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1BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
MARCH/APRIL 2012
THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH www.barnabasfund.org
IN THIS ISSUE
Equipping and resourcing leadership for the persecuted Church
The Arab Spring one year on: Islamism in the ascendant
Jesus Christ: the divine Son of God
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Breaking throu he Barrie Leading Muslims o hristRosemary Sookhdeo
How can we understand o slim riend
and neighbours so that we can share the
Gospel efectively with the n her latest
book, Rosemary Sookhde s the veil o
Muslim religion, culture an practices to n
the points o contact that ill help Musli s
respond to the Christi Go el.
This accessible guid eals with th ruc al
diferences b ee slam and C ristian
an answers i portant questions, suc as:
Is the God o h Bible the same as Alla ? Is
the M s J us, Isa, th s as th Jesus
e k ow rom the Gosp ls? w uslims
iew heaven and hell at art oes the
second comi o s s pla i Muslim
thinking?
T i ook will hel you through the
challenges o s i evangelism and enable
ou to a good witness orChrist.
Isa Publishing, paperbac , 160 pp, ofer price
6.99 including posta e (R 8.99)
Understan ing Sharia FinancePa ic S hde
The global eco omy experiencinga prolonged p o r oil nd
upheaval, and in some coun r t
euro has all but collapsed.
A distinctively Islamic nancial system
has become a major player on the
world economic stage in the last 20
ears. Muslim scholars, clerics and
nan ial ro g nisati no s have g er te
a wide ra e o l er t ve ec no i
products, initiall in the u lim worldnd more recently in the West. These
r e el in in o a increasi ly
ucrati m r t.
n his signi ant s u oshar a
na ce, t ick oo d o is u ses
the proble s nd dange s p sented
y t e Is amic economy an ig ig ts
the implications or global economics
and politics, while also looking at the
nature and implications osharia itsel.
Isaac Publishing, paperback, 114 pp,
o er price 6.9 ni cluding postage
RP 6. )
Who s the sus?Unc vering t e uthH. Der ot McDonald
The NewT ament testies that the
Lord Jesus ist is both human and
ivine. His i tity as theWord o
God who became esh is at the very
oundation o r Christian aith, and
ut it that a th is in vain. Yet it
s oten called int uestion, even
s m t es rom within the churches,
by those who claim that Jesus was just
a good man. And Muslims, while they
acknowledge Him as a prophet, also
eny that He is God.
This new edition o H. Dermot
McDonalds compelling book clearly
presents the Biblical teaching on the
umanity and deity o Christ. The
uthor rst sets out the evidence
or Jesus human nature, tracess development and explains its
ignicance. Then he puts the case or
Christs deity and expounds it using
the titles that the Bible gives to Him.
He also provides a brie analysis o
Christs saving work and His exaltation
at Gods right hand.
This robust and rigorous introduction
uncovers the truth about the real
Jesus, and will strengthen and deepen
your aith in Him.
Isaac Publishing, paperback, 120 pp,
price to be conrmed
To order these books, please visit
www.barnabasund.org/shop. Alternatively,
please contact your nearest Barnabas Fundof ce (addresses on back cover). Cheques
or the UK should be made payable to
Barnabas Fund.
In this issue, we eature our latest book, which uncovers thetruth about the real Jesus, and also Rosemary Sookhdeos mostrecent book on how to reach Muslims or Christ.
6.99i
s
Comingsoon...
I6.99
RESOURCES
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WELCOME FROMTHE DIRECTOR
3BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
Inhis 1986 collection of essays
The Drowned and the Saved,
Italian chemist and writer Primo
Levi described a recurring nightmare that he
experienced after his liberation from Auschwitz.
In the dream, Levi returns from the Second World
War concentration camp and recounts its full
horror to his remaining family and friends, only
to see them turn away disbelieving or worse
still uninterested.For those who suffer and tell their
experience to others, it can be excruciating to
encounter a reaction of embarrassment, disbelief,
apathy or even denial of what they have endured.
On 22 December the British Daily
Telegraph published an article headed How
can we remain silent while Christians are
being persecuted? This was followed on
31 December by an article in the prestigious
Economistmagazine on Christians and lions: the
worlds most widely followed faith is gathering
persecutors. These were for me among the
greatest encouragements of 2011, signalling that
the persecution of Christians is being recognised
as an urgent issue, no longer to be swept under
the carpet. I believe that this change is due at least
in part, under God, to the efforts of grass-roots
Christians over many years who have signed
petitions, written letters, campaigned and prayed
for persecuted Christians.
As Christians we are familiar with
suffering. Our Saviour is a man of suffering,
and familiar with pain (Isaiah 53:3). Our God
is a suffering God, one whose heart of love can
be broken. Such thoughts will be uppermost inour minds as we approach Good Friday, and
remember the suffering and death of Christ on
the cross for our sins. We glory in His cross as
well as in His resurrection on the first Easter Day,
and accept the call to share in His sufferings.
So we must not deny, dismiss or minimise
the suffering of our persecuted brothers and
sisters. Is such silent indifference really so far
from Pilates hand-washing? Pilate tried to
distance himself from the crucifixion of Jesus
by refusing responsibility, and thus salving his
conscience. Tragically his example is followed
by many governments and even Christians today.
A small community of Afghan Christians
is living in Delhi. As converts from Islam, theyare in severe danger in their home country. But
India does not allow them to settle permanently,
and Western governments, who are quick to
condemn non-Western countries for human rights
abuses, will not accept them. One New Zealand
diplomat even said that the converts brought their
predicament on themselves by choosing to leave
Islam.
Even more disturbing, in this and many
other cases, is the failure of Christians in positions
of political power to use their influence on behalf
of their suffering brothers and sisters. The
leadership of the Church is often little different.
To be silent in the face of an abuse is to
condone it and share the guilt. When the British
House of Lords debated the position of Christians
in the Middle East on 9 December 2011, Lord
(Dolar) Popat, a Hindu who fled Uganda when
Idi Amin persecuted the Indians in 1971, spoke of
the enormity of this sin: to witness persecution,
then sit back and do nothing to stop it.
As we reflect on the suffering of our Lord
this Good Friday, let us take every opportunity
to speak up for suffering Christians where
they cannot speak for themselves. Let us alsoremember that although Pilate washed his hands,
our Father God did not wash His hands, but rather
raised up Jesus from the dead, vindicated and
victorious.
Speaking Outfor Persecuted Christians
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo
International Director
To guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your understanding.
Front cover: Pastor Y put aside the possibility of leading an affluent urban church in order to pastor a small poor church in rural Java,Indonesia. He also serves in a wider ministry and is very much on fire for the Lord. Last year, while on a ministry trip, he broke his leg in amotorcycle accident where he ended up in a canal and his helmet broke in two. Funds from Barnabas covered his surgery, treatment andrehabilitation costs.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version.
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for stories and images used in this publication. Barnabas Fundapologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright.
Barnabas Fund 2012
Contents4 Compassion in Action
Flood relief in South Asia, winterwarmth in Armenia
8 NewsdeskThe Arab Spring: Islamists takecontrol
10 CampaignSpeaking out for persecuted andvulnerable Christians
PULL-OUT Equipping the ChurchWhat does the Bible say about theLord Jesus Christ?
11 Barnabas Partners
Can you help us make known theneeds of the suffering Church?
12 Spotlight
Equipping and resourcing Christianleaders
14 Learning from the PersecutedChurchProtection and guidance through faithin Christ
16 Biblical ReflectionPresent suffering and glorious hope
18 In TouchNew Barnabas offices in Scotlandand Northern Ireland
The paper used in this
publication comes fromsustainable forests and
can be 100% recycled
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4 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
how barnabasCOMPASSIONIN ACTION
68,064 for support of
Christian school(US$104,705; 82,441)
An Arabic Christian childrensmagazine is full of Bible stories,colourful cartoons withcontemporary Christian messages,attractive images and crosswords.Many of the readers, aged 7 to 15,send in their solutions to the quizzesand provide their photos to bepublished as friends of the
magazine. Not only do they learnmore about their faith, but also theygain greater confidence in theirChristian identity. This is important ina context where Christians aredespised by society at large.
Barnabas latest grant helps pay forthe salary of three members of staffas well as printing and distributioncosts. Competition prizes such asbooks or other gifts are also bought
with the grant. Thanks to thissupport the copies can be givenaway free or for a tiny sum.
Every inch of the school buildingis full of children. This was thedelighted comment to Barnabasfrom the head teacher of a Christianschool we support in Bethlehem.The school always accepts themaximum number of students it canaccommodate, and the total in thisacademic year is 280 (aged 3-11).But even after building an extensionlast year, which was also fundedby Barnabas, they still have to turndown many children because of lackof space.
