The Christian Messenger Oct 2017 English

What Depression Taught Me About Biblical Womanhood

Why Didn’t God Heal Nabeel Qureshi?

6 Reasons Why The Church Is Not Singing

THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER INDIA’S EVANGELICAL NEWS MAGAZINE Vol. 14, No. 6 | OCTOBER, 2017 | Rs.20/-

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How Charles Spurgeon Scheduled His Week!

Insight Into The Working Style of the Great Preacher 1

Medical Camp in Hosur Mission Field In pouring rains, around 120 people trooped into a makeshift arrangement in Thattasanthiram Junction in Hosur and made use of the medical camp organized for their benefit. Messenger Missions had organized the camp. The camp was held from 10 am to 3 pm on Sept 17. The number of beneficiaries could have been more but for the rains. MM appreciates the efforts of Sri Chandrasekara Hospital and Shabari Eye Care Hospital in the medical camp.

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Vol. 14, No. 6

Page 20

OCTOBER, 2017

The purpose of the news magazine is to report newsworthy religious events and activities within the local community, nationwide and around the world, to increase the awareness and activism of believers regarding the moral issues of today, to provide thought-provoking commentary, and to provide an effective advertising vehicle for Christian ministries and organizations, events and businesses that want to reach the Christian community. - Editor

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COVER FEATURE >> How Charles Spurgeon Scheduled His Week!

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COVER FEATURE

A Typical Week in the Life of Charles Spurgeon CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON was an English preacher. Although he was a Baptist, he was immensely popular in Christian circles of his days and hugely useful across denominations. Small wonder then he was known as the ‘Prince of Preachers’.

For 38 years, he served as the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel (it was later renamed as the Metropolitan Tabernacle).

Spurgeon was a prolific author. His works i n c l u d e d s e r m o n s , a n a u t o b i o g r a p h y, commentaries, books on prayer, devotionals, magazines, poetry, hymns, and more. Many sermons were transcribed as he spoke and were translated into many languages during his lifetime. Spurgeon produced powerful sermons of penetrating thought and precise exposition. His oratory skills held his listeners spellbound in the Metropolitan Tabernacle and many Christians hold his writings in exceptionally high regard among devotional literature.

This month, The Christian Messenger pays tribute to one of the greatest preachers that the Christian world has ever known. On Oct 7, 160 years ago, he preached to the largest crowd ever – 23,654 people at the Crystal Palace in London.

An incident that occurred a day or two before Oct 7, 160 years ago, goes on to prove the kind of power God gave His servant. In Spurgeon’s own words: ‘In 1857, a day or two before preaching at the Crystal Palace, I went to decide where the platform should be fixed; and, in order to test the acoustic properties of the building, cried in a loud voice, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” In one of the galleries, a workman, who knew nothing of what was being done, heard the words, and they came like a message from heaven to his soul. He was smitten with conviction on account of sin, put down his tools, went home, and there, after a season of spiritual struggling, found peace and life by beholding the Lamb of God. Years after, he told this story to one who visited him on his death-bed.’

Spurgeon shepherded the largest Protestant megachurch in the world (he knew all 6,000 members by name), directed a theological college, ran an orphanage and oversaw 66 Christian charities.

“I wish it could be said of us that we wasted neither an hour of our time, nor an hour of other people’s time.”

Spurgeon was also a father and husband. He never sacrificed his family on the altar of ministry.

So how did the Prince of Preachers schedule his week? Here’s what Spurgeon’s daily organizer looked like (taken from his autobiography): Monday Wake early, revise stenographer’s transcription of yesterday’s sermon Write/dictate letters and personal correspondence After lunch, complete revision of the first draft of sermon, then send to printer 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., lead the prayer service at the Tabernacle Conduct interviews for membership at the Tabernacle Preach an optional late-night service Tuesday Wake early, revise second draft of sermon 11:00 a.m., complete revision of second draft, then send sermon to the printer Write/dictate letters and personal correspondence Lunch, research/write books, magazine articles and other literary work Afternoon, pastoral care/counseling at the

IN 57 YEARS, Charles Spurgeon accomplished three lifetimes of work. Every week he preached four to 10 times, read six meaty books, revised sermons for publication, lectured, edited a monthly magazine. In his spare time, he wrote about 150 books.

