikistan

Central Asia: leadership and Bible training

4,345 for leadership trainingin Tajikistan (US$6,709; 5,255)

843 for Bible school in

Kazakhstan (US$1,302; 920)


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COMPASSIONIN ACTION

transforming lives

Our Saviour God hasprotected us and now he hassent people with food.Pastor Roghu Nath Sarker, Bangladesh

Last year saw exceptional flooding in manycountries across Asia. Barnabas sent emergencyrelief to Christians in Bangladesh, Burma(Myanmar), Cambodia, Pakistan, Philippines andThailand. The packages contained items suchas food staples, clean drinking water, cookingutensils, mosquito nets and anti-bacterial wash.

InPakistan Barnabas provided emergency

aid to 886 Christian families affected by the2011floods. One church in Hyderabad relayedto us the great difficulties they had in bringingemergency packages to Christians in threeareas near to them. When their trucks were fullyloaded and ready to go, the team prayed for asafe journey before departing. In many placesthe water had not yet fully receded and the roadswere still submerged up to 45cm: Everywherethere was stagnant water. Our truck wheel gotstuck in the mud. We hired a tractor and loaded50 relief bags. After a great struggle our truck

came out from mud and we thanked God andagain started our journey to Khipro.

InBangladesh Barnabas Fund sent relief to935 Christian families. The organisers boughtgoods locally and church members volunteeredto distribute the emergency packages. One of therecipients of the relief packages, Pastor RoghuNath Sarker, who ministers to the 50 Christianfamilies living in a large village, told us, Ourvillage was under water for one month. I wasvisiting all of the families. Many had becomesick and I was praying for them and sometimesI myself became sick. We were praying for helpand in fact we needed food. He then thankedBarnabas and added, We believe that the Lordhimself has sent this relief through Barnabas

Fund. Even though we do not know them andthey are far away from Bangladesh.

Lakhhi Sarker, a widow with four young childrenin a village in Bangladesh, lost her familys sourceof food when her small ricefieldflooded beforeharvest-time. For 15 long days they had onlyone meal per day. Our project partner writes thatwhen she received theflood aid relief, she beganto cry and cry. She gave thanks to God and wasso much grateful to Barnabas Fund.

Helping Asian Christians survive the floodsEmergency flood relief:

11,195 in Bangladesh(US$17,236, 13,561)

11,688 in Burma (Myanmar)(US$17,995, 14,158)

7,490 in Cambodia(US$11,530, 9,073)

80,525in Pakistan (includeslong-term food support andhouse rebuilding)(US$123,976, 97,546)

8,968 in Philippines(US$13,808, 10,864)

5,399 in Thailand(US$8,310, 6,539)

Project references

00-634 (Disaster Relief Fund)75-745 (Burma disaster relief)41-919 (Pakistanfloods feeding)

Relief and joy in Bangladesh at receiving emergency flood relief

Christians in Burma greet the truck as it

arrives with emergency relief


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NEWSDESK

ANTI-CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE RAGES ON

NIGERIA: Boko Haram, a

militant Islamist group in Nigeria,

have intensified their campaign of

anti-Christian killing. Violent attacks

at Christmas 2011 were followed byan ultimatum for all Christians to leave

the North. Hundreds of Christians

fled as a result. The violence, whichcontinued into the new year, has

raised fears that an Islamist terroristalliance in Africa is taking shape, asBoko Haram strengthens its links with

both al-Qaeda in the Sahara region

north of Nigeria and al-Shabaab in

Somalia.The terrorist group executed a

coordinated series of bomb and gunattacks on churches and the securityservices that killed more than 40

people in five states on Christmas

Day, 25 December 2011. The majority

of the fatalities occurred at a churchin Madalla, near the capital, Abuja;

around 35 worshippers were killed

as explosives were hurled at the

congregation as they left the service.The violence prompted President

Goodluck Jonathan to declare a stateof emergency in the most troubled

areas.

On New Years Day the group

gave all Christians three days to leave

the mainly Muslim North of Nigeria.

Soon after the expiry of the ultimatum,

gunmen stormed a church in Gombe,

capital of Gombe State, on 5 January2012, during a prayer meeting,

killing at least eight Christians.

Pastor Johnson Jauro, whose wifewas shot dead in the attack, said:

I was leading the congregation inprayers. Our eyes were closed whensome gunmen stormed the church

and openedfire on the congregation.

The attackers started shootingsporadically. They shot through the

window of the church, and many

people were killed including my wife.The following day (6 January),

around 20 Christians were gunned

down in Mubi, Adamawa state, as

they gathered to mourn the death

of another Christian who had been

killed the night before. The assailantschanted god is great as they fired

Kalashnikov rifles. They were also

carrying knives and machetes. ABoko Haram spokesman has claimed

responsibility for some attacks.

THE ARAB SPRING ONE YEAR ON

HOW ISLAMISTS SEIZED THE REVOLUTIONS

ARAB WORLD: TheIslamists didnt go out with us on

January 14th but then they took

the revolution for themselves. This

analysis by Tunisian demonstrator

Maryam Hamim, who, like thousandsof her compatriots, took to the streetsin early 2011 to call for a more secular,

liberal state, has been echoed by

many participants and observers of

the Arab Spring.

That extraordinary movement,which is still reverberating across

North Africa and the Middle East, was

initially heralded with optimism in theWest as a new dawn of freedom anddemocracy for peoples who had longsuffered oppression and injustice at

the hands of autocratic rulers. One by

one dictators were toppled President

Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia,

Egypts President Hosni Mubarak,

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libyaand Yemeni President Ali Abdullah

Saleh while, at the time of writing,others such as President Bashar al-Assad of Syria remain vulnerable.

Over a year on from the start of

the Arab Spring, democracy is indeed

being established in Tunisia and

Egypt, where voters have been to thepolls to elect new parliaments. Libyaand Yemen are staging elections this

year, and pro-democracy protests inMorocco have led to some political

reforms.Democracy in these Muslim-

majority countries has not, however,delivered electoral success for thosesecular and liberal voices that hailedthe revolutions. Islamist parties, whowere long-established and therefore

better organised, have instead

emerged with the largest share of the

I was leading the congregation in prayers.Our eyes were closed when some gunmen stormedthe church and openedfire on the congregation...

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NEWSDESK

CHRISTIANLEADERS

IN WOODEN

STOCKS FOR16 DAYS

LAOS:Eight church leaders were

arrested in December 2011 for holding

a Christmas celebration in Boukhamvillage. Initially four were placed in

handcuffs and wooden stocks. One

of the detainees was set free, but theother seven were asked to admit to

flouting the villages law by conductinga Christmas worship service.

The Christians declared their

innocence, citing the Lao constitutionthat guarantees freedom of religion.

