VOLUME 72NUMBER 8

www.nlife.com.au ‘Tell the people the full message of this new life.’ (Acts 5.20b)

Thursday 15 October 2009 $2.00 Print Post Approved No. 34918100419

REPRESENTATIVES of five different Christian denominationshave come together on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in sup-port of the Jesus. All About Life campaign. The group made thehistoric climb to pray for the success of the massive advertisingand marketing campaign, which aims to make Jesus a topic ofconversation right across NSW.

Television ads have now hit the screens as for the first timeever, more than 1,600 churches statewide have united for a singleproject.

The campaign is the brainchild of Bible Society and has seenwidespread, cross-denominational support from all major denomi-nations including Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist Union, RomanCatholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Wesley Mission, Uniting,Hillsong, Scripture Union, C3 church, Churches of Christ and theSalvation Army.

Bridge climbers (above) included Steve Chong, Leader ofRICE Youth; Phil Pringle, C3 Head Pastor; Daniel Willis, CEO ofBible Society NSW; Norm Nix, President of Baptist Union NSW,Niall Reid, NSW Uniting Church Moderator and George Aghajan-ian, Hillsong General Manager.

Jesus. All About Life has been developed to demonstrateChristian teachings are modern and Jesus is as relevant today asever, and to encourage both Christians and non-Christians to beopen to Jesus and His message.

Bible Society CEO Daniel Willis says that the climb on thebridge was the perfect opportunity to get together prior to the TVads going to air.

‘The Bridgeclimb was the perfect opportunity to pray over thecity of Sydney,’ says Daniel. ‘It was amazing to be at the top ofthe city with the leaders of the denominations, as a unified bodyworking together for the same goal – which is the success of thiscampaign.

‘We took the opportunity to pray from the highest point for theoutcome and impact Jesus. All About Life will have on Sydney andthe whole of NSW.’

The six week Jesus. All About Life campaign began on 14September with outdoor banner advertising, print and radio adver-tisements. TV advertising began on 27 September.

For more information please have a look atwww.allaboutlife.com.au

AUSTRALIA’S CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPERAUSTRALIA’S CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPER

Stairway To Heaven: Churches Unite On Harbour Bridge

MARGARET writes: 'The last time I visitedthe doctor who had been treating the boweland tick infections, he was very pleasedwith my progress and has given me the goahead to return to Africa ... I am grateful forthis healing and conscious of your partthrough prayer in receiving God’s mercyand healing.

‘The other great news is that my finan-

cial support level has reached 90% ... I amconsidering a departure date in midOctober. Unfortunately, Mozambique doesnot have an embassy here in Australia so Iwill apply for one in Kenya. The visa forMozambique is a special one that requiresa letter of invitation from certain members inMozam-bique. Would you please pray thatthe visa process goes smoothly and that I

am able to fill outthe forms (whichare in Portuguese) correctly.

‘The second prayer request is for theAustralian National Police Check thatMozambique requires with the visa applica-tion. I have sent the application off. Wouldyou pray that the police check arrives intime for my departure?’

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE WITH THE WILSONS

Page Two – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

Bible College Of VictoriaTHE BCV Alumni and Friends afternoon teawill be held on 3 November, 2.30 – 4 pm.

Rev Michael Raiter writes: 'FormallyBCV Lilydale is no longer on the market ...the campus will not be available until thebeginning of 2011 ... This has put our Chi-nese Department in a difficult situation ...They must vacate their premises by the endof this year.' Please pray.Empart IncPRAY that the women in their TailoringCentre will find hope in Jesus and acceptHim as Saviour. Pray that they will learnnew income-generating skills so as to sup-port their families after graduation.SIM InternationalEL Sendero student cafe in Loja City pro-vides many opportunities to share theGospel one to one. Pray that the churches

in the area will catch the vision, and pray forColin Bakon as he works with the board.Christian Radio Missionary FellowshipIN the Telefomin area of Papua-NewGuinea there has been some very seriouswitchcraft activities as well as somereprisals. This has increased fear in thecommunity. Pray especially for the threeMAF families living in the area.Gospel Recording NetworkALEX And Sybil Shaw report that Sybil willbe in Alotau (PNG) 4-25 October wherethere is opportunity to record Scriptures in14 languages. Pray for language helpers inGayavi, Kakabai, Topura, Taupota, Wedau,Anuki, Maiadomu translating GRN scriptsready for recording at the SIL translationcourse. Pray that all the local translators atthe training course will put the Lord first intheir lives. Many of them are nominal Chris-

tians. Pray that through the translation andrecording processes God will work in theirlives.

Their son Victor is finding it hard to keepup with his theological studies with theupcoming wedding on 28 November. Hisfiancee Claire is enjoying her work atBankstown hospital as a clinical psycholo-gist 3 days a week. Please continue touphold them as a family.Christian Witness To IsraelTHE Australian office has been relocated inSydney to where more Jewish pedestrianspass by. Pray that conversations will lead tothem coming to know Messiah.Middle East Reformed FellowshipMERF has added two new Indonesian radiobroadcasts in the Javanese and Sundaneselanguages. Pray for an effective outreach.MERF, PO Box 1767, Green Valley, 2168.

Pioneers Of AustraliaTHE Director, Simon Longden and theMobilisation Team Leader, Tamra Maddox,will be the speakers at the annual dinnerlater this month.Day Of Prayer For The Middle EastSAT7 announces its third annual Day ofPrayer on Sunday 1 November, and invitespeople to open their homes for such aprayer meeting.Ridley College 2010 Centenary PRAY for Ridley College, Melbourne, asdetails are organised for these celebrations.WEC InternationalSHORD and Ann Van Donge will becomeinvolved in teaching periodically atWorldview College throughout 2010.Global Interaction THE Rabha people in Assam, north eastIndia have been badly affected by flashfloods which have destroyed houses, landand crops. Pray as the church seeks to sup-port those affected.

Pray for Sarah who is enduring some

difficult hurdles in her visa and work appli-cations to remain in Thailand and teamteach children.

Andrew and Tanya continue to learnPortuguese in Mozambique, and their chil-dren are attending a local school one day aweek. Pray as they seek to develop rela-tionships and share the Lord.

John and Glenda are raising a partner-ship team for their work in Kazakhstanwhere they hope to arrive in November.This will allow a few weeks for handoverfrom interim team leaders.

Remember Shirley currently in Bangkokfor a knee operation with her husbandDavid. Please pray it will be successful.

Craig and Talitha have concluded theirservice in Mozambique. Global Interactionis grateful for all their hard work.Adelaide College Of MinistriesNIGHT classes commence on Thursdayevening 15 October: Spiritual Disciplines (7-9 pm) taught by Steve Early and Women inMinistry with Marti Williams (6.30-9.30 pm).

Contact 08 8369 1414 for full details. Grad-uation will be held at Woodcroft ChristianCentre, 442 States Road, Morphett Vale, on5 December. Stuart Henderson, pastor ofthe Kings Arms, Upper Hutt, NZ will be thespeaker.Hiking The Holy LandAFTER going on a number of conductedbus tours of the Holy Land, Shay ColeRabineau, an American was prompted tohike around Israel with two friends using theonly copy of an existing Hebrew guide. Hehas since created a highly interesting web-site of his journeys – www.israelnational-trail.com for those who would like to be bet-ter informed.David And Margaret PriceTHEY have returned from PNG and Koreawhere they shared with other Pioneer lead-ers facilitating mentoring and training. Onemarvellous experience was sharing in aworship service with part of a congregationwhose membership is 70,000! The singingwas marvellous.

Margaret Papov Preparing To Serve In Africa With AIM

Matters For Prayer ...

ANNUALANNUAL

REFORMATION DAYREFORMATION DAY

SERVICESERVICESUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2009

AT 3.30 PMLYGON STREET CHRISTIAN CHAPEL

CARLTON(Next to the Trades Hall)

SPEAKER:SPEAKER:Rev Jeremy BrooksDirector of Ministry

Protestant Truth Society – U.K.

SERMON:SERMON:‘By Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, In Christ Alone

– The Unchanging Terms Of The Christian Gospel’

The Rev Jeremy Brooks serves with The Protestant Truth Society as theirDirector of Ministry. Following training for the ministry at London Reformed

Baptist Seminary he spent seven years as the minister of Salem Baptist Church,Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, England.

We are honoured to have him with us for this Reformation Day Service.

Enquiries:Enquiries:Victorian Protestant Federation

Telephone 03 9326 9344 Fax: 03 9326 9180

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Three

CURRENT COMMENTS – CLIFFORD WILSON

Page Four – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

DAN Brown was incredibly successful withhis terrible book The Da Vinci Code. I wasone of many who wrote a response to it be-cause there were a great number of straightout mistakes, distortions, and writings thatmany would call blasphemous in that book.

Jesus was supposed to have had a sex-ual relationship with Mary Magdalene, andthere is no historical justification for thatstatement, or for those claiming He had afamily by her.

The Melbourne Herald-Sun of 14 Sep-

tember comments that a sequel to The DaVinci Code, called The Lost Symbol, hasjust been released and is expected to beanother best seller. Brown’s success isdespite the fact that he had to endure acourt case claiming plagiarism. Interest inhis books has been fuelled by the very suc-cessful movies that followed. One whostarred in the movie was the highlyacclaimed Hollywood star Tom Hanks. It isa sad fact that writings such as this canhave such a huge success.

Da Vinci Code Author On The Warpath Again

President Obama Argues Success Of His Financial PoliciesUNDOUBTEDLY there are glimmers ofhope in this time of financial recession, butthere are indications that the world is still onthe brink of disaster. The figures show thatthere is almost incredible borrowing thattakes place in countries around the world –and that makes it hard to believe that thecorner has been turned.

One report from ‘an expert’ tells us thatthe best way for individuals to resolve theirfinancial problem is to apply for bankruptcy.Another financial leader says: ‘If someoneasked me: "Do you think I should go bank-rupt?" I immediately say "Yes". People can-not afford their repayments, and in the short

term it seems that bankruptcy is their wayout.' Is It Really An ‘Honourable’ Way Out?The report further makes the point that 'atypical bankrupt repays less than two centsin the dollar to creditors', and we learn thatmore and more people are accepting this asa way out without considering any of theethical problems involved.

The number of people taking out debtagreements surged 29% in the last financialyear. The advice is simply to 'clean the slateand start again'.

The morality of such a course is at leastopen to debate. In the light of such huge

deficits it is hard to understand how 'thebosses of our biggest bank handed them-selves pay rises of up to 2.7 million dollarsat the same time as its customers wereslugged with an extra 2.12 million dollars infees.

We’re not all Calvinists, but Calvin cer-tainly had some good ideas about the way acountry should be governed in accordancewith godly principles. True ethics should notbe lightly put aside!

Cancer Hopes RiseA NEW report tells us that a master switchin the body's battle against cancer has beenidentified by scientists in England. The new-ly identified gene triggers the production ofblood cells that are capable of fighting andkilling tumour cells.

The report says it is very hopeful thatthis helps greatly for the boosting of thepatient's own stock of cells to combat thedisease process.

Shoe Thrower Gets Off LightlyTHE man who was sentenced to threeyears in jail for throwing his shoe at FormerPresident George W. Bush, has had his jailterm reduced to just one year on appeal.The incident caused tremendous embar-rassment to Mr Bush and other leaders whowere in Baghdad. The man has been prom-ised a new home as a reward for loyaltyand the very favourable publicity receivedby the television station he worked for as areporter.