What makes the school so attractive
is its positive Christian atmospherein a town where many of theChristians are leaving because ofthe many pressures they face. Thegood quality of the education, theclean and cheerful surroundingsand the strong commitment andloving care of the teachers add to itsappeal. Many Christian families inBethlehem are very poor and needy,but with Barnabas Fund helping tocover the running costs, the school
charges only minimal fees. Theneediest children of all are allowedto attend for free.
As we distributed the seed packs,we were struck by how manyvulnerable people were beingreached. A blind woman was led bya small girl, some disabled folk werehelped by friends and many old orpoor folk thanked us profusely.
Barnabas Fund not only providedemergency relief for hungryChristians during the East Africadrought but also helped with longer-term solutions. About 3,000 highly
vulnerable Ugandan Christiansreceived seed for harvesting theirown crops.
Each household received threebags with seed of sorghum, rice andsoy bean. These are quick-growingplants that are ready for harvestingwithin 90 days.
The recipients also receivedinstructions on how best to plant
the seeds, and during the growingseason the organisers visited themto advise them on the growing.
Arab World:childrenenthusiastic aboutChristian magazine
Brimmingwith children:Christian school inBethlehem
Famine preventionin Uganda
Discussing a popular Christian
hildrens magazine in the Arab
world
Christian children in the
Bethlehem area feel safe at this
Christian school
Ugandan C ns on theirist
way home w gs of seedth b
or p ant ng t own c ops
Projectreference
XX-207
Projectreference
65-420
Projectreference
25-359
7,000 for Christianchildrens magazine(US$10,700; 8,400)
9,980 for seeddistribution(US$15,360; 12,090)
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5BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
is helpingCOMPASSIONIN ACTION
You have put a lot of smiles onthe needy, vulnerable widows andorphans in this ministry. A group ofChristians in Kenya, supported byBarnabas, are feeding 31 orphansand providing for their healthcareand school fees. With our help theyare also creating opportunities forChristian widows to generate theirown income.
The ministry is working in a ruralarea where Islam is growing rapidly.They feel called to provide hope andpractical help to His children whosuffer the discrimination that resultsfrom their faith in Him.
Last years severe East Africandrought caused them to step uptheir feeding programme. This wasquite a challenge, because the costof food had become extremely high.They told us that they work hardday and night to order and bargainfor the best prices.
With the latest grant from Barnabasthe ministry bought and installed a
maize mill. This enables Christianwidows, who work together in ashop, to earn a small income.
Barnabas Fund is helping to supportthe family of Aasia Bibi, a Christianmother who has been in jail foralmost three years. She was falselyaccused of defiling the name ofMuhammad in June 2009 andsentenced to death.
Because of his wifes situation itis now too dangerous for Aasiashusband, Ashiq, to go out to work,and the family have been leftwithout any income. The Christiancommunity where they live is tryingto help them but are too poor tocover all their needs.
Our most recent grant providedurgent needs such as winter
bedding and warm clothing. We alsoprovide them with a monthly foodparcel.
Farkhod and Zukhra, whoreceived support from Barnabas fortheir upkeep, recently moved to acity in Tajikistan close to the borderof Afghanistan to share the Gospelwith anyone who is willing to listen tothem. Almost everyone living thereis Muslim.
The city is a dangerous and
spiritually dark place, notorious forits drugs and arms. Large numbersare unemployed, and many peopleeither end up working in illegaltrades or addicted to drugs. Ashockingly high number of peopleoverdose on drugs or commitsuicide.
The couple are in a good positionto bring the Gospel there. Beforefinding freedom in Christ, both
were drug addicts for many years.Farkhod converted from Islam andZukhras father is a Muslim.
Kenya: caringfor orphans andwidows
Pakistan: help forAasia Bibis family
Tajikistan: formerdrug addictsbecome Christsambassadors
Orphans in rural Kenya are fed
a healthy meal of maize, beans
and rice
asia Bibis husband Ashiq
with daughters Eisham 12 ,
Sidra (18) and Esha (13)
Baptism of one of the first
believers from a dark region of
Tajikistan
Projectreference
25-1019
Projectreference
00-345
Projectreference
50-957
The Bible encourages us to love our brothersand sisters in Christ (1 Peter 1:22). Thank youfor making this love practical and enabling usto help our persecuted Christian brothers andsisters around the globe. On these pages is aselection of reports about some of the manypeople we have supported recently, thanks to
your gifts. Please pray as you read.
5,000 for orphan andwidow support(US$7,700; 6,000)
500 winter needs forpersecuted Christian family(US$760; 600)
2,913 for evangelistcouples upkeep(US$4,486; 3,529)
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6 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
COMPASSIONIN ACTION
bringing hope,Keeping warm in Armenia
Barnabas Fund helped 200 Christian families innorth-west Armenia stay warm during the freezingwinter months. Winters are extremely harsh fromNovember to late May in this high-altitude region.Temperatures can drop to a staggering minus35-40C. Piled-up snow blocks the roads fortwo months, making some villages completelyinaccessible.
Ever since an earthquake destroyed many of
their houses in 1988, they have been living indomings, shacks made out of scrap metal whichare very badly insulated (see photo). These hutswere meant to be only temporary homes, butbecause the Christians are so poor they cannotafford new houses.
Many do not have gas or electricity connectionsin their homes and Barnabas gave them stocksof wood for fuel. Those few with connectionsreceived a small grant to cover the utility
expenses. The average cost per family was 136(US$210;165).
In a short period we receivedso much knowledge aboutGods Word which we canapply to our Christian life andchurch ministry.Christian couple in Kazakhstan
Barnabas Fund recently supported two Christian
training initiatives in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.Forty church leaders, many from distant, isolatedparts ofTajikistan, met together for a three-daystudy programme. All of them are converts fromIslam. Salman (see photo) testified, I believed inJesus two years ago and after that my wife cameto Jesus too. We are from a very difficult regionfor sharing the Gospel. This seminar encouragedus in our ministry and helped us to be strong infaith. I had many questions when I read the Bibleand I have received answers to my questions.A grant from Barnabas paid for the students
transport costs and stationery, as well as utilitiesand food for the three days.
Several churches in a city inKazakhstan joinedforces to provide a one-year Bible school. It wasdesigned to be intensive but also tofit into busyfamily, ministry and work schedules and so washeld on three evenings in the week. Last year23 students graduated from the programme.Barnabas paid for transport costs for teachers,books and teaching materials.
One student writes,During all the period of study I was thankingGod for this school, for teachers, for His love tous. Study timeflew by as if it was just one day.It was very valuable for me that teachers sharedtheir own experience and feelings. I felt very closepresence of God during my study.
Project reference 79-719
Project references24-925 (Kazakhstan Bible school)50-1003 (Tajikistan leadership training)
27,283 for fuel during winter(US$40,000; 33,000)
Many Christians in north-western Armenia live
in domings, draughty shacks in which they
cannot stay warm during the winter months
Barnabas Fund provided Christian families
with wood and grants for gas to keep them
warm during the freezing winter
Salman and his wife were greatly
encouraged by the three-day leadership
training programme in Tajikistan
Central Asia: leadership and Bible training
4,345 for leadership trainingin Tajikistan (US$6,709; 5,255)
843 for Bible school in
Kazakhstan (US$1,302; 920)
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7BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
COMPASSIONIN ACTION
transforming lives
Our Saviour God hasprotected us and now he hassent people with food.Pastor Roghu Nath Sarker, Bangladesh
Last year saw exceptional flooding in manycountries across Asia. Barnabas sent emergencyrelief to Christians in Bangladesh, Burma(Myanmar), Cambodia, Pakistan, Philippines andThailand. The packages contained items suchas food staples, clean drinking water, cookingutensils, mosquito nets and anti-bacterial wash.
InPakistan Barnabas provided emergency
aid to 886 Christian families affected by the2011floods. One church in Hyderabad relayedto us the great difficulties they had in bringingemergency packages to Christians in threeareas near to them. When their trucks were fullyloaded and ready to go, the team prayed for asafe journey before departing. In many placesthe water had not yet fully receded and the roadswere still submerged up to 45cm: Everywherethere was stagnant water. Our truck wheel gotstuck in the mud. We hired a tractor and loaded50 relief bags. After a great struggle our truck
came out from mud and we thanked God andagain started our journey to Khipro.