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Spurgeon’s Sayings

Tabernacle Evening, preside over Tabernacle societies and charities Wednesday Celebrate a much-needed mid-week Sabbath Spend time with Susannah, Charles and Thomas Contemplate in garden or read in study Relax Thursday Wake early, write/dictate letters and personal correspondence Begin thinking about selecting a Scripture text for the evening sermon Afternoon, write/edit books and other literary projects Complete the final revision of the sermon, then send to printer for publication/distribution After dinner, begin sermon preparation for the evening service 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., preach the evening service in the Lecture Hall of the Tabernacle Friday Wake early, prepare lecture on preaching for the students of the Pastors’ College 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., lecture for two hours at the College on Temple Street Interview/mentor students afterwards 7:00 p.m., attend business meeting at the Tabernacle Saturday Breakfast, then work with secretary on revising/editing books for publication Resolve with secretary any outstanding projects for the week Afternoon, entertain guests in garden if weather is favorable 6:00 p.m., dismiss guests after dinner “Now, dear friends, I must bid you good-bye and turn you out of this study; you know what a number of chickens I have to scratch for, and I want to give them a good meal tomorrow.”

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m., Prepare tomorrow’s sermon: Select Scripture text Ask wife to read the Scripture text aloud Mentally divide sermon into natural breaking points as she reads Scribble divisions onto a half sheet of paper in purple ink Sunday Wake early, ride carriage to the Tabernacle (15- to 20-minute journey) Smoke one cigar “to the glory of God” Arrive 30 minutes before the service Worship service begins Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in

On preparing for sermons “To sit long in one posture, pouring over a book, or driving a quill, is in itself a taxing of nature; but add to this a badly ventilated chamber, a body which has long been without muscular exercise, and a heart burdened with many cares, and we have all the elements for preparing a seething cauldron of despair.”

On fear “There is neither in heaven nor earth nor hell anything that we need fear when we are once right with God. Settle the centre, and the circumference is secure” On coping with loss “You, who have lately lost your loved ones, and you, who have been brought low by recent losses in business, are you fretting over your losses? If so, remember that you have not lost your ‘all.’ You still have Christ, and he is ‘all’.”

On worrying “Care is injurious; but if you only turn this care into prayer, then every care will be a benefit to you.”

Sickness better than health “Health is set before us as if it were the great thing to be desired above all other things. It is so? I would venture to say that the greatest blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently been of more use to the saints of God than health has. If some men, that I know of, could only be favoured with a month of rheumatism, it would, by God’s grace, mellow them marvelously.”

Call to worship/announcements Congregational singing from Our Own HymnBook (voices only, no organ) R e a d S c r i p t u r e t e x t w h i l e o ff e r i n g extemporaneous expositions on its context Begin preaching sermon (43-45 minutes, no longer) Drink chili-vinegar if throat becomes irritated Conclude service (no altar call, but “enquiry rooms” available) Afternoon, greet visitors in the Pastor’s Vestry Late afternoon, travel home to “Westwood” on Beulah Hill in Norwood Begin sermon prep for the evening evangelistic service Preach sermon at the Tabernacle Travel home and retire for the week.

David Livingstone, the missionary to Africa, once asked Spurgeon, “How can you accomplish so much in one day?”

“You forget, Mr. Livingstone,” Spurgeon replied, “there are two of us working.”

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YOUTHINK

An Open Letter Teens Need to Read to be within you, that God—He is in it all.

Jesus teaches his followers in Matthew 6:26 saying, “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” If He feeds the birds, we can trust him to feed His people.

Throughout scripture we read story after story of God's faithfulness and presence with His people. He clothes Adam and Eve after they disobey Him in the Garden of Eden; He parts the Red Sea for Moses; He chooses a simple shepherd named David to save his people from the Philistines and then be King; He sends Jesus to pay the price for our sins; and Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who believe in Him. Where has God been faithful to you in the past?

