Pope Francis and Canterbury Archbishop Justin want Christian unity

Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby are thinking seriously about Christian unity. "Ecumenical and interreligious dialogue is not a luxury, but something which our world, wounded by conflict and division, increasingly needs," they say.

Meeting formally for the third time to mark the 50th anniversary of the Anglican Centre in Rome, they reported in a joint statement they are "undeterred" by the "serious obstacles" to full unity between Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

Archbishop Justin and Pope Francis at Vespers in Rome

In their Common Declaration, they said that differences over issues such as women's ordination "cannot prevent us from recognizing one another as brothers and sisters in Christ by reason of our common baptism."

"Nor should they ever hold us back from discovering and rejoicing in the deep Christian faith and holiness we find within each other's traditions."

The Common Declaration was made at a service of Vespers in the Church of Saint Gregory on the Caelian Hill in Rome, from where in 595 AD, Pope Gregory sent Augustine to evangelize the Anglo-Saxon people. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597.

During the service, 19 pairs of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops from across the world were commissioned by the Pope and Archbishop before being ‘sent out’ in mission together.

"Fourteen centuries ago, Pope Gregory sent the servant of God, Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, and his companions, from this holy place, to preach the joyful message of the Word of God,” Pope Francis told them. “Today we send you, dear brothers, servants of God, with this same joyful message of His everlasting kingdom."

"Our Savior commissioned his disciples saying, 'Peace be with you',” Archbishop Justin Welby added. “We too, send you out with His peace, a peace only He can give. May His peace bring freedom to those who are captive and oppressed, and may His peace bind into greater unity the people He has chosen as His own."

The meeting comes 50 years after Pope Paul VI and Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey met in Rome in a historic spiritual healing of the four-century rift between the two churches.

Pope John Paul II later went on to meet Archbishop Robert Runcie, and then Archbishop George Carey, and Pope Benedict XVI met Archbishop Rowan Williams, also praying together at St Gregory's.

"Fifty years ago our predecessors recognized the 'serious obstacles' that stood in the way of a restoration of complete faith and sacramental life between us,” Archbishop Welby and the Pope declared. "Nevertheless, they set out undeterred, not knowing what steps could be taken along the way, but in fidelity to the Lord's prayer that His disciples be one. Much progress has been made concerning many areas that have kept us apart.

"Yet new circumstances have presented new disagreements among us, particularly regarding the ordination of women and more recent questions regarding human sexuality."

Behind these differences lies a perennial question about authority.

"These are today some of the concerns that constitute serious obstacles to our full unity. While, like our predecessors, we ourselves do not yet see solutions to the obstacles before us, we are undeterred.

"In our trust and joy in the Holy Spirit we are confident that dialogue and engagement with one another will deepen our understanding and help us to discern the mind of Christ for His Church. We trust in God's grace and providence, knowing that the Holy Spirit will open new doors and lead us into all truth."

The human person is demeaned by personal and societal sin, they added.

"In a culture of indifference, walls of estrangement isolate us from others, their struggles and their suffering, which also many of our brothers and sisters in Christ today endure. In a culture of waste, the lives of the most vulnerable in society are often marginalized and discarded. In a culture of hate we see unspeakable acts of violence, often justified by a distorted understanding of religious belief.

"Our Christian faith leads us to recognize the inestimable worth of every human life, and to honor it in acts of mercy by bringing education, healthcare, food, clean water and shelter and always seeking to resolve conflict and build peace. As disciples of Christ we hold human persons to be sacred, and as apostles of Christ we must be their advocates."

MAY OUR LORD'S NAME BE GLORIFIED. EACH AND EVERY PERSON MUST HAVE THE BORN-AGAIN EXPERIENCE OF THE SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIST AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER THROUGH OUR UNITY IN CHRIST. WE PRAY FOR IT. OUR LORD SAID, "THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU" (JOHN 15:12).

Heavenly dust storm protects newly-baptized from militant gunfire

Report: Bibles for Mideast

October 2, 2016: Some 50 Christians in the Middle East directly experienced the mighty protection of the Lord Jesus today at a water baptismal service in the Arabian Sea. Following three days of fasting and prayer and by God’s ever-loving grace, Bibles for Mideast officiated at the baptism of 24 new converts from Islam.

In spite of the area being unsafe to practice Christianity openly, the new believers themselves requested the service.

“When gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Peter asked the disciples how any could forbid them being baptized,” reflected Pastor Paul, Director of Bibles for Mideast. [Acts 10:47]  “So we together prayed with fasting and obeyed the great commission of the Lord to the baptismal candidates.”

“About 50 people, including the baptism candidates, attended the service,” explained newly-baptized Rizwan. “We all went by a bus. After the service and prayers, we entered the bus to return back in our house church for the worship service and the Lord’s Supper.” Every effort had been made to keep the service secret.

