JOE McKEEVER | TRUTH BE TOLD THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER The hardest church member I ever loved 8th YEAR OF PUBLISHING
Evangelism Through Journalism
Vol. 9, No. 2
INDIA’S EVANGELICAL NEWS MAGAZINE Online Portal: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
Pages 28
JUNE, 2012
The purpose of the news magazine is to report newsworthy religious events and activities within the local community, nationwide and around the world, to increase the awareness and activism of believers regarding the moral issues of today, to provide thought-provoking commentary, and to provide an effective advertising vehicle for Christian ministries and organizations, events and businesses that want to reach the Christian community. - Editor The Team Founding Editor: Robin Sam Editor & Publisher: Elsy Robin Editorial Advisor: P I Samuel Production: S Saravanan Guest Columnists: Mathew Victor (Chennai), Sharon Daniel (Chennai), Joyce Braganza (Mumbai), Sandeep Daniel (Bangalore), Mathews George (US), Don Davis (Israel), Agnes Amos (US), Edith Sheryl (Canada), Mark Jackson (UK)
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THERE’S no contest for this ‘honor’, although quite a few made it into the ‘honorable mention’ category. These are members of the seven churches I pastored over 42 years who dedicated themselves to making life miserable for the pastor. Looking back now--with much clearer vision and perspective than I had at the time--I find myself thanking God for every one of these people. Those that didn’t teach me something by their opposition drove me closer to the Father in desperation. Anything that does that is not all bad. Mr. Wyatt stormed into my office one morning during Sunday School, a few minutes before the worship service. “Preacher, you have offended me and upset my wife,” he said. I said, “Tell me who you are, then tell me how I did that.” I had never met the man. He told me his name, then explained what had happened. “Yesterday, you came into the fellowship hall where they were taking pictures for the pictorial church directory. You spent time with everyone in the room and I saw you drawing sketches for the children. Then, before you left, you stood in the doorway and looked around. You looked my wife and me squarely in the eyes, then walked out without speaking to us.” I apologized all over myself and assured Mr. Wyatt that if I did that, it was completely inexcusable, but that I had no memory of ever seeing him and his wife there. That didn’t do the job for him. He was angry when he entered and angrier when he left. That week, I ran by his house to apologize to his wife. He was not at home, so she and I visited at the front door. “Oh, preacher, don’t worry about that,” she said. “That’s just Wyatt.” Even if it was not an issue with her, it continued to be with him. From that moment on, Mr. Wyatt went on a tear against me. In church business meetings, he rose to speak against motions on the floor, usually with an anger all out of proportion to what we were discussing. In worship services, he sat in the rear of the sanctuary, wearing a scowl that would have lasered a hole through me if it could. Had Mr. Wyatt been the only church member despising me, I probably would have dealt with it more directly. But the truth is, for the first several years at that church, he had lots of company. One inactive deacon stood in the foyer of the church and told everyone who entered that I was a liberal and destroying the church. Another small group of older members met in a corner before and after the services to compare notes and feed off each other’s misery. Wyatt was the least of my problems. Then came the sermon I preached in June of 1997, the message published in this magazine last month under the heading, ‘The sermon that makes them mad.’ (Continued on page 12) JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 1
IN SI DE
06 13 16 18
COVER STORY: CHRIST FOR CHHATTISGARH!
JOHNSON V: Grace Leadership! BARBARA LARDINAIS: Truth or Tolerance: Are they compatible? DON FANNING: Do not worry about your life
20 22 22
GRACE IDA RAJAN: To a bright future from a bleak past DON DAVIS: The Israeli transformation
FROM THE ED’S INBOX: Defend your faith!
Send your feedback to this issue at christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
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E encourage you to use these points in your daily prayer as a family, prayer group or an individual. We would be glad if you take copies of these prayer points and share them with other believers in your church, prayer group or workplace. If you have a specific prayer point that you would like us to pray for along with our readers, you can send it to us by email at christianmessengerindia@ gmail.com Blessings, Editor. n Pray for peace in the Middle East. The US and Britain has urged Israel not to attack Iran’s nuclear program. There are apprehensions that the Israelis are poised to strike Iran anytime now. Israel believes a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its very existence. n 2 Timothy 2:16 asks us to avoid godless chatters. Those who indulge in it become more and more ungodly. Pray that all believers would pray like David in guarding their mouths. n Proverbs 28:19 talks about how hard work fetches good dividends. Let us pray that all the spirit of sloth be removed from our midst. n Growing number of teens and even younger children in the US who think they were born the wrong sex are getting support from parents and doctors who give them sex-changing treatments. According to a report, as many as 97 girls and boys were treated between 1998 and 2010. Pray. n Let us pray that material blessings of the world will not affect our spiritual growth in Jesus Christ. Proverbs 30:8 has an excellent prayer for an earnest believer. n Pray for all you know who are involved in the Lord's ministry, for their efforts to bear fruit, for their spiritual growth and for peace and harmony in their
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homes. n Pray that we overcome the spirit of covetousness, greed and deceit and be contented with what God has given us. The examples of Achan in the Old Testament (Joshua 7:10) and Ananias and Saphira in the New Testament (Acts 5:1) should lead us to a holy life. n God displayed His supreme love for us at the Calvary (John 3:16). How can we ever repay the love? 1 John 5:3 says 'This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.’ n Pray for Goa. Tourists flock the tiny state for not only its idyllic beaches but also for the roaring liquor trade and sex trafficking. According to the book 'Rape for Profit,' girls mostly between the ages of 9 and 16 are sold to brothels. Pray for more churches led by the Holy Spirit to come up in Goa. n 2 Peter 3:11 says what sort of people ought we to be in holiness and godliness since the day of the Lord is nearer than we think. Pray that we are not caught up in laying up treasures for ourselves on earth or caught up in the worries of the world. n Pray for respite from heat this summer. Pray for adequate water to be available throughout our country, containment of common summer diseases and God's canopy of grace over us and our families. n Wildfires and controlled burns on farming lands kill 339,000 people worldwide each year, according to a recent study. Most of those deaths are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. Global warming, experts say, will lead to more fires across the world. Pray.
