I recently read Andrew Strom's "What to Think Of Trump"; initiating a discussion about the Christian support of our new president to be--Donald Trump. Nothing remotely demonstrates Christian principles, let alone common values, from this man: his values range from misogynistic attitudes, contempt for people of color and other religions, along with textbook narcissism. The purported possibility of sexual assault is not unfounded given statements Trump has made in public. White supremacists have flocked to him along with evangelical Christians. I think judgment of the United States with our self appointed Saul is gathering momentum.
But what concerns me is the "Wretched mess" Andrew Strom spoke of regarding the state of American Christianity. The American Church has "placed" God into the Republican party as a tool. This way of gathering votes and initiating political mobilization is sin. A TOOL. A way to rally YOUR desires to see even perhaps a thug in the presidential office; whether to serve a desire to lower taxes or build walls to keep certain skin colors out--including Muslims!
OUR WE NOT TO REACH OUT TO ALL TO SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST???? Do these targeted people think evangelicals supporting and vocalizing such ideas are sincere in their desire to reach them with something deemed so essential, which is salvation through Jesus Christ alone? Salvation is essential through Him alone! Open your eyes, they view it as HATE! Sadly, if American Christians examined their hearts sincerely a large number would see they are motivated by prejudicial and racist attitudes. You have right-wing American citizens in organizations on our soil today who pose a domestic threat--should we get rid of them too? Groups such as the KKK are viewed as a terrorist organization by most of the people they hate. Will anyone try to purge them out of the United States?
My God, our Lord, help us! When you wrap God into YOUR politics spewing offensive rhetoric many people see it as hate--not love. It as egregious as poisonous sap. By the way, the Clintons and Kaine are Christians. I note the Democratic Party seems less likely to play the "God Card" to rally up voters than Republicans. Regardless whether its a Democrat or Republican president in office; moral oriented laws will still be dictated by the Supreme Court/state governments, as well as the overall beliefs of the population--Christian or not. Yet there will be further national degradation if not legislative and international mayhem via Donald Trump. Even darker days are here.
I prefer sincerity to hypocrisy myself. I know a lot of unbelievers do to. Jesus of Nazareth did not go about preaching politics. He preached salvation and repentance. Today, in the US, it will be scarce to find an evangelical church NOT telling someone how to vote. Black evangelical churches tend to focus on social causes as opposed to telling how their congregations to vote, which is acceptable. The political rallying and galvanizing political interests tends to be in the mega-churches consisting of a variety of races or the predominately white churches.
A total turn off to the unbeliever. To me too. the church in America has become self-serving. Additionally, Republican evangelicals in America esteem themselves to be the voice of Christianity in America and that is a dangerous thing. This "voice" does not speak for me. And for a lot of other Christians, it is not their voice either. Yes, such "dissenting" Christians exist in America! Christians who do not want their churches wrapped up in mobilizing political support as an institution. Christians who believe their political actions should be personal and private, as opposed to advocating a facade of a "national political evangelical Christian voice".
Christians should vote. Non-Christians should vote. But do not wrap God as endorsing this godless candidate. Yes, he appoints "Kings"--even bad ones. The election of Trump has its purpose. But because He is a Republican does not equate he is godly. Keep in mind he did not win the popular vote, but the electoral college got him through as the winner. United States, your new king is here!
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Easter Season And Update
My goodness!! I have been locked out of this account for close to two years! It is time to update!
I have to say my health is troubling me greatly--major afflictions are warring against me. These afflictions have consumed my life. I have not updated anything on my website for a long time, and no doubt it has little presence on the web. But for a while, the website (btelife.com) stats showed it being listed in foreign search engines, even in the East! My hope is that people of all faiths, and atheists (which I used to be one) would hear my story--how I turned to Jesus Christ!
Christ desires all to come to Him, all to be saved. If you do not believe in Jesus, be honest with yourself here...is there not an uneasiness in your spirit? It was in mine, even as an atheist, but I did not view the uneasiness in my conscious as a spiritual issue. A strange void of sorts.
My hope is to write and update the blog more often, but my battles have been preventing me--not to mention I could not regain access into my blog account.
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us
understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who
is true, in His Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life.