Where has he cared for you? Put that in front of your eyes, and remember it. See where God walked with you in the good and the bad. When we remember, we gain strength, through God's faithful work that has already begun in our lives. As Paul writes in Philippians, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

The writer is the mother of three boys.

BY DAWSON COOPER Dear Teenager, I hope this isn't too blunt or really, perhaps, too obvious: Life hurts.

But surely you know this by now? Have you been excluded from a dinner with friends, only to see it posted later on Instagram? Have you not made a team for which you worked hard to make? Have you had a parent disappoint you? Has an illness affected you or your family? Have you struggled under the pressure to perform at school and to uphold your reputation?

When I think of what I want you to know, I want you to know that Jesus is in it all. He is with you in all of it. There isn't a place that the Lord your God cannot reach, does not know and does not desire to redeem. When it hurts, it's hard to imagine a God who is really in the hard places of life. But this isn't about the “why.” This is about the “who.” Whether or not we understand why life is hard, understanding the Who can bring more comfort than any kind platitude from a friend. The God who created the universe, strung the stars across the sky, told the oceans to stop at the shore, formed your parts in the womb, who went so far to save His people that He gave His only Son for you, who sent His Holy Spirit

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HEARTH & HOME

What depression taught me about Biblical womanhood

BY JASMINE HOLMES I’VE WRITTEN MORE on womanhood than I have about postpartum depression.

Part of that is because biblical womanhood is a topic I’m speaking on at an upcoming conference.

Also, to coin an overused and sometimes annoying term, I’ve been feeling woke about the topic lately.

And, lastly, it’s because talking about PPD, while mostly empowering, is also a vulnerable and scary thing. Everyone has an opinion on depression, and I can’t tell you how many people have critiqued how I tell my own story.

But it’s a real thing. And it’s something that continues to teach me so much about being a woman of God. Because of this, I have honestly been able to say that God used the darkest season of my life (so far) for beautiful purposes (Romans 8:28). Even though that is the last thing I wanted to hear in the midst of my suffering.

Fair warning: This is about to get real.

THE TRUTH ABOUT DEPRESSION I have never been a very hopeful person. My mom’s nickname for me growing up was Eeyore.

The tiniest things could rattle my faith that God loved me and wanted what was best for me. That has always been my struggle.

But after I had my son, those moments of struggle stretched into hours; those hours stretched into months, I felt…adrift. Empty. Disconnected. Like, in sustaining the life of my son—the most beautiful part of me—I had killed the life inside of me.

Depression is different for all of us, but, for me, I felt as though I was drowning in an inch of water. All I had to do was get up. Push hands against the ground, rock back on my knees, and breathe the air that I could feel all around me. And I kept screaming to myself to do just that, but I just couldn’t.

And I was so ashamed because perfect wives don’t deal with depression.

THE TRUTH ABOUT ME I had spent years leading up to my marriage planning to be a killer wife, y’all.

Sure, I was planning for God’s glory to be my ultimate focus, but that focus was this far off heavenly thing that didn’t seep into my day to day pursuits. No, day to day, God was relegated to my quiet time. Every other part of my waking moments were supposed to be consumed with being the perfect helpmeet to my husband and the perfect mother to my son.

And then I met my husband. He was neither impressed by my Suzie Homemaker skills nor fooled by the veneer of my wifely perfection. We had THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w OCTOBER 2017

been dating for about two weeks when I pulled a perfect godly girlfriend move and prayed for him during a hard day. No sooner had I said amen then the blunt man that I would marry quipped, “That was sweet. But I’m starting to wonder who the real you is under this carefully choreographed perfect girlfriend thing you’re doing.”

I was livid. And convicted. But the first year of my marriage, I was still doing the perfect wife dance and stuffing down the intricacies of my heart in pursuit of this woman who I thought I was supposed to be.

THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE But it couldn’t last forever.

My family moved to Zambia. Phillip and I moved to two states in two years. I suffered a miscarriage.

