The Vicar of Baghdad: Canon Andrew White writes from Iraq today

Pictures of a cruel past are being repeated endlessly today.

The situation in Baghdad as written by an Anglican Priest makes for compelling reading. His presentation represents a viewpoint of a Christian who is attempting to live out the life of Jesus Christ in one of the most dangerous places in the world.

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The Bible: The Most Popular Book - Most Translated Book

98% of the world's population has the Bible in their language.

The Most Popular Book of All Time Read more: 

5775: Today is the Jewish New Year

Today is the beginning of year 5775 in the Jewish calendar.

5775 - This is the year of the Jewish Calendar.

Rosh Hashanah is the New Year, the first day of the seventh month, time for a sacred assembly, commemorated with trumpet blasts. No work is to be carried out, but offerings are to be made. (Leviticus 23:23)

At the City of David Messianic Synagogue, in Toronto, here is what the "High Holidays" of September / October are all about:

"Come and experience forgiveness of sins and vibrant new spiritual life through the Messiah Yeshua."

Celebrate with our brothers and sisters who have found the Lord in such a personal way, and whose passion is directed towards sharing their faith with Jews. The walls of separation have been knocked down between Jew and non-Jew, between men and women, between rich and poor, master and slave.

Africa: Fabulous photos and ministries

“Go in that direction” does not mean that you go.
To 'go' means, “let’s go together!”

This Mozambican proverb - and a fabulous set of photos from the OM web site

In an instant you can visit these countries Click here

Angola,
Central North Africa
Lake Tanganyika
Madagascar
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe





 

InterVarsity "Derecognized" at California State University's 23 Campuses:

Believe it or not, in California, students at the California State's Universities 23 campuses are no longer able to meet on campus, have access to the university community, have free access to rooms for meetings, participate in student activities week including student fairs, or meet on an equal footing with other "clubs" with university faculty, students and administrators.

Read more.

Inter-Varsity Fellowship - A Crisis is a new Opportunity

Inter-Varsity Fellowship is going to develop new styles of ministry in universities that prohibit Christian groups from meeting on campus locations in California. This crisis is a new Opportunity. Apparently, there is no room in USC administration for faith based groups, but this may open up new doors for campus-style ministries.

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Countless wars in Europe - 100 years of maps in three minutes

Modern technology permits us to watch the map changing year by year, since 1144 AD - countless wars, millions of soldiers lost in the endless lust for control of territory and power. Viewing this three minute "Review of European History" one wonders how it could be said that Europe has been "Christian"? Far from it, the deceitfulness of riches and the viciousness of "Christian powers" shows how far away from the words of Jesus have been the savage push to always control "more".
 View here

Turkish Minister of Culture: "Christianity is no longer a Religion"

"Fruit" comes in many forms; Jesus Christ in many languages

According to Turkish Environment and Urbanism Minister, Erdogan Bayraktar, "Christianity has ceased to be a religion and has now become a culture".

He is dismayed that "Christianity has 2.5 billion followers", with Christianity being important in India and China, and not ju
st in the United States.

Many strange statements seem to be emerging from the "New Turkey". For the rest of Minister Bayraktar's logic, concept of the world and fresh insight, read more here.

In the Land of Boko Haram: "An Ongoing Miracle for Orphans"

"Some of the seed multiplied 30 fold, others 60 and other 90."

Recently, Cathie and I had the chance to talk with two "saints of the land", and we came away from a four hour encounter with hearts a-glow.

Part of the responsibilities assumed by this African couple takes them back and forth from Nigeria. This specific story is taking place in the area where Boko Haram has declared the Northeastern Region to be an "Islamic State". This is only one of many stories we heard - (hint: you won't hear these stories on CBB, CBC or BBC.)

In one of the cities in that area (I cannot mention specifics) a kind hearted African looked around several years ago,  discovering that Christian parents had been killed in large numbers while attending worship services. (They were killed en masse while singing praises to the Lord.)

Children hid from danger and gradually more than 100 of them were gathered into a very small street.

Question Number 1: how to provide for these children when resources are so scarce, and the dangers so ever-present and compelling real?

Question Number 2: If large houses or school buildings would call too much attention to the children, then how to house the orphaned children?

A school in rural Sierra Leone, where needs are also great.

As the Lord provided through other kind-hearted persons, a number of buildings were built, providing small group homes with eight children in each house, and with an older "grandmother".

At the same time, one of the men who had been in the military in another region of Nigeria faced retirement and decided to give his life to help homeless children. He was impacted by the saying of Jesus Christ: "Do not forbid them - let the little children come to me."

How he became involved with these children and has protected them during the clashes that took place is a wonderful story - only the Lord knows all the details.

Boko Haram means (believe it or not) "Western Education is Evil".

This tiny light house in a large African city that sits in the middle of a conflict zone stands for (believe it or not) compassion extended to widows and orphans where the deepest conflict involves spiritual warfare.

This is not the place to tell more details. Suffice it to say, with the Psalmist who had many centuries earlier faced danger, " The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:7,8

Rejoice in your hearts for this, and many other stories from this troubled part of the world. The Lord has not abandoned his people.

"Islam is Canadian and Canada is Islam" - Delic - A Bosnian Canadian Imam

Delic is no stranger to criticism. Having been shunned by the Canadian government, he has written a new book that attempts to reform Islam in Canada.

Delic writies, " When I look into the so-called Muslim world, nothing is there. Countries that claim to serve Allah as a rule lack honesty, decency, integrity, good management. But in Canada a Muslim is free to live his faith fully, not as some crooked sheikh believes his distant ancestors did, but as the modern Muslim knows he should.

"Islam is Canadian, and Canada is Muslim", he said. “One only complements the other. There is no contradiction.”

This is the thesis of his new book, Canadian Islam: Belonging and Loyalty, which is published at yet another crisis moment for the ancient global faith.

Once it was 9/11 and the resulting panic, much of it justified, over terrorism and the broader fears of extremist preachers advocating domestic attacks."

The quotation above comes from the National Post and the whole article can be read here.

Zijad Delic sees himself as a reformer of Islam, not a "radical", and his writings are going to cause a lot of confusion, and people going down an erroneous path of error, if they don't understand the fundamental nature of Islam.

Some major errors exist in Delic's line of thinking. 1) He is not willing to suggest changes to any of the internal teachings / doctrine of Islam; 2) He trys the substitute the "Five Pillars of Islam" with "The Four Pillars of Canadian culture"; 3) He downplays the aspect of Islam that calls perhaps 5% of the followers of this religion to follow the radical / militant / lead of terrorism. 4) Canadian culture is built upon more than four centuries of Judeo / Christian thought constantly intersecting with secularist thought, resulting in our present system of laws based upon the "Charter of Human Rights"; 5) The legal and social position of women in the home and Canadian society is one of equality, whereas in Islam the role of women must be revised, which would go against the Quran.