I hope to come back soon and post.
I have to say my health is troubling me greatly--major afflictions are warring against me. These afflictions have consumed my life. I have not updated anything on my website for a long time, and no doubt it has little presence on the web. But for a while, the website (btelife.com) stats showed it being listed in foreign search engines, even in the East! My hope is that people of all faiths, and atheists (which I used to be one) would hear my story--how I turned to Jesus Christ!
Christ desires all to come to Him, all to be saved. If you do not believe in Jesus, be honest with yourself here...is there not an uneasiness in your spirit? It was in mine, even as an atheist, but I did not view the uneasiness in my conscious as a spiritual issue. A strange void of sorts.
My hope is to write and update the blog more often, but my battles have been preventing me--not to mention I could not regain access into my blog account.
1 John 5:20
I hope to come back soon and post.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Westboro Baptist Church Leader Dies
Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps dies
Chicago Tribune News
Fred Phelps, the pastor who led a small Kansas church's vitriolic "God Hates Fags" anti-gay campaign at public events across the United States, including military funerals, has died, the church said Thursday.
Phelps, whose Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, won a 2011 freedom-of-speech U.S. Supreme Court decision related to their anti-gay picketing, died late Wednesday in a Kansas hospice. He was 84.
"People die - that is the way of all flesh," a blog post on the church's website said.
Phelps founded the church in the 1950s.
In his later years, Phelps, known as "Gramps" to his family, turned over much of the church's day-to-day operations to his offspring.
In March, his son Nathan, who ran away from home as soon as he turned 18 and later became a gay rights advocate, said in a Facebook posting he had learned Phelps was near death in a hospice and that he had been excommunicated in 2013. The church would not confirm the excommunication report, saying membership issues were "private."
Phelps' church was widely denounced as a hate group and was not part of any mainstream Baptist organization. Its membership has been estimated at about 100, many of whom were related to Phelps.
By Phelps' reasoning, cancer, the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, school shootings and the deaths of soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other tragedies and disasters involving Americans, were God's retribution for a lax attitude toward what he called "the modern militant homosexual movement."
Click here to continue reading this article.
Chicago Tribune News
Fred Phelps, the pastor who led a small Kansas church's vitriolic "God Hates Fags" anti-gay campaign at public events across the United States, including military funerals, has died, the church said Thursday.
Phelps, whose Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, won a 2011 freedom-of-speech U.S. Supreme Court decision related to their anti-gay picketing, died late Wednesday in a Kansas hospice. He was 84.
"People die - that is the way of all flesh," a blog post on the church's website said.
Phelps founded the church in the 1950s.
In his later years, Phelps, known as "Gramps" to his family, turned over much of the church's day-to-day operations to his offspring.
In March, his son Nathan, who ran away from home as soon as he turned 18 and later became a gay rights advocate, said in a Facebook posting he had learned Phelps was near death in a hospice and that he had been excommunicated in 2013. The church would not confirm the excommunication report, saying membership issues were "private."
Phelps' church was widely denounced as a hate group and was not part of any mainstream Baptist organization. Its membership has been estimated at about 100, many of whom were related to Phelps.
By Phelps' reasoning, cancer, the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, school shootings and the deaths of soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other tragedies and disasters involving Americans, were God's retribution for a lax attitude toward what he called "the modern militant homosexual movement."
Click here to continue reading this article.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Lee Grady Reflects On Christian Television
*Apprised of the following from Andrew Strom's ministry newsletter, this interesting article by Lee Grady offers some good insight and points to ponder regarding Christian Television.
IT'S TIME to REBOOT CHRISTIAN TELEVISION
by J. Lee Grady
Lee Grady believes the time for preaching styles like TBN's Paul Crouch has passed.
Among the legendary pioneers of Christian broadcasting-a list that includes Pat Robertson, Oral Roberts and Jim Bakker-no one worked harder to establish Christian TV stations around the world than Paul Crouch Sr. In spite of constant controversies over his network´s content and finances, the Trinity Broadcasting
Network that Crouch founded in 1973 has grown to be the largest and most profitable religious television enterprise in the world.
But Crouch died last weekend, and all is not well at TBN. Crouch´s oldest son, Paul Jr., who at one time was the heir apparent of the network, abruptly departed in 2011 and went to work for the Word Network, a predominantly African-American ministry. The Crouch´s granddaughter, Brittany Koper, in a lawsuit filed against TBN last year, claimed that millions of dollars of donor funds were misused. The Crouch´s grandson, Brandon Crouch, has lamented on a blog that the family is now split apart because his sister was fired for blowing the whistle on what she considered fraud.
And as Christian friends and colleagues mourn Crouch´s passing (there will be no public funeral, but TBN plans to air a tribute on Dec. 8 and 9), the wider Christian public is asking a lot of questions about TBN-and about Christian broadcasting in general: Why is televangelism so prone to scandal? Why have so many Christian broadcasters insisted on living lavishly? Why is our most visible outreach to the world so embarrassing?
Some people might say this is not the time to have this discussion. But I think Paul Crouch´s passing signals the end of an era-and it is time for a reformation. Crouch´s generation built monolithic organizations with autocratic leadership, and broadcasters who began their networks in the 1970s created a showy, bigger-is-better style that included endless telethons, sensational preaching and celebrities in spotlights.
That may have worked in 1975-and it still appeals to a segment of the market. But my generation and my children´s generation tuned out long ago because Christian TV came off as fake, campy and spiritually out of touch.
If I were asked to suggest ways to improve Christian television in this new era, I would list the following:
1. Support it with advertising, not donations. Who said Christian programming has to be donor-funded? I´d rather watch ads for steak knives or dietary supplements than endure two hours of begging-especially when the slick-haired evangelist running the telethon reminds you of a used-car salesman.
2. Prosperity preaching shouldn´t be allowed. Networks need to declare a moratorium on sermons that promise magical monetary benefits to people who "call now" to give a credit card donation. This type of merchandising of the anointing of the Holy Spirit grieves God and drags Christian TV down to the level of scam artists.
3. Preachers-and their doctrines-should be more carefully screened. Christian networks should not air programs by ministers who have questionable morals. If we wouldn´t allow that person in our church´s pulpit, why would we let them preach in front of millions on the air?
4. Donors should never be manipulated. If there is an appeal for donations, there should be no hanky-panky allowed. Don´t tell people that if they give tonight, God will give them a house. Don´t promise that God will heal their bodies if they sow a "$1,000 seed." And don´t tell viewers that if they give in this special "Day of
Atonement offering," God will forgive their sins. This is witchcraft! Shame on any broadcaster who has allowed this garbage to deceive audiences.
5. Money should never be misused. TBN makes millions in donations every year-and the network has donated some of the funds to charitable causes. But why is it that broadcasters like Paul and Jan Crouch had to purchase lavish homes, a private jet and an enormous trailer for their dogs? Donors should demand
more accountability for financial contributions.
6. It should be relevant to today´s culture. Young Christians today care about justice, world poverty and community transformation. They also want teaching on relationships, sexuality and practical discipleship. Christian TV must move beyond the talking-head style of the 1980s. If we want to appeal to young viewers, the false eyelashes, pink fright wigs and "Granny hootenanny" music will have to go.
7. Network owners should not set up broadcasting kingdoms. Some leaders in the past generation believed that ministries are like dynasties-that God expects the founder´s son to run it when he dies. But there is nothing in Scripture that even hints at ministries being passed down through family lines. God entrusts
His work to faithful people-and He expects us to manage ministries with integrity, humility and accountability. Many of the disasters we have seen in American televangelism occurred because men thought they could take ownership of the work of God.
My prayer for TBN-and every other Christian television networkin this country-is that ministry leaders will take their hands off of God´s work and let Him use broadcast technology in new and creative ways to reach the world for Christ.
IT'S TIME to REBOOT CHRISTIAN TELEVISION
by J. Lee Grady
Lee Grady believes the time for preaching styles like TBN's Paul Crouch has passed.
Among the legendary pioneers of Christian broadcasting-a list that includes Pat Robertson, Oral Roberts and Jim Bakker-no one worked harder to establish Christian TV stations around the world than Paul Crouch Sr. In spite of constant controversies over his network´s content and finances, the Trinity Broadcasting
Network that Crouch founded in 1973 has grown to be the largest and most profitable religious television enterprise in the world.
But Crouch died last weekend, and all is not well at TBN. Crouch´s oldest son, Paul Jr., who at one time was the heir apparent of the network, abruptly departed in 2011 and went to work for the Word Network, a predominantly African-American ministry. The Crouch´s granddaughter, Brittany Koper, in a lawsuit filed against TBN last year, claimed that millions of dollars of donor funds were misused. The Crouch´s grandson, Brandon Crouch, has lamented on a blog that the family is now split apart because his sister was fired for blowing the whistle on what she considered fraud.
And as Christian friends and colleagues mourn Crouch´s passing (there will be no public funeral, but TBN plans to air a tribute on Dec. 8 and 9), the wider Christian public is asking a lot of questions about TBN-and about Christian broadcasting in general: Why is televangelism so prone to scandal? Why have so many Christian broadcasters insisted on living lavishly? Why is our most visible outreach to the world so embarrassing?
Some people might say this is not the time to have this discussion. But I think Paul Crouch´s passing signals the end of an era-and it is time for a reformation. Crouch´s generation built monolithic organizations with autocratic leadership, and broadcasters who began their networks in the 1970s created a showy, bigger-is-better style that included endless telethons, sensational preaching and celebrities in spotlights.
That may have worked in 1975-and it still appeals to a segment of the market. But my generation and my children´s generation tuned out long ago because Christian TV came off as fake, campy and spiritually out of touch.
If I were asked to suggest ways to improve Christian television in this new era, I would list the following:
1. Support it with advertising, not donations. Who said Christian programming has to be donor-funded? I´d rather watch ads for steak knives or dietary supplements than endure two hours of begging-especially when the slick-haired evangelist running the telethon reminds you of a used-car salesman.
2. Prosperity preaching shouldn´t be allowed. Networks need to declare a moratorium on sermons that promise magical monetary benefits to people who "call now" to give a credit card donation. This type of merchandising of the anointing of the Holy Spirit grieves God and drags Christian TV down to the level of scam artists.
3. Preachers-and their doctrines-should be more carefully screened. Christian networks should not air programs by ministers who have questionable morals. If we wouldn´t allow that person in our church´s pulpit, why would we let them preach in front of millions on the air?
4. Donors should never be manipulated. If there is an appeal for donations, there should be no hanky-panky allowed. Don´t tell people that if they give tonight, God will give them a house. Don´t promise that God will heal their bodies if they sow a "$1,000 seed." And don´t tell viewers that if they give in this special "Day of
Atonement offering," God will forgive their sins. This is witchcraft! Shame on any broadcaster who has allowed this garbage to deceive audiences.
5. Money should never be misused. TBN makes millions in donations every year-and the network has donated some of the funds to charitable causes. But why is it that broadcasters like Paul and Jan Crouch had to purchase lavish homes, a private jet and an enormous trailer for their dogs? Donors should demand
more accountability for financial contributions.
6. It should be relevant to today´s culture. Young Christians today care about justice, world poverty and community transformation. They also want teaching on relationships, sexuality and practical discipleship. Christian TV must move beyond the talking-head style of the 1980s. If we want to appeal to young viewers, the false eyelashes, pink fright wigs and "Granny hootenanny" music will have to go.
7. Network owners should not set up broadcasting kingdoms. Some leaders in the past generation believed that ministries are like dynasties-that God expects the founder´s son to run it when he dies. But there is nothing in Scripture that even hints at ministries being passed down through family lines. God entrusts
His work to faithful people-and He expects us to manage ministries with integrity, humility and accountability. Many of the disasters we have seen in American televangelism occurred because men thought they could take ownership of the work of God.
My prayer for TBN-and every other Christian television networkin this country-is that ministry leaders will take their hands off of God´s work and let Him use broadcast technology in new and creative ways to reach the world for Christ.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
A Covert Messiah?
Ironically, it has been longed argued by nonbelievers that Jesus was a revolutionary coming against the Roman political system---a political argument. Below an article concerning an unbeliever's argument that the government of Rome invent Jesus as a form of control--a political argument. The unbeliever will continue to flip coins and seek confirmation that God does not exist and that judgment does not exist. Yet by worldly standards, relying on one source of work will hardly be sufficient to even skeptical historical scholars, no more than a small sample to a research team.
For the unbeliever, ways of confirming nonexistence of God is paramount---why so? Why do others take little pain to "disprove" other religions, but spend years trying to "prove" that the Lord Jesus Christ does not exist? He bothers the unbeliever greatly, and they need to question why. They seek an elusive foreign comfort in finding others who believe like they do, forming organizations to disprove the existence of God, and ever entangling Him in political theories. There are spiritual unseen forces, and the nagging answer lies within. If it bothers you to hear His name, Jesus, more than other religions--ask yourself why. If you can tolerate to hear about other religions but hate to hear about Christianity ask yourself why does it bother me more?
-----------
Self-Professed ‘Bible Scholar’ Makes Explosive Allegation About Jesus....
By Billy Hallowell
The Blaze
On Oct. 19, self-professed Biblical scholar Joseph Atwill is planning to make public some very flammable allegations. At a day-long symposium called "Covert Messiah" in London, England, he's set to unveil purported evidence that Roman aristocrats manufactured Jesus Christ - a claim that, if substantiated, would devalue the core of the Christian faith.
The only problem? Most Biblical experts disagree with the scholar's pronouncements.
A press release announcing the purported new evidence claims that Atwill has discovered "ancient confessions" that purportedly prove that Romans invented Jesus Christ in the first century. He has long argued that the faith system was used as a political tool to control the masses -- something he says is still going on today.
"I present my work with some ambivalence, as I do not want to directly cause Christians any harm, but this is important for our culture," he said of the alleged debunk - one that he believes will eventually be universally accepted.
In the release, Atwill said that governments often create "false histories and false gods" and that this is often done in an effort to secure social order.
Rather than a theology, Atwill believes that Christianity was concocted as a government project that was used to control Roman citizens. During a time in which Jewish residents were waiting for their Messiah, he says they were a constant source of insurrection, leading the Romans to seek out an equalizing and tempering force.
Click here to continue reading.
For the unbeliever, ways of confirming nonexistence of God is paramount---why so? Why do others take little pain to "disprove" other religions, but spend years trying to "prove" that the Lord Jesus Christ does not exist? He bothers the unbeliever greatly, and they need to question why. They seek an elusive foreign comfort in finding others who believe like they do, forming organizations to disprove the existence of God, and ever entangling Him in political theories. There are spiritual unseen forces, and the nagging answer lies within. If it bothers you to hear His name, Jesus, more than other religions--ask yourself why. If you can tolerate to hear about other religions but hate to hear about Christianity ask yourself why does it bother me more?
-----------
Self-Professed ‘Bible Scholar’ Makes Explosive Allegation About Jesus....
By Billy Hallowell
The Blaze
On Oct. 19, self-professed Biblical scholar Joseph Atwill is planning to make public some very flammable allegations. At a day-long symposium called "Covert Messiah" in London, England, he's set to unveil purported evidence that Roman aristocrats manufactured Jesus Christ - a claim that, if substantiated, would devalue the core of the Christian faith.
The only problem? Most Biblical experts disagree with the scholar's pronouncements.
A press release announcing the purported new evidence claims that Atwill has discovered "ancient confessions" that purportedly prove that Romans invented Jesus Christ in the first century. He has long argued that the faith system was used as a political tool to control the masses -- something he says is still going on today.
"I present my work with some ambivalence, as I do not want to directly cause Christians any harm, but this is important for our culture," he said of the alleged debunk - one that he believes will eventually be universally accepted.
In the release, Atwill said that governments often create "false histories and false gods" and that this is often done in an effort to secure social order.
Rather than a theology, Atwill believes that Christianity was concocted as a government project that was used to control Roman citizens. During a time in which Jewish residents were waiting for their Messiah, he says they were a constant source of insurrection, leading the Romans to seek out an equalizing and tempering force.
Click here to continue reading.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Walmart Healings Video
I was encouraged and delighted last week when I viewed a video distributed via email from Andrew Strom's ministry regarding miracles in America. Then sadly, Andrew Strom recently sent a followup email about people being suspicious and skeptical of the miracles and accounting shown on the video. I agree with Mr. Strom's position--I do think people's hearts and minds have become hardened to miracles because of some of the things we witnessed with Todd Bentley, and other like-fellows. Miracles do happen, and healings still happen today!! And such miracles will open the eyes of some people to the Truth of the Gospel--just as it did in the early Church. I am posting both emails from Strom's ministry--the one sent out first with the video link is directly below, then the followup is next.
-----------------------
VIDEO - MIRACLES at WALMART - Please Watch!!
Torben Sondergaard is an old friend of mine from Denmark - apreacher of righteousness who often sees God do amazing miracles on the streets. Recently he was visiting America and
saw God do wonderful healings in the open air right across theUSA - even in Walmart! He believes a new "Reformation" iscoming to the church. Please share this wonderful video as
widely as you can-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GASdJgKyP4
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
---------------
SAD REACTION to WALMART HEALINGS
by Andrew Strom
Last week we published a video of an old friend of mine, Torben Sondergaard, as he prayed for the sick on the streets and in the supermarkets of America. The deaf were healed and the lame walked - right on camera. But some people who saw the video reacted quite badly. Maybe it was the fact that the video started with "legs growing out" instead of the more impressive healings -I don't know. But it seems there is a lot of cynicism out there.
I have actually known Torben personally for 5 or 6 years. I havestayed in his home and spent time with his family. I know hiswritings and his preaching. To me, he is one of the few preachers
in Denmark who fully represents the gospel as it should bepreached. He stands for repentance, holiness and reformationin a way that made us "click" together like old friends right away.
So it really upsets me to hear all the accusations people aremaking - who don't know the first thing about him.
CYNICISM is NOT DISCERNMENT
Since the Todd Bentley debacle and other waves of "Charismania" in recent times, it is very easy to become cynical about healings and miracles, etc. I can understand that. But I have
always been very clear that true healings, prophecies, dreams, visions and miracles should be absolutely EXPECTED as a totally normal part of everyday Christian life. In fact, without them
it is very doubtful that we have true "Bible" Christianity at all. So it deeply grieves me to see people getting so cynical that they "nitpick" every instance of the supernatural or the gifts of the
Holy Spirit to death. It has got to the point where I can hardly post any of these things on my website without rafts of cynical comments that try to pick apart every aspect of them.
My friends, that is not discernment. It is the spirit of "writing off everything." It is unwarranted accusation and nit-picking. It is the"other ditch" on the far side of the road. Some fall into the ditch of "hyper-grace" and 'hyper-charismania'. Others fall into the opposite ditch of Legalism and "cynicism of anything supernatural". Both of these ditches are equally dangerous. It is just as deadly to become the type that "accuses first" and asks questions later. A very dangerous cynicism takes hold at that point. Just like the Pharisees. I think a lot of people need to repent.
We cannot just be focused on what is "wrong". At some point we have to be about establishing what is 'right'. We have to go forward into the "True" thing. Not just be exposing the False.
And the time has come to start in that direction.
I believe Torben has been shown a number of things that are truly "revolutionary" - but also very simple - about getting back to New Testament Christianity. Literally "what to do" to get
back there. That is why he and I agree on so many things. But Torben is actually seeing it work IN PRACTICE. It is actually happening. New Testament Christianity - right before your eyes.
So I am going to be featuring a lot more of Torben's stuff on here.
Let me give you an example. Torben believes in taking new Christians out on the street very quickly to pray for the sick and share the gospel. He believes this is a vital part of true "disciple-
ship". Just like Jesus did with his own disciples. On my website I have just posted a brief video where Torben discusses the amazing things that happen when this is done.
Please take a look. You will be glad you did. Here is the link-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Large Scale Persecution In Nigeria
Obed Minchakpu: Persecution: The Experience of Borno Christians
Daily Post
Nigeria Online Newspaper
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your Father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” -The Bible, Esther 4:14
The news about his death did not come to me as a surprise. He had told me in the year 2007 in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, that his life was under threat but that he cannot run away from the city because he believes God has called him to preach the Gospel to his people.
You may ask, ‘Who is this man of courage who looked death in the face and called off its bluff?’ He is no other person than The Rev. Faye Pama Musa, the Borno State Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
I was in Borno State on a research trip in that year and met Rev. Faye Pama Musa. We became friends and I had the privilege of visiting his church in Wulari area of the city and also visited his house in the GRA where I met his family. In the period I was in Maiduguri we discussed extensively about the state of the Church in Borno State.
In the course of our discussion Rev. Musa shared with me the difficulties they faced in doing Christian ministry in a hostile environment where Christians are persecuted in all spheres of human endeavor. To be a Christian in Borno State, he said, “Is deciding to become a second class citizen as even citizens from other Muslim countries enjoy better privileges than those of us who are Indigenous Christians from this state,” he told me.
Disturbed about this disclosure, I decided to carry out in-depth research on this issue. Facts I uncovered at the end of my study tour of the state revealed even more disturbing phenomenon. One of the issues I uncovered was the forceful conversion of many Christians in the state to Islam. Secondly, many indigenous persons of the Kanuri ethnic group who made decision to become Christians were forced to go underground because of persecution.
In fact, I visited one of the underground churches in the city of Maidiguri and met with some of these Kanuri Christians who have been forced out of Borno State because of persecution to live in other parts of Nigeria but only sneak into the city of Maiduguri time to time to fellowship together and pray for their people, the Kanuris, and then sneak out of the state again.
I left Maiduguri with a heavy heart, burdened with the plight of Christians in Borno State. Since then, I kept constantly in touch with the Rev. Faye Pama Musa, always asking after his welfare and other Christian Brethren over there. Each time I heard about the murder of any Christian in that state or attacks on Christian communities, I would always phone him to be sure he was still alive.
Then suddenly, thirty minutes after the declaration of the state of emergency by Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, The Rev. Faye Pama Musa was gunned down by Islamic Terrorists, Boko Haram members, who trailed him from his church to his house and murdered him in cold blood, and in the presence of his wife and children. His crime? His faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and Preaching the Gospel to lost souls in Borno State.
The blood shed by Musa and other Christian brethren in Borno State has raised a lot of questions as regards the responsibilities of Christian political leaders in Nigeria to their Christian Brethren. Why is it that Christian political leaders have not been able to raise their voices in condemnation of these despicable acts against the Church and Christians in northern Nigeria?
One is forced to raise this question because of the deliberate silence that has characterized our political landscape even as thousands of Christians in the northern part of the country are being killed on a daily basis by Islamic militants of the Boko Haram sect and Muslim Fulani Herdsmen.
One noticeable thing is that while the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has become the lone voice in the wilderness, crying out over the persecution of Christians in northern Nigeria, Christian political leaders seem to be more interested in struggling for political positions that would enable them acquire ill-gotten wealth for themselves to the detriment of the religious liberty of their Christian Brethren.
While the likes of senators Bukar Ibrahim and Ali Ndume, and representative Aminu Tambuwal, etc are busy promoting the cause of Boko Haram in Nigeria’s parliament, the National Assembly, our Christian political leaders in both chambers are busy doing some mathematical permutations on alignment and re-alignment of political forces in order to strategically place themselves in political positions come 2015. All in an effort to corruptly enrich themselves to the detriment of the religious freedom of their Christian brethren.
The time has therefore come, for us to call the attention of these Christian political leaders to a prophetic warning issued to Hadasah, Queen Esther, by her uncle, Mordeccai, when he told her:
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your Father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” -The Bible, Esther 4:14
This prophetic message is today very relevant to our political clime, as just as Haman schemed to exterminate the Jews who were in exile in Persia, so also, militant Muslims seeking to establish an Islamic State in northern Nigeria are waging a war to exterminate Christian minorities. Yet, our political leaders appear hapless as the onslaught against the church and Christians continues unabated.
Whatever it is, as Christians we must turn our focus to God at this time just like the Jews in Persia did. They followed the instruction of Esther and fasted and prayed to God pleading for deliverance. The time has come too, for us to turn our faces to God and asking for His intervention in this situation we have now found ourselves in northern Nigeria.
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“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your Father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” -The Bible, Esther 4:14
The news about his death did not come to me as a surprise. He had told me in the year 2007 in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, that his life was under threat but that he cannot run away from the city because he believes God has called him to preach the Gospel to his people.
You may ask, ‘Who is this man of courage who looked death in the face and called off its bluff?’ He is no other person than The Rev. Faye Pama Musa, the Borno State Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
I was in Borno State on a research trip in that year and met Rev. Faye Pama Musa. We became friends and I had the privilege of visiting his church in Wulari area of the city and also visited his house in the GRA where I met his family. In the period I was in Maiduguri we discussed extensively about the state of the Church in Borno State.
In the course of our discussion Rev. Musa shared with me the difficulties they faced in doing Christian ministry in a hostile environment where Christians are persecuted in all spheres of human endeavor. To be a Christian in Borno State, he said, “Is deciding to become a second class citizen as even citizens from other Muslim countries enjoy better privileges than those of us who are Indigenous Christians from this state,” he told me.
Disturbed about this disclosure, I decided to carry out in-depth research on this issue. Facts I uncovered at the end of my study tour of the state revealed even more disturbing phenomenon. One of the issues I uncovered was the forceful conversion of many Christians in the state to Islam. Secondly, many indigenous persons of the Kanuri ethnic group who made decision to become Christians were forced to go underground because of persecution.
In fact, I visited one of the underground churches in the city of Maidiguri and met with some of these Kanuri Christians who have been forced out of Borno State because of persecution to live in other parts of Nigeria but only sneak into the city of Maiduguri time to time to fellowship together and pray for their people, the Kanuris, and then sneak out of the state again.
I left Maiduguri with a heavy heart, burdened with the plight of Christians in Borno State. Since then, I kept constantly in touch with the Rev. Faye Pama Musa, always asking after his welfare and other Christian Brethren over there. Each time I heard about the murder of any Christian in that state or attacks on Christian communities, I would always phone him to be sure he was still alive.
Then suddenly, thirty minutes after the declaration of the state of emergency by Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, The Rev. Faye Pama Musa was gunned down by Islamic Terrorists, Boko Haram members, who trailed him from his church to his house and murdered him in cold blood, and in the presence of his wife and children. His crime? His faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and Preaching the Gospel to lost souls in Borno State.
The blood shed by Musa and other Christian brethren in Borno State has raised a lot of questions as regards the responsibilities of Christian political leaders in Nigeria to their Christian Brethren. Why is it that Christian political leaders have not been able to raise their voices in condemnation of these despicable acts against the Church and Christians in northern Nigeria?
One is forced to raise this question because of the deliberate silence that has characterized our political landscape even as thousands of Christians in the northern part of the country are being killed on a daily basis by Islamic militants of the Boko Haram sect and Muslim Fulani Herdsmen.
One noticeable thing is that while the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has become the lone voice in the wilderness, crying out over the persecution of Christians in northern Nigeria, Christian political leaders seem to be more interested in struggling for political positions that would enable them acquire ill-gotten wealth for themselves to the detriment of the religious liberty of their Christian Brethren.
While the likes of senators Bukar Ibrahim and Ali Ndume, and representative Aminu Tambuwal, etc are busy promoting the cause of Boko Haram in Nigeria’s parliament, the National Assembly, our Christian political leaders in both chambers are busy doing some mathematical permutations on alignment and re-alignment of political forces in order to strategically place themselves in political positions come 2015. All in an effort to corruptly enrich themselves to the detriment of the religious freedom of their Christian brethren.
The time has therefore come, for us to call the attention of these Christian political leaders to a prophetic warning issued to Hadasah, Queen Esther, by her uncle, Mordeccai, when he told her:
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your Father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” -The Bible, Esther 4:14
This prophetic message is today very relevant to our political clime, as just as Haman schemed to exterminate the Jews who were in exile in Persia, so also, militant Muslims seeking to establish an Islamic State in northern Nigeria are waging a war to exterminate Christian minorities. Yet, our political leaders appear hapless as the onslaught against the church and Christians continues unabated.
Whatever it is, as Christians we must turn our focus to God at this time just like the Jews in Persia did. They followed the instruction of Esther and fasted and prayed to God pleading for deliverance. The time has come too, for us to turn our faces to God and asking for His intervention in this situation we have now found ourselves in northern Nigeria.
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