n Philippians 4:6 outlines the line of action expected of us by God. ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Let us offer Him thanks, praise and continue to pray. God will meet us at the point of our need. n What do you want your children or grandchildren to be? There is no greater joy than our progeny knowing the Lord closely and walking with Him. Luke 2:40 says what kind of boy Jesus was. ‘And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.’ May this be our prayer for our children, too. n The Bible warns us that love will be a casualty in the last days. Pray that we don’t become dispassionate or disillusioned but be optimists for Christ forever. n Pray for peace between South and North Korea. Recently, North Korea’s rocket launch went kaput. A couple of months ago, South Korea conducted live-fire military drills near its disputed sea boundary with North Korea despite Pyongyang's threat to respond with a ‘merciless attack’. n Riches in life can often hinder us from coming to Christ. The rich young ruler mentioned in Mark 10 went away from Jesus without becoming a disciple because he owned much property. What should be our mind-set when it comes to wealth? Proverbs 30:7-10 has a wonderful prayer that we can emulate. n Matthew 7:19 says every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. To a v o i d t h i s s h a m e f u l damnation, let us ask God to prune us periodically. Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
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COVER STORY
BY ROBIN SAM WHAT does it take to fight the enemy, who is invisible, shrewder than you, can attack and pulverize you at will and yet get away with the most heinous of crimes? No, this is not a trick Bible question. If you put the question to CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) battling Naxal menace in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand, the top echelons of the force would reel out the names of their latest arsenal including X95 (night vision enabled sniper rifles), UBGL (under-barrel grenade launchers), lightweight Glock pistols and MP5A rifles. The CRPF believes these latest addition to their weaponry would take the breath out of the enemy – the Maoists. The force is pushing for further militarization in the hope that they would be able to wipe out the Naxal menace. Put the same question to a believer and he would readily quote Ephesians 6:12: ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.’ Although Union Home Minister P Chidambaram 6 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
minces no words while talking about the Naxal menace, the government is loathe to taking strong action against the Maoist guerillas for fear of upsetting human rights activists, intellectuals and its vote bank. Although the destructive forces of naxalism and terrorism work similarly to destroy the country, some leaders would like to see them as different entities. They would like to be seen as coming down heavily on terrorism even as they handle naxals with kid gloves. Although CRPF claims its men’s morale is high, a casual tour into some of the Naxal-infected areas of Chhattisgarh and Odisha would portray a different picture. While the police move around in civvies and take care not to be seen anywhere in the open after dusk, the Naxals emerge out of thick jungles after 6 pm to ‘check’ vehicles moving on national highways. Take a trip down from Jagdalpur to Kirandul via Geedam, Dantewada and Bacheli and you would notice that it is difficult to spot policemen on the roads. They are even scarce in police stations fortified by barbed wires after sunset. According to a local police officer in Jagdalpur, cops have been asked not to venture out of police stations and CRPF generally avoids long range patrols. Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
The recent abduction of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon put the spotlight on naxalism in Chhattisgarh. Although Mr. Menon was released by the Naxalites after a few days in custody the incident underlined a fact: Naxals can strike at will and hold the government to ransom even when CRPF boasts of high morale and sophisticated weaponry. If you are in Bastar you will notice that vehicles speeding on the national highways along dense forests and mountains in the Red Corridor switch on the cabin light after sunset. Quiz the drivers of the vehicles for the reason behind it and they will tell you it is to signal that their car is a civilian vehicle. Otherwise, it takes no time for the naxals to blow up the vehicle suspecting it to be a police vehicle. Districts like Bastar, Sukma, Kanker and Dantewada have seen a lot of violence. It is not uncommon to see craters caused by landmine blasts on highways. If you see large trees felled by the roadside, you must realize that the naxals have been at work blocking the highways to screen the vehicles passing by. Along the NH, you will also see trucks burnt. That is how naxals react to the timber mafia who challenge their supremacy in the forests. It is not just in Chhattisgarh. Naxalism is a threat in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, too. According to the home ministry, 3,936 civilians and security personnel have been killed in the past five years in insurgent attacks across India. Naxalism in India cannot be wished away. Even the most foolproof strategy by the best statesman in the country can go awry if it is not combined with wisdom and compassion. If the governments are serious about bringing the naxals back to the mainstream and make them cohabit in peace with the common man, then they need to realize it would take more than government doles and projects to achieve their objective. They would need to involve credible non-government organizations, churches and mission agencies to reach out to them. Is anyone listening? Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
Naxals can marry but can’t have children
IN January this year, Rediff carried a photo feature on Naxals in Chhattisgarh. Excerpts from the feature: Naxalites in Chhattisgarh are allowed to get married, but are forced by senior leaders to undergo vasectomy to prevent them from having children. Naxal leaders, mostly based in Andhra Pradesh, behave rudely with them and punish them for falling in love. Three Naxals, who surrendered along with their wives early this year, said they were forced to undergo vasectomy before marriage. A resident of Fufgaon village in Kanker district, Matlam said he was only 17 when he was picked up by the Naxals from his village and forced to join their ranks. He later fell in love with Jayanti, a Naxal commander. When they expressed their wish to get married, the Naxal leaders accepted their relationship, but forbade them to start a family. If a Naxal refused to obey the leaders’ orders, he is tortured and forced to undergo vasectomy for which doctors from West Bengal are called in the jungle. The Naxal leaders felt once couples have children, they may want to return to their villages to raise them and this may weaken the Naxal movement. Matlam’s wife Jayanti said women Naxals are often subjected to harassment and abuse by their seniors. JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 7
COVER STORY
Christian Messenger opens mission field in Bastar
THANK YOU, LORD: The Christian Messenger’s missionary to Bastar district in Chhattisgarh, Bro. Ashok Baghel sharing his testimony at the dedication meeting. THE Christian Messenger has opened its first take up journalistic duties reporting on religious activities for The Christian Messenger. mission field in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. The missionary is being sponsored by a team of At a prayer meeting in Chennai on May 19, Bro. Ashok Baghel was dedicated as the missionary to people under the aegis of the Missionary Upholders Bastar. Twenty-nine year old Baghel,a tribal from a Family (MUF). At the prayer meeting, Dr. WMS Johnson, the coHindu background, accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord ordinator of the team supporting Baghel, said he was and Savior in 1996 as a teen. Pastor Madhavaraj, a former Blessing Youth happy to mobilize support for the missionary. Mr. D J Chelladurai, central co-ordinator of MUF, Mission missionary in Madhya Pradesh, dedicated Baghel and Bro. Joshua of the Christian Outreach for spoke. The Christian Messenger thanks everyone in the Mission and Evangelism (COME). Joshua will be team (Robert Parthiban, Daniel Ranjith, Dr. COME’s missionary in Bangalore. Baghel will be based in Kondagaon district but Geethanjali Raghuveer, Dr. Praveena, Sobu Koshy work in and around Bastar district. Eventually, he and Dr. Johnson) for coming forward to lend a would move in to Bastar to continue his work. helping hand to the missionary. According to the 2001 census, Kondagaon has an Baghel, the 424th missionary to be supported average literacy rate of 64 percent. Compared to this, through MUF, will need the prayer support of the the literacy rate in Bastar is a poor 45.48 per cent. magazine’s readers and well-wishers as he begins Baghel will spearhead Adult Literacy Programs in his work in Bastar. Please uphold him and his family Bastar along with his evangelical work. He will also in your prayers. 8 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 9
GUEST COLUMN
THE GREATEST MISSION FIELD BEFORE YOU!