“Maybe it was their plan to kill us in the sea during the baptism service,” Rizwan wondered. “But somehow we finished earlier [than planned] and tried to return back.”

A small convoy of militants suddenly appeared behind the bus and opened fire. All they knew to do was pray to the Lord for protection as they sped away, the gunmen in hot pursuit.

When a massive dust storm formed behind them, they now feared being trapped in the dark, churning grime and becoming easy prey for their pursuers. 

Then, just as suddenly, Jesus materialized in the storm clouds and dust.

“He appeared as a mighty and wonderful man showing his protecting and lovely hands towards us with a sweet smile,’ exulted Rizwan. “Jesus saved us! He himself blocked the road of militants in the form of a dust storm.”

The gunfire slowed and stopped, enabling the bus to drive safely back to the church.

Once again we praise and thank our Lord Jesus Christ for showing His love and care towards His children. Thank You and praise You Lord.

UPDATE:

Dec 13: Saharan snake bites Muslim woman, Jesus heals, family believes

Dec 20:  At the sound of Jesus’ voice, militants toppled, guns blown from their hands

The ministries of Bibles for Mideast operate on faith alone. 
We appreciate the support and prayers of the children of God.

Christian teacher in Pakistan threatened with death unless he converts to Islam

Moosa with his family

Report: Bibles for Mideast

Moosa, 42, has for years been a teacher in Pakistan, helping his students learn English and Urdu. He also teaches Social Studies, along with the compulsory Islamic studies. Recently however, the government made the teaching of the Koran and Islamic prayers in schools mandatory as well.

Certain fundamentalist teachers of Islam have used this as an opportunity to inject hatred towards Christians, Hindus and other minorities into the minds of young learners. They have been teaching the children terms such as ‘kafir’—a derogatory expression for anyone not believing in Islam, as well as encouraging them to believe people of other faiths are spies of Israel, America and India.  

“From the primary classes, children are learning to fight against other religions and practice terrorism,” Moosa reports to Bibles for Mideast. “The process is easy to abuse and permits fanatical religious zealots to inculcate vulnerable young minds with their evil ideology.”

As Christians, he and his family have found themselves under increasing persecution by Islamic extremists—including threats of death.

When Moosa reported the threats to the school’s head master, things only got worse. A Muslim teacher came into his classroom shortly afterwards, called him “a son of a pig” (a terrible insult in the Islamic world) and then beat him up in front of his students.

He was again threatened with death if he dared challenge the content of Islamic and Koranic classes. Even the children have been encouraged to shout abuse and spit at him.

Extremists attacked and beat him one recent evening.

“Either convert to Islam and teach the children Islamic sharia, or get ready to die with your family and your hated religion,” they yelled at him. He reported to us with tears he had found human excrement from many people right at his doorstep.

Moosa and his family seek the sincere prayers of the children of God. Please pray for him and for the whole difficult situation in Pakistan­­—that all would come to faith in Jesus as the only way to God.

Jesus casts Satan from Muslim girl; her healing brings her family to Christ

Zaina, a 20-year-old Muslim girl from the Middle East, had suffered heavy bleeding for three years.  She consulted a gynecologist, who ordered an ultrasonography. When the scan revealed cysts on both ovaries, the doctor advised her to get a hysterectomy. Since she is unmarried, her parents advised her against the procedure—which they would not have been able to afford anyway. They lived ordinary lives, the father working in a shopping mall.

A few weeks ago, Zaina met a woman evangelist from Bibles for Mideast. The evangelist befriended her, and soon became a regular visitor at the family home.  Zaina’s mother, sisters and brothers liked the way she presented herself, and her behavior towards them.

The evangelist reported regularly to 'headquarters' about Zaina and her family, so all of the Bibles for Mideast gospel teams were praying for their salvation.

While the mission worker gradually and effectively conveyed the gospel of Jesus Christ to them, Zaina’s family did their best to convert her to Islam, telling her about the Koran and Hadith [sacred texts in Islam—Ed.].

One day, the evangelist arrived with two fellow evangelists after some serious prayer and fasting. They shared the story of the woman with an issue of blood which had plagued her for twelve years, and how simply coming up behind Jesus and touching the border of his garment had resulted in her healing [Matt. 9:20-22]. They told the family that Jesus Christ could and would heal Zaina if they would simply believe in Him as savior and Lord. The gospel teams of Bibles for Mideast were also fasting and praying for them that day.

Zaina’s mother could not accept what the evangelists told her. But Zaina asked them to pray for her. Her brothers and sisters remained silent, without objecting.

While the evangelists prayed over Zaina, the demon within her manifested, and she began screaming like a wild creature. She pushed the evangelists away, as the demon possessing her told them not to send it away from either Zaina’s body or the family home.