We endured the harsh reality that marriage can be tough. And I suffered through postpartum depression.

And I couldn’t pretend anymore.

The articles that beckoned me to do my duty to be part June Cleaver, part Maria Von Trapp and part wide-eyed Disney princess struck hollow. My house was a mess. My marriage consisted of my husband holding me every night while I cried. And my motherhood included looking down into my little boy’s face and anchoring myself in the reality that, sometimes, the only reason I felt the will to live was because he needed me.

THE TRUTH ABOUT BIBLICAL WOMANHOOD The darkness just wouldn’t lift.

Until one day, it did.

The dark moments in our lives (where our false notions of womanhood are put to the test) are the moments when God is yanking us out of the idolatry of what it means to be the perfect [single, girlfriend, wife, fill in the blank].

It's impossible.

It is impossible to be the perfectly content single

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who is never lonely. It is impossible to be the perfect girlfriend who needs less than she gives. It is impossible to be the superwoman who is kicking butt and taking names at work and still has everything to give when she gets home. It is impossible to be the stay-at-home mom who never gets lonely, never thinks her kid is a terrorist, and never fantasizes about pushing her husband off of a (really small, really non-fatal) cliff.

And if you manage to do one of those things perfectly, I guarantee you haven’t held down all of them equally. And if you have, don’t talk to me, girl, take that show on the road and get paid, cause you’re a magical unicorn.

THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS For the non-magical unicorns among us, circle up.

Hear me on this. The phrase “biblical womanhood” is often a sweet Jesus Juke that silences the discontent that could lead us to the Cross. It hasn’t equipped us for the valleys in life, because it promises that, once we’re meeting our purpose in life as we should, the valleys will melt away.

But I want to invite you to lean into the valleys.

They rip our idols out of our hands. They toss us down onto our knees and into a bald acceptance of the fact that we need more than perfect husbands, beautiful children, tidy houses and domestic acumen

to be fulfilled in this life. We need Jesus. And not in a “Jesus Juke” kind of way, but in a “this man bled out on a cross with nails hammered into his palms; he knows suffering, and he cares for me” kind of way.

WE WERE MADE FOR MORE In the 1960s, Gloria Steinem of second wave feminism fame decried the void that stay-at-home moms often felt and urged them to find fulfillment in the workforce. Some of our conservative Christian forebearers shot back by elevating the home and crying that true fulfillment could be found therein.

But whatever season you find yourself in—at home, at work, in school, single, married, childless, drowning in diapers—the void can find you.

It found me.

And it’s a reminder that we were made for better things than what this world has to offer. Better things, even, than our husbands and our children (present or future tense). It’s a reminder that our vision of those better things, while ever improving once we come to know Christ, is sometimes painfully dimmed by the hardships of this earth.

Don’t smile it away. Don’t fake it till you make it.

Stare right into the face of the darkness and trust that Christ is sufficient to conquer every little thing that you find inside of it—because he is.

The writer is a pastor’s kid, wife and writer.

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GOSPEL MELA 2017 24-Hour Chain Prayer

15 Specific Prayer Points For a 30-Minute Intercession And, I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none (Ezekiel 22:30).

Praying with one accord for 2,234 people groups spread across 1.2 billion people in 29 states and 7 UTs in one nation.

Every nation, every tribe, every people and every tongue shall say: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!� (Revelation 7:10).

1.

Pray for unity among the various churches and denominations in India. There is room for better coordination and cooperation among denominational churches and independent Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in the country. Last month, the Church of South India in Kerala pulled out of a Council of Churches citing the inclusion of Believer's Church in the organization.

The CSI said it neither recognizes Believer's Church as an episcopal church nor its leader K P Yohannan a bishop. This is an unfortunate stand and will affect unity among the churches in Kerala in particular.

Pray.

2.

Two thousand girls are killed in India every day, with many slain before or just after birth, Maneka Gandhi, the country's Minister of Women and Child Development, said. Female infanticide is a historic problem in India. Daughters are often viewed as a burden because of the continuing prevalence of the dowry system. Pray against this social evil. Pray for the unauthorised nursing homes and doctors to become more responsible on this issue. Let India realize that children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3).

