Islamists march for ouster of Christian Governor in Indonesia

Governor Ahok and his wife Veronica Tan

(Nov. 4, 2016) Around 150,000 hardline Muslim protesters rallied outside the Presidential palacein Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, today to demand the resignation of the governor of Jakarta, who they said had insulted the Koran.

Basuki Tjahja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, the Governor of Jakarta is a Christian. He was planning a re-election bid in February.

A member of Indonesia’s Christian minority and of Chinese heritage, Ahok is the first ethnic governor in the country. Christians make up one percent of the population.

He took the gubernatorial seat in Jakarta in 2014, which had been vacated with Joko Widodo's election as president. But hardline Muslims have opposed Ahok's rise to power.

The protesters, led by a group called the Islamic Defenders Front, demanded Governor Ahok be jailed for blasphemy. They waved placards and chanted "Hang Ahok" and "Allahu Akbar,"  according to missionaries of Bibles for Mideast in Indonesia.

Although the rally had been mostly peaceful, violence erupted as police clashed with protesters who disobeyed instructions to disperse after nightfall. Police used tear gas and water cannons in attempts to control angry demonstrators. One man died, while four civilians and three police officers were injured as a result of the clash.

Police officialscalculateit is the second biggest protest against Ahok in less than a month. In October, another protest against him gathered at City Hall.

About 18,000 soldiers and police, some equipped with rifles, were on patrol and secured shopping malls in Jakarta during the procession.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim-populated country in the world (India being second and Pakistan third).

"Ahok is not Muslim, but he humiliated the Koran," protesters said.

Many of the protesters wore white robes and Muslim caps and gathered at the central Istiqlal Mosque, the biggest mosque in the country, before they began moving toward the presidential palace.

There were smaller protests against Ahok in other cities, including Surabaya, Makassar and Medan.

March of Islamists in Jakarta against Governor Ahok, a Christian

The governor has built a reputation of being a tough reformer who is determined to clean up Jakarta’s streets and battle corruption in government. These traits have made him widely popular and have given him an edge on next year’s election. However, Islamic hardliners oppose him and do not want him to hold a government position because of his faith in Jesus Christ. He will compete for re-election against two Muslims, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and a former education minister, Anies Baswedan.

Ethnic Chinese make up just over one percent of Indonesia's 250 million people, and they typically do not enter politics.

Indonesia suffered a series of Islamist attacks early in the last decade. In the most serious incident, 202 people were killed in bombings of a nightclub on the island of Bali in 2002.

An attack in Jakarta early this year by supporters of Islamic State raised fears of a new wave of violent militancy.

Pray for Governor Ahok and his family, as well as all Christians in Indonesia. Pray also for the ministries of Bibles for Mideast, its missionaries and the many new believers.

1,268 baptisms and many miracles in three days!

By God’s grace, underground house churches of Bibles for Mideast conducted 127 baptismal services across Asia, Africa and the Middle East over the past three days, with 1,268 former Muslims going through the cleansing waters. In Saudi Arabia alone, 613 people in 72 different areas went through the sacred rite. While threats and attacks accompanied the services, so did the miraculous!

“Because of police patrolling and the threats of attack from Islamic militants and terrorists, we avoid sea shores for the baptisms and held the services inside of our churches.” Pastor Paul, Director of Bibles for Mideast explains. Most churches arranged to have fiber or polythene water tanks erected inside of their prayer halls.

Many did experience attacks or threats.

Baptism in makeshift pool

“A mob of Islamic militants attacked the people of our church on their way to the service,” Pastor Hilal of one church reported. “Nobody knows how it happened, but the people of the mob ended up having a serious argument about something and they divided into two groups.  Finally they fought each other and police came and arrested them all.”

Al Muthalib reported what happened when some radicals attempted to attack the people gathered at his church.

“Some militants smell about the baptism service of our church, and they gathered outside of the church wall with weapons and tried to enter the church compound by jumping over the gate. While jumping, one of them was seriously injured by an iron bar fixed to the top of the gate. The sharp point of the bar went through his body. Others took him to the hospital at once.”