InBangladesh Barnabas Fund sent relief to935 Christian families. The organisers boughtgoods locally and church members volunteeredto distribute the emergency packages. One of therecipients of the relief packages, Pastor RoghuNath Sarker, who ministers to the 50 Christianfamilies living in a large village, told us, Ourvillage was under water for one month. I wasvisiting all of the families. Many had becomesick and I was praying for them and sometimesI myself became sick. We were praying for helpand in fact we needed food. He then thankedBarnabas and added, We believe that the Lordhimself has sent this relief through Barnabas
Fund. Even though we do not know them andthey are far away from Bangladesh.
Lakhhi Sarker, a widow with four young childrenin a village in Bangladesh, lost her familys sourceof food when her small ricefieldflooded beforeharvest-time. For 15 long days they had onlyone meal per day. Our project partner writes thatwhen she received theflood aid relief, she beganto cry and cry. She gave thanks to God and wasso much grateful to Barnabas Fund.
Helping Asian Christians survive the floodsEmergency flood relief:
11,195 in Bangladesh(US$17,236, 13,561)
11,688 in Burma (Myanmar)(US$17,995, 14,158)
7,490 in Cambodia(US$11,530, 9,073)
80,525in Pakistan (includeslong-term food support andhouse rebuilding)(US$123,976, 97,546)
8,968 in Philippines(US$13,808, 10,864)
5,399 in Thailand(US$8,310, 6,539)
Project references
00-634 (Disaster Relief Fund)75-745 (Burma disaster relief)41-919 (Pakistanfloods feeding)
Relief and joy in Bangladesh at receiving emergency flood relief
Christians in Burma greet the truck as it
arrives with emergency relief
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8 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
NEWSDESK
ANTI-CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE RAGES ON
NIGERIA: Boko Haram, a
militant Islamist group in Nigeria,
have intensified their campaign of
anti-Christian killing. Violent attacks
at Christmas 2011 were followed byan ultimatum for all Christians to leave
the North. Hundreds of Christians
fled as a result. The violence, whichcontinued into the new year, has
raised fears that an Islamist terroristalliance in Africa is taking shape, asBoko Haram strengthens its links with
both al-Qaeda in the Sahara region
north of Nigeria and al-Shabaab in
Somalia.The terrorist group executed a
coordinated series of bomb and gunattacks on churches and the securityservices that killed more than 40
people in five states on Christmas
Day, 25 December 2011. The majority
of the fatalities occurred at a churchin Madalla, near the capital, Abuja;
around 35 worshippers were killed
as explosives were hurled at the
congregation as they left the service.The violence prompted President
Goodluck Jonathan to declare a stateof emergency in the most troubled
areas.
On New Years Day the group
gave all Christians three days to leave
the mainly Muslim North of Nigeria.
Soon after the expiry of the ultimatum,
gunmen stormed a church in Gombe,
capital of Gombe State, on 5 January2012, during a prayer meeting,
killing at least eight Christians.
Pastor Johnson Jauro, whose wifewas shot dead in the attack, said:
I was leading the congregation inprayers. Our eyes were closed whensome gunmen stormed the church
and openedfire on the congregation.
The attackers started shootingsporadically. They shot through the
window of the church, and many
people were killed including my wife.The following day (6 January),
around 20 Christians were gunned
down in Mubi, Adamawa state, as
they gathered to mourn the death
of another Christian who had been
killed the night before. The assailantschanted god is great as they fired
Kalashnikov rifles. They were also
carrying knives and machetes. ABoko Haram spokesman has claimed
responsibility for some attacks.
THE ARAB SPRING ONE YEAR ON
HOW ISLAMISTS SEIZED THE REVOLUTIONS
ARAB WORLD: TheIslamists didnt go out with us on
January 14th but then they took
the revolution for themselves. This
analysis by Tunisian demonstrator
Maryam Hamim, who, like thousandsof her compatriots, took to the streetsin early 2011 to call for a more secular,
liberal state, has been echoed by
many participants and observers of
the Arab Spring.
That extraordinary movement,which is still reverberating across
North Africa and the Middle East, was
initially heralded with optimism in theWest as a new dawn of freedom anddemocracy for peoples who had longsuffered oppression and injustice at
the hands of autocratic rulers. One by
one dictators were toppled President
Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia,
Egypts President Hosni Mubarak,
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libyaand Yemeni President Ali Abdullah
Saleh while, at the time of writing,others such as President Bashar al-Assad of Syria remain vulnerable.
Over a year on from the start of
the Arab Spring, democracy is indeed
being established in Tunisia and
Egypt, where voters have been to thepolls to elect new parliaments. Libyaand Yemen are staging elections this
year, and pro-democracy protests inMorocco have led to some political
reforms.Democracy in these Muslim-
majority countries has not, however,delivered electoral success for thosesecular and liberal voices that hailedthe revolutions. Islamist parties, whowere long-established and therefore
better organised, have instead
emerged with the largest share of the
I was leading the congregation in prayers.Our eyes were closed when some gunmen stormedthe church and openedfire on the congregation...
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9BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
NEWSDESK
CHRISTIANLEADERS
IN WOODEN
STOCKS FOR16 DAYS
LAOS:Eight church leaders were
arrested in December 2011 for holding
a Christmas celebration in Boukhamvillage. Initially four were placed in
handcuffs and wooden stocks. One
of the detainees was set free, but theother seven were asked to admit to
flouting the villages law by conductinga Christmas worship service.
The Christians declared their
innocence, citing the Lao constitutionthat guarantees freedom of religion.
On 27 December all seven were
clamped to one long wooden plank.They were eachfined a large sum and
a cow on 30 December for violatingthe traditional cult of the village, but
they still denied the charges and
refused to pay. After the interventionof higher authorities the fine was
reduced, and the leaders werefinallyset free on 12 January 2012.
ACID ATTACK ON CONVERT PASTOR
UGANDA: Pastor Umar Mulinde
had acid thrown in his face and on hisback outside his church in Kampala
on 24 December 2011. The substance
caused burns to the right side of hisface, neck and arms, and partially
blinded his right eye. It is believed
that he was targeted because of hisconversion from Islam to Christianityand strong critique of Islam.
The attack occurred at around
9pm in the church car park, shortly
after the conclusion of a seven-day
evangelistic campaign. Pastor Umarlater testified:
I was attacked by a man who
claimed to be a Christian. He calledout to me shouting pastor, pastor,and as I turned to see who he was,
he poured acid which burnt part of
my face. As I turned away from the
attacker, another man poured the
liquid on my back and ran away
shouting Allah Akbar [god is great].The pastor was quickly rushed to
a hospital in Kampala by church
members.Pastor Umar came from a strict
Muslim family and his father was
an imam. He was a sheikh (Muslim
teacher) before turning to Christianity,
a decision that caused a strong
reaction in the Muslim community. He
revealed that he had been receivingthreats for some time but says he did
not take them seriously until now.He had also been a key opponent
of Muslim plans to introduce Kadhi
courts (sharia courts) in Uganda.Specialists in the hospital in
Kampala had been struggling to
restore the sight in his right eye.
Pastor Umar was moved to a medical
centre in Israel on 5 January, after itwas decided that he needed more
advanced treatment. Barnabas Fundis assisting with the costs of surgery.
vote in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco.Ennahda, the main Islamist group
in Tunisia, insists that its approach tosharia is consistent with the countrysprogressive traditions, but deputy
leader Hamadi Jebali sparked alarmin November when he referred to
the countrys future in terms of aCaliphate, historically a single trans-
national Islamic state based on sharia.
In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhoods
Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has
been promoting itself as a moderateIslamic group, but the Salafist party
al-Nur is much more explicit about
its intentions to impose a strict
interpretation of Islam. The Islamist
Islah Party is expected to be the main
force in post-Saleh Yemen, while theLibyan National Transitional Council
has stated that sharia will be the
principal source of law in the countrys
new constitution.This new Islamic political order
can lead only to a worsening of
conditions for Christian minorities inthe region; they suffered decades ofdiscrimination and restrictions, even
persecution, under the old regimes,
but the fallen dictators did at least
keep Islamist extremists in check.There has been a surge of anti-
Christian violence since the ousting
of Mubarak in Egypt, prompting an
exodus of an estimated 100,000
Christian families. Meanwhile, Syrian
Christians are fearful that they couldsuffer a repeat of what happened
to their Iraqi counterparts in post-
Saddam Hussein Iraq if Assad falls;
Islamist extremists were free to wreak
havoc on the Christian community inIraq, and hundreds of thousands were
forced toflee their homes as a result.Many went to Syria, which was one of
the last bastions of peace and equality
for Christians in the Arab world.As the Arab Spring spread through
the region around this time last year,Barnabas Fund sounded one of the
early warning sirens that it could leadto a Christian Autumn; sadly, this
prediction is increasingly becoming
a reality.
