Counting The Cost

Random thoughts on walking with Jesus in this turvy-topsy world

Counting the Cost in Bolivia

"You have not converted a man because you have silenced him." - John Morley  

New Tribes Missions Update for February 28, 2006 

by David Bell 

TAPERILLAS, Bolivia: Three Simba believers -- Joni, Olver and Wilson -- returned to their village of Karaitindi doing just what missionaries had hoped for, teaching what they had learned.

The men put their faith in Christ while attending evangelistic Bible lessons in Taperillas village several months ago and were eager to share it with the neighbors.

However, their teaching was not well received by some of the people in and around Karaitindi. Those who were angered began putting pressure on the three men to stop teaching God's Word.

Even though they were repeatedly threatened the men persisted in giving others the Good News that changed their lives.

Recently, some men grabbed Wilson, beat him, drug him far out of the village, broke both of his legs and left him for dead. But Wilson survived the beating. Someone found him and brought him home.

Pray that Wilson, Joni and Olver will stand strong amid opposition and continue to share their love for Christ.

posted by: Jrobbins at 17:49 | link | comments |
counting the cost in bolivia

A Chicken Laid our Bibles

I got this true testimony from Open Doors, USA, an organization that helps persecuted Christians around the world. I actually read it in their book "The Narrow Road" about a year ago but it still cracks me up!

A Traveler's Story

A Chicken Laid Our Bibles 

My grandfather had an amazing memory. When other members of his family came to join him in rural Gansu province, he taught us about Christ from the fragments of verses he learned from a pastor.  In 1995 my grandfather gathered us all together. He said had had bad news. "I have taught you of Christ for over fifteen years from the memory of a pastor who died so I might have faith. But I have no more to teach you. I committed about five hundred verses of scripture to memory from that pastor, and I have expounded each of them to you hundred ways since then. It is time for us to find the rest of the sacred texts." 

We all looked at each other. This sounded impossible. We did not even know that what we were looking for was called a "Bible." For all we knew there may have been thousands of difference scriptures. In fact, that's what we assumed, since that's what the Daoists have. We said to him, " But who will find us these texts?" He replied, "God will; we must pray-" We prayed...and prayed...and prayed. For two years we prayed. Nothing happened. But for the faith of my grandfather, I think some of us would have moved to another faith. He was firm: "God is testing us to see if we are really His. We must keep trusting and keep faithful." 

One Sunday a few of us were praying and a chicken came into our house. She clucked and made a great noise and then promptly laid an egg. We did not know where she had come from, so my grandfather tied some money to the leg of the chicken. It was only about 10 cents. The chicken strutted off with an injured air from the whole experience. We knew she would return to her owner. Less than an hour later there was a loud cry in the street. Someone was yelling, "Who tied money to my chicken? Who tied money to my chicken?" The voice sounded angry, but my grandfather replied without hesitation, "It was me." The man came into our little house. A well dressed man who had soft hands and was very well groomed followed him. He said in a cultured voice, "I am a high ranking member of the Communist party in Beijing." Our hearts sank. What was he going to do?  "I have never heard of such honesty in all my life," he said. "This is astonishing, I have just come from Beijing to visit my brother after being betrayed and deceived. I lost lots of money." He turned to my grandfather and said, "My government desperately needs your spirit of scrupulous honesty. If only there were more like you in China. Tell me, what makes you so honest?" 

My grandfather answered in two words: "Jesus Christ." The Communist official seemed to smile to himself and then asked, "Can I do anything for you?" My grandfather, with the boldness of a long life, said, "We would like to find the sacred texts of Christ." The official looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean, sacred texts? Don't you mean a Bible?" It was the Communist official who told us what a Bible was.  Again the boldness of my grandfather staggered me. He asked the official, "Can you help us get a copy?" The official smiled openly now. He made no promise , but merely said, "I will see what I can do." The official went back to Beijing but nothing happened. Months went by. We continued to pray. Then a young man appeared in our village, asking for us. He pulled from his totebag seven brand new Bibles. We asked him, "How did you know to come here to us?" He said, "I am part of a network of house churches, and one of our leaders was arrested in Beijing last year. While he was in jail, he was visited by a high ranking public official who said, 'If I let you go, will you promise to deliver a Bible to an old man and his family in Gansu?' Our leader said he would see to it. The next day he was released and given a piece of paper with your grandfather's address on it." 