“Police came to search in our church,” Evangelist Davood reported from his area. “But the pastor got information they were coming, so the service ended quickly before they arrived. The people turned the water tank upside down in a corner of the compound and put hollow bricks around and on the tank to hide it.   When police came, they couldn’t find any evidence of a religious service, so they left.”

Salmath shared the wonders witnessed by all at her church.

Water 'boiling' in the tank!

“During the baptismal service, a star light descended from above the water tank and water started boiling with steam, but without getting hot.  Till the end of the baptism, the water boiled continuously. All the people who were baptized in that water tank were immediately anointed by the Holy Spirit!”

So many wonderful accounts have come in we are not even able to report them all.

Please keep these new believers in your prayers, and continue to pray for the evangelization of the entire Muslim world.

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”
— Psalm 34:4-8

1,200 former Muslims prepare for baptism

Report: Bibles for Mideast

Close to 1,200 former  Muslims who now believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are preparing for baptism in a dozen Middle Eastern countries, as well as some Asian and African nations. All personally requested the pastors of Bibles for Mideast to baptize them as soon as possible.

The pastors and gospel teams of Bibles for Mideast have been fasting and praying along with the believers for the guidance of our Lord and His will to be done. God willing, baptismal services will be held within a few days in these different regions..

Terrorists, militants and religious police vigilantly oppose evangelical activities in all of these areas, and will do all they can to prevent the baptisms. God alone can protect the people from harm.

Bibles for Mideast baptized 24 former Muslims in the Arabian Sea last week. Islamic militants, on discovering the plans, arrived on the scene ready to shoot those in attendance. But our gracious Lord created a giant dust storm between the candidates and the militants, protecting them all. The incident encouraged the new believers tremendously, strengthening their faith and determination.

We request the earnest prayers of God’s children around the globe for this great task. May the power of the Highest overshadow all of the candidates, ministers, attendees and other believers and seekers. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ seal them by His precious victorious life-giving blood, shed on Calvary for the salvation of humanity. May the power of the Holy Spirit cover them all with His Mighty flame. May our Lord be with them and use them as His witness to many, especially within the Muslim world. Amen and halleluiah!

"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  (Matt. 9:36-38)

Pope Francis and Canterbury Archbishop Justin want Christian unity

Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby are thinking seriously about Christian unity. "Ecumenical and interreligious dialogue is not a luxury, but something which our world, wounded by conflict and division, increasingly needs," they say.

Meeting formally for the third time to mark the 50th anniversary of the Anglican Centre in Rome, they reported in a joint statement they are "undeterred" by the "serious obstacles" to full unity between Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

Archbishop Justin and Pope Francis at Vespers in Rome

In their Common Declaration, they said that differences over issues such as women's ordination "cannot prevent us from recognizing one another as brothers and sisters in Christ by reason of our common baptism."

"Nor should they ever hold us back from discovering and rejoicing in the deep Christian faith and holiness we find within each other's traditions."

The Common Declaration was made at a service of Vespers in the Church of Saint Gregory on the Caelian Hill in Rome, from where in 595 AD, Pope Gregory sent Augustine to evangelize the Anglo-Saxon people. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597.

During the service, 19 pairs of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops from across the world were commissioned by the Pope and Archbishop before being ‘sent out’ in mission together.

"Fourteen centuries ago, Pope Gregory sent the servant of God, Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, and his companions, from this holy place, to preach the joyful message of the Word of God,” Pope Francis told them. “Today we send you, dear brothers, servants of God, with this same joyful message of His everlasting kingdom."

"Our Savior commissioned his disciples saying, 'Peace be with you',” Archbishop Justin Welby added. “We too, send you out with His peace, a peace only He can give. May His peace bring freedom to those who are captive and oppressed, and may His peace bind into greater unity the people He has chosen as His own."

The meeting comes 50 years after Pope Paul VI and Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey met in Rome in a historic spiritual healing of the four-century rift between the two churches.

Pope John Paul II later went on to meet Archbishop Robert Runcie, and then Archbishop George Carey, and Pope Benedict XVI met Archbishop Rowan Williams, also praying together at St Gregory's.

