I wrote this email to a Middle-Eastern Christian Leader today and am eagerly waiting his reply. I would appreciate your thoughts on the topic as well. I am seriously seeking an answer and would welcome serious reflection from those that care to respond. Here's my letter . . .
"Dear _____: I had the pleasure of hearing you speak very recently and was impressed with what God has done and can do and is doing in your part of the world. As a committed Christian, involved actively in mission work both in Canada and Africa, I am fully aware of the need to love our enemies; pray for them; and releasing the truth unto them. God does the rest.
"I understand the need for that in order that many may come to a full knowledge of HIM. I commend you for what you and your team are doing in the midst of the situation you are in.
"My question, however, has to do with the "other aspect" of what may also be our responsibility, but I am not sure. And that is this:
"While we have a responsibility to do all the Bible empowers us to do to introduce men and women to Christ, do we as "Body of Christ" also have any responsibility in utilizing our influence to stem the genocide (for that is what I believe it amounts to if we collectively are aware of all Christians that are persecuted and killed by others) that we see before us around the world? Do we have a responsibility to take stronger action together to convince the non-Islamic countries that we must act to stop this globally before it is too late? Do we have a responsibility to act like those who acted to protect Jews against Hitler, for example? I fear the "boot" of intolerant radical Islam is making big gains and is marching and stomping across the face of the earth.
"As one who works with those in Africa, I see it annually coming down from northern Africa to south of the Sahara dessert and having a great influence with its power, money, and fear-causing approach. I simply ask "Is it time for some of the Church's well-known leaders to come together to discuss what can be done to influence those global leaders that will still hear us?"
"I realize the simple answer may be "We cannot do that, only God can". I know that, and I must admit I find it difficult to share my feelings on this topic with so many that have no idea of what is going on across the face of the earth these days. The devil is working 24/7 and he has undertaken an incredible recruiting program, as well as a major initiative to lie to the world. Yes, only God can -- but what can we do with God, for God, and for our children and grandchildren for the sake of God's Kingdom? I am not yet ready to believe the answer is "nothing". Perhaps you or others can convince me otherwise.
"Please understand I am asking about the "other side" of the equation -- you have well handled the Christian's responsibility to "the Great Commission". I have no quarrel with that and am on board. My heart yearns to discover what God would have us do for those that are Christians already, to keep them from perishing at the hands of the enemy. Think of it as the difference between "witnessing to slaves" in the days of slavery and protecting the slaves that have been freed after England and the United States abolished slavery. Are we doing anything for the latter situation including those Muslims that are being converted to Christianity even today? (The young lady you mentioned in your talk comes to mind.)
"That is my sincere question.
"I would appreciate your thoughts on this and I would be happy to correspond with you on this issue. If there was some interest as to how an ordinary man like me could be involved in helping bring this about, I would be happy to devote myself to it.
"In His Service with you, Ken B. Godevenos, Toronto."
"Dear _____: I had the pleasure of hearing you speak very recently and was impressed with what God has done and can do and is doing in your part of the world. As a committed Christian, involved actively in mission work both in Canada and Africa, I am fully aware of the need to love our enemies; pray for them; and releasing the truth unto them. God does the rest.
"I understand the need for that in order that many may come to a full knowledge of HIM. I commend you for what you and your team are doing in the midst of the situation you are in.
"My question, however, has to do with the "other aspect" of what may also be our responsibility, but I am not sure. And that is this:
"While we have a responsibility to do all the Bible empowers us to do to introduce men and women to Christ, do we as "Body of Christ" also have any responsibility in utilizing our influence to stem the genocide (for that is what I believe it amounts to if we collectively are aware of all Christians that are persecuted and killed by others) that we see before us around the world? Do we have a responsibility to take stronger action together to convince the non-Islamic countries that we must act to stop this globally before it is too late? Do we have a responsibility to act like those who acted to protect Jews against Hitler, for example? I fear the "boot" of intolerant radical Islam is making big gains and is marching and stomping across the face of the earth.
"As one who works with those in Africa, I see it annually coming down from northern Africa to south of the Sahara dessert and having a great influence with its power, money, and fear-causing approach. I simply ask "Is it time for some of the Church's well-known leaders to come together to discuss what can be done to influence those global leaders that will still hear us?"
"I realize the simple answer may be "We cannot do that, only God can". I know that, and I must admit I find it difficult to share my feelings on this topic with so many that have no idea of what is going on across the face of the earth these days. The devil is working 24/7 and he has undertaken an incredible recruiting program, as well as a major initiative to lie to the world. Yes, only God can -- but what can we do with God, for God, and for our children and grandchildren for the sake of God's Kingdom? I am not yet ready to believe the answer is "nothing". Perhaps you or others can convince me otherwise.
"Please understand I am asking about the "other side" of the equation -- you have well handled the Christian's responsibility to "the Great Commission". I have no quarrel with that and am on board. My heart yearns to discover what God would have us do for those that are Christians already, to keep them from perishing at the hands of the enemy. Think of it as the difference between "witnessing to slaves" in the days of slavery and protecting the slaves that have been freed after England and the United States abolished slavery. Are we doing anything for the latter situation including those Muslims that are being converted to Christianity even today? (The young lady you mentioned in your talk comes to mind.)
"That is my sincere question.
"I would appreciate your thoughts on this and I would be happy to correspond with you on this issue. If there was some interest as to how an ordinary man like me could be involved in helping bring this about, I would be happy to devote myself to it.
"In His Service with you, Ken B. Godevenos, Toronto."
[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]
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It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.