BY SCOTT BROWN THERE are many mission fields, but family presents what may be the greatest untapped evangelistic opportunity before the church today. What is at stake is the salvation of millions of children under the evangelistic and discipleship ministry of fathers and mothers in the home. This is not the only mission field, to be sure, but it is perhaps the most neglected mission field before the church in our time. The Bible calls fathers to preach the gospel to their children every day, when they ‘sit in their house, when they walk by the way, when they lie down and when they rise up’ (Deuteronomy 6:7). A father is to pass on the knowledge of God to the next generation. He is commanded to expose his children day by day to the greatness of God, the perfections of His ways, and the great stories that explain His nature and character. This kind of instruction gives children a true understanding of the gospel. 10 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
Consider the Evangelistic Impact of Faithful Fathers: Think of the evangelistic impact that we as fathers would have in our generation if we would only heed this command. Consider the example of the faithful father: Daily, he praises God to his children with hundreds of words and practical principles. Day after day, he cries out to them, explaining the stories that glorify the kindnesses of God, His wrath toward sinners, and His vanquishing power over all things. In so doing, he reflects the heart of the Heavenly Father who cries out, “Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:7-11). In turn, his children observe their father as he personally delights in the Word and places himself under its wonderful teaching. They behold how good and mighty God is and how foolish it is to turn away from Him. They see how their daddy is comforted and confronted by it and is changed before their Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
eyes. Under this kind of loving and happy ministry, children hear the whole counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation. They see the flow of history from God’s perspective. They hear of the great doctrines of the faith which have sustained humble people from one generation to the next. They observe the mighty hand of God working against all human odds. They see the beginning and the end of history and where they themselves stand in its stream. They know who wins the battle. They know that nothing can stand against the will of our Sovereign Lord.
especially when they compare their parenting practices to their pastor and Christian brothers. Fathers often feel great about their involvement in their children’s lives because, rather than defining faithful fathering by what Scripture prescribes, they define exemplary fatherhood as going to the kid’s recitals and games and getting them into a good Sunday school or youth group. In order to rescue this lost generation of children in Christian homes from hell, we must first help fathers understand what God has commanded and exhort them to embrace their responsibilities before the Lord. We must speak clearly of what God has mandated so that fathers do not miss the opportunity Contrast the Results: Big-Tent Discipleship to touch the hearts of their sons and daughters with Falls Short: How different this is compared to the message of the gospel. sending your children to an evangelistic crusade or a concert in the hope that they might be saved. Pray for an Uprising of Men: God's Word The story is all too common: a young person goes declares, and studies affirm, what this generation to a Christian concert and walks down the aisle or needs - an uprising of men committed to discipling makes a profession of faith absent a real conversion. their children. They go forward because they have an emotional While the church in the twenty-first century is response or a guilty conscience or perhaps because a losing the next generation of children to the world, friend went down - but not because they really we are encouraging fathers to return to the biblical understand the gospel. This is why so few who role as the head of the household and to preach the ‘make decisions’ at evangelistic meetings ever gospel and make disciples of their children. We are continue in a normal Christian life. Without the also encouraging church leaders to have the courage background understanding of sin and repentance or to cancel the programs which steal the father’s the specifics of the life they are turning toward, they creation-order role and put their energies into are like the seeds that fell on the shallow soil that mobilizing them to fulfilling the clear commands of sprouted up and died away because they had no root God. in themselves. The great Messianic prophesy of Psalm 22 shows Sadly, our churches are filled with young people how God brings the glory of salvation from one who have ‘walked an aisle,’ but who have never generation to the next through those who take really understood the full breadth of the gospel seriously the charge to teach their children: message. For them, the gospel has been trivialized A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of and reduced to simply ‘accepting Christ.’ In contrast the Lord to the next generation, they will come and to this, the daily diet of a father’s gospel teaching declare His righteousness to a people who will be gives a detailed understanding of the gospel. It born, that He has done this. (Psalm 22:30-31) provides both the context and content that is Please pray that we as fathers would not miss the necessary to become a true follower of Christ. greatest untapped evangelistic opportunity before the church today. Let it be said of this generation of Rebellion Against God’s Clear Commands to fathers that we did our part to fulfill the Great Fathers: God’s requirements for the evangelization Commission. May we preach the fullness of the of children are clear: fathers are commanded to gospel to our households daily as the Bible diligently teach their children and care for their souls commands, and give our children a thousand reasons day by day. The sad reality of father’s lives in to believe. modern churches is that they are satisfied with Scott T. Brown is a pastor spending his time as an Sunday schools and evangelistic crusades (which expository preacher and helping people think are never mentioned or commanded in Scripture), through the two greatest institutions God has but they reject God’s direct and undeniable provided — the church and the family. Scott commands to personally teach their children daily. graduated from California State University in This is outright rebellion against the Lord. Fullerton with a degree in History and received a Unfortunately, many fathers continue on in their Master of Divinity degree from Talbot School of rebellion because they feel good about their efforts, Theology. Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
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The hardest church member I ever loved (Continued from page 1)
Early the next morning, I heard Mr. Wyatt at the church receptionist’s desk. “Give this note to Dr. McKeever,” he instructed her. She came in, bringing a handwritten letter. “That sermon was the most juvenile thing I’ve ever heard,” the letter began. “I was embarrassed for visitors to hear it. In fact, I heard some near where I was sitting say they would never be back to this church.” He continued, “I want you to know that I do not love you.” The letter went on in that vein for a bit, then ended with his signature. Give him credit for not writing an anonymous note, the way many a lesser person would have done. I took out paper and hand-wrote him my response. “Dear Mr. Wyatt, You would be amazed how many people thanked me for that sermon and said they couldn’t believe it took me all these years to get around to preaching it.” I said, “I’m sorry you don't love me, but I love you and I'm praying for you.” The letter went out in that morning’s mail. That evening, I told my wife about this exchange. She had never met the Wyatts, but went into the kitchen and made him a cake. She put a note with it, enclosed it all in a cake box, and asked me to have the custodian deliver it to the Wyatts’ home the next day. I glanced at the note. She wrote two lines: “We love you. We forgive you.” However, she got his name wrong. She wrote, “Dear Mr. White, we love you. We forgive you.” I failed to catch that and sent the cake to him the next day. That was Tuesday. Wednesday morning, I heard him at the front desk. In a tone of voice that can only be described as gruff, he said, “Give this to Dr. McKeever and tell him my name is Wyatt, not White.” The receptionist came in and sat my wife's cake down on my desk. As she closed the door behind her, I looked toward the ceiling and said, “Lord, I’m trying real hard to love this guy and it keeps getting harder.” Then I heard a noise over my head. We were in vacation Bible school that week. The fourth grade class was meeting in the room just above my office. We cut that cake and served it to the fourth graders that morning. Two days later, Mr. Wyatt received 30 thank-yous from the fourth grade VBS class ‘for that wonderful cake you brought us this week.’ Pouring coals of fire on his head. 12 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