That's why we say, "A chicken laid our Bibles!"

On a more serious note, if anyone wants more information on sending Bibles to Christians around the world who are either too poor or too persecuted to have their own copy, you can click on the Open Doors link above or visit www.BiblesUnbound.com.

posted by: Jrobbins at 17:38 | link | comments (1) |
a chicken laid our bible

Those who Love the Lord

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

God's people are designated as those who love the Lord.  All things work together for good to them that...what?  Love God.  That's a definition of a Christian. Listen, a Christian is not someone who simply at one point in time believed the truth.  A Christian is someone who has an on‑going love for God.  And that love holds fast even in trial.  I mean, what would we say about a love on a human level that was only good if there wasn't any trouble?  Forget it, that's no good.  The point is simple then, those who love Him are those who hold on to Him by virtue of love, no matter what the trial.  And thus they prove their faith to be genuine. – John MacArthur

posted by: Jrobbins at 13:27 | link | comments |
those who love the lord

A Pilgrim's Progress

The Flight of Your Life
What God teaches through faith's ups and downs.
by Ruth E. Van Reken 

Life with Jesus hasn't turned out quite the way I thought it would. 

As a child, "testimony time" was my favorite feature of Sunday evening church. Each week the white-haired ladies and gentlemen around me would grab the pew ahead, pull themselves to a slightly stooped stand, and proclaim, "I accepted Jesus forty years ago, and it's been glory ever since." I figured "glory" must be great, and couldn't wait to follow in their steps. I expected to soar through life with unswerving faith. 

Instead of soaring, however, my faith journey has more closely resembled the flight of my first homemade kite: first rising, then dipping and crashing, so I'd have to start over again. Why couldn't I be more "spiritual" like those saints I'd known as a child? 

I decided to study the Old Testament heroes listed in Hebrews 11 as members of the New Testament "hall of faith." At first, their stories puzzled me. How could God possibly put Jacob in that list? He'd stolen his brother's birthright through treachery. What about Samson? He spent his life chasing women such as Delilah. David had committed adultery and murder. None were people I'd choose as an example of faithful living. So why did God? 

But as I read more carefully, I saw how those listed in Hebrews 11 shared a common story: God worked through their lives to shape them into individuals who trusted him despite seemingly impossible situations. Each experienced the same ups and downs of faith I knew so well, yet God used those events to build strong faith in him. Why does God often seem to take us back to square one in our journey with him? What can we learn only when we have nothing left but God himself and his promises? Here are some answers. 

Throughout high school I promised God I'd follow him fervently, no matter what. God's presence seemed palpable as our school Bible club grew from 15 to 115 members. We prayed. God answered. It was great. Soon after beginning college, however, I found myself seated alone in a dorm prayer room, wondering what had happened to God. The same Bible that had been savory meat for my soul now tasted like cold French fries. Prayers seemed to bounce off the walls with mocking echoes: "God isn't LISTENING … listening … listening." How could this be? 

That's when I glanced up to see a plaque on the wall quoting a verse from Job 23: "I do not see him … but he knows the way that I take." I opened my Bible to read the whole chapter, and it described my situation perfectly. No matter where Job looked, he couldn't find God—yet God always knew where to find him. Based on that, Job determined to continue trusting God through the darkness. 

That fact—that God knows where I am when I have no idea where he is—has been one of the most stabilizing truths in my life. I can pray, "God, I haven't a clue where you are in this mess, but I thank you that you know where I am. Please hold on to me when I can't seem to hold on to you." 

