Radical Experiment-FBCW: 2013-01

2013-01-29

Secret Church

Posted: 28 Jan 2013 08:46 AM PST

Pastor Saeed Abedini, previously mentioned on our blog, was put on trial last Monday in Tehran, Iran. Handling his case is Judge Abbas Pir-Abbassi, infamous for harsh rulings and sentences, and thereby deemed a “hanging judge.” The American Center for Law and Justice reported that ”the regime alleged that Pastor Saeed intentionally sought to sway the minds of Iranian youth by turning the youth toward Christianity and against Islam, the official religion of Iran.” In addition to this, he is also being accused of creating “a network of Christian house churches.” Perhaps this was the scariest thought to the current Iranian regime. The growth of the Christian church there.

It seems that Pastor Saeed has remained faithful. According to a post from his wife on the "Pray for Pastor Saeed Abedini" Facebook page, “Saeed was able to share from the Bible to the Judge and say that he was not a political person and had no political intentions, but he was a follower of His Lord Jesus Christ. There will be no more hearings and the formal charges and sentences will most likely be announced next week according to his lawyer in Iran. There seemed to have been moments when the judge was moved by Saeed’s testimony. Please continue to pray for the Judge and Saeed’s release and his return back to our family. We should be hearing some news next week.”

On Sunday, we learned more about this story, and Pastor Saeed was sentenced to eight years in one of Iran’s most notorious prisons, Elvin. Let us pray hard for Pastor Saeed, his wife, and his two children (pictured above).

Pray for the Abedini family to be comforted by God and remain confident in their faith.
Pray that Pastor Saeed is faithful to proclaim the gospel boldly and clearly in whatever platform he is given.
Pray that he and his family’s faith is strengthened.
Pray that God would use this situation to display His glorious power to the world.
Pray for Pastor Saeed’s release and that the power of his witness would only increase as a result.
Pray for other brothers and sisters in prison for their faith like Pastor Saeed, but who don’t receive the same international media attention.
Pray that his persecutors will see the light of Christ in him and that they would repent and trust in Jesus for their salvation.

Information for this post was gathered from Open Doors, ACLJ, and Fox News.

2013-01-25

Secret Church

New World Watch List

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST

Open Doors released their updated World Watch List earlier this month. The list ranks the countries in which Christians are most persecuted for their faith. As they note in a press release earlier this month, persecution is on the rise in a lot of African countries. They point to an increase in the influence and thinking of Muslim extremist groups such as Boko Haram in Nigeria.

One of the African countries that is feeling the effects of this extremism is Eritrea. Located in the Horn of Africa right next to Ethiopia and Somalia (numbers 15 and 5 on the list, respectively), Eritrea has seen a slight increase in persecution, moving from number 11 to number 10 in 2013. Muslim extremists are adding pressure, but they are also experiencing persecution from the Orthodox Church there, the only government-accepted religious entity in Eritrea. Orthodox Church members will often report evangelicals to the government, who will in turn arrest them and throw them into prisons or large shipping containers within military camps. Just recently, and in the wake of a failed coup, Eritrean officials arrested ten underground church leaders. This is part of a systematic effort in which the goal is eradication of the underground evangelical church “by targeting its key leaders around the country."

There is one country on the list that has not moved for over a decade now This is the eleventh consecutive year that North Korea has been number 1 on the World Watch List, and the persecution of Christians here, unlike in the African countries and most of the other ones across the Middle East, does not have anything to do with Muslim extremism. This communist state is totally against any type of organized religion, especially Christianity. Two North Korean Christians were recently confirmed dead after receiving Bible training in China and then returning to North Korea to share the gospel with their families and friends. One was shot by a border guard while trying to re-enter the closed country, and the other was sent to one of North Korea’s notorious labor camps where he died after being tortured, over-worked, and under-fed. The saddest part of this story is that “Christians die for their faith almost every day in North Korea.”

Let these stories encourage us in our faith and challenge us to be bold in places where we have a lot more freedom to do so. But also, let these stories be a pressing reminder to pray for our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who are experiencing intense persecution. According to Open Doors, prayer is their number one request. They need our help in asking the Father for strength to follow Christ in these places where it is so difficult to do so.