Hi Ken;
ReplyDeleteYours is an articulate, thought-provoking and practical letter. You humbly raise a crucial and difficult question that does need answering by and within the Body of Christ as well as other faith groups.
I have no authoritarian answer for you. I will share my thoughts because, after about 30 years of one-on-one sharing of Jesus' "Good News" combined with community and global social action, I have come to question the latter.
I am no longer sure that Scripture really does call we Jesus Followers to social action, other than fervent prayer about societal and global ills and personal one-on-one action, when Jesus commands that we be "salt and light". (Your Body of Christ "educational activities" by blogging, letter writing to government, etc., and personal, missional work in Africa, are all examples of the latter in case a reader is unclear what they CAN do on their own to be salt and light.)
I have come to believe this for three principle reasons:
1. and most importantly,there are no calls by Jesus or the Apostolic writers to social action that I can find. (A great deal of teaching pushing Body social action seems to rely on Matthew 5:13-16; but I feel, the teachers ignore the context of what Jesus was REALLY saying and draw mostly on Opinions 1 when they teach and write this way.)
2. and closely allied, there are no Biblical stories about Jesus or his first Followers or those in the early church engaging in activities to correct worldly ills in their times, e.g. slavery, poverty, far worse genocide of Christians for about 300 years.
3. the "protective sword" is given to the state not to Jesus Followers ...except again via prayer (Romans 13:1-7).
I agree that it is appalling that the world leaders of traditional religion, are mostly and collectively silent while Christians are being murdered around the world simply because of their faith by members of other religions, most outrageously and systematically, Islam.
My condemnation is particularly extended also to the Jurisprudents and Mullahs of so-called peaceable Islam. I call their silence "passive terrorism"!
However all so-called top religious leaders should be ashamed and will answer to God, not me, for failing to call on their local church, mosque, synagogue and temple leaders to effect the change of the ignorance of their congregants that you mention.
Failing all else people of faith, especially we Christians, must be urged to pray ...without ceasing... while calling on their government leaders to take practical action to stop the current world-wide genocide of Christians by Islamists and others, often with the support of their governments i.e. Egypt, Iraq, Malaysia, and Sudan.
Blessings all,
Gary in Toronto
Thanks Gary. I find no fault in your answer. Well given. But, gee, it's hard to swallow or accept -- at least for a "fixer" like myself. I do feel however that we may be somehow held accountable for standing by (and perhaps not praying enough as a minimum) for the massacres that occur, facilitated by our silence -- both with respect to Radical Intolerable Islam, and also in the abortion rooms of the world. Thanks for writing. I'd love to hear from more.
ReplyDeleteWe agree, Ken, that Jesus Followers will be held accountable for prayerlessness or not praying at all about the genocide of their Brothers and Sisters around the world because the slaughter is as systematic and organized as was the Holocaust. It's not just systemic in Islam.
ReplyDeleteRe doing more than praying and writing one's government, I leave between you "fixers" and Holy Spirit, the "Great Convictor", for the reasons I suggested above. (BTW, my own "fixer passion" still wants to push me where I now believe the Bible does not call me to go. So I can relate to the personal challenge you mention.)
You speak about "Radical Intolerable Islam" and I commented above that Islamic Imams, Jurisprudents, and Mullahs are "Passive Terrorists". Some of the followers of this Blog who have not read the Qur'an may not understand why Islamic religious leaders are actually prevented from and, actually, in danger if they speak out against Infidel murder of Christians and Jews.
The media and Islamic apologist organizations like The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other fronts of the Muslim Brotherhood in academia and Islamic communities in Canada and the U.S. are constantly using "liefare" and "lawfare" to condition non-Muslims into believing that Islam is actually a "peaceable religion". This a lie!
CAIR's propaganda is liefare because the many and later-revealed verses in the Qur'an which command violence and warfare to expand Islam and dominate the world e.g.Qur'an 8:39, 9:5, 9:29, clearly abrogate (over-rule) the few earlier-revealed and peace-promoting verses e.g., Qur'an 2:256. This is because of the inviolable Qur'anic "Principle of Abrogation".
This principle is supported by every Islamic "School of Jurisprudence" (legal body) and the Eulema (Elders of the Faith). The religious leadership of Islam cannot contradict al-Qaeda's Fatah's, Hezbollah's and other Islamic terrorist organizations' leaders because the latter are correct about what they tell Muslims that their Allah commands in the Qur'an.
BTW, in reflecting in my mind on my comments earlier today, I realized that Jesus Followers who fail to pray and speak out, publicly and regularly, against Christian genocide can rightly be labelled "Passive Terrorists".
Thanks again Gary. We agree. The problem with pointing out the truth about the inconsistencies in their holy book, and/or the rules that their prominent authorities follow -- well, it all falls on deaf ears if it contradicts their current geopolitical goals.
ReplyDeleteI have recently been thinking about doing a blog on the harm of segregating "Radical Islam" from the rest of movement. I may still do that. Keep the faith.
You're welcome, ken!
ReplyDeleteTo encourage your blog on the topic you suggest, I'll share that my research has discovered that a number of VERY prominent ex-Muslims agree with you that so-called "radical Islamism" is actually "by the book" Qur'anic- and Hadith-supported Islam.
Here's what one such writer says:
"There are moderate Muslims but no such thing as moderate Islam!" ~ Ibn Warraq, Pakistani author of 7 books: "Why I Am Not a Muslim" (1995), "The Origins of the Koran" (1998), "The Quest for the Historical Muhammad" (2000), "What the Koran Really Says: Language, Text and Commentary" (2002) and "Defending the West: A Critique of Edward Said's Orientalism" (2007).