God isn't a system to be learned. Following my first year in college, I went into a nursing program and worked with people in life-and-death situations. Seeing many of them face life's starkest moments without Jesus restored my faith—I knew I'd never doubt again. 

Wrong. A few years later my husband, Dave, began his pediatric residency. We moved with our eight-month-old daughter to a new city where I didn't know one person. Dave took calls at the hospital every second or third night, and I became a stay-at-home mom. Depression set in. This time God didn't merely disappear; it felt as though he'd died. 

I did what I'd done before. I asked God to keep his eyes on me when I didn't know how to find him. I read my Bible. I prayed. I even followed the advice of a book that promised if I'd praise God no matter what, all my problems would go away. I still felt awful. Finally I confessed my struggle to a friend. "I'm sure if I'd only pray more or read my Bible more, I'd be okay, but I can't seem to do it like I should." 

My friend gave me a strange look. "Did you hear what you just said, Ruth? If you do this or that exactly right, then God must perform according to your dictates. Why don't you ask God to be God in your life, and stop trying to control him?" 

With that simple question, I realized while I'd always believed my salvation came by God's grace through faith in Jesus rather than through anything I could do, that's not how I lived. Instead, I'd started believing that if I just met certain standards of performance such as Bible reading and prayer (both good things in themselves), then God would essentially become my fairy godparent and do my bidding. My friend was right. I'd turned God's means for knowing him better into a method to keep control of my life. 

Childish or immature perceptions of God need replacing. As a child I somehow picked up the skewed idea that really good soldiers in God's army barely notice the wounds they suffer while serving him, if they feel them at all. 

Years later, Dave and I moved to Liberia, Africa, as missionaries. During our first year there, Uncle El, a fellow missionary, and his daughter, Rhoda, were in a terrible motorcycle accident. While Dave and I stayed with them all night at the hospital, robbers completely ransacked our home. Here we were, serving Jesus, and life had never been so catastrophic. 

I knew I should pray—but how? For what? I had no faith that Uncle El would survive and Rhoda already had multiple fractures. Finally, as I tried to pray, an amazing thing happened. Somehow, in a way I can't explain, I saw Jesus weeping in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he was crucified. What an incredible paradox. There, in the midst of Christ's greatest act of faith, he suffered his greatest moment of pain. Faith didn't prevent his pain, but pain also didn't prevent his faith. By his Spirit, Jesus said to me, "Ruth, I know what it's like not to want the Father's will. Sometimes the Father's will is very hard. So I'm not going to push you through this; I'm going to carry you." 

I've learned as I've matured that true faith not only acknowledges pain, but agrees to God's plan despite it. After Uncle El's death, Aunt Lois told me, "No reason is worth the price of my husband's life except one. Somehow God has allowed this to happen for his glory, though I may never understand why before heaven. With that, my heart can rest." 

God's character is trustworthy. After my encounter with Jesus in the Garden, life continued to tumble from one crisis to another. We were robbed nine more times. Five close friends or relatives, including my father, died in the next two years. Just a few short years later, I had to face the biggest question of my life so far: "Have I given my life to God for a joke?" 

My husband and I were living back in the States, but our two adopted Liberian sons, William and James, had returned to Liberia just before a civil war began there in 1990. For months, we had no idea if our sons were alive or dead. No matter how hard I prayed, the news got worse: "Cholera Sweeps the City." "Six Hundred Killed in Church Massacre." Even if I'd known where William and James were, I had no way to send help or rescue them. I felt numb inside. Each day I waited for a breakthrough from God. Each day—silence. 

After many weeks, God finally impressed one thought in my heart: Ruth, you've come to trust what you know about me, but you don't trust me. That puzzled me. So I prayed, "God, I have no idea what that means, but if it's true, would you teach me about yourself from scratch, as if I've never known you at all?" A few months later, still numb, I opened my Bible once more to Hebrews 11. In verse 6 I read, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Do you really?! My mind began to rage at God as I compared that verse to the circumstances around me. I've sought you and sought you this year, but you remain silent, and everything I've prayed about has only gotten worse. You haven't rewarded me with one thing! 