Information for this post was gathered from Open Doors and their World Watch List.

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 01/25/2013

vom groups

weekly prayer updates

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray

"praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18

VOM-USA Prayer Update for January 25, 2013
On Thu. Jan 24 2013 at 02:35 PM Moderator wrote:
Tanzania--Christian Teen Released from Prison
Source: VOM Sources

John 14:6

Eighteen-year-old Eva Abdallah, who spent the past year in prison on blasphemy charges, has been released from prison after the High Court of Tanzania overturned her conviction. Eva was arrested in January 2012 when local Muslims in her home state of Bagamoyo accused her of urinating on a Quran, and in July she was sentenced to two years in prison. But on Jan. 9, 2013, the High Court acquitted her of the charges and ordered her release. Eva was attending a Bible school and living with a pastor's family when she was arrested. Her parents disowned her when she became a believer as a young teen. Praise God for her release, and pray that she will find a safe place to live. Pray that those who accused her will come to know Jesus Christ.

Colombia--Rebels Kill Widow of Murdered Evangelist
Source: World Watch Monitor

Romans 10:17

Four months ago, National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas demanded that Alicia Castilla leave her home in Arauca, in northeastern Colombia. On the evening of Jan. 7, during a visit from the family's pastor, assassins entered her home and shot her in front of her three children and her father. She died immediately. The guerrillas had killed Alicia's husband, a lay-minister, two years earlier. Pray for Christians in Colombia, who face daily threats from rebel groups opposed to the spread of Christianity.

Iran--Armenian Pastor Conditionally Released
Source: Mohobat News

Ephesians 6:16

After spending 15 days in Iran's Evin Prison, Rev. Vruir Avanessian was conditionally released after posting about $60,000 of his personal property as bail. The pastor was released due to serious health problems and the need for special medical care, but he was ordered to await a court summons. So far, authorities have given no reason for his arrest, and no charges have been filed. Vruir, an Armenian Christian pastor, and several other Christians were arrested by secret police from the Ministry of Information while gathered for a Christmas celebration. About 50 men and women were detained for several hours and ordered to provide their full name, address, cellphone number and other personal information, such as Facebook and e-mail account IDs and passwords. While in prison, Vruir was transported to the hospital for treatment of his diabetes, heart disease and kidney failure, and he returned to the hospital prior to his release. Pray for Vruir as he struggles to maintain his health while awaiting a court summons.

Philippines--VOM Project

Pray for the VOM team in the Philippines, who are distributing 1,000 copies of Hearts of Fire in a local language. The books will be distributed to pastors, leaders and other Christians living in Muslim-dominated areas.

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Suggested Links

Persecution.com
The Voice of the Martyrs official homepage. Find links to our programs, read news about recent events, and learn more about the organization.

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Order books, videos, and other materials related to the persecuted church through our secure online store.

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2013-01-24

Zondervan Blog

Spending time with Lord everyday as a teen

Posted: 23 Jan 2013 02:40 PM PST

Being a teenager means juggling school, jobs, church, and extracurricular activities. The average teenager's day is full of activities, homework, and friendships. One great way to make these busy days more peaceful is stopping daily to focus on God's Word and taking time to reflect on His insights for every teen's life.

Two useful tools to help navigate a teen's time with the Lord are both the Once-A-Day Bible and the Once-A-Day Devotional. Each one works as a companion for the other with daily-portioned readings, insightful devotionals, and prayer guides. Each of these will make it easy and convenient for teens to meet with the Lord every day, even with their crazy schedules.

We are giving away both the Once-A-Day Bible and the Once-A-Day Devotional! You can enter to win both below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Secret Church

Newsletter for Secret Church Hosts

Posted: 23 Jan 2013 02:04 PM PST

If you are have registered to be a host for the upcoming Secret Church simulcast, you should have received the following newsletter via email from LifeWay today. If you did not receive the newsletter …

Check your junk/spam folders. The email came from the “Secret Church Simulcast Team.”
If you still don’t see it, make sure you have set up your simulcast account. We’ve provided step-by-step directions here.
If your account is already set up and the email isn’t in your junk folder, we would suggest contact LifeWay just to make sure your registration processed. You can contact them at secretchurch@lifeway.com or 866.713.3512.