On 27 December all seven were

clamped to one long wooden plank.They were eachfined a large sum and

a cow on 30 December for violatingthe traditional cult of the village, but

they still denied the charges and

refused to pay. After the interventionof higher authorities the fine was

reduced, and the leaders werefinallyset free on 12 January 2012.

ACID ATTACK ON CONVERT PASTOR

UGANDA: Pastor Umar Mulinde

had acid thrown in his face and on hisback outside his church in Kampala

on 24 December 2011. The substance

caused burns to the right side of hisface, neck and arms, and partially

blinded his right eye. It is believed

that he was targeted because of hisconversion from Islam to Christianityand strong critique of Islam.

The attack occurred at around

9pm in the church car park, shortly

after the conclusion of a seven-day

evangelistic campaign. Pastor Umarlater testified:

I was attacked by a man who

claimed to be a Christian. He calledout to me shouting pastor, pastor,and as I turned to see who he was,

he poured acid which burnt part of

my face. As I turned away from the

attacker, another man poured the

liquid on my back and ran away

shouting Allah Akbar [god is great].The pastor was quickly rushed to

a hospital in Kampala by church

members.Pastor Umar came from a strict

Muslim family and his father was

an imam. He was a sheikh (Muslim

teacher) before turning to Christianity,

a decision that caused a strong

reaction in the Muslim community. He

revealed that he had been receivingthreats for some time but says he did

not take them seriously until now.He had also been a key opponent

of Muslim plans to introduce Kadhi

courts (sharia courts) in Uganda.Specialists in the hospital in

Kampala had been struggling to

restore the sight in his right eye.

Pastor Umar was moved to a medical

centre in Israel on 5 January, after itwas decided that he needed more

advanced treatment. Barnabas Fundis assisting with the costs of surgery.

vote in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco.Ennahda, the main Islamist group

in Tunisia, insists that its approach tosharia is consistent with the countrysprogressive traditions, but deputy

leader Hamadi Jebali sparked alarmin November when he referred to

the countrys future in terms of aCaliphate, historically a single trans-

national Islamic state based on sharia.

In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhoods

Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has

been promoting itself as a moderateIslamic group, but the Salafist party

al-Nur is much more explicit about

its intentions to impose a strict

interpretation of Islam. The Islamist

Islah Party is expected to be the main

force in post-Saleh Yemen, while theLibyan National Transitional Council

has stated that sharia will be the

principal source of law in the countrys

new constitution.This new Islamic political order

can lead only to a worsening of

conditions for Christian minorities inthe region; they suffered decades ofdiscrimination and restrictions, even

persecution, under the old regimes,

but the fallen dictators did at least

keep Islamist extremists in check.There has been a surge of anti-

Christian violence since the ousting

of Mubarak in Egypt, prompting an

exodus of an estimated 100,000

Christian families. Meanwhile, Syrian

Christians are fearful that they couldsuffer a repeat of what happened

to their Iraqi counterparts in post-

Saddam Hussein Iraq if Assad falls;

Islamist extremists were free to wreak

havoc on the Christian community inIraq, and hundreds of thousands were

forced toflee their homes as a result.Many went to Syria, which was one of

the last bastions of peace and equality

for Christians in the Arab world.As the Arab Spring spread through

the region around this time last year,Barnabas Fund sounded one of the

early warning sirens that it could leadto a Christian Autumn; sadly, this

prediction is increasingly becoming

a reality.

Pasto mar Mulindi a t r id a throw v r his fac e nback (S rrce: Vision Gro u / e ision ri ng and Publis n

Comp ny)


10/24


PROCLAIMFREEDOM

1 How can we remain silent while Christians are being persecuted?, The Daily Telegraph, 22 December 2011

2 Christians and Lions, TheEconomist, 31 December 2011.

3 As cited by the OSCE Chair on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions.


ow can we reman s en w e rs ans are eng persecue , e a y e egrap , ecem er

Christians and Lions, TheEconomist, 31 December 2011.

3 As cited by the OSCE Chair on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions.

How can we remain silent whileChristians are being persecuted?

This was the headline of an article published inBritish newspaperThe Daily Telegraphdaysbefore Christians throughout the world celebratedChristmas.1 The article was also printed inTheSpectator.The Economisthas also recentlyreported on the growing levels of persecutionexperienced by Christians around the world. Inhis New Year address at the beginning of 2011Frances President Sarkozy condemnedtheperverse plan of religious cleansing in the

Middle Eastthat targets Christians.

The emerging dominance of Islamists followingthe Arab Spring is unlikely to result in anyimprovement in human rights for religiousminorities in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt or elsewhere inthe Arab world. The situation is just as serious forChristians in many other parts of the globe. Lastyear Islamist groups in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenyaand Somalia, for example, also carried out attacksagainst Christians. In Nigeria, the Presidentdeclared a state of emergency on 1 January2012 in response to a spate of Islamist attacks

against Christians. In Central Asia a number oflegislative restrictions on freedom of religion have

been imposed in several countries. Converts fromIslam in countries such as Afghanistan and Irancan face the death penalty. Aasia Bibi, a Christianmother, remains on death row in Pakistan afterbeing convicted under the notorious blasphemylaws. In North Korea, China, Vietnam, Indonesia,Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka and parts of India,life has been getting worse for many Christians, tomention but a few contexts.

Christians are one of the largest and mostpersecuted groups in the world.2 Yet they oftenappear to be the most neglected group inWestern governments foreign policy. There islittle concrete engagement with the issues, eventhough governments may recognise that respectfor minorities and human rights is a foundationstone for national and international peace and

security.

Governments have significant potential influencewith other countries. Massive amounts of foreignaid are given to poorer countries; this aid canbe well directed or unwisely directed. Statesmaintain diplomatic relations, bilateral ties andsecurity arrangements and cooperate in manyfields. Most countries have signed up to theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights and otherconventions, some of which have specific legalmechanisms for dealing with countries who do

not meet their responsibilities. There is plenty ofscope for positive influence.

If you believe in the cause offreedom, then proclaim it, liveit and protect it, for humanitysfuture depends on it.Henry M. Scoop Jackson (1912 1983)US Congressman and Senator

Barnabas Funds Proclaim Freedom

campaign will run to the end of 2012and will seek to raise the profile ofthe persecuted Church around theworld. It will have two specific aims:

to press governments to be active in promotinghuman rights in other countries for allminorities, but especially religious freedom forthe roughly 200 million Christians living underthe shadow of persecution, discrimination anddisadvantage

to press governments to work to ensure thatother countries bring to justice citizens whoeither incite anti-Christian hatred or engage inanti-Christian violence

A copy of theProclaim Freedompetition isenclosed with this magazine. It provides us allwith an opportunity to inform our governmentsthat the time for words is over and that decisivepolicies should be followed, aimed at puttingpressure on states that persecute or condonethe persecution of Christians and assisting othercountries to improve the lot of minority groups

within their borders.