Hadn't we given up family, country, and professional opportunities to follow God? Now look. Because of the war in Liberia, our mission buildings had been destroyed and our two sons were likely dead and gone. Instead of a plentiful harvest, we had a sun-scorched land. Had I, in fact, spent my life for nothing?As I stared at the passage again, the Shepherd's voice popped up once more in my mind. Do you believe I'm faithful and true and good, not for what you see me do, but for who I am? The greatest wrestling match of my life followed. If I said "Yes, God is faithful, true, and good," it meant I believed he was keeping his promises in this awful situation—even if I didn't understand why or how. It meant I had to trust him; I had to leave all my unanswered questions with him. That seemed like an impossible choice. 

But if I decided "No, God isn't faithful," then I was saying God was a liar and none of his promises were true—including that Jesus is my Savior. In that case, my life was a joke and there was no point in continuing the deception. That seemed like a hopeless choice. 

Thankfully, I finally bowed before God, trusting his character, whether William and James lived or died. In God's mercy, both of them survived the war, but many others didn't. However, like the stories in Hebrews 11, where some people were rescued from the lion's den while others were martyred by being sawn in two, God is equally faithful, true, and good in all cases. 

            I once heard George Verwer, head of Operation Mobilization, say, "Christians have to relearn their faith from scratch at every stage of life." How true. And how wonderful that as God teaches us more about who he is within the circumstances of our life, our relationship to him becomes deeper and stronger. We can trust, no matter what we feel. Maybe that's the "glory" part after all.

posted by: Jrobbins at 20:30 | link | comments |
a pilgrims progress

Always Seeking but Never Finding

I know that the DaVinci Code movie is coming out soon, and I have been wanting to post something about it. I ran across this article on "The DaVinci Dialogue", which is a pretty interesting website in itself. I do not entirely agree with what the author has to say, however, but I'll discuss that more after I post the article.

Spiritual, But Not Religious: Who Are The Da Vinci Code’s Fans? 

By Douglas E. Cowan 

The Da Vinci Code is nothing if not a triumph of marketing, bringing together both the appeal of a venerable conspiracy theory and the longing of people to believe that there is something meaningful lying below the surface of everyday life. Since the novel’s release in 2003, I have been regularly confronted by students and colleagues who, generally speaking, ask two questions: Have you read The Da Vinci Code, and how much of it is true? Much of their curiosity, of course, is driven by Dan Brown’s claim to factual accuracy in his one-page author’s note. If these are true, readers wonder, how much more must be true? Obviously, I was not the only one being asked these questions, since The Da Vinci Code has generated a veritable cottage industry of material devoted pointing out the novel’s numerous flaws and inaccuracies. Arguing that the novel is anti-Christian in some way, evangelical Protestants are incensed at its portrayal of Jesus, while Roman Catholics are equally angry at its representation of the Church. For each of these, though for different reasons, The Da Vinci Code must be cracked, broken, exposed, and laid bare for the spiritual tripe that it is. 

Well, O.K… but what about the tens of millions of people who are captivated by the novel, not only as the moderately engaging thriller that is, but for the spiritual possibilities it presents? A large number of the novel’s fans, I suspect, want to believe all or part of what Brown has implied is factual and accurate. They want to believe there is more to the Christian story than either evangelicals or Roman Catholics claim, because in their own religious lives they have found the restrictive theology of evangelicalism no more satisfying than Roman Catholic sacramentalism. This much is clear from the looks on their faces when I tell them that very little in the book is “true” in any historical sense. There is no secretive monastic order in Opus Dei. The Priory of Sion is a hoax that began in the 1950s. And Dan Brown’s Merovingian dynasty bears as much resemblance to history as the “Merovingian” character in the two sequels to The Matrix. Often, they are disappointed when I tell them these things, and not infrequently angry—either at me for bursting what seems a precious bubble of belief, or at Brown for leading them on. Why they are disappointed, though, lies at the heart of what Christians must understand about the appeal not only of this book and this film, but of the faith possibilities they represent. 