That evening, I told my wife about this exchange. She had never met the Wyatts, but went into the kitchen and made him a cake. She put a note with it, enclosed it all in a cake box, and asked me to have the custodian deliver it to the Wyatts’ home the next day. I glanced at the note. She wrote two lines: “We love you. We forgive you.” After that, I didn’t hear any more out of him for a long time. I found out one day that my friend Wyatt was teaching a men’s Bible study class, something I felt was completely out of character for him. I honestly thought the guy was an atheist. So I asked Terry about him. “You’re a member of Wyatt’s Sunday School class, aren’t you?” I said, “Tell me about him.” “Preacher, he’s a wonderful man. He’s a fine teacher. I don’t know what it is between you and him.” I said, “I don’t know what it is either. You could have fooled me. I thought he was demonpossessed.” I have forgotten the nature of the event in the fellowship hall that evening. A couple of hundred church members were milling around, eating refreshments and enjoying one another’s company. I still remember where I was standing, in the church kitchen, when Mr. Wyatt approached me. “Preacher,” he said, “I am so ashamed of my behavior. Would you please forgive me?” I said, “I will forgive you if you will forgive me.” I honestly did not know what I had done to need forgiveness for, but was willing to meet him halfway. We hugged that day and thereafter, have hugged every time we meet. He’s old and sickly now, and since I’m no longer the pastor of that church I don’t see him very often. But I thank God for him and pray for him. It would have been so easy to treat him the same way he treated me. And the ‘mind of the flesh’ within me wanted to do just that. However, the Spirit of Christ within me would have none of that. “Anyone can love the lovely,” Jesus said. “Anyone can give to someone who is going to repay him. It’s easy to be friendly to your friends. But I’m telling you to love the unlovely, to do good to the mean-spirited among you, and to pray for those who despise you.” (That’s my free paraphrase of Luke 6:27 and following, one of the most important passages in Scripture.) Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
JOHNSON V | GOD WORKS
Grace Leadership! Like a soldier called to war, well groomed, sharp and disciplined, so we need to be in our lives with Jesus. We are from the day we accept Jesus, positioned by our Savior to be a leader. To be a leader right where we are! Leadership is not about how many people follow us, but it’s about how well we lead ourselves and the people involved in our life. We need to be leaders carrying the grace of God to forgive and to serve! LEADERSHIP - FORGIVING Joseph a young boy with a dream from God was put into a pit by his own brothers, sold to slavery, grew up a slave in a foreign land to be later imprisoned. His situation gave him an opportunity to be upset. He could have been a completely discouraged young man who lost his dream from God. But with the God who gave him the dream, he was brought through his situation to being the Prime Minister of that land! God made an opportunity for Joseph to meet with his brothers who were in great distress. They met Joseph as the Prime Minister not knowing who he was. Joseph was at a position where with one word from his mouth, his brothers could have seen their heads falling off their shoulders. When they recognized each other, the brothers were extremely afraid , but Joseph said.. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.(Genesis 50:20) People who move on without forgiving will neutralize their own growth potential. The ability to forgive makes a true leader. Unforgiveness and bitterness is like an invisible engine of a long train with compartments that reveal itself in time. The emotion of bitterness leads to drastic actions later revealed, like that of an unforgiving husband/wife who would eventually file a divorce or an unforgiving child who later rebel against his/her parents. It’s an engine having even stress and sickness as compartments! Forgiving does not mean being foolish. There is a responsibility on us to never repeat mistakes we make! We also learn from the Lord’s Prayer that we’re designed to receive from God when we forgive! LEADERSHIP - SERVING John 13: 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
People who move on without forgiving will neutralize their own growth potential. The ability to forgive makes a true leader. Unforgiveness and bitterness is like an invisible engine of a long train with compartments that reveal itself in time. not, thou hast no part with me. Let us in the midst of competing to do better each day not forget that we are called to empower each other, to help and to pray for each other. The Lord Jesus in John 13:8 insisted that He washed the feet of Peter for us to remember that even though we may be believers in the Lord Jesus, as long as we walk on this earth our feet will get dirty. We need to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus daily even though we may be the best of preachers and prophets! Our Lord was being the servant leader we need to follow. He was empowering His disciples to run their race. He did not criticize the dirt on the feet but he asked for an opportunity to serve. We need to be people who add value to the life of another by serving, loving and forgiving. When we clean ourselves we are satisfied by our standards. We need to allow Jesus to clean us by His word and His blood and be cleansed to His satisfaction! How comfortable we are with something shows us what we value and makes clear our priorities. Are we more comfortable on a Saturday evening at the club or in church on a Sunday morning? Are we excited about picking up IPL tickets or excited at putting offering in the church? Do we wait for our personal prayer time or for that TV serial? Our practices prove our faith!
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord’, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 31: 33-34) JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 13
INTERVIEW CINDRELLA PRAKASH
‘Jesus helped me get over child abuse’
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HE went to the show, shared her story and returned with the delight of having brought glory to God. Cindrella Prakash was featured on the second episode of Aamir Khan’s debut TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ that is telecast across multiple channels at the same time and is watched by millions across the country. While the first episode dealt with the issue of female foeticide, the second episode highlighted the issue of child sex abuse. Cindrella shared her excruciating experience of being abused by a 55-year-old man when she was just 12. Cindrella talks to CT on the show, how Jesus healed her and her plans for the future. What inspired you to go on the show hosted by Aamir Khan? My dad’s constant advice - if it bring glory to God, do it. That has been my driving factor in most of life’s decisions. I live for Christ and Christ alone. That apart, while growing up I always sought elder sisters for inspiration. I always hoped that there might just be someone like me. In the sense that, there might just be someone going through issues that I was being subject to but sadly, I didn’t find any. That also was the reason of my going. I believe in inspirational living. I want to be the voice for the voiceless. Jesus did that too. I'm only following. Kindly share in few lines the ordeal you underwent and how you also found freedom out of it? While I was growing up, I was subject to child sexual abuse by a man my grandfather’s age. He used to take Bible Study at our place. He has known me since I was in my mother’s womb. He was a close confidante of our family and in a much planned manner, he came over when I was alone at home and molested me. That evening, I could not even move a muscle. It took me time to even cry after he left. Purely so because I did not understand what just happened. I sat confused. After a while did I understand that someone completely violated our love and trust. I was shattered. For a long time I thought time would heal me. But guess what, time doesn’t heal, Jesus does. It took me a while to get into God’s presence again. A while because I was angry with God. I questioned Him a lot. Having grown up learning that God does everything in our lives with a purpose, I was too naive to understand God’s purpose behind this terrible violation in my life. Looking back now, I’m convinced that God allowed it in my life just so He would use my brokenness as a blessing to many others. It is a small price to pay. 14 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
I love writing songs, articles etc. It is just a talent that Jesus has blessed me with and I use it exclusively for Him. God made me take to the pen and paper when I was subject to abuse and most importantly when my mom left for her heavenly abode. How have people responded after your testimony on the show? I have received over 2000 messages, SMSes, mails, calls and tweets from people appreciating and encouraging me for this bold step. Not just that, people from all over the country and the world have shared their nightmares with me and graciously told me how my interview helped them to get out of their trauma. Many girls and guys have written in saying they have never been able to speak to anybody about their abuse experience but after watching my interview, they would speak up. Thanks be to God! Besides, I was trending on twitter too! Apart from this, on a lighter note, my announcement of being ‘single’ has attracted about 100 proposals! That’s just sweet. How did you come to the Lord? I was saved when I was between 6 to 10 years of age, thanks to my Sunday school teacher. I have backslid, I have been hypocritical, I have run the whole gamut of sin but finally the Lord pulled me back into His fold again. Since then, there has been no turning back. I am crazily in love with Christ. My walk with the Lord has been filled with learnings. From being a non-women loving person to now living with a burden for women; to be Biblical is what the Lord has brought me too. Our God is cool! I Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