Pasto mar Mulindi a t r id a throw v r his fac e nback (S rrce: Vision Gro u / e ision ri ng and Publis n
Comp ny)
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10 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
PROCLAIMFREEDOM
1 How can we remain silent while Christians are being persecuted?, The Daily Telegraph, 22 December 2011
2 Christians and Lions, TheEconomist, 31 December 2011.
3 As cited by the OSCE Chair on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions.
0 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
ow can we reman s en w e rs ans are eng persecue , e a y e egrap , ecem er
Christians and Lions, TheEconomist, 31 December 2011.
3 As cited by the OSCE Chair on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions.
How can we remain silent whileChristians are being persecuted?
This was the headline of an article published inBritish newspaperThe Daily Telegraphdaysbefore Christians throughout the world celebratedChristmas.1 The article was also printed inTheSpectator.The Economisthas also recentlyreported on the growing levels of persecutionexperienced by Christians around the world. Inhis New Year address at the beginning of 2011Frances President Sarkozy condemnedtheperverse plan of religious cleansing in the
Middle Eastthat targets Christians.
The emerging dominance of Islamists followingthe Arab Spring is unlikely to result in anyimprovement in human rights for religiousminorities in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt or elsewhere inthe Arab world. The situation is just as serious forChristians in many other parts of the globe. Lastyear Islamist groups in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenyaand Somalia, for example, also carried out attacksagainst Christians. In Nigeria, the Presidentdeclared a state of emergency on 1 January2012 in response to a spate of Islamist attacks
against Christians. In Central Asia a number oflegislative restrictions on freedom of religion have
been imposed in several countries. Converts fromIslam in countries such as Afghanistan and Irancan face the death penalty. Aasia Bibi, a Christianmother, remains on death row in Pakistan afterbeing convicted under the notorious blasphemylaws. In North Korea, China, Vietnam, Indonesia,Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka and parts of India,life has been getting worse for many Christians, tomention but a few contexts.
Christians are one of the largest and mostpersecuted groups in the world.2 Yet they oftenappear to be the most neglected group inWestern governments foreign policy. There islittle concrete engagement with the issues, eventhough governments may recognise that respectfor minorities and human rights is a foundationstone for national and international peace and
security.
Governments have significant potential influencewith other countries. Massive amounts of foreignaid are given to poorer countries; this aid canbe well directed or unwisely directed. Statesmaintain diplomatic relations, bilateral ties andsecurity arrangements and cooperate in manyfields. Most countries have signed up to theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights and otherconventions, some of which have specific legalmechanisms for dealing with countries who do
not meet their responsibilities. There is plenty ofscope for positive influence.
If you believe in the cause offreedom, then proclaim it, liveit and protect it, for humanitysfuture depends on it.Henry M. Scoop Jackson (1912 1983)US Congressman and Senator
Barnabas Funds Proclaim Freedom
campaign will run to the end of 2012and will seek to raise the profile ofthe persecuted Church around theworld. It will have two specific aims:
to press governments to be active in promotinghuman rights in other countries for allminorities, but especially religious freedom forthe roughly 200 million Christians living underthe shadow of persecution, discrimination anddisadvantage
to press governments to work to ensure thatother countries bring to justice citizens whoeither incite anti-Christian hatred or engage inanti-Christian violence
A copy of theProclaim Freedompetition isenclosed with this magazine. It provides us allwith an opportunity to inform our governmentsthat the time for words is over and that decisivepolicies should be followed, aimed at puttingpressure on states that persecute or condonethe persecution of Christians and assisting othercountries to improve the lot of minority groups
within their borders.
Please sign this petition and promote it within yourchurch and community. You can help us influencegovernment policy, which in turn could bringgreater hope and freedom to our brothers andsisters throughout the world.You can obtain additional copies of the petitionsheet by contacting your local Barnabas office(addresses on back cover), or by downloadingthem fromwww.barnabas.org/proclaim-freedom-petition.
You are also welcome to photocopy the sheetyourself.
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IBARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
Introduction
The Lord Jesus Christ is the heart and soul of the
Christian faith. Without Him every one of its dis-tinctive claims about God and His relation to us
falls to the ground in ruins. Only because He is
the Word of God madeflesh (John 1:1, 14), the One who was
in the form of God but was made in human likeness (Philip-
pians 2:6-7), can He reveal God perfectly to us and open for
us the way back to Him. So any attack on the Person of Christ
is an attack on the integrity of Christianity itself.
But for Christians, Jesus Christ is not just the Lord but
ourLord, not just the Saviour but ourSaviour. With God the
Father and the Holy Spirit, He is the most important Person
in our lives, the One who makes us what we most truly are,
and (at least ideally) our closest friend. So those who call His
identity into question are challenging not only the content of
our faith, but also our most vital and significant relationship.
The New Testament (NT) paints a series of very rich
and varied portraits of Jesus Christ, which together make up a
powerful and coherent picture. But the principal non-Christian
religions all deny some of its central elements. They do this
either by putting other human beings or gods on the same or
a higher level with Christ (such as the many gods of Hindu-
ism) or by rejecting key Biblical statements about Him (such
as those relating to His deity and
divine Sonship).
Islam does both of these
things. It places many other proph-ets on a level with Jesus (whom
Muslims call Isa), and it elevates the prophet of Islam, Mu-
hammad, to a vastly higher place. It also declares that Jesus
was just a human being and not God; that someone else was
crucified in His place; and that He did not rise from the dead.
Yet because the Muslim Isa seems to resemble the Christian
Jesus in some other ways, many people, even some Christians,
believe that the two figures are essentially the same.
How are we to respond to these claims and witness
effectively to our Lord? The first step must be to understand
clearly what the NT has to say about Him. In this paper we
will look briefl
y1
at its teaching in four main sections: thefi
rstthree Gospels and Acts; the letters of Paul; the Gospel and
letters of John; and the rest of the NT. We will then look at
how this relates to and challenges Muslim (and other) views
of His Person.
The NT writers paint their picture of Christ like a group
of skilled workers putting up a magnificent building. Matthew,Mark and Luke lay a solid and extensive foundation; Paul
raises a beautiful and complex structure; and John adds the
roof with its soaring pinnacles. Other authors add various rich
adornments. As we shall see, their completed work reveals
the majestic glory of the Son of God, who is both fully God
and fully human.
The Person of Christ in the Bible
The Synoptic Gospels and ActsThe accounts in the first three Gospels of Jesus public
ministry present Him as a prophet, someone who declares
an authoritative message from God in the power of the Holy
Spirit. The title is found once on His own lips (Luke 4:24 and
parallel passages), and He is also hailed as a prophet by others
(e.g. Matthew 21:11; Luke 24:19). His ministry is empowered
by the Spirit (Luke 4:14); and He proclaims a Gospel from
God (Mark 1:14-15).
But although the title of prophet is an accurate descrip-
tion of Jesus, it is not a sufficient one. When He asks His
disciples who people say that He is, their list of suggestions
includes various prophetic figures
(Mark 8:28). But when Jesus asks
whothey say that He is, Peter replies
You are the Christ (Messiah inHebrew) (Mark 8:29). Jesus is not
only a prophetic figure, but also a royal one; He is the Christ,
Gods anointed King of His people Israel.
Jesus identity as the Christ is revealed at various places
in these Gospels, including His baptism when He is anointed
by the Spirit (Matthew 3:16) and His triumphal procession
to Jerusalem when the crowds acclaim Him as Son of David
(Matthew 21:9). As Messiah, Jesus brings in the Kingdom of
God, His saving rule, through His preaching and powerful
works (Matthew 4:23; Luke 11:20). In His Person and min-
istry the great Old Testament (OT) promises of salvation and
restoration begin to be fulfi
lled (Matthew 1:21-23; 4:15-16).But the three Gospels also show us that Jesus role as
Messiah can be fully understood only in terms of His suffer-
EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH
We continue our series on some of the key teachings of the Christian faith by focussing on thePerson of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What does the Bible sayabout Jesus Christ?
Any attack on the Person of Christis an attack on the integrity of
Christianity itself.
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EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH
What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?
ing and death. The Christ is also the Servant of the Lord who
suffers for the sins of His people (Matthew 12:15-21; Mark
10:43-45). Immediately after Peters confession of Jesus as
the Christ, He says that He must suffer, be rejected and killed
(and also rise again) (Mark 8:31); it is this way that He fulfils
His special calling from God and enters into the glory of His
kingship (Luke 24:26). At several points in the story of Jesus
death the Gospel writers draw our attention to that kingship,to emphasise that His reign is put into effect through His suf-
fering (e.g. Mark 15:26, 32).