In the meantime, here’s what the newsletter said …

You are receiving this message because you have signed up for the Secret Church Simulcast. The Secret Church team will be updating you every 2-3 weeks on vital information regarding the simulcast.

What do you do from here? Your next best step is to familiarize yourself with your Secret Church account, where you will find all resources related to simulcasting and the broadcast of Secret Church. To log in, use the same email and password you use to log in to your LifeWay.com account – you will be taken directly to your account by clicking HERE.

If you are unable to log in because you haven't activated your account, click the "Sign In/Register" or "My Account" link in the top right hand corner above the search button on LifeWay.com. Once you have logged into your account, click "Order History," and your Secret Church Simulcast purchase will be listed here. Click on "Manage Your Simulcast" and follow the online instructions. (You can find step-by-step instructions for setting up your simulcast account HERE.)

The first time you log in to your account, you will be asked for some additional information – this information is strictly for ongoing support leading up to the simulcast. We need this information in order to provide technical support.

RADICAL :: Radical and LifeWay are partners in producing the Secret Church Simulcast. To find out more information about Radical, please visit the Radical website.

SECRET CHURCH BLOG :: In the days leading up to Secret Church, the team at Radical will be providing additional resources in preparation for the simulcast on Good Friday. Specifically, the resources will be focused on Chinese Muslims – who are also known as the Hui (pronounced "way"). Monday through Friday, the blog will feature specific ways you can pray for this persecuted region of the world. Radical encourages you to post these daily emails to your own blogs, bulletins, or websites. To subscribe to this blog, please click HERE.

SECRET CHURCH OFFERING :: An offering will be taken during Secret Church. All proceeds from this offering will support persecuted Christians worldwide through ongoing ministry initiatives as well as providing Secret Church Bible teaching materials in many native languages.

If your church is currently supporting a ministry that helps persecuted Christians, we would encourage you to use your collected offering to support that ministry. To assist Radical with ongoing ministry for the persecuted church, such as translation and distribution of Secret Church materials in other languages, we would like to request that you give at least 10% of your Secret Church offering to Radical.

SOCIAL MEDIA :: Did you know that Secret Church is on Twitter? You can follow Secret Church HERE or search @Secret_Church. The official hash-tag for Secret Church this year is #sc13.

TECHNICAL TESTING :: Please make sure that you complete at least one testing opportunity. For your convenience, we have automated our testing sessions in order for you to test your simulcasting capabilities and equipment. We suggest that you test for at least 65 minutes. Due to the nature of the event, we also suggest testing Friday night at 9pm. To participate in one of the tests, log in to your simulcast account.

Weekly Testing (CST) :: Tuesday 2pm | Thursday 6pm | Friday 9pm | Saturday 10am | Saturday 2pm

OTHER DATES :: Please make note of the following dates and times.

March 28th, 2013
- 4:00-8:00pm (CST) :: MANDATORY LIVE TESTING
March 29th, 2013
- 5:00pm (CST) :: Streaming and Tech Support Begins
- 6:00pm (CST) :: Secret Church Begins
April 2nd, 2013 – Complete online Simulcast evaluation

NEED HELP? If you have any questions about the Secret Church Simulcast, do not hesitate to contact us! Email or call (866.713.3512) LifeWay with questions about purchasing the simulcast or technical concerns. Contact the Radical office with general questions about Secret Church.

2013-01-19

Secret Church

Pray for the Persecuted: A Tale of Two Cities

Posted: 18 Jan 2013 07:10 AM PST

The following was posted by Eric Parker earlier this week on the Radical blog.

Persecution comes in many different forms and on many different levels throughout the world today.

