http://theundergroundsite.com)" target="_blank" style="color: #888; font-size: 22px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">The Underground -- Christian pastor writes book on church planting in the U.S., using principles he culled from working with Christians in North Korea |
- Christian pastor writes book on church planting in the U.S., using principles he culled from working with Christians in North Korea
- Islamic sect in Nigeria murders 10 Christians
- Anarchy in the UK: Christians call for practical action in aftermath of riots
| Posted: 11 Aug 2011 12:45 PM PDT
A Christian pastor released recently a book on how to plant churches and spread the gospel in the free world, by using tips he culled from his personal experience working with underground Christian churches in North Korea. Rev. Eric Foley, pastor of W Evangelical Church of Colorado Springs and Seoul, Korea, released the book, Church is for Amateurs: A Guide for “Fourth Order” Christians like You on How to Plant and Lead a Lay Church. Foley got the idea for his book by working with underground Christian churches in North Korea. He notes that while church buildings and full time, salaried pastors are the basic disciple tools in the U.S., in North Korea, these are illegal and unavailable. “When you’re ministering to North Korean Christians, you realize quickly that the tools that are fundamental to Christian discipleship in the West just aren’t available to help you. Church buildings are illegal in North Korea. Paid, full-time pastors become ‘instant inmates’ in North Korea’s concentration camps,” Foley said. “When more than two or three gather together — even in somebody’s home in the middle of the night — the police show up. Bibles are confiscated instantly, and the people who possess them end up dead,” Foley said. Foley said this has been common in church history as well. He told The Christian Post, “Throughout history churches have had to do discipleship with far more restrictions and this has caused them to be much more focused on growing individual believers into the fullness of Christ.” Foley, who is co-founder and CEO of Seoul USA, has, for more than 20 years, trained some 1,300 Christian NGOs and churches. Through their ministry Voice of the Martyrs/Korea, the Foleys also support North Korea’s underground churches and assist North Korean Christians who have managed to migrate to the South. “Our modern western way of making disciples and being church is the historical oddity,” Foley said. “The North Korean situation of empty-handed discipleship in the face of intense persecution is the norm.” Foley lists down 12 principles in church growth in his book. He notes, for example, that there is more depth of faith in a persecuted environment, because the situation requires it. Because church buildings are illegal, faith revolves more around families and homes. Church members must be multitasked and be able to do all ministry functions in a persecuted environment, unlike churches in the U.S. where staff performs specific jobs. Foley also notes in his book that prosperity can make a church weak, while a persecuted environment can purify a church. Furthermore, there is a difference between freedom of religion and freedom in Christ. For example, in the U.S. there is freedom of religion. However, in persecuted environments such as North Korea, there is a keen understanding of the meaning of freedom in Christ. Freedom and affluence are not bad things, Foley says, but they can hinder church growth, as opposed to the blood of martyrs which, through time, has been shown to become the seed of the church. Foley contends in his book that if Christians in the U.S. come to understand these distinctions, and integrate the 12 principles outlined in his book, the church in the U.S. can grow and become stronger. |
| Islamic sect in Nigeria murders 10 Christians Posted: 11 Aug 2011 12:20 PM PDT
At least 10 Christians have been killed in the last two months in Nigeria by the radical Islamic Boko Haram sect. The murder of the Christians took place in Maiduguri, Borneo state in northeastern Nigeria. An anonymous source (a local church leader) described it to International Christian Concern as part of a more widespread “silent killing” of Christians. The source told ICC, “Boko Haram is seeking to eliminate Christianity because they want Islamic (Sharia) law. They don’t want to see anything Christian in the northern states [of Nigeria].” The source added, “That is why churches are being persecuted and Muslims who don’t follow the [hard line teachings of] Boko Haram are also persecuted,” ICC reported. Most Christians have fled Maiduguri, and those who have stayed are fasting and praying. Many churches in the city have suspended services for the safety of parishioners. The source told ICC they are seeking prayer. “[We also] ask for assistance in the rebuilding of churches that have been burned down since 2006. The government has not compensated for the losses of Christians, but