Then in His resurrection and exaltation Jesus is given
universal authority asLord at the right hand of God (Matthew
28:18; Acts 2:32-36). From there He continues to exercise
His rule as King, as the Kingdom of God comes with power
(Luke 9:1; 24:49-51); from there He provides forgiveness
(Acts 5:31). He will also judge the world on the day God has
appointed (Acts 17:31).
In these three Gospels and Acts Jesus is also called
Son of God (Mark 1:1; Luke 3:22; Acts 9:20). Here this
term means the same as Messiah or King, but the idea ofdivine Sonship also carries the sense of a special or unique
relationship to God (Matthew 11:27; Mark 12:6; Luke 22:42).
As Son of God Jesus has authority over evil (Mark 3:11), but
again that authority is expressed principally on the cross (Mat-
thew 27:54).
Jesus preferred title for Him-
self is Son of Man. It is especially
associated with His authority to for-
give sins and re-state the Sabbath
law (Mark 2:10; Matthew 12:8), but
like the other titles, its primary reference is to His death (Mat-
thew 20:18, 28). It may also point back to the son of man in
Daniel 7, suggesting that while Jesus takes a place of humility
and humiliation in His earthly ministry, He will also be exalted
to the place of authority.
Pauls writingsPaul teaches that Jesus is a human being, a representa-
tive both of the whole human race and of Gods own people
Israel (Galatians 4:4). He has a real human nature (Romans
8:3), although He is without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), and
experienced not only a human birth but also a human death
(1 Corinthians 15:3). Paul calls Him the last Adam (1 Corin-
thians 15:45), who undoes the effects of Adams sin (Romans
5:18) and is the first fruits of a new humanity (1 Corinthians15:48-49).
Like the Gospel writers, Paul presents Jesus as the
Christ/Messiah of Israel (Romans 9:5) who is sent by God
to set His people free (Galatians 4:4). He is a crucified Mes-
siah (1 Corinthians 1:23) who died for the ungodly and for
sinners (Romans 5:6, 8), but God has also raised Him from
the dead (1 Corinthians 15:5) and exalted Him to heaven to
share Gods own authority (Philippians 2:9-11).
According to Paul, at Gods right hand Christ takes
on many of the roles fulfilled by God Himself, along with
Him. Thus, like God, Christ is the object of His peoples faith
(Galatians 2:20); He gives divine blessings to them, notablysalvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9) and eternal life (Romans 6:23);
and He will come as Lord and Judge (1 Corinthians 15:24;
2 Corinthians 5:10) to gather them to Himself (1 Thessalo-
nians 4:16-18).
These really amazing claims indicate that Christ is a
unique human being, far greater than any other. But the let-
ters also show that He has a heavenly origin and that He is
Himselfdivine. Philippians 2:6-7 indicates that Jesus was
pre-existent; that is, He existed before the world was created;
and that He was also equal with God, but chose not to use hisdivine status and qualities for His own advantage, but set them
aside to become a human being. In obedience to God He then
humbled Himself still further to die on the cross.
Paul also applies the title Son of God to Jesus. As
in the Gospels and Acts, this is used to mean Messiah or to
indicate Jesus special or unique relationship to God, but in at
least some cases it appears to mean much more. God sent his
Son (Galatians 4:4) to be a sin offering (Romans 8:3), which
indicates His pre-existence. In Romans 1:3 Paul places side
by side Jesus status as a descendant of David according to
the flesh and His standing as Son of God according to the
Spirit, indicating that He is both human and divine.Paul identifies the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of [Gods]
Son, implying that the Spirit is related to Christ and to God
in a similar way. To be in Christ is apparently equivalent
to being in the Spirit (compare for example Romans 14:17
with Philippians 4:4). Paul also says,
however, that it is God who gives
Christ authority over all things, and
that He will be made subject to God
(1 Corinthians 15:28).
The letter to the Colossians
contains an extended statement about the Person and work of
Christ (Colossians 1:15-20). He reflects the very image of God;
He was Gods agent in the creation of the world; and He is
now also Gods agent in the reconciliation of all things to God.
Some of the key terms in this statement were used in Jewish
writings to refer to Gods pre-existent Wisdom, which is the
means He used to make the world and the goal of all things
(see Proverbs 8:22-31). Colossians tells us that this Wisdom
has become a human being in Christ (Colossians 2:3), and that
in Him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9).
Christ may even be explicitly called God in the Paul-
ine letters (Romans 9:5 and Titus 2:13). In any case, the texts
reviewed above strongly indicate that He is divine as well as
human. It is for this reason that He is able to fulfil His role as
the one Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5).
The Gospel and Letters of John2
In Johns Gospel the teaching of the NT on the Person
of Christ reaches new heights. The picture of Him that we find
here is in some ways very like that in the other three Gospels.
In particular, Jesus fulfils several of the same roles, although
John develops our understanding of these in new directions.
In John, as in the other Gospels, Jesus is seen as a
prophet by Himself and others (John 4:44; 9:17). But here
He is also identified with the prophet, the figure like Moses
whose coming was foretold by him in Deuteronomy 18:15.
So Jesus is not only commissioned by God and given by Himan authoritative message to proclaim, like the other Biblical
prophets; He is also the final bringer of Gods revelation. Af-
Christ is divine as well as human. Itis for this reason that He is able tofulfil His role as the one Mediator
between God and humanity.
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EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH
What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?
ter Him God has nothing more to add to what he has spoken.
Once again Jesus is presented as the Messiah, the one
anointed by God as the vice-regent of His kingdom (John 1:41;
4:42; 11:27). The idea is sometimes present even where the
title is not mentioned, in places where John emphasises the
kingship of Jesus (e.g. John 6:15; 18:33-37).
The title Son of God is again used in some places
with the same kingly sense (e.g. John 1:49; 20:31). But inJohns Gospel the Son means much more than the king.
As Son of God, Jesus is very closely connected to God the
Father, who is His Father in a unique sense (John 1:18; 20:17).
He knows and reveals the Father (John 17:25-26), speaks His
words (John 14:10) and performs His deeds (John 10:25).
And Son of Man continues to be heard in John as a
title used by Jesus for Himself, even though it is less dominant
than in the other Gospels. As before, it is especially connected
with His death and exaltation to heaven (John 3:14; 12:23),
and here also with His role as the meeting-point of heaven
and earth (John 1:51; 6:27).
But John has much greater things to say about Jesuseven than these. In the prologue to the Gospel he identifies
Him with someone called the Word, whom He both dis-
tinguishes from God (He was with God) and identifies with
God (He was God) (John 1:1). This Word was with God
in the beginning (John 1:2); He is
both Gods agent in creation (John
1:3) and the way in which God ex-
presses Himself and makes Himself
known (John 1:4-5). Astonishingly,
He has also become flesh (incarnate) and made His dwelling
among us (John 1:14).
So as the incarnate Word, Jesus is the supreme and
final revelation of God the Father. So close is the relationship
between them that anyone who sees or knows or honours or
denies Jesus can be said to see and know and honour and not
have the Father (John 5:23; 14:7, 9; 1 John 2:23). He is also
Gods principal agent on earth: He performs the full range of
divine tasks, those that only God is supposed to do, includ-
ing working on the Sabbath (John 5:17), raising the dead and
exercising judgment (John 5:27-29). He brings Gods salva-
tion to others (John 3:17; 1 John 3:5), and because He shares
in Gods eternal life, He is able to reveal that life to them and
pass it on to them too (John 17:2; 1 John 1:1-2).
The author of 1 John identifies Jesus with the true God
(1 John 5:20), and the letter also emphasises the humanityof Jesus. It identifies the human Jesus very clearly with the
divine Son (1 John 3:8; 5:20), and says that the divine Spirit
confesses that Jesus Christ has come in theflesh (1 John 4:2).
The rest of the NTThe other NT writings play a set of variations
on these great themes from the first three Gospels and
Acts, Paul and John, developing them in different ways
and occasionally adding some new ideas. For example:
The letter to the Hebrews presents Christ as both the exalted
and unique divine Son, the supreme revelation of God ful-filling all that went before (Hebrews 1:1-4), and one who
shares our human nature (Hebrews 2:14-18), yet without
sin (Hebrews 4:15). It spells out His superiority both to the
angels (Hebrews 1:5-14) and to Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6).
He is an everlasting high priest in an order greater than that
of the OT priests (Hebrews 7). He is also the mediator of a
better covenant than theirs, established by his death, which
is a better and permanent sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 8 10).