More and more we hear the phrase, “I’m spiritual, but not religious,” which is usually an attempt to distance oneself from the negative aspects of one institutional church or another. Indeed, we hear it so often these days that we are tempted to wonder if these people do not constitute something of a religious movement all their own. There are a few things that are important to bear in mind about this group, however, things that speak directly to the popularity of novels and films like The Da Vinci Code, and why Christians should not dismiss those who find their ideas appealing. 

First, they are not anti-religious and they are not anti-Christian. Some may not identify themselves as Christians, but this is not the same thing. Often, these people are profoundly devout, keenly interested in the realms of the spirit, and far more dedicated to their own religious search than many who profess dedication to this religion or that. They are often dissatisfied in the extreme with what passes for Christianity, justifiably disillusioned by the sad antics of televangelists and the tragic revelations of Roman Catholic abuse. They do not want to give up their quest for faith, they simply don’t want any part of the “faith” they see around them. Second, though they may disagree with one denomination’s interpretation of what Christianity is or should be, this too is not the same thing as being anti-Christian. They are not heretics, and, by the way, neither is Dan Brown. They are participating in a religious process that has been ongoing for millennia. Questions are what drives faith forward, not answers. Unfortunately, far too many Christians regard any questioning of their accepted beliefs as tantamount to blasphemy, and either condemn or dismiss those who dare to ask.

Third, and perhaps most important, it is unlikely that books and films like The Da Vinci Code will provide any of the answers to life’s enduring questions, but they are not meant to. Their purpose is to entertain, and to turn a profit for their authors and producers. This does not mean, however, that they cannot pose these questions in fresh and inviting ways—if those who read or view them are open to the possibility. Instead of dismissing the questions raised by either the book or its fans, and taking both as opportunities to reinforce one’s own personal orthodoxy, I would suggest that Christians take a moment to listen to what is very likely behind the questions from people who claim to be “spiritual, but not religious.” If men and women are fascinated by The Da Vinci Code because they want it to be true, what does that say about the ways in which the Christian story has been presented by those who claim to be Christ’s followers, and the way those who dare to ask questions have been treated?

My problem is with Mr. Cowan's stance towards those who are dissatisfied with the religions they are presented with and are seeking a form of spirituality on their own terms. First, he contends that Christians are too dismissive and hurtful in their response to "seekers". Okay, no problem there. Christians sin and mess up and hurt people's feelings. We're saved - not perfect. We just follow the Perfect One. Good luck trying to make it through life NOT being hurt or having someone mock your beliefs. My problem lies with Mr. Cowan's second point. He implies that "seekers" deserve a great deal of veneration and respect for their dismissal of Christianity and attempts to pursue their own spirituality. I disagree. While allowing the same amount of respect and kindness I try to give to everyone (except politicians, lawyers, and scientists), I can't respect the "seeker mentality" Cowan describes in his article. First of all, if you don't like what you see around you - toss it out without exploring it first? That doesn't seem at all noble to me. What if that theory was applied to marriage? I don't like the marriages I see around me - so I think that the entire institution is false and I'll create my own (oh, wait, that already happens!). My point is that if you do ANY research into Christianity at all (pick up a Bible, folks), you will quickly realize that most Christians, especially the ones on t.v. and in the news, DON'T follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. That in no way means that Christianity is false and should be tossed aside in favor of some new form of human-made spirtuality. It means that humans are fallen and sinful (also in the Bible!). So, put a little effort into discovering the REAL nature of Christianity before you walk away. My second point is this post-modern worship of the "seeker" mentality. Modern society holds up perpetual seekers as the most intellectually evolved beings. Baloney. G.K. Chesterton once said “The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.” There is no special distinction in never delving deep enough to find the absolute truth. That's called intellectual cowardice where I come from. It is also addressed in...the Bible (gasp!). Paul describes the "perpetual seeker" mentality in 2 Timothy 3:1-8:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.  They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Of course, I'm not saying that every seeker is "evil" or whatever. You can't find the truth if you DON'T seek it out. The Lord God Himself tells us to seek Him in Deuteronomy 4:29 "If you seek the Lord you will find Him, if you look for Him with your whole heart". I'm just saying don't come to me expecting me to fall down in awe at people who are sort-of, kinda maybe interested in one day finding some form of truth. No wonder God doesn't honor that kind of "seeking". I just can't be quiet and ignore a generation that is satisfied with a "DaVinci Code" spirituality - one that doesn't acknowledge the Creator of the Universe as He truly is and certainly doesn't acknowledge His right to our lives. Okay, I'm climbing off my soapbox (whew!). End of rant!

