Pakistan: child injured during shooting, Christian martyrs - parents and siblings killed, Page 4

December 2001

Articles in this issue:  War Against the Church, Page 1 | Indonesia, Page 2 | Indonesia, Pakistan, Page 3 | Pakistan, Page 4

“The righteous cry and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

Pakistan (continued)

Child injured during the shooting at St. Dominic's.

Rev. Emmanuel was leading the prayer. The terrorists indiscriminately began firing for a period lasting about five minutes. Fifteen worshippers including the pastor, with Bible in hand, fell dead on the spot. Many more were seriously wounded. Three of the wounded later died from their injuries in the Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital. Including the security guard, an off duty policeman, a total of nineteen (19) innocent people died. Among the dead were women and children. The youngest victim was only 2 years old! This horrible atrocity is believed to be an act of retaliation by Muslim militants who had made public their threats to kill two Christians for every Muslim killed by US forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan's small Christian community is now living in fear of further attacks. Please pray that the Lord would comfort their hearts and give them the courage to continue meeting together and declaring the love of Christ. Ask God to protect the Christians from harm and help them to love their enemies. A challenge...

No doubt you have seen the scenes of Muslims in various countries protesting in outrage that `their brothers' are being attacked in Afghanistan. In passionate solidarity they call for Muslims worldwide to show their support by joining the jihad.

Hey Christians, why the silence?? What about OUR suffering brothers and sisters in Indonesia and Pakistan, not to mention Sudan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, China, just to mention a few of the countries where Christians are suffering great persecution today? IF WE AS CHRISTIANS HAD HALF THE OUTRAGE OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS AND EXPRESSED IT _ NOT IN VIOLENCE _ BUT IN EARNEST PRAYER TO GOD AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR OUR SUFFERING BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THEN PERHAPS THE WORLD WOULD SEE OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND OUR ZEAL FOR GOD. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).

	This young man and his sister saw their parents and siblings killed before their eyes. They will now live with their grandmother (center).

While we should on one hand be concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism, the ANSWER is to get a bit EXTREME ourselves _ extreme followers of Jesus Christ, consumed with love for our brothers and sisters, consumed with love for those who do not know the Lord, and consumed with love for those who would persecute Christ and His church! Forget `terrorist cells'. How about cells of Christian communities, "forcefully advancing" the Kingdom of God (Matthew 11:12) as we overcome the darkness with the love of God, being firm in our declaration that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

Indeed, we must first learn to lower our heads and bend our knees in humble prayer before we can rise tall with our heads lifted up. Then we can proclaim along with Christ Jesus, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against my church!"

(Click here for more information on Pakistan.)

POSTED:  January 21, 2002

December 2001

Articles in this issue:  War Against the Church, Page 1 | Indonesia, Page 2 | Indonesia, Pakistan, Page 3 | Pakistan, Page 4