The first letter of Peter associates Jesus with theSpirit of God as the inspirer of the OT prophets
(1 Peter 1:11). The same reverence is to be shown to
Him as to God (1 Peter 3:14-15), and His exaltation to
heaven is above all other heavenly beings (1 Peter 3:22).
The book of Revelation asserts that worship is to be offered
to God alone (Revelation 19:10; 22:9), but the exalted Christ
receives worship along with God, implying that He is Him-
self divine (Revelation 5:8-14). Nothing higher could be
said about Him than that He is the proper object of worship.
The Person of Christ and Christian mission
What does this NT understanding of the Lord Jesus
Christ mean for our mission to Muslims and others? In par-
ticular, how does it address the claims made by Islam about
Him? In this section we will look
at the two areas outlined above: the
Muslim downgrading of Jesus rela-
tive to Muhammad, and the Muslim
denial of His nature and work.
Jesus more than a prophetAccording to the Quran, Jesus was just one prophet
in a long line, all of whom had equal status as prophets of
Islam. The list includes Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob and Moses.
His main message was submission to the god of Islam. Islam
teaches that Jesus was given a book, called theInjil or Gospel,
as a revelation and law for His time, but this has now been
corrupted by Christians and needs to be superseded and cor-
rected by the more perfect revelation given by the god of Islam
to Muhammad, the last and best of the prophets.
For Muslims Muhammad is vastly superior to Isa, and
in Islamic practice the veneration of Muhammad is widespread.
In fact, they believe that he has some of the qualities and fulfils
some of the roles that the NT ascribes either to Jesus or to the
Holy Spirit. Islamic tradition has made him an eternal figure,for whose sake the god of Islam created the world, and the
only real mediator between that god and the world. The fake
15th century Gospel of Barnabasalso ascribes to him the role
of the Parakletos (the Spirit) described in John 14 16.
We have seen above that the NT affirms that Jesus is
indeed a prophet. All four Gospels record His claiming the title
for Himself and others applying it to Him, and their accounts
of His ministry show Him commissioned with an authorita-
tive message from God, which He proclaims in word and deed
and in the power of the Holy Spirit. But various aspects of the
picture we have sketched contradict the Muslim view of Him
as just one prophet among equals.First, the Gospels all agree that the title is not adequate
for Jesus. His use of it is sparing, certainly when compared
As the incarnate Word, Jesusis the supreme andfinal
revelation of God the Father.
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EQUIPPINGTHE CHURCH
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What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?
with Son of Man, and although He accepts it from others
He seemingly does not encourage it either. This seems to be
because He wants people to recognise that He is more than a
prophet, specifically that He is also a royal figure Gods own
anointed King. The Bible teaches that Jesus role as a prophet
is not the limit of His significance; it is just the starting-point
of a vastly greater story.
Secondly, Johns Gospel clearly marks out Jesus pro-phetic ministry from that of former prophets by identifying
Him with the prophet like Moses promised in the OT (Deuter-
onomy 18:15-19). For John this makes Him Gods last word to
the world; there will be no new revelation to add to, supersede
or correct what has been spoken in Him. So the Muslim claim
that Muhammad has provided in the Quran a fuller and better
revelation than that of Jesus, or even just an extra one, can-
not be accepted without doing violence to Biblical teaching.
And thirdly, the NT portraits of Jesus make Him far
greater even than the figure of Muhammad in Islam. He ex-
ceeds the prophet of Islam in every place: whether in the
Gospels picture of Him as the regal Messiah and Son ofGod, in Pauls teaching about His
pre-existence and heavenly origin,
in Johns description of Him as the
divine Word made flesh, or in the
worship offered to Him, with God,
in the book of Revelation. These
are not a few insignificant details that can be easily set aside,
leaving us with a mere prophet like the Muslims Isa. They
are fundamental to NT teaching, and without them the whole
edifice of NT Christianity comes crashing to the ground.
Jesus more than a manIslam gives many titles to Jesus that are also found in the
NT. In addition to prophet, these include messiah, serv-
ant and word of God. It also affirms various Gospel events,
including Jesus sinless life, His ascension and His return. It is
for this reason that the Muslim Isa is often mistakenly thought
to be virtually equivalent to the NT figure of Jesus.
But this impression is seriously misleading, even leav-
ing aside for a moment Islams explicit denials of many Bibli-
cal teachings about Christ. The titles used in the Quran are no
more than names for Jesus, much the same as Isa (the origin
and meaning of this Quranic name are obscure); the Quran
does not give them anything approaching their NT meaning.
And Muslims understand the Gospel events in quite differentways: for example, when Jesus returns, He is expected to do
so as a Muslim who will destroy Christianity and make Islam
the only religion in the world!
In any case, what Islam denies from the NT portraits
of Jesus is much more significant than what it affirms. The
Quranfirmly denies His deity, and also His divine Sonship in
the strong sense maintained by Paul and (especially) John; it
makes Him only a created being, formed from the dust of the
earth. It also flatly denies the death of Jesus on the cross; most
Muslim commentators interpret the relevant passage to mean
that a substitute was made to look like Jesus and was crucified
in His place while He was taken straight up to heaven. And
because Jesus does not die, His death cannot be a sacrifice for
sin, and He cannot rise from the dead.These denials, if well founded, would do far more than
trim a few edges or corners from the NT portraits of Jesus; they
would punch huge holes in the centre. Christs deity is stated
explicitly and unambiguously in several places, and these ex-
press a conclusion that is quite unavoidable from a wealth of
other NT evidence, much of which is mentioned above. The
same is true of Jesus divine Sonship, which follows naturally
from His deity and His unique relationship to God.
There is also excellent reason to believe that the death
and resurrection of Jesus were fundamental to the Gospel
from the earliest days. Certainly they are found in every ma-
jor strand of NT teaching, and they are essential to many ofits affirmations about Jesus, such as
the Gospel titles of Messiah, Son of
God and Son of Man, Pauls teach-
ing on Christs humbling Himself
even to death and then being exalted
to heaven, and the picture in He-
brews of Jesus as the eternal high priest of a new and better
covenant. This last theme (which is found in other forms in
Paul and the Gospels) also indicates the importance of Jesus
death as a sacrifice. The authority of Jesus as Lord, which
is the earliest and most basic Christian confession, is firmly
grounded in His resurrection.
So there can be no compromise with the Muslim deni-
als about Jesus, and no reducing Him to a purely human and
uncrucified prophet. After that hatchet work is done, little
is left not only of the NT pictures of Jesus, but of Biblical
Christianity itself.
Conclusion
We have seen that the Muslim view of Jesus is funda-
mentally inconsistent with the New Testament, and that to
accept it is to reject the authentic Christian faith. It is vital
to understand this if we are to share our faith with Muslims
without compromising its integrity.But as we suggested in the introduction, there is even
more at stake: our relationship with our Saviour, Lord and
Friend. We owe it to the one who loved us and freed us from
our sins by His blood to uphold the honour of His great Name,
by thinking Biblically about who He is and confessing it boldly
in the face of challenge. To Him be the glory for ever!
2: 2 and 3 John contribute littleto our understanding of thePerson of Christ, so only thefirst letter is mentioned here.
1: A comprehensive treatmentof everything that the NT saysabout Jesus Christ wouldrequire a large volume! Wewill focus here on its most
important affirmations aboutHim, especially those that areparticularly relevant to missionamong Muslims and others.
There can be no compromise withthe Muslim denials about Jesus,and no reducing Him to a purelyhuman and uncrucified prophet.
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I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all ofyou, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospelfrom thefirst day until now.Philippians 1:3-5
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In this role you might help topromote special Barnabas Fundmeetings in the area, distributematerial to local churches, look
for opportunities for speakers andsupport Church Partners.
SpeakerWe are also looking forindividuals who have experiencein public speaking (and maybepreaching) to give a voice topersecuted Christians whocannot speak for themselves.As a Speaker you may beapproached by Barnabas Fundto undertake a few speakingengagements each year in localchurches or for Christian groups,though we understand that thesemust fit with your own schedule.You will also be free to initiate
your own engagements.
Prayer PartnerPrayer is our leading priority. IfGod has given you a burden topray for persecuted Christians,you may like to become a PrayerPartner by joining one of ourdedicated prayer groups orsetting up one of your own. Wewill provide Prayer Partners witha Prayer Group Starter Pack, andwith regular prayer updates.
At Barnabas Fund we are very grateful for the prayers and generosity of our supporters, which enable us, with the
help of our Lord, to transform the lives of so many Christians who suffer for their faith. But the needs are immense,and we want to share them with as many people as possible. The Apostle Paul rejoiced that his readers in Philippiwere partners with him in his ministry of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. And we too recognise our needfor partners in our ministry of making known the plight of the persecuted churches.