posted by: Jrobbins at 18:33 | link | comments |
always seeking but never finding

By Their Fruits, You Shall Know Them

To paraphrase from that great and wise philosopher, Batman, "It's not what I SAY that matters - it's what I DO that defines me." I think the following news report from Open Doors, USA proves this very well.

Hindu Extremists Spread Hate; Christians Celebrate Festival Of Joy
 
SANTA ANA, CA (Feb. 14, 2006) – Organizers and local sources estimated that 300,000 Hindus converged on the Dangs region of Gujarat state in India during a three-day rally that began on February 11, although the government figure stands at 160,000 people.

The rally was designed by extremists “to trigger the return of thousands of Christian vanvasi [forest-dwelling] converts back to the Hindu fold.” At the same time, many of the area’s Christians attended an annual three-day Christian worship event.
 
The three-day Shabri Kumbh, or “Hindu Re-Awakening,” was organized by Hindu extremist groups, including the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council). The rally started amidst shouting of militant Hindu slogans such as, “Only those people will rule this country who talk about favoring Hindus.”
 
Participants listened to speakers, including Hindu religious leaders, espousing the “one nation based on one culture” theory as propagated by the extremists groups. Speakers accused Christians in general and Christian missionaries in particular of inducing Adivasis (tribal, sub-caste Indians) to convert and advised them to stay away from Dangs. Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi, among others, spoke openly against Christians and vowed to prevent the conversion of tribals to Christianity. Modi said that he saw nothing wrong in extending state help to prevent conversions of tribals and to facilitate “reconversions” -- even though tribals are historically animists, not Hindus.
 
As religious ceremonies continued throughout the first day, participants grumbled at the lack of proper sanitation and other basic facilities, noise levels and dust. At the same time, the organizers credited themselves for successfully planning the massive gathering in one of the least developed areas in the country.
 
Many of the bookstalls at the festival selling literature promoting Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) ideology were also seen selling provocative material targeting Christian missionaries. One bookstall also sold books glorifying the anti-Muslim Gujarat riots which caused the massacre of thousands of Muslims at the hands of frenzied Hindu mobs.
 
Having attracted attention from the international community, the organizers were unable to carry out assaults on Christian tribals, missionaries, churches and Christian institutions in the Dangs region on the first day. The situation continued to be sensitive, however, as more Hindus gathered on the second and the third days.
 
Festival of Joy

The threat of reconversions and violence was not enough to dampen the spirit of celebration of many local Christians as they gathered February 10 for a three-day Joy Mahotsav (Festival of Joy). 
 
The Festival of Joy is an annual event in the area bringing in more than 25,000 local Christians participants from the Dangs and the surrounding areas. It is organized by Joy Ministries, headed by the Rev. Vijay Gavit from Khodtalav village, Taluka Vyara, District Surat.
 
This year, the threat of the Hindu rally loomed large over the preparation of the festival. Still, more than 10,000 local Christians attended the first day.
 
Political leaders and senior Christian leaders from the area were present on the stage, in addition to the main speaker, the Rev. Suresh Babu, and the worship team. The event also showcased prominent Christian artists from Mumbai especially invited to minister with songs of worship during the event.
 
As local Christians traveled to the venue for the Festival of Joy, they met thousands of VHP and RSS supporters on their way to the Hindu rally. Still, peace was maintained and no clashes were reported.
 