Kids’ Violence SurgesWE'RE hearing a great deal about schoolchildren running amok in Victorian schoolsand the number of suspensions has dou-bled in the last couple of years. Over 2,000primary school children were suspendedlast year, and the struggle to cope with thesurge of violence has been a real battle forpublic school principals.

An opposition spokesman in the Victori-an Parliament has made the point that prin-cipals must be given greater powers overschool discipline. He argues that the gov-ernment has actually moved to removethose powers from principals, but the prob-lem is more than serious. Anti-social behav-iour has come down through the streets intosecondary schools, and obviously it hasnow penetrated primary schools as well,with an average of more than twelveassaults reported each week.

A leading psychologist has argued thatchildren needed to be supervised morecarefully, that the materialistic spoiling ofchildren should cease, and that boundariesshould be recognised.

A Melbourne Herald-Sun report of 13September suggests that parents are large-ly to blame, together with an increase in theway children are allowed to watch TV anduse computers.

The report also says: 'new researchshows that millions of Australians begindrinking alcohol before the age of ten.'

The article goes on to say that veryoften parents themselves are the instigatorsof under-age drinking.

Clearly positive parenting is essential,but that does not mean that children them-selves are not to blame for their anti-socialbehaviour.

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NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Five

AUSTRALIA’S CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPER

SERVING THE CHURCH FOR 72 YEARS

Published by New Life Australia. LtdABN 15 005 035 138, of 56 RutlandRd, Box Hill Vic 3129, and printed byNewsprinters Pty Ltd, Melbourne Rd,Shepparton Vic 3630. (All letters toNew Life please).

Finding And Fostering FaithFAITH should be encouraged wherever it is found – be it on the footyfield or in the higher echelons ofthe church. Scots Church, Mel-bourne, held their annual AFLGrand Final Service on Wednes-day 23 September – the Wed-nesday before ʻthe last Saturdayin Septemberʼ (which Melburn-ians know is code for AFL GrandFinal Day). A congregation ofabout 300 gathered not to blessthe Cup or pray for a particularteam, as Scots Church SeniorMinister Douglas Robert-sonmade clear, but to enjoy fellow-ship together across the AFLdenominational boundaries andthink Christianly about the placeof sport in the meaning of life.

Douglas Robertson led the service in his own warm and cheeryway, assisted by Rev Peter Waterhouse, Chaplain of the Coburg TigersVFL Football Club, who led in prayer; Rev Jeremy Dover, Victorian Co-ordinator for Sports Chaplaincy Australia, who read the ScriptureLesson from 2 Timothy 2.1-7, and retired Brisbane Lions Champion andPremiership Player Shaun Hart, who preached the sermon.

Speaking on the theme ʻFaith In A Premiership Teamʼ, Shaun spokeof the need for character, competitiveness and community in a premier-ship football team, drawing parallels with the need for these same qual-ities in the individual and collective life of the Lordʼs people, emphasis-ing the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ who overcame the worldin order that we too can overcome it in Him.

Well done Shaun Hart (and, in the spirit of Christian charity from aMinister of St Kilda, well done Geelong on the following Saturday!)

– Bob Thomas

Retired Brisbane Lions Champion Shaun Hart (left)with Rev Douglas Robertson.

WORSENING food shortages are reportedfrom both the Irrawaddy Delta area ofBurma, where Cyclone Nargis last yeardumped salt water on the rice paddies, ruin-ing them, and in the north from the ChinState.

Since late 2007, the people of ChinState have been struggling with massivefood shortages and hunger after the vastbamboo forests that cover the mountainouslandscape of Chin State began to flowerand die – a process that occurs twice everycentury. This natural disaster has left manyChin people on the edge of survival. A re-port of September 2009 which gives anupdate on the current conditions in ChinState states that the situation is worseningand spreading.Rat PlagueThe bamboo of Chin State began to flowerin late 2006. Attracted to the fruit producedby the bamboo, the flowering process trig-gered an explosion in the rat population.After exhausting the fruit supply, the ratsturned on people’s crops and food supplies,causing massive food shortages for localvillagers dependent on farming for theirlivelihood and subsistence.

In 2008 it was estimated that as manyas 200 villages were affected by severefood shortages associated with the bamboo

flowering, and no less than 100,000 people,or 20% of the entire population of ChinState, were in need of immediate food aid.Those figures are now believed to be muchhigher.

Up to 82% of the farmland has beendestroyed in certain affected regions of ChinState. In several villages, each and everyhousehold is in need of immediate food aid.The consequences of the food crisis arealso more apparent now. Over 54 peopleare known to have died due to the effects ofextreme malnourishment and famine-relateddisease; children comprise the majority ofrecorded deaths. As access to affected re-gions is limited, this number is likely to bean underestimate.

Disease and malnourishment is wide-spread, particularly among women, children,and the elderly. Children with little ability toconcentrate on studies due to hunger havebeen forced to drop out of school in order tohelp their families forage for food: schoolenrolment rates are down 50 to 60% fromlast year. Several thousand Chin have fledtheir villages to search for food elsewhere.More than 4,000 have already arrived at theIndia and Thailand border.Continuing StruggleFrom inside Burma first hand reports showthat Christian organisations continue to

struggle with the outcome of Cyclone Nar-gis, when many thousands perished andtowns and villages were decimated. TheBaptist Churches are supporting villages byproviding boats and fishing equipment, buf-falos and rice seeds, farming equipmentand basic housing.

The Karen Baptist Convention is buildinghouses and with assistance from TEARFund, 72 houses are currently under con-struction in one area, 250 in another withother support, and small numbers in othervillages. These are major projects. Thereare also water and sanitation schemes suchas pond cleaning, well and toilet construc-tion. Major ConcernA major current area of concern is the sup-ply of food, with serious hunger problemsbeing reported in many areas. Much of thisis due to the low yield of rice, and the situa-tion is expected to worsen. Rice crops willnot recover for many years because theland was flooded with salt water during thecyclone. The Baptist Churches would wel-come assistance from donors to assist inthe cost of supplying food, and if you wouldlike to know more about assisting in thisplease contact Michael North atmrfn1@msn.com

– Michael North

Page Six – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

CHRISTIANS IN THE ACTION ...

Famines Add To The Number Of Refugees In Burma

Fijian Church Leaders Return To Court –Church Intimidated By GovernmentNINE Methodist Church leaders returned tocourt in Fiji on 24 September to negotiatetheir bail conditions and seek greater reli-gious freedom for their church.

When they arrived they were informedthat the Director of Public Prosecutions isaway and that they should return to courtnext month. The leaders, including theChurch's President, Rev Ame Tugaue, andGeneral Secretary, Rev Tuikilakila Waqair-atu, remain bound by strict bail conditions,which prohibit them from travelling abroad,teaching, preaching, leading worship orattending church meetings.

The Church, which includes more than athird of the population, has been outspokenin its criticism of Fiji's military governmentled by Commodore Bainimarama, who origi-nally promised to return the country to dem-

ocratic rule by April 2009, but is now sayingthis will not happen until 2014.

Steve Pearce, Partnership Co-ordinator,said: 'Our communications with the Churchin Fiji are being monitored and all Churchactivities and meetings are being scruti-nised by government officials. This is intimi-dation and we applaud the Church in Fiji forits continuing attempts at dialogue ratherthan confrontation. The Methodist Church isthe only faith group in Fiji to receive thistreatment, but it remains committed to play-ing its necessary role in building a renewedand just society in Fiji.’

Earlier this year the Church was forcedto cancel its Annual Conference, at whichthe President and Vice President wouldhave been sworn in and new ministersordained. The Church has to seek govern-

ment permis-sion for anyformal meet-ing. Onesign of hope recently was governmentassent for a meeting to station ministers forthe coming year.

But there is hope that Fiji's expulsionfrom the Commonwealth will lead to in-creased dialogue between the Church andgovernment, leading to a quicker return todemocracy. Steve said: ‘We continue tohope and pray for lines of dialogue to openand for God's wisdom to prevail.’

Despite the adversity, Church life contin-ues and the Church is delighted to haveappointed its first ever female DivisionalSuperintendent, the Rev Kelera Wesele.

– Peter Wooding, ASSIST News Service

Rev Ame Tugaue

IN preparation for potential flooding fromTropical Storm Ketsana which hit thePhilippines on Saturday 26 September,Bible League workers went to moveScriptures in the Bible League warehouseto higher ground. As they did, a wall ofwater came down the street and within min-utes the Bible League office was under 2.5metres of water. The whole ground floorwas flooded, which submerged the lowerhalf of the warehouse and four vehicles.

The worst floods for decades in thePhilippines, the capital Manila and nearbyprovinces received 41.6 cm of rain – aboutone month’s rainfall in one day. Australia’sABC online news reports that at least 86people have now been confirmed dead andmore than 330,000 others have been dis-placed.

Bibles have been destroyed by water.Over 70,000 New Testaments have beenlost. All Bible League’s Project Philip andChurch Planter materials (training resour-

ces) have been lost. These evangelism and discipleship

resources will be sorely missed as thisoffice sends out about 1,000 Bibles as wellas other study resources a day to churchesacross the Philippines. Last year, BibleLeague in the Philippines placed 1,969,701Scriptures and trained 17,116 local Chris-tians to plant churches or lead evangelismBible study groups.

Bible League Australia’s CEO, GrahameSmith, is on the ground, together with threeBible League supporters. The trip plannedmonths ago aimed to show these men theresults of their financial support. Now,instead of just observing, their presence willbe a great blessing to the local FilipinoChristians.

‘We’re staying to help Bible League’slocal staff work through the logistics ofrecovery. We’re here to help and bring com-fort,’ says Grahame.

Bible League’s National Director in the

Philippines, Linda Moldez is so thankful forthe encouragement these Australians havebrought.

Urgent prayer is needed for this nationas the process of recovery begins now thatthe waters are receding. Bible League-trained workers, locally trained Christians,will be reaching out providing help, comfortand prayer.

To help provide Bibles, New Testamentsand training resources for the Philippines,donations may be made through:www.bibleleague.com.au

Bible League is one of the world’slargest evangelical, nondenominationalScripture placement ministries, serving localchurches in more than 60 countries world-wide, training and equipping Christians touse the Bible to make disciples and estab-lish new churches. Since being founded in1938, Bible League has provided more than750 million Scriptures worldwide in some120 languages.

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Seven

CHRISTIANS IN THE ACTION ...

Bible League Manila Office Deluged By Floods – Bibles Destroyed

Fishing for New Testaments. Bible distribution trucks flooded out.

THE Acts 4.12 Committee – a group of ministers and laymen – hasbeen planning a response to the forthcoming ‘Parliament of theWorld’s Religions’, to be held in Melbourne from 3-9 December.

Organisers expect up to 10,000 visitors from overseas to des-cend on Melbourne for what is billed as the largest interfaith eventever held in Australia. It will also be the biggest affront to theGospel in Australia’s history.

The A4.12 Committee commends a positive affirmation that sal-vation is found only in Jesus, contrary to what this polytheistic event

professes. Recently meetings for ministers were held to raise publicawareness of the PWR. Soon (see advertisement p.16 this issue) ameeting will be held for the general Christian public.

The A4.12 Committee believes that soon Melbourne will experi-ence a media blitz promoting the ‘parliament.’ The committee saysthat if hundreds of churches displayed their all-seasons banner, itwould say to passing traffic that Jesus is the only way to God.

Leaflets explaining the ‘parliament’ can be downloaded fromwww.pwrdeception.com Enquiries can be directed to 0409 236 981.

Acts 4.12 Committee To Make Positive WitnessWhen ‘Parliament Of The World’s Religions’ Meets

THE Galston Christian Education Assoc-iation is made up of 11 local churches in theHills Shire north of Sydney who raise thefunds to support ministry in the GalstonHigh School.

The organization started 27 years agoand Ben Davis from Glenorie MissionChurch is one of the original committeemembers. Although from different denomi-nations, the churches work together througha committee, led by an executive group offive.

A fund raising dinner has been hostedby a different church each year, but holdingthis year’s fundraiser at Galston High was a

great move as it is the location of the workitself. The organisers were very grateful forthe willing support of the Principal, DavidShort, and his staff, in allowing them to usethe hall free of charge, while theFundraising Officer, Sean Christensen,organised a very successful evening withexcellent support from the committee andother members of the churches.

Joel Bennett is the current youth co-ordi-nator employed by GCEA and he spoke ofhis experiences with today’s youth on thecampus, saying: ‘My heart is for young peo-ple to know Jesus and how to walk withHim daily in guiding their lives’.

Page Eight – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

‘PRAY WITHOUT CEASING ...’

GCEA Hits Galston High School

Joel Bennett

Tearfund Calls For Prayer For South East AsiaCHRISTIANS and churches are being calledto prayer by Christian relief and developmentagency Tearfund as thousands of people faceloss and trauma following a week of horrificdisasters in SE Asia.

Two weeks ago Typhoon Ketsana rippedthrough Luzon, the northern island of ThePhilippines, leaving well over a million peoplein need of rescue, relief or support. The poor-est people in the slum areas have been acute-ly hit, with their fragile homes and posses-sions washed away in the flood water.

Days later in the South Pacific, Samoaand Tonga were flattened by a tsunami whichhas left almost 200 people dead.

The following day, another earthquake hitthe Indonesian city of Padang. More than athousand people have been killed and, withrescuers searching the rubble for thousandsstill missing, the death toll is likely to be fargreater. Aftershocks and the fear of tsunamisis compounding the trauma as the regionvividly recalls the disaster of December 2004.

The needs are enormous and after the ini-

tial loss comes the sense of devastation andshock. People – many of whom are alreadydesperately poor – are left with nothing,’ saysMatthew Frost, Tearfund Chief Executive.‘Homes and livelihoods are destroyed; lovedones are lost or missing – the disorientationand trauma is unimaginable. The relief effort isbeing built up daily.

‘Relief teams in Sumatra and in MetroManila are assessing the need and respond-ing, but we can also surround the crises andthe families affected in prayer.’

JUST as Joshua did, we at Gospel for Asia,have also kept some stones of remem-brance. They include a hollow door, a worn-out chair and an old typewriter. Each repre-sents part of the journey we have madeover the past 30 years. They remind us ofthe early days, the miracles we witnessedand God’s marvellous grace and power wehave experienced in a thousand ways.

It all started in 1976 with my own per-sonal struggle and search for what Godwanted to do with my life. As a family, wedesired to do the Lord’s will with all ourhearts, but we needed His direction. Finally,after I read Jonathan Edwards’s testimony, Idecided to pray the same prayer he prayed:‘Lord, stamp eternity on my eyes’—and thischanged the course of my life.

Gospel for Asia was born out of thisprayer. God began to clearly speak to usabout giving our lives to see our generation,from the most unreached nations, come toknow the Lord Jesus Christ. And it wouldhappen through training and sending outnative missionaries to preach the Gospeland plant churches.

We were officially incorporated in 1979and began by sending everything we couldto help our brothers and sisters on the mis-sion field. Then, when there was nothingmore to give, we had to believe God foreven the smallest things to sustain our newministry. I remember kneeling and praying:‘Lord please give us $60 so we can buypostage stamps to mail our prayer letter toour friends.’

I rented a one-room office for $75 permonth. But we had no furniture to put in thelittle room. The desks and chairs in thestores were much too costly. So I bought adoor that had a problem on one side for$4.50, along with two sawhorses. Aftersanding and staining the door, I laid it onthe sawhorses and that was our first Gospelfor Asia desk.

Then I went to a used furniture store andbought an old chair. I still have that chair inmy study today.

I wept alone in my car because of thelack of results I saw in the early days. In myheart I resigned and gave up a hundredtimes. I didn’t seen how we could possiblygo on like this. But each time, the Lord wasfaithful to encourage me to continue.

Last, there is an old typewriter we stillkeep in our office today. I would carry itfrom house to house for friends to type myletters for me. We didn’t have a full-timesecretary, and at that time neither Gisela,my wife, nor I knew how to type well.

Over the past three decades, we haveseen the Lord keep one promise afteranother. Just last year alone, GFA-support-ed native missionaries and organized morethan 6,000 new fellowships in 11 Asiancountries. More than 53,000 children andtheir families are hearing about the love ofGod—and hope for their future—throughour Bridge of Hope children’s program.

Since its inception in 1986 with onebroadcast in the Malayalam language, GFARadio has grown to 113 programs eachweek, reaching a potential listening audi-ence of more than 1 billion. GFA radioreceives over one million responses eachmonth from its radio broadcasts.

The list of God’s faithfulness goes onand on—providing amazing opportunities forministry on the mission field, expanding ouroutreach and bringing staff members to joinus in the work. Of course, none of this hascome without hard work and oppositionfrom the enemy of our souls. But despiteincreasing persecution and attacks againstmissionaries and believers in Asia, the

Church is steadily growing. Truly, He doesall things well.

If what happened these past 30 years isany indication of God’s grace and purpose, Ibelieve that in the days to come, thousandsmore will choose to follow Jesus Christthrough the witness of our brothers and sis-ters who are giving their lives on the mis-sion field. GFA now supports over 17,500full-time native missionaries in 11 nations.There are 67 major Bible Colleges used toteach and release these missionaries afterthree years of rigorous training.

Please pray for us, that we will continueto walk with the Lord in humility and broken-ness. Pray that we will listen to Him, act inobedience to what He calls us to do andnever lean on our own understanding orcarnal reasoning. To read amazing real-lifeaccounts of how God is moving in Asia visitwww.gospelforasia.org.au

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Nine

‘GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS’Stones Of Remembrance – Three Decades Of God’s Fa i th fu lnessby K.P. Yohannan, Founder and Pres ident of Gospel for As ia

DIBHAI, a brave church elder in Gujarat,India, needs prayer. The Gospel for Asia-supported missionary who serves as pastorof the church received serious threats fromanti-Christian extremists. So Dibhai agreedto lead the church services for a time untilthe situation settled down.

However, the extremist group merelyturned their hatred to the elder instead ofthe pastor. A group of the anti-Christiansdescended on the church to try to scatterthe congregation and lock the building up.Dibhai tried to stop the small mob and theybeat him up.

Dibhai escaped without serious injuries,but the situation remains tense. The extrem-

ists perpetuating the vio-lence aren't even from thevillage where the church islocated. They are coming infrom a nearby village to stirup trouble against thechurch.

The believers ask forprayer for courage and pro-tection for the pastor, wis-dom and healing for Dibhai,and a miracle ; that the anti-Christians will see the truthand come to follow Jesus.

– Gospel for AsiaPress Release

Page Ten – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

Violence Escalating In South SudanVIOLENCE in southern Sudan is rife, withmany women, children and the elderlyamong the victims, the new head of theSudan Council of Churches, the Rev Rama-dan Chan Liol, has warned. Chan urgedthose responsible for the violence to ceasetheir actions immediately in the south of thecountry, where four years ago an accordknown as the Comprehensive Peace Agree-ment ended 21 years of civil war. ‘The vio-lence is getting serious,’ Chan, a Baptistminister, told Ecumenical News Internationalin Nairobi on 23 September. ‘The worstthing is that there are killings of children,women and elderly people.’Two Iranian Christian Women Still HeldIn Evin PrisonMARYAM Rustampoor, 27, and MarziehAmirizadeh, 30, were arrested and sent toEvin Prison in Tehran, Iran. The two womendid not rob a bank, kill a man or beat upsomeone. Their crime? Loving Jesus. And itis for this reason alone they are still impris-oned.

In August during a court hearing, the twowere questioned repeatedly about theirfaith. They were told to return to Islam.

‘We love Jesus,’ was their reply. Prose-cutors asked the women, who had alreadyspent five months in prison, if they regrettedbeing Christians. ‘We have no regrets,’ theysaid. ‘We will not deny our faith.’

The judge sent them back to Evin Prison– notorious for its brutality – to ‘think about’their decision. ‘We have already done ourthinking,’ they told him.

Maryam and Marzieh are among dozensof Iranian Christians arrested, detained orinterrogated in Iran in recent months. Theharassment is the radical Islamic govern-ment's response to an Iranian revival thathas thousands of Iranians coming to Christeach month.

The Voice of the Martyrs helps theIranian church in many ways, including sup-porting gospel television broadcasts trans-mitted into Iran and printing Christian litera-ture for distribution inside the country.Laotian Church Elder And CongregationThreatened With DeathON Thursday 3 September, three Lao offi-cials, one from the village of Liansai, thesub-district of Saybouthong, and sub-districtAd-Sapangthong, arrested Thao Oun, elderof the Boukham Church. They forced him atgunpoint to go to the police chief, ThaoSomphet. There he was detained, interro-gated, and terrorized for five to six hours.Thao Somphet demanded that he denounceChristianity or face deportation.

Police authorities further threatenedThao Oun that if news got out to the inter-national community about this incident, theywould put him to death.

For many years, the abuses inflicted

upon Laotian citizens were rarely noted.Today, however, irregularities are beingexposed around the globe because of cellphones. Towers that were built to accommo-date the privileged also serve the commonpeople, even in remote areas.Islamic Extremists In Somalia HuntingChristiansSOMALIA'S Muslim militants are huntingdown converts to Christianity. According toVoice of the Martyrs Canada, Al-Shabaabmembers have murdered 14 believers since15 July. Two weeks ago, they killed OmarKhalafe, an underground Christian who hadBibles in his possession. The militants thendisplayed his body and put the Bibles onhim as a warning to others. Even so, thehope of the Gospel is still going forwardthrough the underground church. Keeppraying.Pastor Attacked By ExtremistsAN Indian pastor in Andhra Pradesh hassuffered greatly for his faith since his con-version from Hinduism six years ago. On arecent trip home from a Sunday service, hewas attacked from behind by Hindu extrem-ists with sharp metal rods. InternationalChristian Concern says the pastor has suf-fered blood loss but is recovering with sixstitches in his head. Pray that the pastorwould press on despite the attack. Pray alsofor the hearts of his attackers to soften andturn to Christ.

Brave Indian Church Elder Beaten

PERSECUTION WATCH ...‘Remember those in prison ... and those who aremistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.’

(Hebrews 13.3)

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH!

A NEW dentistry clinic at Hospital Voz-andes-Shell, HCJB Global’s jungle hospitalin Ecuador’s Amazon region, is up and run-ning, serving as many as 15 patients everyday. Dr Eduardo Dávila, a dentist who isleading the clinic, began seeing patients atthe beginning of July and estimates thatmore than 200 people have received den-tistry services since it opened. Basic dentalservices are offered as well as extractions,removable orthodontia and simple oral sur-geries.

Dávila, who formerly worked in a privatepractice in Otavalo (a town north of Quito),said he was attracted by the hospital’sChristian emphasis. With seminary training,Dávila said he’s glad to be working in anenvironment where he is supported byChristian co-workers and encouraged toshare his faith.

‘[Here] there are Christian people withgood professional rapport and a kind treat-ment that people notice,’ he said. ‘They feelbetter here and prefer our hospital.’

Adding dentistry is another step in com-pleting the medical services offered at Hos-pital Vozandes-Shell. Dávila hopes the clinicwill expand to serve even more patients. ‘Iwould like to see the clinic grow to a pointwhere we have multiple exam rooms anddentists to provide the best care to ourpatients,’ he explained.

The dentistry service has already sur-passed expectations. Dr Eckehart Wolff,director of medical services at the hospital,said he's pleased to have Dávila on staff.‘We have someone who is full-time andcommitted to the hospital. That’s veryimportant to us.’

– Jessica Siekmeier

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Eleven

GOOD NEWS FROM ABROAD ...

HCJB Hospital In Ecuador Launches Dentistry Clinic Literacy In India ImprovesConditions For Women And ExposesMany To The GospelNEW year-long adult literacy classes are justbeginning in India. Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India has held literacy classesin India for many years. Dave Stravers withMission India says: ‘The year-long adult litera-cy program actually is so effective because itbrings people from zero to fifth grade readinglevel in just one year. And it does this withadults who have been living their whole liveswithout the ability to read and write or evenadd and subtract.’ In India, many women suf-fer as second-class citizens, but as they learnto read and write, their confidence and livesimprove. With Mission India's curriculum, theyalso are exposed to the Gospel. About a thirdof them come to Christ. ‘When we look at thecommunities in India that have the higher per-centage of Christian adherence, we find thatthe plight of women is much, much improved,’says Stravers. In fact, Hindu leaders havedefended Christians teaching these classesbecause they know how important they are.Pray for the door to remain open in India andthe witness to remain strong.’

‘NEW LIFE’ WELCOMES READERS’ CONTRIBUTIONSCall Bob Thomas 03 9890 3377

Email: editor@nlife.com.au

Page Twelve – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

From The Pool OfSiloam To Jerusalem'sSecond TempleOUR report for this issue comes from theInternational Christian Embassy in Jerus-alem (18 September 2009 – current!) and isof special interest to Barbara and myself fortwo reasons. One is that we had the privi-lege of twice sharing in the excavation ofthe newly recovered Pool of Siloam and thesteps leading from the Pool to the Temple.A second reason is that we believe thisreport will be of great interest to our NewLife readers.

The report is headed Main Street OfAncient Jerusalem Unveiled Again. Wehave edited the report but it basically readsas follows:

A section of the main street of ancientJerusalem running from the Siloam Pool ofNew Testament fame to the Second Templecourts has been re-opened to the public.

In earlier editions of New Life we haveexplained that the old Pool of Siloam hasbeen wrongly identified, and this new poolis huge. Not only that, but nearby is the fall-en Tower of Siloam to which our Lord re-ferred at Luke 13.4. No such tower wasfound at what has been wrongly known as'the Pool of Siloam', but it is here at the newfinding – a stone's throw from the earlierpool.

This street has been re-opened to thepublic as part of the City of David Exhi-bition. It was originally discovered at theturn of the last century but it was recentlyuncovered again by the Israel AntiquitiesAuthority. It is located 550 metres south ofthe Temple Mount and it is believed to beJerusalem's main thoroughfare during theSecond Temple Period where Jews,pagans, Romans and Jewish Christians(including Jesus) all walked on the narrowsteps.

It is even believed that Jesus used theadjacent pools near the street to heal theblind. Sources from Antiquity describe howduring the main Jewish holidays each yearpilgrims would begin their ascent to Herod's

Temple from the southern-most tip of thestreet after ritually dipping in the Siloam (orShiloach) Pool, which is fed by the GihonSpring.

These waters were considered holy andwere used, for instance, to anoint Israel'sformer kings and to cleanse the altar of thetemple during the joyous 'water libation' cer-emony on the last day of Sukkot [Feast ofTabernacles].

The one-to-two-metre wide section ofthe street has blocks that were removed bythe Jews hiding from the Romans. Profes-sors Roderick J. Bliss and Archibald C.Dickey of the British Exploration Fund, whofirst discovered the stone paved streetbetween 1894 and 1897, filled in the exca-vation site after their dig – probably to pro-tect it from external elements.'Joseph Era Coins Found In Egypt'Another report from the same source (25September) is really exciting. We are toldthat ancient Egyptian coins inscribed withthe name and image of the Biblical figureJoseph have been discovered among acache of coins that are locked in a storagevault in the Museum of Egypt in Cairo.

Archaeologists found the collection ofabout 500 coins among thousands of small

artefacts that are stored in the base-ment of the museum. They had beenstored there decades ago, on theassumption that the artefacts weremerely trinkets and charms.

This discovery provides scientificevidence that the ancient Egyptiansdid not trade only through barter aspreviously claimed, but with coins aswell.

But here is the exciting part – andat first I felt rather sceptical. This ishow it is reported in the Al Ahramnewspaper. But read on!

'The time period in which the coinswere minted matches when the Biblesays the Hebrew boy Joseph was soldinto slavery into Egypt only to rise tosecond in command under thePharaoh.'NOW READ THIS!'Joseph's name appears twice on thiscoin, written in hieroglyphics: once the

original name, Joseph, and once hisEgyptian name, Sabani, which was given tohim by the Pharaoh when he became treas-urer. There is also an image of Joseph whowas part of the Egyptian administration atthe time.'

One coin even depicts a fat cow in a ref-erence to Joseph's interpretation of thePharaoh's dream, signifying seven goodand seven bad years. This is not the firsttime that important new data has beenrecovered from an ancient excavation whenrecovered artefacts have been stored in abasement but then brought to light in mod-ern times.

As I say, I was sceptical at first, but I seeno reason not to believe this report. Franklyit's sensational!

DIGGING AND DELVING ...

Christianity – Part Of HistoryDr Clifford Wilson examines the evidence ...

A ‘NEW LIFE’subscription

makes a great gift.Call Alison

03 9890 3377for details.

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Thirteen

AFTER a three year break in Melbourne,Natalie Smith has ventured out again intooverseas ministry with The Leprosy Mission,this time to East Timor. Natalie, who is anoccupational therapist, is well known bymany TLM supporters for her ministry in theprevention of disability to the people ofNigeria for eight years.

Now she will take up a position of In-terim Country Leader for TLM’s Capacityand Community Rehabilitation Project inEast Timor. Natalie will help support thefight against leprosy in the island nationwhich has the highest incidence of the dis-ease in South East Asia as reported by theWorld Health Organisation.

She will combine her knowledge of thedisease and new skills in health manage-ment to head TLM’s program and oversee astaff of two nurses and 14 community healthworkers who work closely with the EastTimorese Ministry of Health.

Natalie is looking forward to helpingbring hope to the lives of people affected byleprosy. Natalie says TLM’s role in EastTimor is an important work at a time when

leprosy is still a major health problem.With its small population, East Timor has

an incidence of 16 cases in 10,000 people,based on the remote enclave of Oecussi.There needs to be an incidence of 1 in10,000 people with leprosy for the diseaseto be considered eradicated by WHO.

‘Leprosy is high in Oecussi because it isisolated and away from East Timor and it ishard for health workers to get there. In factthere was a real neglect of all diseases dur-ing the war and this is where health servic-es suffered,’ she said. ‘During the war, Indo-nesia would not allow health workers to getthere by land. You could only go by boat.Even up to six months ago you could not goacross the border. But now Mission AviationFellowship is there and you can get thereby plane.’

Natalie said the role of TLM’s staff is toassist East Timorese government healthworkers, giving training and support in lep-rosy detection, treatment and rehabilitation.

Her work will shift from a hands-on focusto building up the skills of senior staff insuch areas as project management, writing

reports and managing project funds. ‘The whole aim is to train up East

Timorese local health workers in projectmanagement so that one of them can bethe leader of TLM’s leprosy program in thefuture and hopefully this will happen withintwo years,’ Natalie said.

In a recent trip to East Timor, she wasassured by local people that she was enter-ing a peaceful environment with politicaltensions much calmer since the attemptedassassination of the country’s PresidentJose Ramos-Horta in 2008.

Natalie returned to Australia in 2005 tostudy a Masters in Public Health Education.She then went on to work in communityprojects for the Victorian Government tohelp improve public health access forrefugees. During that time she attendedFootscray Baptist Church and raised thou-sands of dollars for TLM by attending its‘Trek to Mount Everest Base Camp’ inNepal and a 50km walk in Melbourne.

For more information about TLM’s workin East Timor, contact Graham Peck on 039890 0577. – Susan Masima

LISA Gibson is an attorney and ExecutiveDirector of the Peace and Prosperity Alliance.She lost her brother Kenneth Gibson in the1988 terrorist bombing of Pan Am flight 103over Lockerbie, Scotland.

But rather than succumbing to bitterness,she chose to take the road less travelled. Shehas chosen to focus her efforts on overcomingevil with good by serving the country of Libyathrough humanitarian and education projects.

She met with the leader of Libya, MuammarGaddafi on Wednesday 23 September at theLibya mission in New York City.

Like the other family members, she initiallystruggled with anger. But her Christian faithcalled her to forgive and find a way to love herenemies.

In 2004, she wrote a letter to Megrahi at the Scottish prisonwhere he was serving his sentence. In her letter she said: ‘OnlyGod knows if you are really responsible, but as a Christian, I needto forgive you.’ Megrahi wrote her a kind letter back, expressing hissadness to hear of her loss, but maintaining his innocence.

In January of 2005, she was the first American Lockerbie familymember to go to visit Libya. She was assisted by Libyan Ambassa-dor Ali Aujali in making her visit. She participated in a tour and metwith individual citizens and government officials, in each instancesimply telling them her story and that as a Christian she needed to

come to Libya to meet the people so she couldbegin to see them differently than she hadseen them.

As she would tell her story, the walls felland transparency flowed between her and theLibyans. Even grown men wept when theyheard her story, saying: ‘It is so good for you tocome, I will do anything I can to help you.’

Seeing how the Libyans have also sufferedshe committed to overcoming evil with good.She launched out to start the Peace andProsperity Alliance three years ago with thegoal of addressing social evils such as terror-ism, oppression and injustice. The PPA hasofficially ‘adopted’ Libya and is working with theLibyan government and the Gaddafi

Development Foundation to build bridges of people-to-people diplo-macy through service, goodwill and humanitarian and educationprojects. They have raised money to help children in Libya withHIV/Aids and piloted their first English language training project inLibya, in December 2008, which marked the 20th anniversary of theLockerbie bombing. Their next project is to help facilitate reconcilia-tion between the US and Libya through an art festival in Libya,between Libyan and American artists.

Lisa says: ‘It has been a long 20 years. We have seen justiceachieved. Now it is time to focus on reconciliation between the USand Libya.’ – Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST Ministries

A TIME TO FORGIVE ...

Lockerbie Victim’s Sister Meets With Gaddafi In New York

Natalie Smith Goes Back To The Field

AIM Missionaries Bring The Gospel ToReclusive People GroupTO fellow Tanzanians and outsiders, theDatooga are primitive. They resist educationand development and live in low hygienicstandards. Formerly the Datooga weresemi-nomadic herders but presently havesettled down and supplement their incomeby farming. This gives missionaries withAfrica Inland Mission an opportunity toshare the Gospel with the Datooga.

Sometimes this ministry requires mis-sionaries to serve in remote and difficultlocations. You can help by praying for themissionaries' protection as they share theGospel with the Datooga people.

This people group historically relied onmilk products for their diet, moving when-ever new pasture was needed for their cat-tle. Now they keep livestock, and many

farm a plot of maize; cattle are still theirmost important domestic animal.

A neighbourhood council of elders gen-erally holds power over the Datooga people,with group pressure being the most effec-tive social control. Pray for new believersfacing demands to return to traditional prac-tices. Pray also for training and discipleshipopportunities for new believers.

The Africa Inland Church recently cele-brated 100 years of ministry in Tanzania.Tanzania is one of the world's poorest coun-tries, despite attracting tourists to sites suchas Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti.Anglican Church Growing Fast InMozambiqueIN the richer countries of the world, church-es of the Anglican Communion are facingdwindling congregations but it is a differentstory in one of the poorest areas of the

globe, Mozambique. ‘Something that is notgrowing is not alive, and we are growing,’US-born Mark van Koevering, the Bishop ofNiassa in the African country, said at a serv-ice in London on 19 September. Speakingat St John's Church in Waterloo to mark the103rd anniversary of the Mozambique andAngola Anglican Association, van Koeveringsaid: ‘Almost 150 years ago, Charles Fred-erick Mackenzie came to Niassa … He diedwithin six months of arriving, having estab-lished four churches. There are now 136Christian communities and 8,000 to 9,000Christians in the diocese.’

Page Fourteen – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

FROM ALL QUARTERS ...

Mark 12.31LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR– Second Commandment.

Inserted by Ivan Bell

‘The Blessedness Of DeathAs Known To Believers’

Last words and thoughts of Christiansfrom the 17th to the 20th Century,showing the blessing of a Christ-cen-tred faith as death approaches –Dallas Clarnette.W A resource for pastorsW A comfort to Christians in old ageW A word in season to those whothink death is far away.$8.95 at booksellers. $10.00 P&P.(Send MO/Cheque to:Rev D Clarnette, 180 Ninth Ave, Rosebud 3939.)

Suicide Memorial Day BringsHope To MournersBy Ramon WilliamsWESLEY Mission’s annual LifeForce Mem-orial Day was held on the Northern Board-walk of the Sydney Opera House on Thurs-day 1 October at 12 noon. Wesley LifeForceis a suicide prevention program aiming to edu-cate, empower and resource Australian com-munities to be aware of the issues of suicide.

Rev Dr Keith Garner, Superintendent ofWesley Mission, said: ‘Every day in Australiaan average of five people complete suicideand 150 attempt suicide, so there are manypeople in our society who are left deeplygrieved and hurting when they lose a lovedone. The LifeForce Memorial Day helps themrealise that they are not alone in their pain.’

A popular addition this year was a Mem-orial Wall. This enabled those present to placea photo and a personalised message on dis-play and share their feelings in fellowship withothers going through similar experiences. TheMemorial Wall panels will be on display atLifeForce lectures and conferences associat-ed with its suicide prevention meetings.

Messages of love and remembrance canalso be posted to the online LifeForce Mem-orial Wall at: www.wesleymission.org.au/cen-tres/lifeforce/guestbook/

Rev Keith Garner leads the Suicide Memorial Day Service – Worldwide Photos

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Fifteen

Page Sixteen – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

Special Offer!

Pastor Peter Rahme ofInner West (Auburn) Bap­tist Church has given us fivecopies of his book on JohnNewton, Amazing Grace.We will give a copy to eachof the first five new sub­scribers or new gift sub­scriptions.Call Alison on 03 9890 3377;email: office@nlife.com.auPastor Rehme’s books andDVD’s are also availablefrom him at: PO Box 5296,Chullora 2190.Phone: 02 9742 5716.Email: pastor@innerwestbaptist.org.au

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STUMBLING blocks are necessarily presentin a fallen world, yet the person who is astumbling block is responsible before God,and Christ pronounces a solemn ‘Woe’upon him (Matthew 18.7).

This issue actually surfaces quite oftenin the New Testament. Yet it is not all one-way traffic. There are some stumblingblocks that are God-given and necessary;there are other stumbling blocks which arethe result of sin; and there are yet otherswhich require considerable wisdom in deal-ing with them.

The person of Christ is said to be ‘astone of stumbling and a rock of offence’(Romans 9.33; 1 Peter 2.8).Jesus tells us: ‘Blessed is theone who is not offended byMe’ (Matthew 11.6).

These days people havediscovered a right not to beoffended, but the claims ofChrist will necessarily offendthe unregenerate sinner. Afterall, He claims to be the Way,the Truth, and the Life, withno-one coming to the Fatherexcept through Him (John14.6). He claims to be thejudge of the whole world (John5.28,29). If this is not true, wehave to face J. GreshamMachen’s question: 'Whatshall be thought of a humanbeing who lapsed so far fromthe path of humility and sanity as to believethat the eternal destinies of the world werecommitted into His hands?'

That Christ will decide the eternal des-tiny of every one of us on this Earth isoffensive in the extreme to the unbeliever,but foundational to the believer.

Related to this is the offence of thecross. Christ crucified, says Paul, is a stum-bling block to Jews and folly to the Gentiles(1 Corinthians 1.23). Here is the opinion ofCicero: 'How grievous a thing it is to be dis-graced by a public court; how grievous tosuffer a fine; how grievous to suffer banish-ment; and yet in the midst of any such dis-aster we retain some degree of liberty.

‘Even if we are threatened with death,we may die free men. But the executioner,the veiling of the head and the very word

‘cross’ should be far removed not only fromthe person of a Roman citizen but histhoughts, his eyes and his ears, for it is notonly the actual occurrence of these thingsbut the very mention of them that is unwor-thy of a Roman citizen and a free man.'

So contrary was the idea of a crucifiedMessiah to the mind of the apostle Peterthat he vigorously declared that such athing could never happen. Hence Christcalled him ‘Satan’, and said that he was astumbling block to Him (Matthew 16.21-23).The scandal – or stumbling block – of thecross is inherent in the Christian message(Galatians 5.11).

Yet Christians are to do everything pos-sible not to be stumbling blocks to others(Matthew 18.7; Romans 16.17). On mattersof idolatry and sexual immorality it goeswithout saying that we are not to be a stum-bling block to those around us (Revelation2.14).

For nine years the great Augustine wasa deluded member of the dualistic Mani-chaean cult. As a powerful orator, he provedto be a convincing advocate for a badcause. After he became a Christian in AD386 one of his most grievous afflictions wasto do with the fact that he could not undo allthe damage he had done as a Manichaean.

As a Manichaean, he had convinced oneparticular colleague of its truth; and, as aChristian, he failed to convince that samecolleague of its falsehood.

However, says Paul, there are issues onwhich we are not to pass judgment on oneanother, but rather to decide never to put astumbling block or hindrance in the way of abrother (Romans 14.13).

Charles Simeon had to deal with theDuchess of Beaufort who was suffering inher conscience from having to go to balls,the theatre and the races with the Duke.Simeon's comment was: 'What would bewrong in one person, would not be so inanother; and what would be wrong undersome circumstances, would not be so underother circumstances. What would be wrongif done from choice, might not be wrong ifdone for fear of offending others, or of cast-ing a stumbling-block before them, or with aview to win them.' The Duchess decided notto go to the theatre and the races, but to goto balls if the Duke so wished it.

The Christian life is a paradoxical one,often lived on a tightrope. The Christian isnot to offend Jews, Greeks, or fellow Chris-tians, but to seek to please everyone ineverything (1 Corinthians 10.32,33). Yet theservant of Christ dare not live to pleaseman (Galatians 1.10)!

While seeking not to be personally offen-sive in any way, we are to proclaim and liveout a message which will offend all whoknow nothing of the new birth.

– Peter Barnes

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Seventeen

THINKING THINGS THROUGH

On Being A Stumbling Block

That Christ willdecide the eternaldestiny of everyone of us on thisEarth is offensivein the extreme tothe unbeliever, butfoundational to thebeliever.

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Page Eighteen – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

‘HERE’S WHAT I THINK ...’

AS international aid continues to pour intothe Samoan Islands after the devastatingtsunami that has resulted in some 169 peo-ple confirmed dead in Samoa, AmericanSamoa, and Tonga after a massive earth-quake triggered tidal waves that obliteratedcoastal villages, another kind of aid is help-ing the shocked residents of this devastatedregion.

It comes in the form of Christian radiothat thousands of local residents are nowturning to for news and encouragement.

According to HCJB Global(www.hcjb.org), Showers of Blessings, apartner ministry, with stations in Apia,Samoa, Pago Pago and Manu Island,American Samoa, continues to provideupdates and sharing from God's Word to lis-teners rattled by the disaster.

‘Our station was the only one still report-ing during the earthquake and tsunami,’wrote Lori Sword of Showers of Blessings inan e-mail sent from the station in Pago

Pago. ‘Praise the Lord, we were in a safelocation, allowing us to serve and ministercontinuously. Thank you for your prayersand encouragement. Everyone is workingon cleaning things up as help arrives fromthe US. It's amazing the power nature haswhen God allows His creation to speak. ButGod has been merciful to our people, con-sidering we are such a small island that canbe easily washed away.’

‘I believe it was the reefs that protectedmost of these areas,’ Sword explained.

Staff members at the station stayed upuntil after midnight Wednesday, taking tele-phone calls non-stop from concerned listen-ers, both to share prayer requests and tosend condolences to grieving families. ‘Wewere like the connection between the out-side world and our people here,’ Swordsaid. ‘Our station reaches the villages inUpolu, and that's a blessing for people whodid not have phones. Also, those areas inthe back were ones that were hardest hit by

the tsunami, and they too have lost lovedones. We had people calling and e-mailspouring in. Even now our phones are ring-ing nonstop.’

Dave Pasechnik, one of HCJB Global'svice presidents for international ministry,said that it hurts to see what has happenedto these islands. ‘We've had a long relation-ship with our partners there dating back tothe early 1990s when we put in the firstChristian radio station in Samoa. Since thenwe've helped with three more stations onthe islands,’ he said. ‘I pray that all our part-ner's staff members are safe, but I'm surethis tragedy has touched many of their livesthese days as probably some of their lovedones have been swept away by the tsuna-mi. Pray for the Samoan people during thistime of crisis, especially for our partners asthey work to serve as the voice and handsof Jesus to a hurting nation.’

– Dan Wooding,Founder, ASSIST Ministries

Why The Atheists Can’t WinATHEISTS have always been a minority.They will stay that way.

Their assumptions do not fit the facts asobserved by an unbiased, rational observer.

Tell a child that his computer evolvedfrom iron ore and silica deposits with nointelligence designing it – and he will laughat you.

Yet we teach him that the whole uni-verse constructed itself un-designed.

Ho hum.Arnold Jago, Mildura, Vic

The Great A.W. Tozer And Other MattersONE. I have started a new series on very

notable Christians. The first one I have writ-ten up is A.W. Tozer, a remarkable modern-day prophet. His message is desperatelyneeded today when much of Christianityhas become so weak and ineffective. Seemy thoughts here: http://www.billmuehlen-berg.com/2009/10/02/notable-christians-a-w-tozer/

Two. Many in the artistic community areactually defending child rapist RomanPolanski. They shouldn’t be: http://www.bill-muehlenberg.com/2009/10/01/turning-rapists-into-heroes/

Three. God-hater Richard Dawkins hasa new book out, and he continues to call

God a monster: http://www.billmuehlen-berg.com/2009/10/03/god-1-dawkins-0/

Whenever I write an article like this, I geta lot of hate and nastiness from ragingatheists. Some ask honest questions butmany just vent their poisoned spleen. Suchattacks of course hurt and can take their tollon me. Please pray for me, and please con-tribute to the debate as the atheist com-ments start to come in.

‘The Bible was written in tears, and totears it yields its best treasures. God hasnothing to say to the frivolous man.’ – A.W.Tozer. Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch,

http://www.billmuehlenberg.com

DEAR Prayer Warriors! It’s time to targetthe Iranian mountain of evil.

In the last few days, as I watched theUN meetings and the incoherent ramblingsof demon-possessed Islamites, I have beenthinking the following: these evil people can-not be stopped with resolutions and threats,nor can we expect that Israel should riskcausing a premature Armageddon. Therehas to be another solution – the Lord’s way!

This morning, as I was praying, He drewme onto Biblical examples.

1. I saw Haman being hanged on hisown gallows; I saw people, ‘who through

faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteous-ness, obtained promises, stopped themouths of lions, quenched the violence offire, escaped the edge of the sword, out ofweakness were made strong …’

2. I heard the Lord Jesus saying: ‘If youhave faith as a grain of mustard seed, youshall say to this mountain: “Remove your-self from here to yonder place”, and it willmove; and nothing shall be impossible toyou”!’

Therefore, Let us immediately and res-olutely put our mouth where our faith is!

Rhys Howell and his prayer warriors

throughout England stopped Hitler fromcrossing the Channel. We can stop Ahmad-inajad from his desired new global holo-caust.

Let us pray – as we have never prayedbefore – that, what he and his mullahs planwould engulf them and their devices. Jesusis waiting for our intercession to add to His.

Yours and His, Ned Blaskow

Christian Radio Station In Samoa Encourages Tsunami Survivors

‘Pray In The Spirit On All Occasions ...’

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Nineteen

BREAKPOINT ... CHUCK COLSON’S COMMENTS

Copyright (c) 2009 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. ‘Breakpoint With Chuck Colson’ is aradio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries. Prison Fellowship Australia National Office, PO Box 579, Eltham Vic3095; Phone: 03 9431 3877; Fax: 03 9431 3830; email: pfaus@vicnet.net.au

Signature in the Cell –Information and Intelligence

ACL Welcomes Vic Government Change Of Heart On Religious Freedom

THE Australian Christian Lobby has wel-comed the Victorian Government’s changeof heart in recognising the need to protectreligious freedom in proposed changes tothe Equal Opportunity Act 1995.

ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward saidsome of the options canvassed as part of areview of exceptions and exemptions to theAct would, had they been implemented,have had serious repercussions for church-es, church schools and church-relatedorganisations.

‘Faith-based groups throughout Victoriahave been united in their strong concernabout a number of the options being lookedat as they would have undermined the very

core of these bodies by preventing themfrom upholding their beliefs in terms of whothey employ and therefore how they oper-ate,’ Mr Ward said.

‘It is good to see the Victorian Govern-ment respecting those concerns and thebasic right to religious freedom in this State.

‘It is equally necessary to now see thesame respect for freedom applied to issuesof conscience around last year's changes toabortion laws.’

Mr Ward said the ACL agreed with thebroad thrust of the Government’s proposedchanges as announced, but would need tosee the full detail of the changes and howthey are outworked in legislative terms.

IN recent years there have been several im-portant books about intelligent design thatgo to the debate about evolution and theorigins of life. Bill Dembski’s The DesignInference was first. Then along came Dar-win’s Black Box by Michael Behe, showingthe irreducible complexity of the cell, whichcasts grave doubts on Darwinian evolutionas an explanation for life and higher lifeforms.

Now we’ve got Signature In The Cell bythe Discovery Institute’s Dr Stephen Meyer.

I’m going to warn you up front: SignatureIn The Cell is not light reading. If you arenot conversant in molecular biology, youmight feel a bit overwhelmed at times.

But this is a profound, hugely importantbook for anybody interested in the scientificdebate of our times – the origins of life. Ifeel it’s so important that we have posted anexcerpt of the book at our website,BreakPoint.org, along with links to materialsthat will help you understand the mainpoints of Signature In The Cell.

So what lies at the heart of Dr Meyer’sSignature In The Cell is the concept of infor-mation. And, as scientists have learned, the

very building block of life – molecular DNA –is a vast storehouse of information. Infor-mation in the form of a four-character chem-ical alphabet that, when precisely arranged,provides the ‘instructions’ for forming pro-teins and the structures that living cellsneed to survive.

The key here is ‘precisely arranged.’ Itake three random English letters, say ‘O,’‘G,’ and ‘D. The letters are building blocksfor words, but they mean nothing unlessarranged properly. If you arrange them oneway, they spell ‘God.’ Arrange them anotherway, and you get ‘dog.’ In order to conveyuseful information, the letters have to bearranged precisely.

And that’s what DNA does. It containsand transmits the extraordinarily complex,precisely sequenced chemical code of life –a code that atheist Richard Dawkins haslikened to computer code. Indeed, BillGates has said that ‘DNA is like a computerprogram, but far, far more advanced thanany software ever created.’

Could such an ‘advanced’ code, or ‘soft-ware for life,’ have happened by chance?Well, as Dr Meyer shows, given the vast

complexity of information required to createthe 250 proteins necessary to sustain thesimplest living cell, the probability that lifeoriginated in the primordial soup by chanceis beyond astronomically slim – only 1 in 10to the 41 thousandth power!

But here is your takeaway, and I’ll let DrMeyer do the talking:

‘Our uniform experience affirms thatspecified information – whether inscribed inhieroglyphics, written in a book, encoded ina radio signal, or produced in a simulationexperiment – always arises from an intelli-gent source, from a mind and not a strictlymaterial process.’

‘Indeed,’ Dr Meyer concludes, ‘it followsthat the best, most causally adequate expla-nation for the origin of the specified, digitallyencoded information in DNA is that it toohad an intelligent source.’

No wonder most evolutionists refuse todebate intelligent design!

Thanks to Dr Meyer, the debate aboutthe origins of life is entering a new phase.Maybe we could say that for the ‘ChanceTheory’ of creation, the writing is on thewall.

THE Fellowship of Congregational Chur-ches expresses its sincere sympathy to thefamily and friends of Rev Eric Atkin, whopassed away on Sunday, 20 September.

Mr Atkin was ordained in the KogarahBay Congregational Church, NSW, andlater served Congregational Churches inPort Adelaide, SA, and Sylvania, NSW.

Subsequently he worked for the BushChurch Aid Society of Australia.

Eric was heavily involved in the ministryof Congregational Christian EndeavourCamps and the Lionel B. Fletcher MemorialChristian Training Centre (Camp Fletcher),serving as a Founding Member of itsCommittee and its first Treasurer.

WITH CHRIST

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty

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NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty One

NEW LIFE ADVERTISINGWORSHIP WITH US

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HELEN Pearl Mackenzie – Doctor, Mission-ary, Visionary, Educator 06-10-1913 to 18-09-09 – was born in Pusan, Korea, the eld-est daughter of five children of Rev JamesNoble and Mrs Mary Mackenzie. Along withher three younger sisters she was educatedat the American Missionary School in PyongYang but completed her schooling with oneyear at PLC, Melbourne.

Helen and her younger sister, Cath, feltcalled to return to Korea as missionariesand from their experience they were con-vinced that they needed medical training.Helen studied medicine at Melbourne Uni-versity, graduating as one of the few womenin 1938. In 1940 World War 2 prevented herfrom going to Korea but while she waitedshe gained invaluable experience in Obstet-rics and Gynaecology at Queen VictoriaHospital, Melbourne, where she becameActing Medical Superintendent.

In 1944, still unable to go to Korea,Helen and Cath accepted a call from theChurch of Christ in China and in 1945 es-tablished a small hospital in Jianshui, Yun-nan in a Taoist temple.

Being ‘western medicine’, it took quitesome time for it to be accepted by the peo-ple, but eventually it was, and it was muchto their sorrow that they had to leave in1950 after the communist takeover, when itbecame too dangerous for them and for thelocal Christian church, and they left notknowing what would happen to the hospital.One Door Closes, Another OpensHowever, this ending of the work in Chinamade it possible to return to Korea. Againthey were frustrated, this time by theKorean war. But in 1951 Helen and Cathwere appointed by the Australian Presby-terian Mission Board and eventually inFebruary 1952 they landed in Pusan,Korea, the land of their birth.

Pusan was a city of refugees, and med-ical needs were overwhelming, but the ad-vice of the Ministry of Health and UnitedNations agencies was that the main needwas for Maternal and Child Health. This wassomething to which the sisters were admir-ably suited and on 17 September 1952 IlSin Women’s Hospital was opened in thekindergarten hall of PusanJin Church. Therewere 20 beds and a staff of five.

The name Il Sin was chosen because itwas the name of schools run by the Aus-tralian Mission pre-war and very appropriatefor an Obstetric Hospital as it means ‘DailyNew’.Following Christ’s Command,Working in His Spirit,Showing God’s Love To AllThe purpose of the hospital was stated as:‘following Christ’s command and in HisSpirit to carry out medical work’ – and thatis how the work was done. There were twomain objectives. One was to accept anyonewho came irrespective of their ability to payand irrespective of their religion or lack ofany faith. This was very different from thelocal system in which a person had to payfirst, and the local church, who felt that aChristian Hospital was primarily whereChristians could be treated at a cut rate.

However Helen and Cath were convin-ced that through the healing ministry God’slove should be shown to all. The other mainobjective was to train women doctors inObstetrics and Gynaecology and nurses inNurse Midwifery. At that time, althoughwomen were trained in Medicine, they werenot highly regarded and in their post gradu-ate time often received inferior training,while in nursing education, nurses were be-ing given midwifery certificates at the sametime as their basic certificate, sometimesnot even having seen a normal delivery!

Helen was a brilliant surgeon and agreat educator and sometimes was frustrat-ed with the administrative load in her role asMedical Superintendent. With sheer hardwork and determination, using limited andbasic resources, Helen and Cath, along withtheir Korean staff, built the hospital into onethat was highly regarded throughout Koreafor training and expert care. Helen wasoften tired with the constant load but wouldstill give herself for hours in the operatingroom or delivery room for one patient.

Helen retired from Korea in February1976 but in ‘retirement’ she gave her con-siderable energies and ability to studyingtheology at the Melbourne College of Divin-ity and wrote a biography of her father:Mackenzie – Man of Mission. She also con-tinued her love of music, being a member ofher church choir for many years.

John 15.4 says: ‘No branch can bearfruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.Neither can you bear fruit unless you re-main in Me’. Helen was firmly fixed to theVine and her life bore much fruit. Manycame to know the love of Christ throughtheir experience at Il Sin, either as patientor during their training or as a staff member.

Twelve doctors had been trained asobstetricians/gynaecologists by the timeHelen left in February 1976 and since thena further 120 have been trained. Doctors, allwomen except for three or four, have alsobeen trained in Paediatrics, FamilyMedicine and Anaesthetics. A total of 2,599nurses have graduated as Nurse Midwivesand 284,655 women have been delivered oftheir babies.

Helen received awards from the KoreanGovernment and recently the Governmenthas announced another award to be givenposthumously.

In 1962, along with her sister Cath, shewas awarded the MBE and in October 2002she was awarded an Honorary Fellowshipof the Royal Australian and New ZealandCollege of Obstetricians and Gynaecol-ogists in recognition of not only her expert-ise in this field, although she had notreceived specialist training due to the waryears, but also to recognise all that she didfor the training of women in that specialty.

In 2007 she received the news from acolleague who had been able to travel toJain-shui, that the hospital that she thoughtwas going to cease had been changed fromthe ‘Church Hospital’ to the ‘Peoples Hospit-al’, had continued to grow and was now amajor part of the Provincial Hospital for thatpart of Yunnan. This news gave her greatjoy.

Helen died very peacefully on 18 Sep-tember 2009, a fitting way to end a mostremarkable life spent in serving others.Helen is survived by her sisters Lucy andSheila, three nephews, one niece, fourgrandnieces and one grandnephew.

– Dr Barbara Martin

Page Twenty Two – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

‘WITH CHRIST’

Helen Pearl Mackenzie – Doctor,Missionary, Visionary, Educator

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty Three

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LATE BREAKING NEWS OF DEVASTATED AREASMAF Responds To Massive Indonesian EarthquakeMISSION Aviation Fellowship has flown inan assessment team to the devastated cityof Padang, in the coastal region of westernSumatra, in response to Indonesia's mas-sive earthquake which hit on 30 September,destroying hundreds of buildings andhomes, triggering landslides, knocking outpower and cutting off roads into the city ofapproximately 900,000 people. Amid thefires and flooding, thousands are expectedto die. Relief agencies are relying on MAFand other groups in a desperate raceagainst time.

MAF currently has three expatriate pilotsand some 10 local staff on Sumatra. Themission agency, which has worked in Indon-

esia since 1954, has two aircraft on Sumat-ra based in Medan, which is well north ofthe earthquake zone.

Responding to the emergency, MAF isproviding flights from nearby Pekan Baru toPadang, close to the epicentre. Easilyaccessible from Jakarta and other places,the plan is to stage the MAF emergencyresponse operations from Pekan Baru.

Co-ordinating their efforts with the localgovernment, MAF leaders quickly flew in ateam of relief workers from Operation Bless-ing International to the scene of devasta-tion. Other groups are also requestingMAF's assistance amid the chaos.

– Michael Ireland, ASSIST

UnitingWorldLaunches SamoaTsunami AppealIN response to reports of the devastatingimpact of the Samoa tsunami and the enor-mous relief effort the Uniting Church’s part-ner churches face, UnitingWorld haslaunched an emergency relief appeal.

UnitingWorld’s Bruce Mullan has been incontact with the leadership of the SamoanMethodist Church and the CongregationalChristian Church of Samoa to offer support.

‘The leadership of our partner churchesindicated that any support from the UnitingChurch in Australia would not only be usedto attend to immediate medical, food supplyand clothing needs but also to address thelong term impact of the tsunami,’ said MrMullan.

UnitingWorld has learned that a SamoanCongregational minister’s wife was killedand many church members have beenaffected by the tragedy. Methodist GeneralSecretary, Rev Tupo Folasa II, reported thatauthorities are still finding bodies whilemany more are homeless and in need offood and clothing.

Congregational General Secretary, RevDr Lutisone Salevao, said people were, ‘stillreeling from the adverse effects of what hashappened. We’re doing our best to cope,’he said.

Mr Mullan said a key issue is not justthe damage to homes, church buildings andproperty but the emotional damage that theSamoan people have suffered. ‘My feelingis that more than anything the appeal mightaddress, they are comforted that theirUniting Church sisters and brothers in Aus-tralia were in solidarity with them at thistime,’ he said. ‘They really covet ourprayers.’

UnitingWorld is accepting donations tothe Samoa Tsunami Appeal for the immedi-ate needs and long term wellbeing of theaffected communities.

Donations can be made to UnitingWorldonline at www.unitingworld.org.auCall 1800 998 122 or post to: PO BoxA2266 Sydney South 1235. Gifts of $2 andover are tax deductible.

World Vision Rushing Supplies to Philippines, Vietnam, LaosWORLD Vision is rushing emergency supplies to children and families devastated by thecatastrophic typhoon that swept through Manila and surrounding provinces in the Philip-pines before hitting Central Vietnam. Thousands of homes in these areas are damaged ordestroyed. Your help is needed now.

‘The impact of this typhoon on Manila has been shocking,’ said Elnora Avarientos, WorldVision's national director in the Philippines. ‘Many have lost everything, including bedding,food, education materials, and clothing. The poorest living in slums and settlements areespecially badly hit.’

Call World Vision on 133240 or go to: www.worldvision.com.au to donate.

HIRALAL Solanki was born within a strict Hindu family, andbecame a Christian by reading a Gospel tract. He is the onlyChristian in his family and in the rural district where he grewup – about 70 km away from Delhi.

Hiralal was called to the ministry of the Gospel in 1989. Hestudied for the ministry at the Presbyterian Theological Semin-ary in Dehra Dun and wanted to follow an academic life as atheological teacher at PTS. But instead, the Lord put into hisheart over a period of time a burden to serve the pastoral lifeof a church planter and evangelist. He began his ministry inthe great city of Delhi, starting from nothing.

Hiralal and his wife Luxmi with their two children havelaboured with distinction in this very challenging field for 16years.

As Pastor and Moderator of Faith Bible PresbyterianChurches, Hiralal has seen 11 worship groups started. He hassupervised this mission field – teaching ministry so that theseworship centres will become churches that are self-sustain-able, with their own pastors and elders at the local churchlevel.

Hiralal is on a number of representative boards in an exec-utive role on a much wider front than his particular work inDelhi, and is therefore eminently qualified to be a spokesmanon the wider Christian work that is taking place in India. Hiralalis the General Secretary of the Reformed and PresbyterianFellowship of India and is also the Vice President of thePresbyterian Theological Seminary in Dehra Dun.

Australian Christians will have the opportunity to hear theRev Hiralal Solanki during his first visit to Australia when hereturns from New Zealand after attending the InternationalConference of Reformed Churches (ICRC) in Christchurch.

Page Twenty Four – 15 October 2009 – NEW LIFE

‘NEW LIFE’ – AUSTRALIA’S CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPER

Hiralal Solanki – From Hinduism To Christ

Rev Hiralal Solanki his wife Luxmi with Rev RichardWilson, Director of India Reformed Fellowship Australia.

Hiralalʼs Itinerary In Australia, 23 – 29 October:Friday 23 October, 8-9.30pm:Brisbane: St Johnʼs Presbyterian Church,23 King St, Annerley.

Saturday 24 October, 12-1pm:Brisbane: Creek Rd Presbyterian Church,Carina.

Sunday 25 October, 9.30-11am:Brisbane: St Johnʼs, Annerley.

Monday 26 October, 10am-11pm:Brisbane: St Johnʼs, Annerley,Reformation Fellowship of Queensland.

Tuesday 27 October, 7.30-9pm:Sydney: Revesby Presbyterian Church,

55 Tower St, Revesby.

Wednesday 28 October, 12-2pm:Melbourne: Presbyterian TheologicalCollege, 684 Elgar Rd, Box Hill North.

Wednesday 28 October, 7.30-9pm:Melbourne: Hawthorn Presbyterian Church,Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn.

Thursday 29 October, 10-11.30am:Melbourne: Kangaroo Ground PresbyterianChurch, Eltham-Kangaroo Ground Rd.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT:Rev Richard Wilson at:richard@logosec.com.au

MILLIONS of people worldwide will 'Stand Up' this Octo-ber to show their support for the fight against poverty.

One Just World is proud to present a special forumto coincide with the Stand Up campaign, addressingmaternal and child health; poverty and disability; andwater and sanitation.

Fran Kelly, presenter of ABC Radio National Break-fast will act as MC for the forum, which features threeinspiring speakers: l Rini Poespoprodjo, Paediatrician, Health Worker andResearcher in Papua, Indonesia;l Ipul Powaseu, Executive Officer, National ResearchInstitute, Papua New Guinea;

l Matthew Bond, International Development Engineerspecialising in water, sanitation & hygiene, and ruralenergy.When: Wednesday 14 October, 6-7.30pm.Where: Great Hall, UTS Tower Building, 15 Broadway,Ultimo (Sydney).RSVP: nswonejustworld@worldvision.com.au byTuesday 13 Octber 2009.There are quick and inexpensive solutions to infant mor-tality, lack of access to water and sanitation, and theproblems faced by the disabled in poor countries if wetake action. For more information visit: www.onejust-world.com.au

World Vision-Sponsored 14 October Meeting:

NEW LIFE EXTRA – LATE BREAKING NEWS

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty Five

Mercy Ships Recognises World Sight Day – October 8Addressing Blindness ThroughSutureless TechniqueFOUR-year-old Celine was born with congenital cata-racts in both eyes. Her father, a tailor, wanted the bestfor her. However, he could not afford the $250 for sur-gery for each eye, plus the money required for hospitalsupplies in his country. Unable to begin school becauseshe could not see, Celine faced an uncertain future.

A free five-minute cataract operation onboard theMercy Ship has restored hope for Celine and more than3000 others. They are receiving cataract surgery on-board the Mercy Ship during the hospital ship’s 10-month stay in the West African nation of Benin untilDecember of this year.

Not only do about 150 patients each week participatein a ‘Celebrate Sight’ event, but many more Africans areset to benefit from a new training program onboard thefloating hospital. African opthalmologists receive trainingin the specialized procedure to remove the very densecataracts that are common in Africa.

According to Vision 2020, cataracts are the leadingcause of blindness, and 80% of blindness is treatable,curable or preventable. Simple and effective strategiescould address this inequity, claims Dr Glenn Strauss,who gave up his eye practice in the US to serve fulltimewith Mercy Ships as Chief of Ophthalmology Servicewith the charity.

Since 2004, Dr Strauss has fine-tuned a procedureof cataract removal called Manual Small Incision

CataractSurgery.The tech-nique,which hasbeendevelopedin Nepal,India, and onboard the Mercy Ship, requires no sutures.It is also cost-effective and efficient, and it allows for ahigh-volume turnover of patients. Strauss says he canserve approximately 40 patients per day.

Mercy Ships will also continue to run remote eyeclinics throughout the year in Benin. Volunteer profes-sionals will see more than 200 patients a day, thusexpanding their service throughout local communities.The Mercy Vision Team will return sight to 3,000Beninese people suffering from blindness. On the ship,ophthalmologists remove cataracts and perform otherspecialized eye procedures that patients cannot afford.

Off the ship, Mercy Ships runs four remote eye clin-ics, in a different area each day, primarily to find candi-dates for surgery. The eye team will also educate thepatients in basic eye health and distribute sunglassesand reading glasses.

In addition to the surgical procedures, the eye teamwill evaluate and treat 20,000 patients for basic eye dis-ease and distribute 5,000 pairs of sunglasses and 5,000pairs of reading glasses. Go to: www.mercyships.org.aufor further information.

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty Six

AN Islamic extremist group, al Shabaab, has vowed toexterminate Christians in Somalia.

In September, according to Compass Direct News,the murder of yet another Christian added to the risingdeath toll and propelled extremists toward fulfilling theirpromise.

Compass reports 46-year-old Mariam MuhinaHussein was shot to death by militia leader SheikhArbow after six Bibles were found in her possession.Arbow's wife confirmed the existence of the Scriptures.

On Sunday, 27 September, Arbow sent his wife toHussein's house to confirm that she possessed Bibles.Faking an interest in Christianity, Arbow's wife spokewith Hussein, and Hussein shared parts of the Bible withher. She denied Arbow's request to take a Bible home.

‘[Hussein] told her that it might not be safe for her,

preferring instead that she could visit her regularly fordiscussions,’ a source told Compass.

The next day, Sheikh Arbow and company visitedHussein and told her, in a friendly manner, that he want-ed to check something in the Bible. Sources say thatHussein gave him one, knowing only that Arbow was afellow ethnic Somali Bantu and his wife visited her theprevious day.

‘Immediately Arbow told her that their mission was tolook for Christians who have defiled the Islamic religion,’said one of Compass's sources. ‘She was ordered to getthe other Bibles out, and she did.’

Arbow then fired three shots at Hussein, who diedinstantly. Her death comes just weeks after militantsslaughtered another Christian leader for distributingBibles.

AS of 1 October 2009, SAT-7 KIDS and SAT-7 ARABICbegan broadcasting on the Atlantic Bird 4 (AB4) satellite,making these two channels available to millions of newviewers in the Arab world. SAT7 ARABIC and SAT-7KIDS will continue to broadcast simultaneously on thepopular HotBird satellite system.

‘We’re very excited about being able to broadcast onthis second satellite. It is something we’ve been hopingto do for years,’ says Terence Ascott, SAT-7 CEO. ‘Bybroadcasting on the AB4 satellite we have, overnight,more than doubled the potential SAT-7 audience andmany new viewers have already called to express theirdelight at finding us for the first time.’

The AB4 satellite platform, like the HotBird platform,can be viewed by people living in nearly every country inthe Middle East and North Africa. However, an importantnew development is that viewers in the region with satel-lite receiver dishes pointed only toward the popular Nile-sat satellite can now easily tune their receivers to pickup SAT-7 on the AB4 satellite, which is co-located withNilesat at 7 degrees West. Previously, viewers of Nilesatneeded a second dish aimed at HOTBIRD to watch

SAT-7.‘We’ve just made it easier for many viewers in the

Arab world to find SAT-7’s Arabic channels,’ adds DavidHarder, Communications Manager for SAT-7. ‘Now view-ers who can only afford one satellite dish and have cho-sen to point it at Nilesat will be able to easily view SAT-7. We have many stories from people who have beenflipping through channels and accidently found SAT-7—just at the right moment when we were broadcastingsomething they needed to hear—and God used it totouch and change their lives!

‘We know that many more people, possibly tens ofmillions, will now be able to find and view SAT-7’sbroadcasts because we have started broadcasting onthe AB4 satellite.’

SAT-7 is urgently seeking new donations to fund thisexpansion onto the AB4 satellite, an opportunity thatemerged suddenly, when previous restrictions on Chris-tian channels were relaxed. Any donations given to SAT-7 for this project may qualify to be quadrupled becauseof a special matching grant. For more information onhow you can give, go to www.sat7.org.

NEW LIFE EXTRA

Another Somali Believer Falls To Islamic Extremists

SAT-7 Deploys Two Additional Satellite ChannelsDramatically Increasing Potential Viewership

New Life Needs YOU!v Uphold Us In Prayer v Encourage Others To Subscribe v Advertise With Us

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty Seven

NEW LIFE EXTRA:

FOLLOWING the two major earthquakes which rockedthe Indonesian island of Sumatra, Jacob Kramer withthe Christian Reformed World Relief Committee says:‘Many are still desperately seeking for their family mem-bers who are still buried under buildings.’ Recent reportssay the death toll has climbed upwards of 600. Rescueworkers no longer expect to find anyone alive as theysort through the rubble. CRWRC teams are providingimmediate relief in the form of food, water, clothing and

improvised shelter in terms of providing tarps so thatpart of the house can be salvaged and set up so thatpeople have a roof over their head.’ CRWRC teams arealso at work in other regions of Asia. American Samoawas declared a federal disaster area after an earth-quake and tsunami wrought havoc there. ‘Your prayersand support are needed for disaster victims, saysKramer. ‘Pray for them that they may find God in thesecircumstances.’

THE London 2012 Olympics might seem like a worldaway, but for those in the Christian Olympic outreachministry, there is a lot of work to do be done before thebig event ... and every minute counts!

Lay Witnesses for Christ International have been astrong presence in Olympic ministry since their work atthe Los Angeles games in 1984, winning over the re-spect and faith of many of the world's greatest athletesand sports lovers.

Dr Sam Mings, the President and founder of LWFCis working towards the set up of outreach strategies inevery Olympic host city. The organisation has developedmany events including the popular Evening with theOlympic Stars.

‘LWFCI in each Olympic city gets teamed with amajor city church, so it becomes a local mission effortand this is a key to the Lord's awesome blessings,’ saidMings. The Evening with the Olympic Stars has the sup-port of Olympic icon Carl Lewis. Lewis is not only aLWFCI board member, but the keynote speaker at eachevent. During a recent LWFCI awards night, Lewis de-clared that London, 2012 would be ‘an open door forthose sharing in Christ.

‘It is an exciting time for church and denominationalleaders in Olympic cities. The partnership between hostcities and major churches is flourishing and the impor-tance of Christianity in sport is becoming more widelyrecognised. But taking on a task of this magnitude is notan easy feat. Not only does the outreach require a hostcity church, certain logistics need to be considered toorganise the functions.

Dr Sam Mings and his team have been working tire-lessly to make sure all things are accounted for, includ-ing the production of literature, clothing, office space, a

hospitality centre, accommodation, personnel and lastbut by no means least, leadership.

Dr Mings has endorsed and appointed two people tooversee the London 2012 Olympic outreach. The first ishighly respected lawyer and philanthropist John Alex-ander Robertson who has been made InternationalChair for London's outreach. The 58 year old fromDallas devoted much of his career to business develop-ment, raising millions of dollars for the non-profit privatesector.

The second leadership position was given to JoyElise Macci PhD who will take on the role of USANational Chairman. Joy has had a colourful life. Shewas an international tennis player and coach, helpingtrain the likes of superstars Jennifer Capriati, AndyRodick and the Williams sisters.

Joy Elise Macci has also been an author, speakerand Sports and Life Success Coach, travelling aroundthe world helping elite athletes and individuals achievesuccess in all aspects of life. Joy says her life has beendivinely blessed by the Lord. Her global life mission is toeducate and empower individuals and companies togreatness, by connecting their 'Divine Purpose &Legacy'.

This new leadership team’s main focus is to prayer-fully enlist God’s Leadership Teams around the world.‘The key to such leadership positions in any Olympicoutreach for LWFCI is a servant’s spirit of unity so as tomaximise this awesome window of opportunity affordedus by any Summer Olympics to share the love of JesusChrist from the Host City,’ said Dr Sam Mings.

This process is a critical step in the planning of Brid-ging the Gap 2012, London, England Olympics. Thedoor is open for nominations to LWFC International.

CRWRC Teams Care For Quake Victims As Death Toll Rises

Countdown For The London 2012 Olympic OutreachBy Kate Dorrington, With Mark Tronson

Message from Olivia Mclean, Chair of the Forge VictoriaBoard:AS the Chairman of Forge Victoria it falls to me toannounce the closure of FORGE Victoria. I do so with amixture of sadness, celebration and pride.

Forge Victoria has made an outstanding contributionin Victoria and beyond for over 12 years; however, forreasons outlined below, it seems timely to shut down forthe foreseeable future. Please read the accompanyingannouncement from the National Team for more infor-mation.

As a Forge Board member since its early days and aparticipant in its intensives, I have been utterly changed– now focused on those outside the Church, able tospeak of God without jargon, and able to work for justiceand mission. Forge has helped me to "grow up and getserious" and has been a source of inspiration. I havedear friends within the "tribe" and I respect and admiremany others from afar. I know this is true for hundredsand hundreds of other people. Please come and cele-brate all that Forge has been at our farewell party onFriday Nov 6th. Please also take the opportunity tothank God and others in the Forge tribe for how theyhave positively contributed to your life and faith journey.

I wish to especially thank all those who have servedand sacrificed over the years as staff, board members,and volunteers. To be a part of a band of over 50 suchleaders has been a wonderful blessing. Of course, greatthanks go to Alan Hirsch, Forge Founding Director, andto the Churches of Christ for their generous support inthe early days. In this last year, special thanks is morethan due to Phil McCredden, who has been both theVictorian and National Director during a time of instabili-ty, tiredness and transition. Phil has been a masterfulleader. – OliviaNational Statement on Forge's FutureFor the last twelve years, Forge has sought to serve theAustralian church by inspiring and training leaders toengage the first world as a mission field. We have hadthe privilege of working with many individuals andchurches, helping catalyze missional initiatives and chal-lenging the ecclesial status quo. Through God’s graces,we have seen significant shifts in the mindsets ofAustralian Christian leaders and for this rich and colorfuljourney, we are eternally grateful.

More recently, over the last two years we have beeninvolved in a process of organizational reflection andfuture planning, seeking to identify what our contributioncould be to the Australian church in the years ahead.After some long conversations and considered analysisof our position, we believe that the best way forward isto scale back all of our organizational operations for theforeseeable future.

Several factors (among others) have contributed tothis:1. There has been an encouraging shift in the Australianchurch context in regards to missional awareness. Forgebegan very much as a prophetic voice that helped cat-alyze a missional movement. That shift has necessitateda change in our identity and structure, but it is not achange we have been able to successfully implement forreasons outlined in points 2 & 3 below.2. A depletion of people and financial resources. Wehave struggled to keep operations sustainable and weobserve that this may be an indicator that it is time toseriously re-assess our viability as an organization.3. Our current decentralized organizational structure hasmade it difficult to move ahead cohesively. The chal-lenges associated with transitioning Forge to be aneffective training organisation for the new context provedtoo costly.

The decision does not mean the complete closure ofForge but rather a ceasing of operations in Australia.As individuals, we remain deeply committed to the coretask of being missionaries to this country and encourag-ing each other on in this journey. As much as Forge theorganization is being scaled back in Australia, we trustthat missional journey is very much alive. Certainly weeach carry the missional DNA and the passion to seepeople know Jesus and be part of Christian communi-ties.

We thank our friends in the Australian missionalmovement for your love, support and encouragementover the last twelve years.

– Forge National Team and Alan Hirsch

NEW LIFE EXTRA – MISSION BRIEFS

NEW LIFE – 15 October 2009 – Page Twenty Eight

Forge Victoria Closure

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