belong to the fundamental Baptist church and I love my Pastor! My Pastor is my spiritual father and he has also been extremely instrumental in shaping up my life. Jesus has blessed me with an awesome Church, family and a wonderful set of Christ-loving friends. These are people who pull me up when I slip and support me in every step that I take. I am ever grateful to God for this bunch! Apart from growing in my Church, I usually teach songs to youths. Is there any Biblical passage or verse that is close to your heart? Psalms 46:1 - “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”. This is the one verse that keeps ringing in my head all the time. And the other one is Philippians 1:21 - “For me to live is Christ and die is gain..” How supportive has been your family, both mentally and spiritually? My family is what I treasure the most in my life. My mother was on dialysis for 11 years of her life but I never saw the smile on her face fade. Not even on her last day. My dad is a mighty prophet of God who walks with the Holy Spirit. In our house, if any guest comes, my dad serves him/her with some food and beverage and a big dose of the Bible. You cannot leave our house without knowing something new about Jesus. My brother lives in London and he is my
biggest critic. He has a foresight. He loves my music and sows in to it with a lot of world view expertise. These are people who I can do nothing without. My dad and my brother are powerful men of God who always support me. What sparked your interest in Christian song writing and singing? I love writing songs, articles etc. It is just a talent that Jesus has blessed me with and I use it exclusively for Him. God made me take to the pen and paper when I was subject to abuse and most importantly when my mom left for her heavenly abode. I have released two albums so far - Mehfuz and Mehfuz Vani. I believe Jesus paid the highest price on the cross of Calvary and so my music is never sold. They are available for free distribution only. How do you want to serve the Lord in the future? I want to continue to write songs for the Lord. I want to delve into deeper realms of revelation from the Lord and bring them out through music. I want to serve the Lord and His people in an innovative manner, through medium yet untouched and ‘Satyamev Jayate’ was a God given step towards that direction. Basically, I want to follow wherever Jesus leads. (Christian Today)
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JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 15
BARBARA LARDINAIS | HANNAH’S CUPBOARD
Truth or Tolerance: Are they compatible? “AND there is salvation in no tolerance and respect? Of course We need TRUTH and one else; for there is no other name it is; the answer is a resounding we need LOVE (Jesus Christ) under heaven that YES. Tolerance and respect flow genuine love to be has been given among men, by out of real love, yet in a way that sure. We need to which we must be saved.” (Acts maintains truth as truth. 4:12) Does believing the truth of But what is truth? If you accept disagree that these two that scripture make one bigoted that there is such a thing as are incompatible as we and narrow-minded? After all, absolute truth, it is possible (and stand up for the one in doesn’t ‘no one else’ leave out an even necessary) that untruth be a way that awful lot of great spiritual leaders rejected without any danger of demonstrates the other. from the centuries? being narrow-minded. After all, Is Jesus really accurate when he says: “For the you are only being honest in labeling things as true or gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life untrue. The problem is that belief in absolute truth is and few are those find it”? (Matthew 7:14) Few? mostly out of favor these days. Aren’t we actually all one big happy harmonious Instead, truth today is often just an opinion and human race? Shouldn’t we all respect and tolerate each person’s is as valid as the next guy’s. With that each other’s beliefs because underneath it all don’t kind of mindset, no one person’s opinion is higher all spiritual paths lead to God? Hey, wasn't Jesus one than the next. Someone who sets their views above of the famous ‘love’ gurus? the others is labeled as intolerant and disrespectful. Recently I was challenged in a very subtle way to On the other hand, I believe absolute truth is what see myself as bigoted and intolerant by not agreeing God says it is. Surely as the Creator he has the right with the great harmonious and homogeneous path to decide. And if you believe that he wrote it all down for all mankind. It happened over an email exchange so we wouldn’t misunderstand, you agree that his with another web site. Word, the Bible, is the standard against which we They contacted me to see if I would put a link to measure everything. their site on Hannah’s Cupboard and in exchange Jesus never compromised the truth of his message they would list my website on theirs. In the web and yet I can’t think of one instance in scripture in world this is a common practice which it is hoped which he was seen as narrow-minded. (Though increases traffic to both. some hated him for the truth he proclaimed.) In When I looked closely, I found their supposedly addition, he never went on the defensive and we Christian site was promoting all religions in a way should also resist being put in that position. that seemed inconsistent with the message of the We need to be armed with two things as we gospel to me. I wrote back and told them so. Here is navigate our way through the mine field of modern the response I received in part. “Through these cards popular philosophies. We need TRUTH and we need (they market e-greeting cards) we want to spread the LOVE - genuine love to be sure. We need to disagree message of love, tolerance and harmony. All religion that these two are incompatible as we stand up for the speaks of love and harmony. Our religion has taught one in a way that demonstrates the other. us to respect everyone and love everyone. So we As we hold forth the truth as Jesus did, we need to have put greeting cards of other religions also.” The make sure we do so without smugness or judgmental implication is that giving equal billing to all self-righteousness. This is where Christians have religions on their website equates to respect and often failed in the past and is a reason why we are promotes harmony. Non-agreement represents sometimes seen as intolerant. Instead, love is our intolerance and narrow mindedness. That would be mightiest weapon since “love does not brag and is the pigeon hole I’m sure they stuffed me into when I not arrogant.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) declined their offer. Think about it: isn’t this the Let TRUTH prevail in our information age. Isn’t defensive position the world has been putting that the single most important piece of information Christians in for years? Do we have to choose available? between truth or tolerance? The writer is an author and speaker. Is the truth of the gospel consistent with love, 16 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
TRENDS
Over half of world’s immigrants are Christians: research A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has revealed that Christians make up almost half of all the world’s immigrants, while Jewish people are by far the biggest migrants in terms of proportion. The study, titled “Faith on the Move” and released last month, stands in contrast to Western fears that Muslims are coming in by waves and taking over Christian countries, Reuters suggested. Of the world’s 214 million people who have moved from their home country to live in another, about 106 million (49 percent) are Christians while around 60 million (27 percent) are Muslims. Jews made up for 3.6 million of those who have moved across international borders, but that accounts for close to 25 percent of all Jewish people, the biggest proportion by far. The study defined migrants as people living in another country in 2010 for over a year, and included in its estimations the number of illegal immigrants and long-term refugees living abroad. Phillip Connor, the lead researcher for the PEW Faith on the Move study, explained to The Christian Post that it is a challenge to decipher all the factors that influence global migration rates.
“It may be partly a matter of geography – of where large numbers of Christians and Muslims live, and hence the opportunities for migration that they have. As I mentioned before, many experts on migration think that economics are the largest single driver of migration. And, for decades, the United States and Europe have been seen as beacons of economic opportunity, holding out hope to residents of neighboring countries for better jobs and higher wages,” Connor explained. “For example, an estimated 12.4 million immigrants in the U.S. are from Mexico, and they are overwhelmingly Christian. At the same time, nearly 3 million Muslim migrants have moved from Turkey, mostly to Western Europe. In big-picture terms – simplifying somewhat – Christians have become the most largest group of international migrants in large part because of movement from Latin America to the United States, as well as movement within continental Europe. “Muslims have become the second largest group of international migrants in large part because of movement to Europe from Africa and Asia, as well as because of movement within sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.”