Police fortified the rally site at Subir, Dangs, even as Suresh Kulkarni, the joint general secretary of the Shabri Kumbh Samiti (organizing committee), released a press statement assuring the authorities and the media that “there will be no reconversions or any law and order problem and that peace will prevail.”
 
The police presence at the Festival of Joy, however, was limited to 15 men and a police van to cater to the needs of more than 10,000 Christians. As the evening progressed, many policemen could be seen raising their hands in worship as they prayed along with the local Christians for healing and deliverance.
 
The local Member of Parliament, Mr. Tusshar Choudhary, openly proclaimed his commitment to the Christian community, saying that if anyone tries to harm even a single Christian Adivasi in the area, they would first have to deal with him. He also said that the Christian Adivasis and the other Adivasis were being manipulated to fight against each other by the Hindutva BJP Party and their allies.
 
He asked the Christian community for prayer for strength as he worked to eliminate the influential powers trying to destroy the area. He began his speech with a loud cry of “Praise the Lord,” and ended it with “Jai Yeshu!” (Victory belongs to the Lord Jesus). Choudhary is not a professing Christian but a Hindu.
 
Other political leaders, including the Member of Legislative Assembly, echoed similar sentiments as they pointed out the positive changes brought to the area by the gospel of Jesus Christ. After tribals embrace Christianity, they said, the power of Jesus makes them into ideal citizens and good human beings.
 
“We need to pray for Christians caught in the volatile situation in India,” says Open Doors USA President Dr. Carl Moeller. “The Hindu extremists want to intimidate Christians, so pray that Christians there will stand strong in their faith.”

posted by: Jrobbins at 13:39 | link | comments |
by their fruits

Knowing is Half the Battle

  Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God? By Douglas Groothius 

Muslims and Christians: How to Get Along? 

     They both believe in one personal and transcendent God who has sent his prophets into the world. They both believe in sacred writings that record the prophetic revelations. They both believe that Jesus was a prophet who was sinless and born of a virgin. And they both worship with these beliefs firmly in place. We are speaking of Muslims and Christians, whose members comprise the two largest monotheistic religions in the world. 

     In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans have become fascinated with the beliefs and practices of Islam, which is the fastest growing religion in the world, with approximately 1.3 billion adherents. Increasingly, Muslims are immigrating to the West. In various American cities, it is not uncommon to find mosques — many of them newly built — and to see women in the traditional Muslim dress mingling with American women dressed quite differently. 

      In light of this, many Westerners wonder what do Muslims believe and why. They also question the relationship between Islam and Christianity. Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God, but merely in different ways? Should Christians seek to present their beliefs to Muslims in the hope that the Muslim might forsake Islam and embrace Christianity? Or is this simply a waste of time at best or rude at worst? 

     Many instruct us to be "tolerant" and to refrain from "proselytizing" anyone. In the name of tolerance, some people say that Christians and Muslims should coexist without trying to convert (or otherwise challenge) each other because "Christians and Muslims worship the same God." This, many believe, should be good enough for Muslims and Christians. Many also believe this arrangement is good enough for the God they both worship as well. If both religions worship the same God, why should they worry about each other's spiritual state? 

Religion, God and Truth 

     If indeed Muslims and Christians worship the same God, there would be little need for disagreement, dialogue, and debate between them. If I am satisfied to shop at one grocery store and you are satisfied to shop at another store, why should I try to convince you to shop at my store or vice versa? Do not both stores provide the food we need, even if each sells different brands? The analogy is tidy, but does it really fit? 

     Deeper questions need to be raised if we are to settle the question of whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God. First, what are the essential teachings of Christianity and Islam? Second, what does each religion teach about worshipping its God? Third, what does each religion teach about the other religion? That is, do the core teachings of Islam and Christianity assure their adherents that members of the other religion are fine as they are because both religions "worship the same God"? 