3.

Domestic violence against children, women and men are happening around the country in different forms. Around two-third of married Indian women are victims of domestic violence. As many as 70 percent of married women in India between the age of 15 and 49 are victims of beating, rape and domestic abuse. Older and weaker men face domestic violence from other men of their household. Pray for more stringent laws against domestic violence and abuse to be enacted and followed. Let our nation realize that Jesus, the Son of Man, came to be serve and not to be served. He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26-28).

4.

Alcoholism ranks among the top five risk factors for disease, disability and death throughout the world. Alcoholism affects the drinker both THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w OCTOBER 2017

physically and mentally. It can cause cancer in many parts of the body mainly in kidney, liver and stomach etc. Alcoholism affects one's personal life and his relationship with friends and family. Pray for alcoholics to be delivered by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray young people say no to alcohol in the first instance and stay away from it forever. Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler, whoever is led astray by them is not wise (Pro. 20:1).

5.

Pray for the safety of children in schools and colleges. Last month, a seven year old boy's throat was slit by the driver of a school van in the school premises. Instances of rape of young schoolchildren by the school authorities themselves have caused alarm in the country. Pray that the school authorities take care to accord the highest importance to the safety of the children in their care.

6.

Pray for Tamil Nadu. The political situation in the state is precarious to say the least. Nobody knows who's in power and who's directing them.

Amidst all this uncertainty, welfare measures seem to have taken a beating. Both the government and the Opposition seem to be fishing in troubled waters.

Pray that a strong and stable government comes to power in the state and corruption is weeded out of the state administration. Pray for the leaders to have wisdom from above.

7.

In a report last month, The Hindu said gutkha sellers in Tamil Nadu are using school dropouts to sell the addictive substances for a higher price in some pockets of Chennai. Gutkha brought from Andhra Pradesh and sold clandestinely through the children. The report said so far this year since January 1, over 1.85 lakh gutkha packets worth nearly ? 70 lakh have been seized. Out of this nearly 1.60 lakh gutkha packets were seized from June 19 to August 27. Over 2,300 persons have been arrested in this regard. Pray for this menace to be totally rid of from all states in the country.

8.

Pray for the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat. The Vijay Rupani government's term

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ends in January 2018. Pray for all fundamentalist forces to be trounced. The BJP government's claim of vikas (development) in Gujarat is already subject to extreme ridicule in social media. Pray that the people of Gujarat see through lies and false claims of development and vote in a stable and corruption-free government.

9.

Pray for world peace. With both North Korea and the US threatening to destroy each other, world peace is at stake. Pray for sanity to prevail among world leaders. Pray that they cut down on rhetoric and give importance to diplomacy to work in tough circumstances. The world leaders need fear of God in their hearts to guide them to take the right decisions in extremely volatile situations.

10. Pray for the Rohingya community in Myanmar. The situation in the Rakhine state of the erstwhile Burma has caused concern worldwide.

Rohingya people, fearing action from the Myanmar security forces, have been fleeing the country and seeking asylum in Bangladesh and India. Pray that Myanmar reaches out to the community in a peaceful manner instead of oppressing them in the name of crackdown on terrorism.

11. Pray that the spirit of darkness that spreads religious intolerance in the country is bound in the Name of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that all the divisive forces that instigate one people group against another and pits one community against another lose their power and their nefarious plans are defeated.

Let us pray that law and order is maintained in all our states so the church and the general public may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

12. We see the right-wing elements tightening their grip on the nation. Out of the 29 states, the BJP is in power in 18 states. Only Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in the north, Mizoram and Meghalaya in the north east, West Bengal and Odisha in the east and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry in the south have so far successfully warded off the BJP. Pray that no fundamentalist political party gains a foothold in any of the states in the south.

13. Pray that the forces of darkness that work against the Church, missions organizations and NGOs become powerless. Pray that the weapons and counsel that are formed against God's servants do not prosper. May God create an atmosphere where His servants preach the Gospel in a free and fearless manner. Almost 90 percent of the people groups in the nation have not yet been reached by the Gospel.