Less than 50% of US households led by married couples: Census Bureau FOR the first time ever, the percentage of married households fell below 50 percent, according to the Census Bureau, which released a brief Wednesday about families and households from the results of the 2010 Census. The percentage of married households fell to 48.4 in 2010, down from 55.2 percent in 1990 and 51.7 percent in 2000. “The 48 percent of husband-and-wife households in 2010 was the first time since at least 1940 that this has fallen below 50 percent,” said Daphne Lofquist, Statistician for the Fertility and Family Statistics Branch for the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau did not start keeping detailed statistics about the marital status of householders until 1940. The new data was released during a conference call briefing with reporters on the “2010 Census Brief: Households and Families.” All other household categories saw an increase: female householder with other family members living (11.6 in 1990, 13.1 in 2010); male householder with other family living (3.4 in 1990, 5.0 in 2010); two or more people in non-family households (5.2 in 1990, 6.8 in 2010); and oneperson households (24.6 in 1990, 26.7 in 2010). Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
The Census Bureau also re-released data on samesex households first issued last fall, indicating the total number of same-sex unmarried partner households to be 0.6 percent -- 646,464 out of the total 116,716,292 households. As CNSNews.com previously reported, the Census Bureau originally had “artificially inflated” the number of same-sex households by nearly 40 percent due to data capturing errors on 2010 Census forms. The Bureau devised a “Preferred Estimate” to more accurately depict the incidences of same-sex households, and relies on this data in its latest report. The number of same-sex households was revised downward from 901,997 to 646,464. “It is important to keep in mind here that there are several external factors that affect counts for the same-sex partner households,” said Rose Kreider, chief of the Fertility and Family Statistics Branch. “One is that who identifies themselves as a same-sex couple may shift over time.” “Identifying as a same-sex couple may be more acceptable now than it was in 2000, so that the group who identified themselves as same-sex couples might be a somewhat different group than it was in 2000,” she said. JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 17
| TRUTHS TO LIVE BY
Do not worry about your life Matt 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? ORRY is a paralyzing and debilitating mental process that cripples many believers into apathy and isolation. It can keep us from considering any serious commitment to serve the Lord locally or globally. Sometimes it is called a Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) with numerous symptoms. Fear of failure, doubts about your needs being met, insecurities of a variety of sources (i.e., criticisms, risks, losses, or rejection), or becoming unpopular, are a few of the possible root problems that cause worry or anxiety. However, they all stem from the basic distrust in God’s ability to intervene helpfully in the affairs of one’s life. Is God trustworthy or not? Our verse begins with ‘therefore,’ so we need to see what it is ‘there for.’ Jesus had just declared a reality of life: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (mammonas, ‘wealth, the personification of riches, the comprehensive word for all kinds of possessions, earnings, and gains, the god of materialism’). This is not a command, but a statement of truth: everyone will direct his energy, talents, ambitions, time commitments, emotional focus, and desires toward what he believes will meet his primary needs in life. Security is usually defined as feeling confident that one’s physical needs (and wants?) are going to
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be met, and that he will be accepted or important in the eyes of people. The question is: who can meet these needs? If it all depends on me, and my performances in various areas of life, then worry and anxiety are normal. There are too many elements of life I cannot control. Can I say that it matters more for me to please God than to please myself? Three of the Gospel writers recorded Jesus saying, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the 18 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
Jesus is looking for men and women willing to serve Him without fear of what it may cost them. whole world and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:25; Mat 16:25; Mar 8:36). All the security of the luxuries of the world and all physical possessions or wealth that one could accumulate for selfish reasons will never satisfy. There is never enough ‘stuff’ to generate enough security to cease worrying. The belief that money or commodities will give us security is called idolatry. ‘Therefore’ literally the command is to ‘stop worrying’ (merimnao, ‘to care about, take thought of’) about any, and all aspects of your life; live thoughtlessly, though not foolishly, about your basic needs. What is Jesus asking of us? Do not take into consideration your personal security or any other need you may have, when considering how you will obey ‘seek first the kingdom of God’ (6:33). He promises to provide everything you will need. Jesus is looking for men and women willing to serve Him without fear of what it may cost them. With no thought of what you may lose, or how you will live, could you trust Jesus for what you ‘need?’ Fear of not having enough stuff for one’s comfort quenches the initiative to ‘risk’ serving Christ and thus violates this command. Will stuff keep you from giving your life for the gospel sake? Psalms 9:10, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” The writer is a professor at a Christian University in the US.
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Church needs more Jesus and less motivational speaking THE church must put Jesus back at the centre of its message, Agu Irukwu told Baptists last month. The senior pastor of Jesus House, in London, said some churches were too focused on trying to make Jesus and the cross palatable and acceptable to 21st century society. “Thank God for advances in theology, thank God for thinkers in the church, thank God for churches that have to be seeker-friendly and all these other nice terms. “But it seems that the more seeker-friendly we get, the less of Jesus we get so when people come to church they are not sure whether they are in church or at a gathering where someone is giving a motivational speech and the power is not in motivational speaking. The power is in Jesus,” he said. Irukwu made the comments in an address to the The early Christians, he said, understood General Assembly of the Baptist Union of Great complete submission to the Holy Spirit and were not Britain (BUGB) last month. ashamed of the Gospel. Thousands of Baptists from across the UK “We are not called to convince. We are called to gathered in London for the General Assembly, which declare and proclaim. Let the Holy Spirit do the also celebrated 400 years since the founding of the work of convincing. We are just called to declare and first British Baptist church. proclaim,” he said to applause. The meeting was spent trying to discern God's Reflecting on the source of the early church’s vision for the church going forward. phenomenal growth, Irukwu said they were a Irukwu, whose church belongs to the Redeemed community of grace and power. Christian Church of God (RCCG), said the template He pointed to their lifestyle of prayer and the way for the future could be found in the past, in the early in which they were completely united in the task of church. sharing the Gospel.