     In When Religion Becomes Evil (Harper. San Francisco, 2002), Charles Kimball argues that Christians and Muslims do indeed worship the same God. Kimball rightly observes that truth claims are foundational for religion. But he claims that believers err when they hold their religious beliefs in a "rigid" or "absolute" manner. So, he argues, when some Christians criticize the Islamic view of God (Allah) as deficient, they reveal their ignorance and bigotry. Kimball asserts that "there is simply no ambiguity here. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are talking about the same deity" (p. 50). This is because the Qur'an affirms that Allah inspired the Hebrew prophets and Jesus. Moreover, the Arabic word "Allah" means "God." Are Professor Kimball and so many others who echo similar themes correct? In search of a reasonable answer, we will briefly consider the three questions from the last paragraph. 

Christianity and Islam: The Claims, the Logic, and the Differences 

     First, what are the teachings that each religion takes to be absolutely true? Although Islam and Christianity are both monotheistic, their views of God differ considerably. Islam denies that God is a Trinity — that one God eternally exists as three co-eternal and equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).¹ Islam also rejects that God became a man in Jesus Christ (John 1:1-18).² These doctrines are cornerstones of Christianity. But God cannot be both a Trinity (Christian) and not a Trinity (Islam). This is matter of simple logic; it has nothing to do with religious intolerance or being "rigid." 

     For Christianity, humans are corrupted by an inherited sinful nature that cannot be overcome by any human means (Ephesians 2:1-10). But Islam denies that human have a deeply sinful human nature, claiming that we sin because we are merely weak and ignorant.³ Christianity teaches that salvation is secured only through faith in the achievements of Jesus Christ — his life, death, and resurrection (John 3:16-18). Islam, however, implores its followers to obey the laws of the Qur'an in the hopes that they will be found worthy of paradise.⁴ Since these two views contradict each other, both views cannot be true. 

     Second, how does each religion say worship should be offered to God? Muslims deem worship of the Trinity to be polytheistic and thus blasphemous. Worship of Jesus — whom they deem only human — is anathema. Yet these beliefs are essential for Christian worship. One must worship God "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Worship requires assent to the truth of God (the Trinity), belief in the gospel, trust in Jesus Christ, and submission to God’s will. While Muslims emphasize submission to Allah ("Islam" means submission), they do not submit to the God revealed in the Bible. This exposes another irreconcilable difference between Islam and Christianity. 

     Third, what does each religion make of the other one? Muslims and Christians have historically tried to convert each other, since they both view adherents of other religions to be misguided. Islam seeks converts worldwide because it believes Allah is supreme over all and must be so recognized. Christians are commanded to take the gospel into all the nations and to baptize converts into the name of the triune God of the Bible (Matthew 28:18-20).  Neither Christianity nor Islam can logically endorse the other religion’s distinctive claims and practices without denying its own.   Much more needs to be discussed concerning Muslim and Christian relations in a religiously pluralistic world. However, we must conclude that despite their common monotheism, Islam and Christianity have very different views of God, worship, and mission. Therefore, it is unreasonable to claim that they worship the same God. 

Notes 

1.       See The Qur'an, Surah 112:1-4, which denies that God "begat" a son. Surah 4:171 commands Muslims to not say "three" with respect to God; see also Surah 5:73. However, the Qur'an claims that the Christian doctrine of Trinity affirms that it is comprised of the Father, the Son, and Mary (Surah 5:116). The Bible, however, never attributes deity to Mary. For more on how the Qur'an understands Jesus and the Trinity, see Chawkat Moucarry, The Prophet and the Messiah: An Arab Christian's Perspective on Islam and Christianity (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 184-195. Back^ 

2.       See The Qur'an, Surah 5:115-18 where Jesus is reported to have denied his own deity; see also Surah 9:30-31. Back^ 

3.       See Harold Netland, Dissonant Voices: Religious Pluralism and the Question of Truth (Vancouver, BC: Regent University Press, 1997), 89-90. Back^ 

See the Qur’an, Surah 36:54; see also Surah 82:19. Back^

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