We previously brought attention to news surrounding pastor/speaker Louie Giglio and his recent withdrawal of his acceptance to deliver the benediction at the Presidential inauguration on January 21. This was due to the controversy generated around a sermon that he preached in the 1990′s condemning homosexuality in particular, and sin in general. There are many implications that flow from this, but at the very least, one of those implications is the further restriction of religious toleration in America. Albert Mohler makes the troubling observation that…

“The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historic, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds, casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment. By its newly articulated standard, any preacher who holds to the faith of the church for the last 2,000 years is persona non grata. By this standard, no Roman Catholic prelate or priest can participate in the ceremony. No Evangelical who holds to biblical orthodoxy is welcome. The vast majority of Christians around the world have been disinvited. Mormons, and the rabbis of Orthodox Judaism are out. Any Muslim imam who could walk freely in Cairo would be denied a place on the inaugural program. Billy Graham, who participated in at least ten presidential inaugurations is welcome no more. Rick Warren, who incited a similar controversy when he prayed at President Obama's first inauguration, is way out of bounds. In the span of just four years, the rules are fully changed.”

This benediciton is scheduled to take place at the Presidential inauguration on January 21. I do not think it is by accident that there is another important event taking place on that same day. On January 21, Saeed Abedini is set to stand trial in Iran before a judge who is said to be, "one of Iran's most notorious 'hanging judges'" on the charge of compromising national security, according to Fox News. Charges surround Saeed Abedini's work in establishing house churches in Iran. Saeed could possibly be put to death for his work for the spread of the gospel, and ultimately, for refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus.

Both of these stories contrast one another in many ways, yet at the same time, they are very similar. Ultimately, as we have seen and continue to see, Christ's words in John 15 ring true: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me" (John 15:18-21).

Pray

Pray for believers in both the United States and Iran, as they prayed in Acts 4:24-31: "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them…grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness." Though we should be diligent in prayer for the safety of our brothers and sisters facing persecution around the world, prayer for boldness to proclaim the gospel is seen far more in Acts than prayer for safety. So let us pray for God's glory to be made manifest in the church through the spread of the gospel in accordance with the Father's will.
Pray for Saeed Abedini's release and future work in establishing house churches birthed from the proclamation of the gospel.
Pray for the U.S. and the President to see the long term implications of decisions like the one concerning Louie Giglio and the possible ramifications on religious liberty and freedom in the U.S.
Pray that the gospel would go forth in the U.S. in great power and boldness and that we would begin to see an awakening of the Holy Spirit in people all over the country at all levels of society.

Information for this post was gathered from AlbertMohler.com and Fox News.

2013-01-18

Secret Church

What are people saying about the simulcast?

Posted: 17 Jan 2013 04:00 AM PST

Hear from pastors and small group leaders about why they participate in the Secret Church simulcast.

To learn more about the Secret Church simulcast or to register, visit LifeWay.com/SecretChurch. Discounted pricing is available through Friday, January 18.

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 01/18/2013

vom groups

weekly prayer updates

VOM-USA Prayer Update for January 18, 2013
On Thu. Jan 17 2013 at 02:46 PM Moderator wrote:
Indonesia--Church Closed in Bandung
Source: VOM Sources

1 Kings 8:28–30

Officials in Bandung, Indonesia, have closed the Indonesia Christian Huria Church (HKI), forcing its 200 members to worship elsewhere. On Oct. 23, 2012, Bandung's vice regent ordered authorities to seal the HKI building after prominent area Muslims pressured residents to withdraw approval for the church building. They posted a sign on the front of the building reading, "This building ... is sealed." Under Indonesian law, churches must obtain 60 signatures of local non-Christians in order to get a building and operating permit. The 15-year-old church in Bandung had obtained 77 signatures of non-Christian neighbors before several were pressured to withdraw their support. Church members must now travel more than half an hour through heavy traffic to attend church on the other side of the city of 2.4 million. This is the latest in an alarming trend of church closures on West Java, some of which have been accompanied by violent protests.

Turkey--Men Attacked While Distributing Bibles
Source: VOM Sources

2 Corinthians 12:10

Two Christian men distributing Bibles in a busy shopping district of Istanbul were attacked and severely injured on Jan. 4, 2013. Paramedics took the injured men to the hospital, and police arrested two suspects in the attack. However, the two Christian men disappeared the same evening, and their whereabouts are unknown. A VOM contact had distributed Bibles and Christian DVDs in the same area three days before the attack. In 11 days, his team distributed 10,000 New Testaments and DVDs, and saw many people come to Christ. "Please pray for these two young men as well as for the Turkish Christian community, to be bold for Jesus ... build more courage," our contact asked.