So the evangelists inquired, “Who you are and why are you here?”

“A slave from Satan," they heard in response, "taking this family to hell and destroying their generations!” 

The evangelists explained that Jesus Christ had bruised the head of Satan by His crucifixion on the cross of Calvary and His resurrection from the dead.

"Now Satan and his slaves are bound in everlasting chains under darkness until the judgment of our Lord’s great day," they proclaimed with authority. "Zaina and her family belong to the Lord and to His heaven. Go away from here! We cast you out of Zaina in Jesus’ Name!"

Zaina fell to the floor, unconscious.

As the evangelists prayed over her, she came to, praising the Lord. She joyfully explained to them how Jesus had come to her and healed her. She said she gladly accepts the Lord Jesus as her personal Savior.

Her sisters and brothers followed suit, accepting the Lord Jesus into their hearts. And they ended up  convincing their mother to do the same!

Now, very secretly but joyfully, they all attend worship services in a Bibles for Mideast underground church. Please pray for them and for the ministry as a whole.

Testimony of Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast, a former Muslim

At the request of many, Pastor Paul tells his story

I was born into an ancient, prominent and orthodox Muslim family in South Asia, the fourth child of a retired higher secondary school principal. Besides being a former principal, my father was an Islamic scholar and President of the Jama’ath (parish of the mosque) Committee.

More than 4,000 Muslim families lived in our area, and some Hindus in the suburbs. As far as I know there were no Christians at all, not even in the schools where I studied.

The mosque we attended is around 1,000 years old. My ancestors spread the religion of Islam in that area and established the mosque very close to our ancestral home. My grandfather founded the present mosque. The land, revenue and auxiliary records of the mosque were kept in my father’s name well into my boyhood. 

I was brought up to love and highly regard my family as well as Islamic teachings and practices. I did my religious education before regular schooling. No bad habits existed in our family life. As a young man, I even wrote and published a book on the Qur’an.

I went to a Christian institution for my college education, so the vast majority of my classmates were Christian. As the only Muslim, I at first had difficulty mingling with others there, but gradually became close and intimate with many.

This, however, led me into evil associations and wretched habits. I started smoking, began to use drugs and alcohol and became known as a rowdy character in the city. Damaging reports and ugly pictures concerning me began to appear in the newspapers. As a result, my parents, brothers, sisters and dear ones became greatly concerned.  It began to look like I’d have to discontinue my education.

By that time I’d become addicted to drugs and alcohol. My body began to shiver and I became very tense if I did not use drugs at the habitual times. I was even on the police watch list. When I had money in my pocket, I had lots of friends, ready for any adventure. But when my parents cut off the money they’d been giving me regularly, those ‘friends’ became my sworn enemies. I lost my peace of mind.

At this juncture, some missionary students gathered enough courage to come and talk to me. They claimed that Jesus is the Son of God, and was crucified for all humanity. He rose from the dead and He is the King of Peace, they told me. They further claimed that if one believes in Him and confesses all sins, he will become a new person.

I could not even imagine that Prophet Isa (Jesus) could be the son of God, or that he was crucified and rose from the dead. So I in turn exhorted them to reach heaven by believing in Islam, which I told them is the true religion. I had heated arguments with them on many occasions. They could only find fault with my wretched life, but could not prevail over my arguments or prove my ideas wrong.

But without losing heart, one day they brought some gospel tracts.  They were based on the bible which I considered forbidden, for it is abrogated [most Muslims believe the teachings of Mohammed override, or abrogate, earlier Christian and Jewish scriptures—Ed].

Hence I went into a rage. The thought that the advice I had given them earlier regarding Islam had made no impact on them only increased my anger. I tore the tracts into pieces. With despicable words I threw the pieces into their faces and threatened to destroy them if they continued misleading others.

It was a serious matter that students of the priesthood were publicly insulted and persecuted, especially within the walls of a Christian institution. It looked almost certain that I would be expelled from the college. I could also expect trouble from many other directions.

The next day I went to the college armed with weapons and intent on using them. When I entered the class, the missionary students ran up to me and embraced me with love and joy. They surprised me by expressing regret for having caused me mental distress. Had the college been run by my religion and I found myself in the place of those missionaries, I know my reactions would have been very different. I was so touched by their love, kindness and gentle nature. The Holy Spirit, which reminds us about sin, righteousness and judgment, began to work upon me.

That night I found a piece of paper in a text book in my room. On it was written: “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, for whom I am the foremost” (1 Tim 1:15). On the reverse side of the paper I read, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). I did not know they were verses from the bible. But I was overcome.