We, who believe that the Lord's return is imminent, need to take steps to spread the Gospel on a war footing. May God give us the grace!

Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in

14. BIBLE TRANSLATION: Messenger Missions supports Bible translation in three languages (Ranglong, Rathwi and Inner Seraji) spoken among the people of the north east. We need Rs.1,20,000 a year for this project. Aside from this, we need a considerable amount of money to print or buy Gospel tracts and purchase Scriptures in various languages. Only if this need is met can our missions work go on unhindered. There are other needs such as the salaries of missionaries and office staff, their children's education aid, medical camps, outreach ministries and so on. Pray that God raises His children who are generous minded to support our missions work.

15. MADHYA PRADESH: By the abundant grace of God, the Lord's work is progressing in 15 villages in Madhya Pradesh under three Gospel workers. Pray that God gives a big harvest of souls in Kirnapur where we have a church. Pray for the extension of the boundaries of our community development project, 'Asha Kiran'. Pray for our outreaches in Chhachanmeta and Tekkadi to grow and bear fruit. As many as 9 believers are ready for baptism in MP. Pray that they grow in the Word and in the Lord.

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Deliverance from idolatry of relationship To my brothers and sisters in Christ of Christian Messenger I just chanced upon your magazine online and I found the contents amazing and truly inspiring particularly the article on idolatry. I guess this is the subject that plagues us the most in our Christian life and we need to be extremely careful about this.

This was an eye opener for me and just reading it made me repentant of my own sinful idolatry which is idolatry of relationships. I used to be an idolater myself praying to idols once in my life. Thankfully, Jesus saved me from that and gave me much more in return.

Sincerely yours Dhanalutchmee Mootyen, Mauritius.

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SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY

First batch of woolen blankets goes to Madhya Pradesh GREETINGS to you in the Name of Jesus Christ, the One who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Come November and cold season begins in several places in north India. November, December and January are perhaps the coldest months in many northern states.

Like in the previous years, we would like to give woollen shawls and blankets to the people who are covered by the ministrations of our mission fields.

This year, we would like at least 200 people to be benefitted by this outreach ministry. We need to raise Rs.1,00,000 immediately to be able to meet the need.

Will you come forward to meet this need? You can look at making this gift available to 5 or 10 or 50 people.

If the Lord asks you to stretch out your helping hand to the poor believers and seekers in our mission fields, you can get in touch with us. Your generous offerings and gifts will help us share the love of Jesus Christ with those people. May God bless you and your household.

Last week, we sent some woolen clothes donated by a few of our supporters to one of our mission

Woolen clothes sent by some of our supporters being packed for despatch to Madhya Pradesh. fields in Madhya Pradesh. Among them were mittens, shawls and sweaters. May God Almighty bless the hands that made the gift possible. Amen.

Support our mission fields

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Messenger Missions has mission fields in the north and central regions of India. It builds the Kingdom of God through evangelism, church planting, Bible Study groups, medical camps, community development projects and other ministries.

Messenger Communications publishes The Christian Messenger in English and Tamil. Its mission is to sow the Word of God and faith in as many lives as possible and proclaim the Gospel through niche media products and get a generation ready for the Lord’s imminent return.

To contribute your offerings for our missions, please use the details below: A/C Name A/C No Account Type Bank Name Branch Branch IFS code Swift code

To send your subscriptions and offerings for the media ministry, please see below:

: Messenger Missions : 913020055473409 : Current : Axis Bank : Mogappair, Chennai. : 345 : UTIB0000345 : AXISINBB016

A/C Name A/C No Account Type Bank Branch Branch code IFS code

: Messenger Communications : 030501389547195001 : Current : Catholic Syrian Bank : Padi, Chennai : 305 : CSBK0000305

Please let us know details of your offerings and subscriptions after you make the payment at 044-65145334 or 0-7299063345. It will help us send a receipt to you immediately.

Our address: Messenger Missions, No. 20/20, Bharathiar Street, Srinivasa Nagar, Padi, Chennai 600 050.

Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in

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OCTOBER 2017 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER

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Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in

CHURCH MATTERS

6 Reasons Why the Church is Not Singing

BY JOSH BUICE ONE of the most important things a church does is sing the gospel. David penned these words in Psalm 9:11: “Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!” Certainly David understood the importance, but sadly the church today doesn’t understand the importance of singing praise to the Lord of glory. At least that seems to be the case since the majority of evangelical church sanctuaries are quiet on the Lord’s day.

Below I’ve suggested six reasons why the church is not singing.

The Men Are Not Singing It's true, and sadly the case, that men are not singing. Not only do most churches have more women in attendance than men, the men who do attend are often seen standing there silently during the congregational singing. It could be the arrangement or the lack of discipleship regarding the importance of singing the gospel, but most men are not singing in the church today. Something must be done to correct this.

The Church Has Given the Singing Over to the Professionals One reason why the church is quiet on Sunday is because the church has decided to hand over the responsibility of singing to the professionals. The choirs, praise bands and praise teams have largely assumed the responsibility of singing in the church worship service. If you turn off the loud music from the praise band, silence the drums, pull the plug on the guitar and mute the microphones of the praise team, the result would be quite revealing.

The Hymns Have Been Replaced With Lighter Praise Songs There isn’t anything wrong or sinful in the use of new praise songs in worship. All extra-biblical songs are written by pastors, theologians, scholars and musicians rather than apostles. So, for us to limit ourselves to older songs would be a tragic mistake.

Many of our good theologically rich songs that contain both weighty lyrics and an appropriate musical arrangement are largely being replaced by lighter praise songs that certainly don’t have the theological depth necessary for use in a worship service.

Families Are not Singing at Home Family worship was once upon a time a common practice among professing Christians. Today, the busy schedules and technological gadgets have crowded out family worship time. Therefore, most families who attend church in an evangelical church Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in

on Sunday have not been engaging in family worship through the week. It’s quite simple, families who don’t sing at home can’t be expected to sing passionately in the gathered church. Family worship is essential for building a foundation and respect for congregational singing. Family worship also builds familiarity with the songs that are used during the congregational worship on Sunday, and this not only helps teach theology, but it helps the entire family memorize songs.

People Get Lost in the Repetition, Progression and Climax Many new songs used in worship have awkward arrangements, progressions and extremely high climactic peaks that make them difficult to sing—especially for men. Modern praise songs have created a new genre often referred to as 7-11 songs.

These songs often use the method of repetition to a degree that’s well beyond healthy. If a seven-minute song contains only two main lines that are repeated multiple times, it’s most likely not a good song for worship.

Media Distractions If the words are not in sync with the song, it can create a problem for the congregation. One of the major causes for a silent congregation is the misuse of media technology in a church service. If projectors are cutting off or blinking awkwardly, that too can be a distraction that will cause a church to stop singing.

The pastors and church leaders are responsible for the selection of good songs each week in order to properly and passionately worship God in truth.

We’re called to sing, but if we’re honest, we must address the reasons why the church is perpetually dominated by female voices and for the most part—quiet. Psalm 67:4 – Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

The writer is a pastor.

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FAITH UNDER FIRE

Why Didn’t God Heal Nabeel Qureshi?

BY FRANK TUREK HOW DOES A man facing his own premature death exude an uplifting combination of grace, love and truth? My friend Nabeel Qureshi, who has done that for more than a year, died at age 34 on Sept 16. In case you don’t know, Nabeel was a former devout Muslim who became a powerful defender of Christianity after a seven-year process of evaluating the evidence for Christianity with his friend David Wood. His first book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is an international best seller.

Since being diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer last year, Nabeel has shared his thoughts, concerns and prayers through 43 video blogs on his YouTube channel. His last video, recorded from his hospital bed just seven days before his death, is a request for us to use his work and example to love others to the truth.