In addition to our regular material, Area Partners, Church Partnersand Speakers will receive a bi-monthly briefing which will highlight keyinformation for you to pass on to your church. You will be supplied with extraresources (such as DVDs, PowerPoint presentations, posters and leaflets)about our ministry and the projects we support. You will also be invited
to regional briefing events, when you can learn more about persecutedChristians around the world and how to be effective in your ministry with
Barnabas Fund.
We greatly appreciate the efforts of all our Partners,regardless of how much time they can give to helpingus. If you are interested in taking on one of these roles,please apply online at
www.barnabasfund.org/partnership, or by email [email protected], or contact your nationaloffice (addresses on back cover).
BARNABASPARTNERS
Our partners include the numerous Christian individuals, churches andorganisations through whom we channel our aid to the persecuted Churchin many countries. They also include the voluntary representatives who giveselflessly of their time and energy to support what we do in many churches
and regions across the UK. If you share our passion for serving our sufferingbrothers and sisters and have the time and desire to join us in this work, thenwe would like to invite you too to become a Barnabas Partner. There areseveral roles you can choose from.
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SPOTLIGHT
12 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
BarnabasPartnershipwith Persecuted Leaders
Apriority in Barnabas Funds ministry isto strengthen, equip and encourageChristian leaders who are serving the
Lord in contexts of pressure or hostility. Fromsenior leaders who head up large organisationsto simple pastors caring for theirflock, BarnabasFund partners with them to enable them in theirministry.
Barnabas Fund has beena real source of inspirationand encouragement to us strengthening our hands inministry over the past sevenyears. They have not onlymade us strong, bold andcourageous but have givento us through theirfinancialsupport the will and resolveto take the message of theGospel across Guyana and theCaribbeanPaul Mursalin heads up a ministry in Guyana,
South America, that is reaching Muslims with themessage of the Gospel via television.
You made it possible for us to remain in the Lords servicewhen every reason urged us to retreat from discouragement,retreat from lack of sufficient funds and retire from insufficientknow-how. You have encouraged us, funded us and educatedus when we so much needed it. If we are a kite the Lord isflying,
you are the string in his hands.Francis Omondi, senior ministry leader, Kenya
I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the firstday until now (Philippians 1:4-5).
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Partnering with Bible and
Theological Colleges
This study is blessing o God or me. It is an answerto my prayer.This was the testimony of a church leader in
Uzbekistan who attended training sponsored byBarnabas. The 60 leaders who completed thecourse are serving God in a situation of greatpersecution. They bore witness to the way theirstudies had given them vision, purpose andstrategies for ministry, and encouraged them inteamwork.
In situations of hostility or pressure from otherreligions, Christians need to be well grounded intheir faith and need a thorough understandingof why they believe in Christ. For this purpose
effective leadership is vital. Whilst we profoundlybelieve that it is the Holy Spirit who guides,encourages and supports His people, particularlythose in leadership positions, it can also be veryhelpful for them to be equipped and resourced.
But in some countries, many dedicated andhard-working church leaders have not had theopportunity of training to equip them for theirministry. In the last two years, Barnabas Fund hassupported 10,240 Christians who are equippingthemselves for service by studying. We supporttheological colleges, Bible colleges, and otherChristian training institutes in 26 countries,including Algeria, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya,Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lankaand Tajikistan.
A Bible school in Kyrgyzstan is equipping menand women to become pastors and missionariesin their own country. One graduate said,Knowledge that I get here helps me very muchin ministry It is especially important becausewe live in Islam majority country. Therefore weneed to know Christian dogmatic questions to talk
about Jesus and to explain many problems.
We also fund specialised training to equip leaderswith particular skills needed in their own ministrycontexts and to help them face persecution.Workshops, Bible courses and conferences helpindividuals to develop ministry skills and bringleaders together for teaching, encouragementand to share about the challenges they face, seek
solutions and develop strategies to respond.
Barnabas also invests in the church leaders of thefuture through seminars for Christian students.For example, in Bangladesh young people arethe key to the health of a Christian minoritythat is despised and marginalised. We funded73% of the costs of four regional conferences,attended by 320 students in total. The conferencetheme was Hebrews 10:22-24, and there wereworkshops on mission, culture, and dealing withthe frustrations of life as a Christian student or
seeking work in a country where Christians arediscriminated against.
Partnering through
Resources
It was my great desire to get this Bible Thewhole congregation will be blessed through thisbook.Pastor Sharif Khokhar received an Urdu StudyBible from Barnabas Fund to help him inunderstanding the Bible and preparing sermonsfor his church members. Discrimination and fearof violence are part of daily life for many pastors in
Pakistan. Many also live in deep poverty.
During 2010 and 2011 Barnabasprovided 1,480,834 pieces ofChristian literature, includingBibles and other items, in 14languages and 24 countries.
Many Christian leaders are desperately short of
the ministry resources that we take for grantedin the West. Christian books and study materialsare especially important. Barnabas Fund providesfor the translation, printing and distribution ofBibles and other Christian books, booklets andmagazines in various languages. For example,in Pakistan an Urdu study Bible and a synopsisof the four Gospels have been produced for thefirst time.
Partnering with Pastors
and Evangelists
I thank you and the brothers and sisters inBarnabas Fund organisation who are a greatblessing to me and my amily, as you havebeen my partners in the work which the Lordhas accomplished through me. I am truly veryencouraged and relieved on the issue o fnance ormy needs and the needs o my amily.
Pastor H. in AlgeriaCourageous and faithful, enduring hardshipand persecution, hundreds of evangelists,church-planters and pastors are faithfully servingthe Lord in their own homelands with supportfrom Barnabas Fund. In the last two years, ourassistance, together with local donations or smallincome-generation projects, has enabled 573
full-time Christian workers to continue serving theLord in 33 countries.
During 2010 and 2011 Barnabasprovided 1,480,834 pieces ofChristian literature, includingBibles and other items, in 14languages and 24 countries.
13BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
SPOTLIGHT
Reference numbers:00-430 Leadership Training Fund
00-360 Christian Literature
00-362 Bibles and Scriptures00-477 Pastors Support Fund00-478 Evangelists Support Fund
t rKho ar ro t e recei inghis UrduBib rom t e a sta n le ocet
,,an ti l hu -p st
m s nn one a, withupport from
Spiritual hunger fed by Bible training in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wracked by bloody conflict for manyyears, the Democratic Republicof the Congo (DRC) is also adesperately poor country. Manytrained pastors have been killedin the violence and churches are
being led by those who have hadno opportunity to train. Some do noteven own a copy of the Bible.
The atmosphere throughout
the week was vibrant and there
was an air of expectation and
excitement... These pastors are
hungry for teaching,reported oneof the organisers about a leadership
training event funded by Barnabasin DRC.
One hundred senior pastors and20 leading women workers from allover the DRC attended the trainingand each received a copy of theAfrica Bible Commentary. Another40 were so eager to learn that they
attached themselves unofficiallyto the session, sitting at the back,
listening and taking notes.
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Debbie came from a strict Muslim family in a Muslim-majority country. Her father was
an influential businessman with contacts in the government. Here is her testimony.
Trying to fill an empty heartDebbie says, Growing up I had everything Iwanted. I always felt the need of being close tothe creator, I did all my Islamic requirements tobe a good servant to Allah; I also followed andobeyed my fathers rules But I was angry andlonely growing up. When I was 17 I wanted torun away from my life. Of course that was notpossible so I came up with a plan of going outof the country to study. I expected that my father
would not easily accept this plan, because I am agirl and girls should stay home, but surprisingly heagreed to send me to England to study.
I moved to England in 1998 and found that itwas very different from my country. I started mystudies and after a while I started makingfriends and learning the life that was offered tomany young people in England: parties, alcoholand even drugs.
I was so lost in my heart and felt so lonely andrejected for my whole life that new friendshipswere a way tofill my empty heart. It did not take
me long to understand that nothing wasfilling thatemptiness I felt like I was so far from the creator
and as a Muslim girl I was not doing the right
things by drinking and going to parties. This mademe feel even more depressed and lost. The laststraw in my life happened when I found out thatmyfianc was cheating on me.
Love and hope at churchLate one Saturday night Debbie found herself ata small church. She was met by the churchleader, who gave her some leaflets and prayedfor her. Please come again tomorrow morning
for the Sunday service, he asked. In shock,Debbie ran and told her aunt what had happened.When asked if she was going to go back to the
14 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
LEARNINGFROM THEPERSECUTEDCHURCH
Leaningon the
Lorda story of persecution
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church, she replied, That it is not ever possible.I am a Muslim girl and I know that Christianity iscorrupted; why would I go to listen to lies of thepeople when I knew that Islam is thefinal religionon earth? But the next morning, Debbie was atchurch! How had she ended up back there, and
why did all the people there look happy and actlike they loved each other when they were noteven related?