Please sign this petition and promote it within yourchurch and community. You can help us influencegovernment policy, which in turn could bringgreater hope and freedom to our brothers andsisters throughout the world.You can obtain additional copies of the petitionsheet by contacting your local Barnabas office(addresses on back cover), or by downloadingthem fromwww.barnabas.org/proclaim-freedom-petition.

You are also welcome to photocopy the sheetyourself.


11/24

IBARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012

Introduction

The Lord Jesus Christ is the heart and soul of the

Christian faith. Without Him every one of its dis-tinctive claims about God and His relation to us

falls to the ground in ruins. Only because He is

the Word of God madeflesh (John 1:1, 14), the One who was

in the form of God but was made in human likeness (Philip-

pians 2:6-7), can He reveal God perfectly to us and open for

us the way back to Him. So any attack on the Person of Christ

is an attack on the integrity of Christianity itself.

But for Christians, Jesus Christ is not just the Lord but

ourLord, not just the Saviour but ourSaviour. With God the

Father and the Holy Spirit, He is the most important Person

in our lives, the One who makes us what we most truly are,

and (at least ideally) our closest friend. So those who call His

identity into question are challenging not only the content of

our faith, but also our most vital and significant relationship.

The New Testament (NT) paints a series of very rich

and varied portraits of Jesus Christ, which together make up a

powerful and coherent picture. But the principal non-Christian

religions all deny some of its central elements. They do this

either by putting other human beings or gods on the same or

a higher level with Christ (such as the many gods of Hindu-

ism) or by rejecting key Biblical statements about Him (such

as those relating to His deity and

divine Sonship).

Islam does both of these

things. It places many other proph-ets on a level with Jesus (whom

Muslims call Isa), and it elevates the prophet of Islam, Mu-

hammad, to a vastly higher place. It also declares that Jesus

was just a human being and not God; that someone else was

crucified in His place; and that He did not rise from the dead.

Yet because the Muslim Isa seems to resemble the Christian

Jesus in some other ways, many people, even some Christians,

believe that the two figures are essentially the same.

How are we to respond to these claims and witness

effectively to our Lord? The first step must be to understand

clearly what the NT has to say about Him. In this paper we

will look briefl

y1

at its teaching in four main sections: thefi

rstthree Gospels and Acts; the letters of Paul; the Gospel and

letters of John; and the rest of the NT. We will then look at

how this relates to and challenges Muslim (and other) views

of His Person.

The NT writers paint their picture of Christ like a group

of skilled workers putting up a magnificent building. Matthew,Mark and Luke lay a solid and extensive foundation; Paul

raises a beautiful and complex structure; and John adds the

roof with its soaring pinnacles. Other authors add various rich

adornments. As we shall see, their completed work reveals

the majestic glory of the Son of God, who is both fully God

and fully human.

The Person of Christ in the Bible

The Synoptic Gospels and ActsThe accounts in the first three Gospels of Jesus public

ministry present Him as a prophet, someone who declares

an authoritative message from God in the power of the Holy

Spirit. The title is found once on His own lips (Luke 4:24 and

parallel passages), and He is also hailed as a prophet by others

(e.g. Matthew 21:11; Luke 24:19). His ministry is empowered

by the Spirit (Luke 4:14); and He proclaims a Gospel from

God (Mark 1:14-15).

But although the title of prophet is an accurate descrip-

tion of Jesus, it is not a sufficient one. When He asks His

disciples who people say that He is, their list of suggestions

includes various prophetic figures

(Mark 8:28). But when Jesus asks

whothey say that He is, Peter replies

You are the Christ (Messiah inHebrew) (Mark 8:29). Jesus is not

only a prophetic figure, but also a royal one; He is the Christ,

Gods anointed King of His people Israel.

Jesus identity as the Christ is revealed at various places

in these Gospels, including His baptism when He is anointed

by the Spirit (Matthew 3:16) and His triumphal procession

to Jerusalem when the crowds acclaim Him as Son of David

(Matthew 21:9). As Messiah, Jesus brings in the Kingdom of

God, His saving rule, through His preaching and powerful

works (Matthew 4:23; Luke 11:20). In His Person and min-

istry the great Old Testament (OT) promises of salvation and

restoration begin to be fulfi

lled (Matthew 1:21-23; 4:15-16).But the three Gospels also show us that Jesus role as

Messiah can be fully understood only in terms of His suffer-

EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH

We continue our series on some of the key teachings of the Christian faith by focussing on thePerson of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What does the Bible sayabout Jesus Christ?

Any attack on the Person of Christis an attack on the integrity of

Christianity itself.


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II BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012

EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH

What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?

ing and death. The Christ is also the Servant of the Lord who

suffers for the sins of His people (Matthew 12:15-21; Mark

10:43-45). Immediately after Peters confession of Jesus as

the Christ, He says that He must suffer, be rejected and killed

(and also rise again) (Mark 8:31); it is this way that He fulfils

His special calling from God and enters into the glory of His

kingship (Luke 24:26). At several points in the story of Jesus

death the Gospel writers draw our attention to that kingship,to emphasise that His reign is put into effect through His suf-

fering (e.g. Mark 15:26, 32).

Then in His resurrection and exaltation Jesus is given

universal authority asLord at the right hand of God (Matthew

28:18; Acts 2:32-36). From there He continues to exercise

His rule as King, as the Kingdom of God comes with power

(Luke 9:1; 24:49-51); from there He provides forgiveness

(Acts 5:31). He will also judge the world on the day God has

appointed (Acts 17:31).

In these three Gospels and Acts Jesus is also called

Son of God (Mark 1:1; Luke 3:22; Acts 9:20). Here this

term means the same as Messiah or King, but the idea ofdivine Sonship also carries the sense of a special or unique

relationship to God (Matthew 11:27; Mark 12:6; Luke 22:42).

As Son of God Jesus has authority over evil (Mark 3:11), but

again that authority is expressed principally on the cross (Mat-

thew 27:54).

Jesus preferred title for Him-

self is Son of Man. It is especially

associated with His authority to for-

give sins and re-state the Sabbath

law (Mark 2:10; Matthew 12:8), but

like the other titles, its primary reference is to His death (Mat-

thew 20:18, 28). It may also point back to the son of man in

Daniel 7, suggesting that while Jesus takes a place of humility

and humiliation in His earthly ministry, He will also be exalted

to the place of authority.

Pauls writingsPaul teaches that Jesus is a human being, a representa-

tive both of the whole human race and of Gods own people

Israel (Galatians 4:4). He has a real human nature (Romans

8:3), although He is without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), and

experienced not only a human birth but also a human death

(1 Corinthians 15:3). Paul calls Him the last Adam (1 Corin-

thians 15:45), who undoes the effects of Adams sin (Romans

5:18) and is the first fruits of a new humanity (1 Corinthians15:48-49).

Like the Gospel writers, Paul presents Jesus as the

Christ/Messiah of Israel (Romans 9:5) who is sent by God

to set His people free (Galatians 4:4). He is a crucified Mes-

siah (1 Corinthians 1:23) who died for the ungodly and for

sinners (Romans 5:6, 8), but God has also raised Him from

the dead (1 Corinthians 15:5) and exalted Him to heaven to

share Gods own authority (Philippians 2:9-11).

According to Paul, at Gods right hand Christ takes

on many of the roles fulfilled by God Himself, along with

Him. Thus, like God, Christ is the object of His peoples faith

(Galatians 2:20); He gives divine blessings to them, notablysalvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9) and eternal life (Romans 6:23);

and He will come as Lord and Judge (1 Corinthians 15:24;

2 Corinthians 5:10) to gather them to Himself (1 Thessalo-

nians 4:16-18).

These really amazing claims indicate that Christ is a

unique human being, far greater than any other. But the let-

ters also show that He has a heavenly origin and that He is

Himselfdivine. Philippians 2:6-7 indicates that Jesus was

pre-existent; that is, He existed before the world was created;

and that He was also equal with God, but chose not to use hisdivine status and qualities for His own advantage, but set them

aside to become a human being. In obedience to God He then

humbled Himself still further to die on the cross.

Paul also applies the title Son of God to Jesus. As

in the Gospels and Acts, this is used to mean Messiah or to

indicate Jesus special or unique relationship to God, but in at

least some cases it appears to mean much more. God sent his

Son (Galatians 4:4) to be a sin offering (Romans 8:3), which

indicates His pre-existence. In Romans 1:3 Paul places side

by side Jesus status as a descendant of David according to

the flesh and His standing as Son of God according to the

Spirit, indicating that He is both human and divine.Paul identifies the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of [Gods]

Son, implying that the Spirit is related to Christ and to God

in a similar way. To be in Christ is apparently equivalent

to being in the Spirit (compare for example Romans 14:17

with Philippians 4:4). Paul also says,

however, that it is God who gives

Christ authority over all things, and

that He will be made subject to God

(1 Corinthians 15:28).

The letter to the Colossians

contains an extended statement about the Person and work of

Christ (Colossians 1:15-20). He reflects the very image of God;

He was Gods agent in the creation of the world; and He is

now also Gods agent in the reconciliation of all things to God.

Some of the key terms in this statement were used in Jewish

writings to refer to Gods pre-existent Wisdom, which is the

means He used to make the world and the goal of all things

(see Proverbs 8:22-31). Colossians tells us that this Wisdom

has become a human being in Christ (Colossians 2:3), and that

in Him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9).

Christ may even be explicitly called God in the Paul-

ine letters (Romans 9:5 and Titus 2:13). In any case, the texts

reviewed above strongly indicate that He is divine as well as

human. It is for this reason that He is able to fulfil His role as

the one Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5).

The Gospel and Letters of John2

In Johns Gospel the teaching of the NT on the Person

of Christ reaches new heights. The picture of Him that we find

here is in some ways very like that in the other three Gospels.

In particular, Jesus fulfils several of the same roles, although

John develops our understanding of these in new directions.

In John, as in the other Gospels, Jesus is seen as a

prophet by Himself and others (John 4:44; 9:17). But here

He is also identified with the prophet, the figure like Moses

whose coming was foretold by him in Deuteronomy 18:15.

So Jesus is not only commissioned by God and given by Himan authoritative message to proclaim, like the other Biblical

prophets; He is also the final bringer of Gods revelation. Af-

Christ is divine as well as human. Itis for this reason that He is able tofulfil His role as the one Mediator

between God and humanity.


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IIIBARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012

EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH


ter Him God has nothing more to add to what he has spoken.

Once again Jesus is presented as the Messiah, the one

anointed by God as the vice-regent of His kingdom (John 1:41;

4:42; 11:27). The idea is sometimes present even where the

title is not mentioned, in places where John emphasises the

kingship of Jesus (e.g. John 6:15; 18:33-37).

The title Son of God is again used in some places

with the same kingly sense (e.g. John 1:49; 20:31). But inJohns Gospel the Son means much more than the king.

As Son of God, Jesus is very closely connected to God the

Father, who is His Father in a unique sense (John 1:18; 20:17).

He knows and reveals the Father (John 17:25-26), speaks His

words (John 14:10) and performs His deeds (John 10:25).

And Son of Man continues to be heard in John as a

title used by Jesus for Himself, even though it is less dominant

than in the other Gospels. As before, it is especially connected

with His death and exaltation to heaven (John 3:14; 12:23),

and here also with His role as the meeting-point of heaven

and earth (John 1:51; 6:27).

But John has much greater things to say about Jesuseven than these. In the prologue to the Gospel he identifies

Him with someone called the Word, whom He both dis-

tinguishes from God (He was with God) and identifies with

God (He was God) (John 1:1). This Word was with God

in the beginning (John 1:2); He is

both Gods agent in creation (John

1:3) and the way in which God ex-

presses Himself and makes Himself

known (John 1:4-5). Astonishingly,

He has also become flesh (incarnate) and made His dwelling

among us (John 1:14).

So as the incarnate Word, Jesus is the supreme and

final revelation of God the Father. So close is the relationship

between them that anyone who sees or knows or honours or

denies Jesus can be said to see and know and honour and not

have the Father (John 5:23; 14:7, 9; 1 John 2:23). He is also

Gods principal agent on earth: He performs the full range of

divine tasks, those that only God is supposed to do, includ-

ing working on the Sabbath (John 5:17), raising the dead and

exercising judgment (John 5:27-29). He brings Gods salva-

tion to others (John 3:17; 1 John 3:5), and because He shares

in Gods eternal life, He is able to reveal that life to them and

pass it on to them too (John 17:2; 1 John 1:1-2).

The author of 1 John identifies Jesus with the true God

(1 John 5:20), and the letter also emphasises the humanityof Jesus. It identifies the human Jesus very clearly with the

divine Son (1 John 3:8; 5:20), and says that the divine Spirit

confesses that Jesus Christ has come in theflesh (1 John 4:2).

The rest of the NTThe other NT writings play a set of variations

on these great themes from the first three Gospels and

Acts, Paul and John, developing them in different ways

and occasionally adding some new ideas. For example:

The letter to the Hebrews presents Christ as both the exalted

and unique divine Son, the supreme revelation of God ful-filling all that went before (Hebrews 1:1-4), and one who

shares our human nature (Hebrews 2:14-18), yet without

sin (Hebrews 4:15). It spells out His superiority both to the

angels (Hebrews 1:5-14) and to Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6).