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| BY HIS GRACE
To a bright future from a bleak past MATTHEW was inspired by the Holy Spirit to honor five women when he began writing the story of Jesus Christ. Ironically, all these women had a dirty or a difficult past. The good news of the genealogy of Jesus is that Jesus was born in a family line which included all these five women (Matthew 1). A brief glance of the five from the Old Testament would help all today who aspire a bright future wanting to erase a bleak past. Tamar Tamar was the widow of the first son of Judah. Judah’s next son Onan cheated Tamar and died. The deaths were the judgment of God on these two men. The third son, Shelah did not want to marry Tamar. Judah also became a widower by that time. Tamar, though upset, somehow wanted to get a child for the family line of Judah to go on. In some tricky incident which followed, Judah unknowingly found himself in an adulterous relationship with Tamar, his own daughter-in-law. But Tamar knew who she was into relationship. In an interesting turn of events, Judah came to know that Tamar got to become pregnant because of him. He also realized that Tamar was more righteous than him because he failed to give his third son to her. The story gives a clear message that one cannot try to achieve a seemingly worthy goal by disobeying God like Tamar. She used unethical short-cuts. But the story also ends with a good note that Judah never did that mistake once again. Tamar on her part continued to remain a widow (Genesis 38). A bleak past gets erased when we do not repeat the past mistake again however dirty it may be. Jesus forgave the sins of a woman caught in adultery. He said to her, “Sin no more” (John 8:11). Tamar who did not sin any more got her entry into the historic genealogical list of Jesus. Rahab Rahab was a prostitute living in the city of Jericho. But she was also a wise woman who knew what was happening in the world of her time. Rahab knew about the mighty deliverance of the bonded Israelite slaves from the then super power Egypt and the subsequent miracles and victories that wandering group enjoyed from the super powerful Yahweh God all along their journey. She knew kings subdued by the Israelites by names. She could also predict how the rulers of Jericho would melt in fear in front of these feeble yet powerful Israelites. No 20 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
wonder, Rahab welcomed the Israelite spies with peace (Hebrews 11:31). The spies told her a way by which she and her family would not perish during the attack. As a woman who already knew the power of the Yahweh God, she obeyed the spies. Faith comes through hearing. She and her family were the only survivors of the attack in the city of Jericho. Rahab married Salmon, a Yahweh worshipper in the Israelite community thereafter. (Joshua 2 & 6) A bleak past gets erased when we obey to the counsel that gives a solution or an “exit” for the trouble we are caught up with. It is then the old dirty episode reverses to a glorious history. Rahab found her place in the genealogy of Jesus. Jesus said that He is the Way who can take us out from perishing. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son Jesus that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Ruth It is easy for anyone to interpret three widows living under the same roof as a result of evil done in their past. With no men in the family there was utter hopelessness in this household. Now one of those widows was Ruth who came from a non-Yahweh background. Her difficult choice to stick to her seemingly hopeless old widowed mother-in-law, Naomi and her Yahweh God, unlike the other widow brought all the change! A rich man named Boaz, who was a relative of her deceased husband married Ruth. Hopelessness turned to hope. A bleak past is erased when a difficult choice is made with regard to a faith commitment with a God who would in turn show new beginnings to overcome a difficult past. Ruth became the great grandmother of King David in whose family line was Jesus born. Bathsheba Bathsheba was an innocent victim of the lust of the powerful king David. In this lustful pursuit of the king, she lost her husband and also became a joint sinner in this episode. She also lost the son born out of adultery. God announced to David through a prophet that he was a sinner. A good thing about this king however was that he accepted that he was a sinner (2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12). It may not be wrong on our part to imagine Bathsheba clasping David’s hands when he cried out the psalm of confession (Psalm 51). Bathsheba who was a cosinner would have together with David made her Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
INDIA REPORTS confession to the Lord. A sinful past is cleared with a genuine confession to God. Proverbs 28:13 says that, people who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Mary Mary was about to be divorced from her husband Joseph for he found her to be an unwed mother (Matthew 1:19). Mary had to carry the tag of an unwed mother just because she obeyed the word of God given to her through an angel. As a virgin she became pregnant with Jesus in her womb, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Since she had surrendered herself as a servant to this holy task, she became the honorable mother of Jesus incarnate. Joseph too on his part obeyed the word of God later. He accepted pregnant Mary and took care of her. Obedience to the word of God gives an immediate relief from a sinful tag. It brings honor and fame and eliminates undesired tags in our lives. God provides the needed help from people close to us to clear us away from the dirt tag. To ALTER a bleak past, I need to offer myself at the ALTAR of a God who is capable of clearing it. Jesus has the power to forgive a sinner because he has paid the penalty of a sinner by offering himself as a sinless sacrifice on the cross. The power of his resurrection gives people with a dirty past, clearance from that and a hope for this world and the world to come. Who will not want to come out of a dirty and difficult past and look forward to a glorious, guiltless future? Grace and her husband Suresh Rajan are part of Charis Seva Mandal (CSM) which works for the socially and geographically isolated communities. Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
Will Christian Sangma become President? ODISHA’S ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Tamil Nadu’s All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) have backed the candidature of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma for the office of the President. “After due consideration and consultations within the AIADMK party, the AIADMK has decided to support the candidature of Sangma for the highest office of the Republic of India, viz. the President of India,” the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa said in a statement. She also observed that in the past 60 years, while eminent personalities have graced the office of the Rashtrapathi, no one belonging to a tribal community has had the opportunity so far. “Sangma not only belongs to a tribal community but is also eminently qualified to be the President our great nation,” Jayalalithaa said. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s party also supported Sangma for the post of President. Tribals comprise a quarter of the state’s total population and it would be befitting to support a tribal candidate like Sangma, Naveen told reporters. Sangma, who is a tribal Christian from the northeast state of Meghalaya, is one of the founders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sangma’s own party is yet to take a stand on the Presidential election. While the BJP and its allies are yet to announce any names for the President, the Congress and the UPA have hinted the names of Pranab Mukherjee, finance minister, and Hamid Ansari, vice president. President Pratibha Patil’s term ends on July 24, and the new President would be sworn in on July 25. Earlier this month, a state-level body representing mainline Christian denominations in Andhra Pradesh, proposed the candidature of Sangma as he “belonged to the tribal community and is a Christian by religion”. Members of other minority communities like the Muslims and Sikhs were given the post of the President, but not Christians. It is the turn of a Christian now, the Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC) had said. Ecumenical bodies, such as the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), are intensely pushing for a Christian as a President. “It is the practice of inclusive democracy which deepens the participatory process in democratic polities which made this possible. But the incorporation of the Christian community into this process has been ignored so far, perhaps unintentionally. Therefore we want to appeal to all the political parties to rectify this deficit by electing a Christian as India’s next President,” NCCI said. JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 21
| DATELINE ISRAEL
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The Israeli transformation
VER the past 20 years I have had many international government, state, defense and corporate officials discuss with me their challenges dealing with Israel, and with the Israeli in Israel. (I qualify in Israel because the Israeli can behave quite differently outside their borders). However, I soon became reluctant to pass on cultural and behavioral details as some used the information to justify their own biases and hatred against Israel. Choosing rather to use the knowledge in a destructive manner against the Israeli thinking they could embarrass or pressure the local people into changing their behavior. But, that didn’t work as it made the Israelis mad and more defiant, and the people who initiated it became more miserable and spiteful. Nevertheless, for a short time some westerners persisted in discussing Israel’s alleged shortcomings among themselves, and the frustrations turned into bitterness and thus became an obstacle (in some circles it still exists). So, to help prevent unfair judgment of Israelis, I started to include some of our own character qualities and perceived qualities in discussions to show that everyone has positive and negative traits. For example American qualities such as prosperity, independence, liberty, hard-work, education, empathy, generosity, religiousness, and tolerance along with arrogance, uncultured behavior, brazenness, recklessness, pretentiousness, naiveté, shallow-minded, unsighted and insulting behavior. Eventually, behavior cultural traits and patterns became the most discussed topic, and there are three reasons why. First, there are numerous embassies or consulates in Israel. Second, the Israeli has a reputation (whether deserved or not) for being extremely difficult to deal with. Probably the most common complaints are assertions of Israelis being rude, unaccountable, unreliable, and self-centered. Third, because I am a gentile who has lived and worked in Israel many years, I have been fortunate to successfully explain what contributed to their mannerisms from a gentile point of view. To begin with, the new State of Israel, the reestablished Israel is a young country only 64 years old. Furthermore, to most in the world, the country of Israel appears as if it is a western capitalistic society. 22 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