Every Sunday for two months, Debbie went tochurch to try to understand what they were sayingand how they were so full of love and hope. Shedecided Christianity was a happy loving religionand thought, I should just become a Christianand maybe that is the way I will be like them;happy, joyful and loving. I could still believe inAllah.
Happy with her decision and thinking this wouldnot be a problem for anyone, she called her fatherto tell him that she had become a Christian. To hersurprise, he did not like it, and she found herselfout on the streets within two weeks. Debbie saysI was rejected by all of my friends, my aunt andeveryone I knew. They were all against me justbecause I said I had become a Christian. As I was
thinking that this is the worst thing to happen tome I realised my father was sending his friendsto take me back to my home town. If I went back,many bad things could happen to me, includingdeath.
It was a cold rainy day and I was wet and hungry.I wasfighting with God saying, just because Isaid I will believe you and be a Christian look atwhat is happening to me. I cried out asking formy life back even if I hated it; then I said, Give
me a family and friends, make me happy and feellike I belong, I can trust again, then I will give youmy whole life and will serve you until the last dayof my life. Nothing happened. No angels camedown from heaven, nor did I hear a sound, but apeace took over my mind.
A new familyA few minutes later, Debbies phone rang. Acouple from the church (S and B) wanted to meether for lunch. When they found out she no longerhad a place to live, they gave her a room in their
house.
Shortly after I moved into their house they gotme a Bible in my own language. I started readingand fell in love with the Word of God. It was sodeep but also so easy to read and understand.It was so touching and full of love that I wasweeping and laughing; all of my emotions were
upside down and I could not understand why orhow this book was touching my heart so much.I would read and take notes and ask a lot ofquestions every day. I came to an understandingof who Jesus really is, why He died on the crossand what salvation means. In April 2000, I wasbaptised.
KidnappedShortly after her baptism, Debbie was kidnappedoutside her home. Her abductors said they wouldkill her unless she returned to her country as a
Muslim. Refusing, she started to sing her favouriteworship song.
Debbie recalls, I was a believer and a follower ofJesus with my full heart and not even death couldseparate me from Him. I was not scared nor didI feel pain from the cuts on my neck. After all thatthey had done and said to me, I was still peacefuland could sing a song. That was not what they
were expecting. Confused, her captors let her go,and after a short stay in hospital Debbie returnedto S and B.
Seeking Gods pathDebbie had applied for asylum in the UK, but oneday she learned that her fathers contacts hadtaken her passport and identification documentsand sabotaged her application. The Home Officesaid that her case was missing.
I prayed and asked God to show me a way. Iwas alone and had no family, no money, no IDand no passport. I was not going to go back tomy father or to my religion; I have Jesus and Iam not leaving Him no matter what but what do Ido, where do I go, how could I stand against thepeople who want to kill me? I knew they werenot done with me yet and the only way to protectmyself was to run away, to hide.
After a time of prayer, Debbie decided she wantedto go to Bible school and study the Word, but
without a passport doors would be closed in theUK. She says, I prayed and cried out to God andthat night, I had a dream where Jesus asked me
to trust Him and follow Him no matter how difficultit seemed. He said he would lead me and I was tofollow Him. In the morning I knew He wanted meto go back to my home country, where there wasa secret Bible school that would take me and hideme. I could learn and study the Bible in my own
language and share the Gospel with my people.
But going back could mean possible death,because her father could easilyfind her. Debbiedeclares, When faith rises up, nothing can stopGod from what he has planned. I had faith andtrusted him to take care of the details. Despiteher lack of paperwork, passport or ID, shemanaged to leave Britain. When she arrivedin her home country, the computers were notworking, the customs officers were unable tocheck her name against their records, and she
passed through without difficulty. She says, Itwas like I did not exist. I was not in England andnobody knew that I was in my home country. Icould be free to study the Word of God.
Bible school blessingDebbie met her husband at Bible school, andthey were married in 2001. Despite her husbandbeing arrested and tortured by the governmentcountless times, they served the Lord andpreached the Gospel together for eight years andstarted a number of churches in their country.However, they were forced toflee in 2009.
Debbie and her husband are now in a countrywhere they are free to worship and to share theGospel with local Muslims. Debbie says, Ministryis our life, not our job. Our desire is to help andawaken Christians. His immeasurable andeverlasting love is for all of us.
Give thanks for the way the Lord hasbrought Debbie through her trialsover the years. Pray for those withwhom she comes into contact, that
they may see the love of the Lordthrough her words and her actions.Pray for her and her family, that theLord will bless and guide them inthe years ahead. Barnabas Fund hasassisted Debbie.
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LEARNINGFROM THEPERSECUTEDCHURCH
My Jesus, My Saviour, Lord, there is none like you; all of mydays I want to praise the wonders of your mighty love.
Debbies favourite worship song, which she sang to her captors
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16 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2012
BIBLICALREFLECTION
Eritrea is an extreme example, but onlybecause persecution there is so severe.In this and every issue ofBarnabas Aid
we tell the story of Christians in many parts of theworld who suffer because of their faith in Christ.For many thousands of our brothers and sisters,discrimination, oppression and persecution arepart of their daily experience. Even for Christiansin the supposedly more tolerant West, theinsidious and relentless pressure of mockery andmarginalisation can often be hard to bear.
How are these sufferings for Christ to beendured? In other words, how can we stay faithfulto our Lord in the face of them, continuing toconfess His Name and maintaining a consistentChristian lifestyle? This is one of the questionsthat our passage, from Pauls letter to the
Romans, is intended to answer.
The pain and the gainAll over the world athletes are preparingvigorously for the Olympic Games to be held inLondon later this year. They have to take on astrict training schedule that includes diet, exerciseand frequent practice, and that generates varyinglevels of physical and mental pain. But they areable to endure this demanding challenge in thehope of attaining a reward in a few months time:a place in the Olympic squad, a medal, a new
world record. For them the future gain is worth thepresent pain. Paul uses the picture of the athletein his writings to refer to the discipline and effort
required for Christian discipleship (1 Corinthians9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:5).
On a much greater and vastly more importantscale, this is also the message of our passage.Paul says to his readers, I consider that ourpresent sufferings are not worth comparingwith the glory that will be revealed in [or to] us(verse 18). He acknowledges that suffering isan inescapable part of authentic Christian livinghere and now: in the verse just before he hassaid that our status as co-heirs with Christ isconditional on our suffering with Him (verse 17).But this anguishflies upwards on the scaleswhen weighed against what we will receive later,because those who suffer with Christ will alsohave the amazing privilege of being glorified withHim. For us too, the future gain is most definitely
worth the present pain.
The immediate context of Pauls argument is histeaching in 8:1-11. Here he explains how God,through Christ and the Spirit, has set believersfree from theflesh (which is the sinful state ofhuman beings), from sin and from death. In doingthis God has made it possible for us to fulfil Hislaw; so if we live our lives according to the Spiritspromptings and in the Spirits power, He will bringus life and peace, and in the end God will raise usfrom the dead.
In light of this great act of God, Paul goes on toexplain how Christians are to endure suffering for
the sake of their Lord. The passage falls naturallyinto two sections: verses 12-17 and verses 18-30.
Life in the Spirit (8:12-17)Paul says that because of what God has done forus, we are in debt to Him, and we pay that debtby living our lives not according to the flesh butaccording to the Spirit. The whole of Romans isabout how God has acted to make us righteous:first by sending His Son to deal with our sin, andthen by sending His Spirit to enable us to live forHim. So if we persist in living by the flesh, we willdie; but if we put the misdeeds of the body todeath by the Spirit, we will receive Godsgift of life.
In fact, it is as we are led by the Spirit that weenjoy the great privilege, and fulfil the high calling,
of being Gods children. The Spirit adopts us intoGods family, and puts on our lips the cry to Godthat Jesus Himself used: Abba, Father. TheSpirit gives us the inner conviction that we areGods children, and therefore also His heirs. Butwe will enjoy these blessings we will share inthe glory of the exalted Christ only if we alsosuffer with Him.
So Christians must not expect to be able to fulfilour obligation to live a righteous life in a cosyand supportive environment! This responsibility
must be worked out in the heat of suffering forthe sake of our Lord, and the process is difficultand painful, especially for those brothers and
Suffering and Glory Romans 8:12-30
For Christians Eritrea is one of t