He is an everlasting high priest in an order greater than that

of the OT priests (Hebrews 7). He is also the mediator of a

better covenant than theirs, established by his death, which

is a better and permanent sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 8 10).

The first letter of Peter associates Jesus with theSpirit of God as the inspirer of the OT prophets

(1 Peter 1:11). The same reverence is to be shown to

Him as to God (1 Peter 3:14-15), and His exaltation to

heaven is above all other heavenly beings (1 Peter 3:22).

The book of Revelation asserts that worship is to be offered

to God alone (Revelation 19:10; 22:9), but the exalted Christ

receives worship along with God, implying that He is Him-

self divine (Revelation 5:8-14). Nothing higher could be

said about Him than that He is the proper object of worship.

The Person of Christ and Christian mission

What does this NT understanding of the Lord Jesus

Christ mean for our mission to Muslims and others? In par-

ticular, how does it address the claims made by Islam about

Him? In this section we will look

at the two areas outlined above: the

Muslim downgrading of Jesus rela-

tive to Muhammad, and the Muslim

denial of His nature and work.

Jesus more than a prophetAccording to the Quran, Jesus was just one prophet

in a long line, all of whom had equal status as prophets of

Islam. The list includes Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob and Moses.

His main message was submission to the god of Islam. Islam

teaches that Jesus was given a book, called theInjil or Gospel,

as a revelation and law for His time, but this has now been

corrupted by Christians and needs to be superseded and cor-

rected by the more perfect revelation given by the god of Islam

to Muhammad, the last and best of the prophets.

For Muslims Muhammad is vastly superior to Isa, and

in Islamic practice the veneration of Muhammad is widespread.

In fact, they believe that he has some of the qualities and fulfils

some of the roles that the NT ascribes either to Jesus or to the

Holy Spirit. Islamic tradition has made him an eternal figure,for whose sake the god of Islam created the world, and the

only real mediator between that god and the world. The fake

15th century Gospel of Barnabasalso ascribes to him the role

of the Parakletos (the Spirit) described in John 14 16.

We have seen above that the NT affirms that Jesus is

indeed a prophet. All four Gospels record His claiming the title

for Himself and others applying it to Him, and their accounts

of His ministry show Him commissioned with an authorita-

tive message from God, which He proclaims in word and deed

and in the power of the Holy Spirit. But various aspects of the

picture we have sketched contradict the Muslim view of Him

as just one prophet among equals.First, the Gospels all agree that the title is not adequate

for Jesus. His use of it is sparing, certainly when compared

As the incarnate Word, Jesusis the supreme andfinal

revelation of God the Father.


14/24

IV BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012

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BARNABAS FUND HOPE AND AID FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH

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with Son of Man, and although He accepts it from others

He seemingly does not encourage it either. This seems to be

because He wants people to recognise that He is more than a

prophet, specifically that He is also a royal figure Gods own

anointed King. The Bible teaches that Jesus role as a prophet

is not the limit of His significance; it is just the starting-point

of a vastly greater story.

Secondly, Johns Gospel clearly marks out Jesus pro-phetic ministry from that of former prophets by identifying

Him with the prophet like Moses promised in the OT (Deuter-

onomy 18:15-19). For John this makes Him Gods last word to

the world; there will be no new revelation to add to, supersede

or correct what has been spoken in Him. So the Muslim claim

that Muhammad has provided in the Quran a fuller and better

revelation than that of Jesus, or even just an extra one, can-

not be accepted without doing violence to Biblical teaching.

And thirdly, the NT portraits of Jesus make Him far

greater even than the figure of Muhammad in Islam. He ex-

ceeds the prophet of Islam in every place: whether in the

Gospels picture of Him as the regal Messiah and Son ofGod, in Pauls teaching about His

pre-existence and heavenly origin,

in Johns description of Him as the

divine Word made flesh, or in the

worship offered to Him, with God,

in the book of Revelation. These

are not a few insignificant details that can be easily set aside,

leaving us with a mere prophet like the Muslims Isa. They

are fundamental to NT teaching, and without them the whole

edifice of NT Christianity comes crashing to the ground.

Jesus more than a manIslam gives many titles to Jesus that are also found in the

NT. In addition to prophet, these include messiah, serv-

ant and word of God. It also affirms various Gospel events,

including Jesus sinless life, His ascension and His return. It is

for this reason that the Muslim Isa is often mistakenly thought

to be virtually equivalent to the NT figure of Jesus.

But this impression is seriously misleading, even leav-

ing aside for a moment Islams explicit denials of many Bibli-

cal teachings about Christ. The titles used in the Quran are no

more than names for Jesus, much the same as Isa (the origin

and meaning of this Quranic name are obscure); the Quran

does not give them anything approaching their NT meaning.

And Muslims understand the Gospel events in quite differentways: for example, when Jesus returns, He is expected to do

so as a Muslim who will destroy Christianity and make Islam

the only religion in the world!

In any case, what Islam denies from the NT portraits

of Jesus is much more significant than what it affirms. The

Quranfirmly denies His deity, and also His divine Sonship in

the strong sense maintained by Paul and (especially) John; it

makes Him only a created being, formed from the dust of the

earth. It also flatly denies the death of Jesus on the cross; most

Muslim commentators interpret the relevant passage to mean

that a substitute was made to look like Jesus and was crucified

in His place while He was taken straight up to heaven. And

because Jesus does not die, His death cannot be a sacrifice for

sin, and He cannot rise from the dead.These denials, if well founded, would do far more than

trim a few edges or corners from the NT portraits of Jesus; they

would punch huge holes in the centre. Christs deity is stated

explicitly and unambiguously in several places, and these ex-

press a conclusion that is quite unavoidable from a wealth of

other NT evidence, much of which is mentioned above. The

same is true of Jesus divine Sonship, which follows naturally

from His deity and His unique relationship to God.

There is also excellent reason to believe that the death

and resurrection of Jesus were fundamental to the Gospel

from the earliest days. Certainly they are found in every ma-

jor strand of NT teaching, and they are essential to many ofits affirmations about Jesus, such as

the Gospel titles of Messiah, Son of

God and Son of Man, Pauls teach-

ing on Christs humbling Himself

even to death and then being exalted

to heaven, and the picture in He-

brews of Jesus as the eternal high priest of a new and better

covenant. This last theme (which is found in other forms in

Paul and the Gospels) also indicates the importance of Jesus

death as a sacrifice. The authority of Jesus as Lord, which

is the earliest and most basic Christian confession, is firmly

grounded in His resurrection.

So there can be no compromise with the Muslim deni-

als about Jesus, and no reducing Him to a purely human and

uncrucified prophet. After that hatchet work is done, little

is left not only of the NT pictures of Jesus, but of Biblical

Christianity itself.