All the sins and violations I had committed since childhood began to appear before me as if on a screen. I recognized all my iniquities, big and small. Each one of them seemed to transform into a blister on my body. The blisters burst open and became sores. The flesh and bones, from where pus began to flow out, became very hot and began to melt. Worms were competing to get at the marrow of the bones. The pain was unbearable. The stench could not be described. I was being pulled into a bottomless pit. There was nobody to save me.

“God, save me!” I cried out.

Then a man, holy, white and bright, descended from heaven and touched me. I understood it was Jesus. For a moment I closed my eyes with heavenly joy, for His touch cooled my body and mind. When I opened my eyes, all the blisters and sores had disappeared. It was as if I’d been washed with perfumed ointment. But Jesus, who came in bright and spotless, was now infected with blisters and sores. Pus and discharge was flowing out of them and worms and maggots roamed freely on his body. He now appeared as an abominable, foul-smelling creature.

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our inequities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Christ had taken on himself all my afflictions. I should have been condemned to death for all my sins.  But I saw Christ taking on all my sins and being crucified in my place, for my sake.

Earlier I had never believed that Christ had been crucified. I used to ask how our sins could be washed away by his death, even if he was crucified. But now I was convinced how and for what Christ died.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

I saw Jesus break the tomb and rise up from the dead, glorious and resplendent. I fell at his feet crying, “My Lord and my God!”

I do not know whether this experience was a dream, a revelation or a vision. I wasn’t a believer in anything like this. But it transformed me into a Christian.  It enabled me to throw away the old man and become new. I received joy and peace, the like of which I had never known before.

I shared my conversion of mind and my new joy that same night to my parents. Although they listened, they tried to dissuade me, saying this was only a trick played by Iblis (Satan).  But I was convinced that the loving God had saved me through His only Son, and that I would inherit eternal life.

I was baptized in water as soon as I accepted Him as my personal Savior. The Lord also baptized me with the Holy Spirit and granted me the gifts of the Spirit.

But mine has by no means been an easy path. Some of the community I formerly belonged to felt that my accepting Jesus Christ was an act of betrayal and they tried to take revenge. Someone once sprinkled sulfuric acid on me.

One day, I was narrating my Christian experiences to some of my friends near the mosque. Suddenly one of my cousins stabbed me, splitting my lower jaw. Everyone thought I might die. But God saved me and made me a witness again at that place.

My cousin began planning another way to kill me, and to try to make it look like suicide.  While tying a noose for me to the top of a tree, a gust of wind knocked the branch he was on to the ground. We found him there near death, and I instinctively wished he would die. But Jesus ordered me to love and nurse him as He had loved me when I was His enemy. He was taken to the hospital and was in plaster for more than six months. When he recovered, he accepted Jesus as his Savior.

When yet another person became a Christian, the Jama’ath (mosque) authorities chained me, shaved my head, and locked me in an underground cellar. When I tried to escape, they sprayed me with acid. I was beaten up several times and even lost a few teeth. I considered these experiences as lucky tips in the name of Jesus and as a symbol of my spiritual fervor.

The Lord visited a few more people who had caused me trouble, and most of them have come to believe in Jesus.

I have two sons and one daughter. A terrorist group once sent a division out to destroy my entire family. Their commander managed to make my children consume poison, and all three were taken to hospital in critical condition. My daughter remained in a coma for close to 30 days. Her remarkable recovery so resembled a resurrection from the dead that the man who had wanted to kill my family became a follower of Jesus Christ. He has dedicated himself to working as a missionary and winning many souls into His fold.

Pastor Paul in one of the too-many demolished Bibles for Mideast churches

Another time, I and one of my assistant pastors were severely beaten in a village by a mob of radicals who also burned down our prayer hall. God alone has saved me, over and over.

Recently our Lord enabled me to overcome a murder attempt. Someone ran their motorcycle into me intentionally, trying to make it look like an accident. While I was in the hospital recovering, my wife and children faced murder threats at home as well, but God preserved us all miraculously.

I must mention that my parents, brothers and sisters were all devout Muslims. Most of the seniors are Hajjis (men who have made the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca*) and Hajjummas (women who have done the same). Having let Jesus Christ into my life, I was ex-communicated and for quite some time was not allowed to have any contact with my parents and extended family.

I and my wife felt sad about this, and brought it to the Lord in our prayers. Gradually, I began to re-establish links with my people through letters and telephone calls. Finally, a day came when they had accepted the fact that I worship Jesus Christ, visited my place and stayed with us and our children. I spoke to them about the love of God. We have maintained good rapport since then.

Two days before his death, my father had a vision of Jesus with the marks left by the nails on His hands and feet, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. My mother too became a believer shortly before she died.

My deep desire is to take the gospel to the unreached, especially to the world of Islam, and win them to the salvation of Jesus Christ.

___________________
*  The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence.