Letter From the Underground Church

“Imagine being a church leader and having no resources other than a Bible.”

(www.TurnBacktoGod.com)

  
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
“And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom 10:14-15 NKJV).



Greetings in Jesus Name,
Let me introduce you to our network, a ministry committed to reach and disciple millions of lost souls in our region. We want to plant and strengthen a pioneer church in every community which does not have a Gospel witness. Our network works in evangelism, church planting, leadership training, literature production, compassion, and welfare projects.
We are committed to train and equip pastors, evangelists, and Christian leaders through leadership seminars, mission conferences, and teaching materials such as faith based books. Most of our native church leaders are not much educated and have not any formal ministry training. Imagine being a church leader and having no resources other than a Bible.
Our region has a desperate need for assistance in evangelism, church planting, leadership training, literature production, compassion, welfare projects, and strengthening the local Church. A shortage of Bibles, faith-based literature, and pastors makes it difficult for Christians and new believers to grow in their faith and sustain relationship with Christ.
Millions are still waiting for their first Gospel witness and more than a half our national population has never heard about Jesus.
Our current outreach projects include crusades, seminars, church plantings, publication of faith based books, translation of English materials, Bible distribution, skill training, adult education, education to the working children. Also, providing support to students (shoes, books, stationary), relief assistance, and feeding the hungry.
Our vision for future projects includes these.
Outreach Project: In this project, we would like a team of evangelists who will go out with equipment for crusades and showing movies to the villages, slums, and far areas to witness to the people about Jesus Christ.
Bible distribution: We need workers to distribute Bibles and to pray for both Outreach and Bible distribution. As our Lord provides, we will expand these projects.
I request brothers and sisters to take part in this greatest harvest. If anyone would like to visit our region for church visits, crusades, conferences, we welcome him or her and will host him or her here. If you have questions, please feel free to ask.
I will be waiting for your reply and praying that we may be able to work together for the Lord's Glory.
Your Brother in the Lord’s Glory,

Apostle Michael (alias)

What is your Mission? Are you a pastor, church, mission agency, woman, or man? Is God calling you to help or support? Is God calling you to “Go!” as a long term or short term missionary? I will place you in touch with Apostle Michael. Email me.

Moses led a million men and the women and children through the Wilderness Journey with no visible means of support. Is this God's Mission in Faith for you?

Bill Hunt

World in Christ

Indonesia Under Attack Again

Harsh Era Looms in Aceh, Indonesia. Yet, prayer is the most powerful force on earth.

   

This village on Sumatra lays in ruin after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that struck South East Asia on 12-26-2004. Some 230,000 people were killed in 14 countries with waves 30 meters high. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Philip A. McDaniel.

Election of hard-line Islamic governor followed by closure of 17 churches.

By Victor Ambarita

JAKARTA, Indonesia, May 16 (Compass Direct News) – The election of a hard-line Islamic governor in Indonesia’s Aceh Province last month appears to have opened the way for a crack-down on the minority Christian community, which saw 17 churches sealed shut in early May.

Emboldened by the April 9 election of Zaini Abdullah of the militant Aceh Party (Partai Aceh, or PA), hundreds of Islamists demonstrated in front of the office of Aceh Singkil regency on April 30, demanding area church buildings be not only sealed but demolished.

Christian leaders told Compass that, besides the usual pretext of lack of church permits – applications for which local authorities routinely deny or delay – the demands were based on a controversial agreement that Christians were reportedly forced to sign in 2001 stipulating that there be only one church and four chapels in the regency.

The number of churches in the regency had grown to 22, and the Diakonia Secretary of the Indonesian Fellowship of Churches, Jeirry Simampow, said that the demonstrators were upset with the Interfaith Harmony Forum for allowing the growth of churches in the area. Of the 17 churches closed, 11 belong to the Protestant Christian Church of Pakpak Dairi, or GKPPD.

The Rev. Elson Lingga, GKPPD district superintendent, told Compass that the mob clamored for the demolition of the church buildings, and that on May 2 a new acting regent had agreed to the demand.

“This position was supported by the police chief, who said that the time for dialog was past – all he wanted was a schedule of the church demolitions,” Lingga said. “It’s not that Christians do not want to apply for permits, but it is extremely difficult to secure permission even though we have put forth our maximal efforts.”

See article at www.compassdirect.org

Sleeping Christians

Indonesian Christians are under attack again. The world is at war there, in our nation, and on every continent. Evil threatens to overrun Good. See it in the daily news. Too many Christians worldwide are comfortably asleep who do not stand against evil or pray, while others sacrifice their lives.

Danger seems to draw ever closer. Indeed, the enemy is at the door, within the walls, wrecking havoc. Yet, prayer is the most powerful force on earth. How can we so underestimate the power of God?

If we believed, we'd pray.

Bill Hunt

World in Christ

Iran Betrays Farsi Citizens

Iranian Officials Heighten Control on Farsi-Speaking Christians.

Persecution of Citizens Prevails in Iran.

(Neda, Young Woman Shot to Death in Past by Security.)

    

AOG church in Tehran faces pressure to identify members to authorities.

By Damaris Kremida

ISTANBUL, May 11 (Compass Direct News) – Leaders of the Assemblies of God’s (AOG) Central Church of Tehran told their congregation on Sunday (May 6) that authorities have demanded a list of names and identification numbers of church members, a major risk to converts from Islam.

Church leaders then asked members in attendance to volunteer their information. The AOG church holds two Sunday services, both of which are conducted in Farsi. It is the only church remaining in Tehran that offers Farsi-language worship on Sundays.

“This [government move] is basically to make sure the church is not taking in new members and to make it difficult and risky for non-Christians to attend,” Monsour Borji, an Iranian Christian and advocacy officer for rights initiative Article 18, told Compass. “It is an effort to limit the church, basically.”

The result of the most recent demand, according to Borji, is that as members of the Central AOG church consider whether they are willing to turn over their names and identification numbers. Some are faced with the ethical dilemma of whether they would be denying Christ by declining to reveal themselves in this way.

“It has created an ethical dilemma for some church members who are not sure what to do, because giving their information feels suicidal,” Borji said.

www.compassdirect.org

“Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey (Jer 30:16 NKJV).”

Will you Pray for the People of Iran?

Bill Hunt