Conclusion

We have seen that the Muslim view of Jesus is funda-

mentally inconsistent with the New Testament, and that to

accept it is to reject the authentic Christian faith. It is vital

to understand this if we are to share our faith with Muslims

without compromising its integrity.But as we suggested in the introduction, there is even

more at stake: our relationship with our Saviour, Lord and

Friend. We owe it to the one who loved us and freed us from

our sins by His blood to uphold the honour of His great Name,

by thinking Biblically about who He is and confessing it boldly

in the face of challenge. To Him be the glory for ever!

2: 2 and 3 John contribute littleto our understanding of thePerson of Christ, so only thefirst letter is mentioned here.

1: A comprehensive treatmentof everything that the NT saysabout Jesus Christ wouldrequire a large volume! Wewill focus here on its most

important affirmations aboutHim, especially those that areparticularly relevant to missionamong Muslims and others.

There can be no compromise withthe Muslim denials about Jesus,and no reducing Him to a purelyhuman and uncrucified prophet.


15/24


I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all ofyou, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospelfrom thefirst day until now.Philippians 1:3-5

Barnabas Partners

r st a g n e

Church PartnerAs a Church Partner, you cansupport our ministry in any or allof the following ways: Distributing theBarnabas Aid

magazine and other printedmaterials at your church

Encouraging prayer at churchprayer meetings and servicesor through your notice sheet

Alerting your church leaders toemergency needs

Promoting special events suchas the annual Suffering ChurchSunday, and encouraging

church members to support ourpetitions and campaigns

Motivating individuals andchurches to support BarnabasFund and to receiveBarnabasAid

Area PartnerArea Partners promote the workof Barnabas Fund across a localarea rather than within just onefellowship. We would like to haveat least one Area Partner in eachcounty or district, but the areacovered by each person can betailored according to the time thatyou have to give.

In this role you might help topromote special Barnabas Fundmeetings in the area, distributematerial to local churches, look

for opportunities for speakers andsupport Church Partners.

SpeakerWe are also looking forindividuals who have experiencein public speaking (and maybepreaching) to give a voice topersecuted Christians whocannot speak for themselves.As a Speaker you may beapproached by Barnabas Fundto undertake a few speakingengagements each year in localchurches or for Christian groups,though we understand that thesemust fit with your own schedule.You will also be free to initiate

your own engagements.

Prayer PartnerPrayer is our leading priority. IfGod has given you a burden topray for persecuted Christians,you may like to become a PrayerPartner by joining one of ourdedicated prayer groups orsetting up one of your own. Wewill provide Prayer Partners witha Prayer Group Starter Pack, andwith regular prayer updates.

At Barnabas Fund we are very grateful for the prayers and generosity of our supporters, which enable us, with the

help of our Lord, to transform the lives of so many Christians who suffer for their faith. But the needs are immense,and we want to share them with as many people as possible. The Apostle Paul rejoiced that his readers in Philippiwere partners with him in his ministry of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. And we too recognise our needfor partners in our ministry of making known the plight of the persecuted churches.

In addition to our regular material, Area Partners, Church Partnersand Speakers will receive a bi-monthly briefing which will highlight keyinformation for you to pass on to your church. You will be supplied with extraresources (such as DVDs, PowerPoint presentations, posters and leaflets)about our ministry and the projects we support. You will also be invited

to regional briefing events, when you can learn more about persecutedChristians around the world and how to be effective in your ministry with

Barnabas Fund.

We greatly appreciate the efforts of all our Partners,regardless of how much time they can give to helpingus. If you are interested in taking on one of these roles,please apply online at

www.barnabasfund.org/partnership, or by email [email protected], or contact your nationaloffice (addresses on back cover).

BARNABASPARTNERS

Our partners include the numerous Christian individuals, churches andorganisations through whom we channel our aid to the persecuted Churchin many countries. They also include the voluntary representatives who giveselflessly of their time and energy to support what we do in many churches

and regions across the UK. If you share our passion for serving our sufferingbrothers and sisters and have the time and desire to join us in this work, thenwe would like to invite you too to become a Barnabas Partner. There areseveral roles you can choose from.


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SPOTLIGHT


BarnabasPartnershipwith Persecuted Leaders

Apriority in Barnabas Funds ministry isto strengthen, equip and encourageChristian leaders who are serving the

Lord in contexts of pressure or hostility. Fromsenior leaders who head up large organisationsto simple pastors caring for theirflock, BarnabasFund partners with them to enable them in theirministry.

Barnabas Fund has beena real source of inspirationand encouragement to us strengthening our hands inministry over the past sevenyears. They have not onlymade us strong, bold andcourageous but have givento us through theirfinancialsupport the will and resolveto take the message of theGospel across Guyana and theCaribbeanPaul Mursalin heads up a ministry in Guyana,

South America, that is reaching Muslims with themessage of the Gospel via television.

You made it possible for us to remain in the Lords servicewhen every reason urged us to retreat from discouragement,retreat from lack of sufficient funds and retire from insufficientknow-how. You have encouraged us, funded us and educatedus when we so much needed it. If we are a kite the Lord isflying,

you are the string in his hands.Francis Omondi, senior ministry leader, Kenya

I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the firstday until now (Philippians 1:4-5).


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Partnering with Bible and

Theological Colleges

This study is blessing o God or me. It is an answerto my prayer.This was the testimony of a church leader in

Uzbekistan who attended training sponsored byBarnabas. The 60 leaders who completed thecourse are serving God in a situation of greatpersecution. They bore witness to the way theirstudies had given them vision, purpose andstrategies for ministry, and encouraged them inteamwork.

In situations of hostility or pressure from otherreligions, Christians need to be well grounded intheir faith and need a thorough understandingof why they believe in Christ. For this purpose

effective leadership is vital. Whilst we profoundlybelieve that it is the Holy Spirit who guides,encourages and supports His people, particularlythose in leadership positions, it can also be veryhelpful for them to be equipped and resourced.

But in some countries, many dedicated andhard-working church leaders have not had theopportunity of training to equip them for theirministry. In the last two years, Barnabas Fund hassupported 10,240 Christians who are equippingthemselves for service by studying. We supporttheological colleges, Bible colleges, and otherChristian training institutes in 26 countries,including Algeria, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya,Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lankaand Tajikistan.

A Bible school in Kyrgyzstan is equipping menand women to become pastors and missionariesin their own country. One graduate said,Knowledge that I get here helps me very muchin ministry It is especially important becausewe live in Islam majority country. Therefore weneed to know Christian dogmatic questions to talk

about Jesus and to explain many problems.

We also fund specialised training to equip leaderswith particular skills needed in their own ministrycontexts and to help them face persecution.Workshops, Bible courses and conferences helpindividuals to develop ministry skills and bringleaders together for teaching, encouragementand to share about the challenges they face, seek

solutions and develop strategies to respond.

Barnabas also invests in the church leaders of thefuture through seminars for Christian students.For example, in Bangladesh young people arethe key to the health of a Christian minoritythat is despised and marginalised. We funded73% of the costs of four regional conferences,attended by 320 students in total. The conferencetheme was Hebrews 10:22-24, and there wereworkshops on mission, culture, and dealing withthe frustrations of life as a Christian student or

seeking work in a country where Christians arediscriminated against.

Partnering through

Resources

It was my great desire to get this Bible Thewhole congregation will be blessed through thisbook.Pastor Sharif Khokhar received an Urdu StudyBible from Barnabas Fund to help him inunderstanding the Bible and preparing sermonsfor his church members. Discrimination and fearof violence are part of daily life for many pastors in

Pakistan. Many also live in deep poverty.

During 2010 and 2011 Barnabasprovided 1,480,834 pieces ofChristian literature, includingBibles and other items, in 14languages and 24 countries.

Many Christian leaders are desperately short of

the ministry resources that we take for grantedin the West. Christian books and study materialsare especially important. Barnabas Fund providesfor the translation, printing and distribution ofBibles and other Christian books, booklets andmagazines in various languages. For example,in Pakistan an Urdu study Bible and a synopsisof the four Gospels have been produced for thefirst time.

Partnering with Pastors

and Evangelists

I thank you and the brothers and sisters inBarnabas Fund organisation who are a greatblessing to me and my amily, as you havebeen my partners in the work which the Lordhas accomplished through me. I am truly veryencouraged and relieved on the issue o fnance ormy needs and the needs o my amily.

Pastor H. in AlgeriaCourageous and faithful, enduring hardshipand persecution, hundreds of evangelists,church-planters and pastors are faithfully servingthe Lord in their own homelands with supportfrom Barnabas Fund. In the last two years, ourassistance, together with local donations or smallincome-generation projects, has enabled 573

full-time Christian workers to continue serving theLord in 33 countries.

During 2010 and 2011 Barnabasprovided 1,480,834 pieces ofChristian literature, includingBibles and other items, in 14languages and 24 countries.


SPOTLIGHT

Reference numbers:00-430 Leadership Training Fund

00-360 Christian Literature

00-362 Bibles and Scriptures00-477 Pastors Support Fund00-478 Evangelists Support Fund

t rKho ar ro t e recei inghis UrduBib rom t e a sta n le ocet

,,an ti l hu -p st

m s nn one a, withupport from

Spiritual hunger fed by Bible training in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Wracked by bloody conflict for manyyears, the Democratic Republicof the Congo (DRC) is also adesperately poor country. Manytrained pastors have been killedin the violence and churches are

being led by those who have hadno opportunity to train. Some do noteven own a copy of the Bible.

The atmosphere throughout

the week was vibrant and there

was an air of expectation and

excitement... These pastors are

hungry for teaching,reported oneof the organisers about a leadership

training event funded by Barnabasin DRC.

One hundred senior pastors and20 leading women workers from allover the DRC attended the trainingand each received a copy of theAfrica Bible Commentary. Another40 were so eager to learn that they

attached themselves unofficiallyto the session, sitting at the back,

listening and taking notes.


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Debbie came from a strict Muslim family in a Muslim-majority country. Her father was

an influential businessman with contacts in the government. Here is her testimony.

Trying to fill an empty heartDebbie says, Growing up I had everything Iwanted. I always felt the need of being close tothe creator, I did all my Islamic requirements tobe a good servant to Allah; I also followed andobeyed my fathers rules But I was angry andlonely growing up. When I was 17 I wanted torun away from my life. Of course that was notpossible so I came up with a plan of going outof the country to study. I expected that my father

would not easily accept this plan, because I am agirl and girls should stay home, but surprisingly heagreed to send me to England to study.

I moved to England in 1998 and found that itwas very different from my country. I started mystudies and after a while I started makingfriends and learning the life that was offered tomany young people in England: parties, alcoholand even drugs.

I was so lost in my heart and felt so lonely andrejected for my whole life that new friendshipswere a way tofill my empty heart. It did not take

me long to understand that nothing wasfilling thatemptiness I felt like I was so far from the creator

and as a Muslim girl I was not doing the right

things by drinking and going to parties. This mademe feel even more depressed and lost. The laststraw in my life happened when I found out thatmyfianc was cheating on me.

Love and hope at churchLate one Saturday night Debbie found herself ata small church. She was met by the churchleader, who gave her some leaflets and prayedfor her. Please come again tomorrow morning

for the Sunday service, he asked. In shock,Debbie ran and told her aunt what had happened.When asked if she was going to go back to the


LEARNINGFROM THEPERSECUTEDCHURCH

Leaningon the

Lorda story of persecution


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church, she replied, That it is not ever possible.I am a Muslim girl and I know that Christianity iscorrupted; why would I go to listen to lies of thepeople when I knew that Islam is thefinal religionon earth? But the next morning, Debbie was atchurch! How had she ended up back there, and

why did all the people there look happy and actlike they loved each other when they were noteven related?

Every Sunday for two months, Debbie went tochurch to try to understand what they were sayingand how they were so full of love and hope. Shedecided Christianity was a happy loving religionand thought, I should just become a Christianand maybe that is the way I will be like them;happy, joyful and loving. I could still believe inAllah.

Happy with her decision and thinking this wouldnot be a problem for anyone, she called her fatherto tell him that she had become a Christian. To hersurprise, he did not like it, and she found herselfout on the streets within two weeks. Debbie saysI was rejected by all of my friends, my aunt andeveryone I knew. They were all against me justbecause I said I had become a Christian. As I was

thinking that this is the worst thing to happen tome I realised my father was sending his friendsto take me back to my home town. If I went back,many bad things could happen to me, includingdeath.

It was a cold rainy day and I was wet and hungry.I wasfighting with God saying, just because Isaid I will believe you and be a Christian look atwhat is happening to me. I cried out asking formy life back even if I hated it; then I said, Give

me a family and friends, make me happy and feellike I belong, I can trust again, then I will give youmy whole life and will serve you until the last dayof my life. Nothing happened. No angels camedown from heaven, nor did I hear a sound, but apeace took over my mind.

A new familyA few minutes later, Debbies phone rang. Acouple from the church (S and B) wanted to meether for lunch. When they found out she no longerhad a place to live, they gave her a room in their

house.

Shortly after I moved into their house they gotme a Bible in my own language. I started readingand fell in love with the Word of God. It was sodeep but also so easy to read and understand.It was so touching and full of love that I wasweeping and laughing; all of my emotions were

upside down and I could not understand why orhow this book was touching my heart so much.I would read and take notes and ask a lot ofquestions every day. I came to an understandingof who Jesus really is, why He died on the crossand what salvation means. In April 2000, I wasbaptised.