"Fifty years ago our predecessors recognized the 'serious obstacles' that stood in the way of a restoration of complete faith and sacramental life between us,” Archbishop Welby and the Pope declared. "Nevertheless, they set out undeterred, not knowing what steps could be taken along the way, but in fidelity to the Lord's prayer that His disciples be one. Much progress has been made concerning many areas that have kept us apart.

"Yet new circumstances have presented new disagreements among us, particularly regarding the ordination of women and more recent questions regarding human sexuality."

Behind these differences lies a perennial question about authority.

"These are today some of the concerns that constitute serious obstacles to our full unity. While, like our predecessors, we ourselves do not yet see solutions to the obstacles before us, we are undeterred.

"In our trust and joy in the Holy Spirit we are confident that dialogue and engagement with one another will deepen our understanding and help us to discern the mind of Christ for His Church. We trust in God's grace and providence, knowing that the Holy Spirit will open new doors and lead us into all truth."

The human person is demeaned by personal and societal sin, they added.

"In a culture of indifference, walls of estrangement isolate us from others, their struggles and their suffering, which also many of our brothers and sisters in Christ today endure. In a culture of waste, the lives of the most vulnerable in society are often marginalized and discarded. In a culture of hate we see unspeakable acts of violence, often justified by a distorted understanding of religious belief.

"Our Christian faith leads us to recognize the inestimable worth of every human life, and to honor it in acts of mercy by bringing education, healthcare, food, clean water and shelter and always seeking to resolve conflict and build peace. As disciples of Christ we hold human persons to be sacred, and as apostles of Christ we must be their advocates."

MAY OUR LORD'S NAME BE GLORIFIED. EACH AND EVERY PERSON MUST HAVE THE BORN-AGAIN EXPERIENCE OF THE SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIST AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER THROUGH OUR UNITY IN CHRIST. WE PRAY FOR IT. OUR LORD SAID, "THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU" (JOHN 15:12).

Heavenly dust storm protects newly-baptized from militant gunfire

Report: Bibles for Mideast

October 2, 2016: Some 50 Christians in the Middle East directly experienced the mighty protection of the Lord Jesus today at a water baptismal service in the Arabian Sea. Following three days of fasting and prayer and by God’s ever-loving grace, Bibles for Mideast officiated at the baptism of 24 new converts from Islam.

In spite of the area being unsafe to practice Christianity openly, the new believers themselves requested the service.

“When gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Peter asked the disciples how any could forbid them being baptized,” reflected Pastor Paul, Director of Bibles for Mideast. [Acts 10:47]  “So we together prayed with fasting and obeyed the great commission of the Lord to the baptismal candidates.”

“About 50 people, including the baptism candidates, attended the service,” explained newly-baptized Rizwan. “We all went by a bus. After the service and prayers, we entered the bus to return back in our house church for the worship service and the Lord’s Supper.” Every effort had been made to keep the service secret.

“Maybe it was their plan to kill us in the sea during the baptism service,” Rizwan wondered. “But somehow we finished earlier [than planned] and tried to return back.”

A small convoy of militants suddenly appeared behind the bus and opened fire. All they knew to do was pray to the Lord for protection as they sped away, the gunmen in hot pursuit.

When a massive dust storm formed behind them, they now feared being trapped in the dark, churning grime and becoming easy prey for their pursuers. 

Then, just as suddenly, Jesus materialized in the storm clouds and dust.

“He appeared as a mighty and wonderful man showing his protecting and lovely hands towards us with a sweet smile,’ exulted Rizwan. “Jesus saved us! He himself blocked the road of militants in the form of a dust storm.”

The gunfire slowed and stopped, enabling the bus to drive safely back to the church.

Once again we praise and thank our Lord Jesus Christ for showing His love and care towards His children. Thank You and praise You Lord.

UPDATE:

Dec 13: Saharan snake bites Muslim woman, Jesus heals, family believes

Dec 20:  At the sound of Jesus’ voice, militants toppled, guns blown from their hands

The ministries of Bibles for Mideast operate on faith alone. 
We appreciate the support and prayers of the children of God.