As you will see in his videos, Nabeel exhibited the love of Christ to the end. He never wavered in his confidence that God could heal him, but recognized that He might not. Nabeel understood that we live in a fallen world, and that God doesn’t promise any of us a long, trouble free life. In fact, Jesus promised more of the opposite. He said that we “will have trouble in this world, but take heart, I’ve overcome the world.”

Nevertheless, while it seems insensitive to ask this while we grieve, people are wondering why didn’t God heal Nabeel. After all, he was a brilliant and charismatic young man taken away from his wife Michelle and daughter Ayah, and the rest of us, far too early. Nabeel had so much more to give to his family and the Kingdom of God that his death seems completely senseless.

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel?

Is it because an evil, such as a premature death, proves that there is no God? No, because evil wouldn’t exist unless Good existed, and Good wouldn’t exist unless God existed. Evil doesn’t exist on its own. It only exists as a lack in a Good thing.

Cancer can’t exist on its own. It can only exist as a lack in a good body. So when we complain about evil we are actually presupposing Good. But an objective standard of Good is a standard that is beyond mere human opinion. That can only be God’s nature. So evil may prove there's a devil out there, but it can't disprove God. Instead, evil boomerangs back to show that God actually does exist.

Is it because Allah is the true God, and He punished Nabeel for leaving Him. No, there’s excellent evidence the Christian God, not Allah, is THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w OCTOBER 2017

the true God (see Nabeel’s book No God but One).

Moreover, Muslims who suggest this should be asked, “Why did Allah wait until Nabeel had written three best-selling books, made hundreds of hours of videos, and helped bring hundreds of Muslims to Christ? Is Allah’s timing off?” Not only that, Nabeel’s work will continue to bring people to Christ, probably in an accelerated manner after his passing.

Some might suggest that people like Nabeel who experience tragedy must be worse sinners than others. Jesus refuted that kind of shallow speculation directly in Luke 13, when he said, “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Indeed, we are all sinners who will perish and we need to repent before it’s too late.

Is it because Nabeel didn’t have enough “faith”?

People who claim such nonsense don’t know Nabeel or correct theology. Nabeel’s trust in Christ was deep and unwavering. But the larger point is that faith doesn’t guarantee good health and wealth as “Word of Faith” preachers assert. In fact, their self-serving theology can be refuted by one simple observation: Jesus and the apostles weren’t healthy and wealthy.

In fact, they suffered and died for their beliefs. Don’t tell me they didn’t have enough faith!

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel? What purpose could God have for allowing Nabeel to die? Perhaps more people will come to know Christ because of Nabeel’s death. It’s impossible for us to know the extent of that right now, but it’s not impossible for God. So we don’t know why God didn’t heal Nabeel, but we know why we don’t know why. We’re finite and God is infinite. The good news is God’s character and power guarantees that He will bring good from evil “to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That may happen later in this life and it certainly will spill over into eternal life.

The writer is the president of CrossExamined.org

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Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in

l pe ble s i Go a B e ar ng Sh ifti g by

THIS BOOK HAS BROUGHT HOPE, JOY AND LOVE IN MILLIONS OF LIVES! Wasn’t your life also transformed for the better by the Bible?

Will you now place it in the hands of those who seek the Truth?

GIFT someone a Bible in Hindi, Odiya or Punjabi today. A copy of the full Bible in Hindi / Punjabi / Odiya costs Rs.200/Join MESSENGER MISSIONS in taking the Gospel to the unreached people in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha besides, of course, in Tamil Nadu.

EEEE E E I would like to partner with MESSENGER MISSIONS by gifting

100 Bibles in ________________________(specify the language here) 50 Bibles in ________________________ 25 Bibles in ________________________ 10 Bibles in ________________________ 1 Bible in ________________________ I am enclosing a cheque/DD in favor of MESSENGER MISSIONS for Rs.___________/- as my gift.

I would like to partner with MESSENGER MISSIONS by contributing Rs.5,000 to print 50,000 Gospel tracts in Hindi Punjabi or Odiya Rs.5,000 to support a missionary in one State every month / once a year I am enclosing a cheque/DD in favor of MESSENGER MISSIONS for Rs.___________/- as my gift.

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