KidnappedShortly after her baptism, Debbie was kidnappedoutside her home. Her abductors said they wouldkill her unless she returned to her country as a

Muslim. Refusing, she started to sing her favouriteworship song.

Debbie recalls, I was a believer and a follower ofJesus with my full heart and not even death couldseparate me from Him. I was not scared nor didI feel pain from the cuts on my neck. After all thatthey had done and said to me, I was still peacefuland could sing a song. That was not what they

were expecting. Confused, her captors let her go,and after a short stay in hospital Debbie returnedto S and B.

Seeking Gods pathDebbie had applied for asylum in the UK, but oneday she learned that her fathers contacts hadtaken her passport and identification documentsand sabotaged her application. The Home Officesaid that her case was missing.

I prayed and asked God to show me a way. Iwas alone and had no family, no money, no IDand no passport. I was not going to go back tomy father or to my religion; I have Jesus and Iam not leaving Him no matter what but what do Ido, where do I go, how could I stand against thepeople who want to kill me? I knew they werenot done with me yet and the only way to protectmyself was to run away, to hide.

After a time of prayer, Debbie decided she wantedto go to Bible school and study the Word, but

without a passport doors would be closed in theUK. She says, I prayed and cried out to God andthat night, I had a dream where Jesus asked me

to trust Him and follow Him no matter how difficultit seemed. He said he would lead me and I was tofollow Him. In the morning I knew He wanted meto go back to my home country, where there wasa secret Bible school that would take me and hideme. I could learn and study the Bible in my own

language and share the Gospel with my people.

But going back could mean possible death,because her father could easilyfind her. Debbiedeclares, When faith rises up, nothing can stopGod from what he has planned. I had faith andtrusted him to take care of the details. Despiteher lack of paperwork, passport or ID, shemanaged to leave Britain. When she arrivedin her home country, the computers were notworking, the customs officers were unable tocheck her name against their records, and she

passed through without difficulty. She says, Itwas like I did not exist. I was not in England andnobody knew that I was in my home country. Icould be free to study the Word of God.

Bible school blessingDebbie met her husband at Bible school, andthey were married in 2001. Despite her husbandbeing arrested and tortured by the governmentcountless times, they served the Lord andpreached the Gospel together for eight years andstarted a number of churches in their country.However, they were forced toflee in 2009.

Debbie and her husband are now in a countrywhere they are free to worship and to share theGospel with local Muslims. Debbie says, Ministryis our life, not our job. Our desire is to help andawaken Christians. His immeasurable andeverlasting love is for all of us.

Give thanks for the way the Lord hasbrought Debbie through her trialsover the years. Pray for those withwhom she comes into contact, that

they may see the love of the Lordthrough her words and her actions.Pray for her and her family, that theLord will bless and guide them inthe years ahead. Barnabas Fund hasassisted Debbie.


LEARNINGFROM THEPERSECUTEDCHURCH

My Jesus, My Saviour, Lord, there is none like you; all of mydays I want to praise the wonders of your mighty love.

Debbies favourite worship song, which she sang to her captors


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BIBLICALREFLECTION

Eritrea is an extreme example, but onlybecause persecution there is so severe.In this and every issue ofBarnabas Aid

we tell the story of Christians in many parts of theworld who suffer because of their faith in Christ.For many thousands of our brothers and sisters,discrimination, oppression and persecution arepart of their daily experience. Even for Christiansin the supposedly more tolerant West, theinsidious and relentless pressure of mockery andmarginalisation can often be hard to bear.

How are these sufferings for Christ to beendured? In other words, how can we stay faithfulto our Lord in the face of them, continuing toconfess His Name and maintaining a consistentChristian lifestyle? This is one of the questionsthat our passage, from Pauls letter to the

Romans, is intended to answer.

The pain and the gainAll over the world athletes are preparingvigorously for the Olympic Games to be held inLondon later this year. They have to take on astrict training schedule that includes diet, exerciseand frequent practice, and that generates varyinglevels of physical and mental pain. But they areable to endure this demanding challenge in thehope of attaining a reward in a few months time:a place in the Olympic squad, a medal, a new

world record. For them the future gain is worth thepresent pain. Paul uses the picture of the athletein his writings to refer to the discipline and effort

required for Christian discipleship (1 Corinthians9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:5).

On a much greater and vastly more importantscale, this is also the message of our passage.Paul says to his readers, I consider that ourpresent sufferings are not worth comparingwith the glory that will be revealed in [or to] us(verse 18). He acknowledges that suffering isan inescapable part of authentic Christian livinghere and now: in the verse just before he hassaid that our status as co-heirs with Christ isconditional on our suffering with Him (verse 17).But this anguishflies upwards on the scaleswhen weighed against what we will receive later,because those who suffer with Christ will alsohave the amazing privilege of being glorified withHim. For us too, the future gain is most definitely

worth the present pain.

The immediate context of Pauls argument is histeaching in 8:1-11. Here he explains how God,through Christ and the Spirit, has set believersfree from theflesh (which is the sinful state ofhuman beings), from sin and from death. In doingthis God has made it possible for us to fulfil Hislaw; so if we live our lives according to the Spiritspromptings and in the Spirits power, He will bringus life and peace, and in the end God will raise usfrom the dead.

In light of this great act of God, Paul goes on toexplain how Christians are to endure suffering for

the sake of their Lord. The passage falls naturallyinto two sections: verses 12-17 and verses 18-30.

Life in the Spirit (8:12-17)Paul says that because of what God has done forus, we are in debt to Him, and we pay that debtby living our lives not according to the flesh butaccording to the Spirit. The whole of Romans isabout how God has acted to make us righteous:first by sending His Son to deal with our sin, andthen by sending His Spirit to enable us to live forHim. So if we persist in living by the flesh, we willdie; but if we put the misdeeds of the body todeath by the Spirit, we will receive Godsgift of life.

In fact, it is as we are led by the Spirit that weenjoy the great privilege, and fulfil the high calling,

of being Gods children. The Spirit adopts us intoGods family, and puts on our lips the cry to Godthat Jesus Himself used: Abba, Father. TheSpirit gives us the inner conviction that we areGods children, and therefore also His heirs. Butwe will enjoy these blessings we will share inthe glory of the exalted Christ only if we alsosuffer with Him.

So Christians must not expect to be able to fulfilour obligation to live a righteous life in a cosyand supportive environment! This responsibility

must be worked out in the heat of suffering forthe sake of our Lord, and the process is difficultand painful, especially for those brothers and

Suffering and Glory Romans 8:12-30

For Christians Eritrea is one of t

Barnabas Aid March/April 2012

Documents

Transcript of Barnabas Aid March/April 2012