it has compensated for losses that Muslims suffered [at the hands of radical Islamists].” Dialogue with Boko Haram The government has expressed willingness to open up dialogue with the Boko Haram, in response to censure by human rights organizations. It has also formed a committee that will investigate the Boko Haram and try to determine the root cause of the violence. Even as the government announced this, yesterday another bomb exploded near a police patrol van in Bauchi city, wounding four policemen. In a separate attack, last Saturday one policeman and one civilian were wounded in an ambush on a patrol team elsewhere in Bauchi, a city where Boko Haram are believed to be hiding. Call for dialogue The Etsu Nupe (ruler of the Nupe ethnic minority inNigeria), Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has urged Boko Haram to come out of hiding and engage in a dialogue with the government, adding that violence is not the answer to the country’s problems. “It is only through dialogue that they can table their grievances for the government to understand them better and find the means of responding to their demands,” Abubakar told The Nation. Call for justice Jonathan Racho, regional manager of Africa for ICC, said he hopes the investigating committee can be a tool for justice for the victims of Boko Haram, and welcomed the measure to ensure security of civilians. Racho said, “We welcome the deployment of the Nigerian security forces to protect innocent civilians from the attacks by Boko Haram. We also welcome the establishment of the committee to investigate Boko Haram. We call upon the committee to look into the plight of the victims and ensure that the perpetrators of the violence are brought to justice.” |
| Anarchy in the UK: Christians call for practical action in aftermath of riots Posted: 11 Aug 2011 12:20 PM PDT
The Bishop of London said recently that the riots that have beset the U.K. in the last few days, while appalling, are not wholly unexpected. Dr. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, said in a statement that while the true motivations behind the riots have yet to be discerned, in due time there must be a clear analysis of gang culture and the role it plays in London. “The events of the past few days in London are appalling — but not wholly unexpected,”Chartres said, according to Inspire Magazine. “Whatever the real motivations of those who have brought violence to our streets, there will be a proper time for sober analysis and an assessment of the role of gang culture in the capital.” The riots began last Saturday after Mark Duggan, 29, was shot dead in Tottenham by the police. Because details regarding the death were not clear, there were initial riots that led to numerous fires, looting and violence.   Within days the rioting reached eight more areas of the U.K. including the cities Birmingham and Liverpool, largely through the use of social networks including Facebook, Twitter and encrypted messages using BlackBerry Smart Phones. Chartres has called upon the Christian community to help in clearing debris and lending aid to victims. “The situation is unpredictable and it is important that we keep in touch and support one another with prayer and practical assistance.” Not an Arab Spring David Sullivan, director of HFC International, said the rash of riots cannot be compared to the Arab Spring, which was primarily ushered in as a call for freedom from oppressive leaders and dictators. Neither, he said, was it a reaction to poverty. Sullivan told ANS that in the looting people were taking things such as “TV sets and mobile telephones, sneakers and gold chains,” which are not basic necessities. Instead, he said it was likely due to the fact that faith in British society is being replaced with a “grey morality where no right nor wrong is taught. “[It] is now taking its toll.” Other Christian leaders across the U.K. have also called for prayer and practical assistance in the aftermath of the riots. Billy and Caroline Kennedy, who are leaders of Pioneer, urged Christians to get involved if they live near areas that were affected by rioting, and to urge their churches to get involved as well. Adrian Hawkes of Rainbow Fellowship told ANS the riots are a signal that young people need to know that God gives meaning in life. Some ministry members were caught in the melee. “Gareth and Jo who lead Rainbow live right by the main fire, I understand his garden is covered with ash.” Hawkes told ANS other friends “lived in a flat above the carpet shop which was the first place to go up in flames. They escaped with their baby to their car and went to stay with in-laws.” Seventh Day Adventist Pastor Stewart wrote in an email to ANS, “As a Church we pray that peace will reign in the hearts and minds of all those who are troubled today and that through our actions, we can show the world the Prince of Peace in a time when many are troubled and in fear.” |
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