It is not. It is striving to be partially capitalistic but is mainly socialistic in culture and Middle Eastern in behavior. Modern Israel’s identity was ultimately formed by the repercussions prior to, during, and after World War II. The conditions forced scores of international Jews, and Jewish war refugees made up of broken families, and as orphans to immigrate. Subsequently, the Jews lived here in a demanding environment attributed mainly to lethal Arab rejection. Israelis had to literally do everything for themselves with little dependence on anyone or any nation while enduring further death and destruction due to Muslim persecution. Because of the enormous lack of resources, many new immigrants were placed in or joined Kibbutzim. These communal work villages were socialist and/or communistic, which in some cases had opposite values, practices and beliefs from Allied western countries. A number of refugee children, while growing up, had no parents to love, share, protect, discipline, and educate them. Nor were there enough parental mentors, for the number of children, for personalized guidance in future trade or work professions. Accordingly, each person did what was right, in his/her personal opinion, and got away with it as long as it did not grossly affect someone else. Those kids are now parents and grandparents and have passed the same conduct to the current generation (because they didn’t know any different). Besides, their displayed behavior normally was without malice. Instead, it was for survival in a highly competitive atmosphere that had limited resources, in a volatile region. It also appears that from 1948 until about 1995 Israel and Israelis lived isolated, excluded from most of the world due to several kinds of world boycotts both economically and diplomatically. There was very little etiquette contact or western business experience with the “outside” world except for a select few government, military and business individuals, despite that Israelis travel overseas for vacations. Consequently Israelis lived in a constant “inner circle or closed world” centered on their beliefs and traditions of their culture and religion with superficial or no consistent interaction with gentiles. Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
As a result only a minority of Israelis had the opportunity or means to learn proper protocols and business tactics according to western standards unless they moved abroad. Although in those years, the Israelis were fully engaged with defending themselves. How they looked, appeared or sounded to the world public was secondary. Back then, their world perception may have been a bit one-sided anyway. Apart from school and the saturated, negative news coverage of Israel, most of Israeli exposure and perception to gentile culture originated from American television, international films, book novels, and tourists. Additionally, Israel is a small country and could be illustrated as one big extended family. Almost everyone knows everybody or knows of, or knows someone who knows someone, etc. Hence, there might be a lack of esteem for anyone who is a high achiever or who has an important position because, after all they are part of the family, and family members tell each other precisely what they think whether they are out ranked or not. Moreover, all Israelis are expected to serve mandatory military service due to inadequate workforce numbers, the relentless regional threats of war and terrorism, and the bleak reality of perpetual conflict. In contrast, Americans join the military
Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
because they want to. This constitutes a major difference in pride, behavior, expectations, performance and mentality because Israelis live as if they are going to die young. Nonetheless, regardless of the western diplomatic, military and business accusations in the last 20 years, Israel has made monumental adaptations in the field of western customs, public behavior and business practices as a result of persistent re-education. What's more, Israel is overcoming their trials to become a dominate, world renown center for cutting edge high tech businesses and creative technologies that are invented, patented and exported. Yet, some may contend Israel has a lot more to learn in the diplomatic arena. Perhaps, yes. But, just because nations may not like Israeli politicians' replies or decisions or Israelis steadfastly defending their international and domestic rights does not signify disrespect or misbehavior. I know from personal experience that Israel has come a long way in a short time. And, I counter the critics because the Israelis continually strive to improve. The writer is an analyst based in Israel and writes exclusively for The Christian Messenger.
JUNE 2012 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER 23
NEWS FROM ISRAEL
‘Lost Tribe’ of Israel returns home the help of Israel’s chief rabbinate, who flew to India
AFTER five-year immigration halt, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has given permission to a community of Indian citizens who believe they are one of the ‘lost tribes’ of Israel to move to the Jewish state. “We had a major breakthrough, and thank God, the Aliya (immigration to Israel) is set to resume this summer, and we hope and pray to bring the first batch of 50 families, or about 250-300 Bnei Menashe immigrants, to Israel by the end of August,” said Michael Freund, chairman of Shavei Israel, which is behind the initiative. Shavei, based in Jerusalem, hopes to bring to the Jewish state the remaining 7,000 Indian citizens who believe they are the Bnei Menashe, the descendants of Manasseh, one of the biblical patriarch Joseph’s two sons and a grandson of Jacob. Already Freund’s group helped facilitate the immigration of over 1,700 Bnei Menashe, with successive Israeli governments allowing and then halting the process. In 2007, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s administration put the kibosh on the process, which is now being reopened. Shavei plans to bring 50 Bnei Menashe families to Israel this summer with hopes of transplanting the remaining tribe members from India to Israel in the next few years. The original batches of Bnei Menashe to arrive here came as tourists in an agreement with Israel’s Interior Ministry. Once in Israel, the Bnei Menashe converted officially to Judaism and became citizens. But diplomatic wrangling halted the immigration process in 2003, with officials from some Israeli ministries refusing to grant the rest of the group still in India permission to travel to Israel. To smooth the process, Freund at the time enlisted
FROM THE ED’S INBOX
Defend your faith! WE are really blessed through your magazine, The Christian Messenger, and we hope that others would be as well. The magazine is really informative as well as church-oriented, especially the last few issues. Sir, I would like to bring to your notice that a few days ago, I was watching one of the local news channels, and there was a talk on how some people were disturbing communal harmony. The topic came up because an American company had drawn the image of a god on beer bottles. There were a few who were seated there in the show and the topic slowly moved away from the picture to plainly 24 THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JUNE 2012
in 2005 to convert the members of the Bnei Menashe, a process stopped last year by India. Freund then coordinated with the Israeli government the arrival of batches of a few hundred Bnei Menashe as tourists who would later convert, but that process was halted in July 2007. Tribe members live in the two Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, to which they say they were exiled from Israel more than 2,700 years ago by the Assyrian empire. According to Bnei Menashe oral tradition, the tribe was exiled from Israel and pushed to the east, eventually settling in the border regions of China and India, where most remain today. Most kept customs similar to Jewish tradition, including observing Shabbat, keeping the laws of Kosher, practicing circumcision on the eighth day of a baby boy's life and observing laws of family purity. In the 1950s, several thousand Bnei Menashe say they set out on foot to Israel but were quickly halted by Indian authorities. Undeterred, many began practicing Orthodox Judaism and pledged to make it to Israel. They now attend community centers in India established by Shavei Israel to teach the Bnei Menashe Jewish tradition and modern Hebrew. Freund sees the Bnei Menashe immigration as biblical, quoting from Isaiah 43:5, which states, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.” “Those words,” Freund says, “are coming to life before our eyes.” “I think this is a very historic project,” he added. “It is the closing of an historical circle. It is the return of a lost tribe of Israel after 27 centuries of exile, and it is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.” WND attacking Christians on the whole. One leader of a right wing party said that the Christians were the only reason behind this. Another person went on to say that he and his party members would cut off the hands of anyone who indulged in conversion, clearly pointing out to the Christians. One thing that saddened me the most was how no Christian called up to defend his faith not even the big names and pastors. I was happy the most when I saw fear in their eyes. They kept on complaining against us with no solid proof. So I would like you to send out a message to the Christians out there to buckle up and continue the good faith. Please do covey this message. Scott Green (by email) Website: www.christianmessenger.in | Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com