Sudan--Church Demolished in Khartoum
Source: Release International

Psalm 4:1

Police and government officials demolished a church in Sudan's capital recently because the church's members are South Sudanese. The Sudan Pentecostal Church in the Khartoum suburb of Soba Al Aradi was torn down without warning on Jan. 2. An engineer involved in the demolition told Christians that the church's members are "no longer considered citizens of Sudan." Officials said the church was demolished because the South Sudanese are in the country illegally (the suburb was originally a refugee camp for southerners). Christians, however, see the move as further evidence of a government bid to make Sudan purely Islamic.

North Korea--VOM Project

Pray for those who help launch gospel balloons into North Korea. Also pray for the men and women who find the balloons. Many have suffered under the Juche philosophy for decades; pray that they will see the truth of the gospel and turn to Christ.

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• Printer-Friendly Format
• Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook
• Download the prayer application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace
• Download the photo issue application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace
• Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company

Suggested Links

Persecution.com
The Voice of the Martyrs official homepage. Find links to our programs, read news about recent events, and learn more about the organization.

VOMBooks.com
Order books, videos, and other materials related to the persecuted church through our secure online store.

Like us on Facebook
Become a fan of VOM on Facebook! Connect with other fans and discuss recent events.

PrisonerAlert.com
Write to a Christian Prisoner in their own language! Use our letter-writing template online to build your letter, and send it by mail to a needy Christian.

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2013-01-17

Zondervan Blog

Bigger Than Our Troubles

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:15 PM PST

Chances are, your life is stressful. Our work, family, school, and church schedules are a kind of juggling act we maintain while we manage to deal with other unexpected obstacles, like the car breaking down, our kids coming down with a cold, the roof springing a leak. Whatever the case, our day-to-day lives can be so hectic that we forget to stop, breathe, and reflect.

In Psalms 46:10, the Lord declares, "Be still, and know that I am God." But how often are we actually still? And, even more, how often do we really know that God is God? How often do we make our daily activities become bigger in our lives than the still, small voice inside of us? Instead of Christ becoming our main focus, we let our jobs, relationships, and hobbies become the guiding light in our lives. "Be still and know that God is God" becomes "Be stressed and let Stress become our God."

Our hearts become a battlefield, one where the quiet, imploring voice of God is drowned out by the many voices constantly vying for our attention. These voices become self-appointed gods, gods that are always at war with each other, at war with The God, The I AM. So, how do we refocus, how do we learn to be still once again?

These questions are central to Kyle Idleman's Gods At War Bible Study. And on February 27^th, Kyle Idleman will be hosting a Gods at War Simulcast with special musical guests For Kings and Country. Through the simulcast, you can join with your church or small group Bible study while Kyle encourages you to rewire your thoughts and start focusing on a true relationship with Christ. Using true, powerful and honest teaching, the "Gods at War" simulcast and study will help clear path away from the heartache of our 21st century idolatry back to the heart of God — enabling us to truly be completely committed followers of Jesus.

You can register to join the simulcast here, and if you register in January, you and your group can receive 20% off.

Let's refocus and make our hearts still. Jesus assured us in John 16:33 that "in this world you will have trouble" but He immediately declared after this that we should, "take heart! I have overcome the world." Christ is bigger than our troubles, our stressful days, He's much bigger than all our other gods at war.

Secret Church

Secret Church Simulcast: A Great Option

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 04:00 AM PST

Good Friday (March 29) will be upon us sooner than we think, and what better way to celebrate Christ’s redeeming work on the cross than to study the consummation of that redemption in “Heaven, Hell, and the End of the World”? At Secret Church, you can do just that. And while not everyone can attend in person, you can still participate in a very real way. Yes, and this is where it gets crazy. You can actually tune in with your closest friends and family as well as with your brothers and sisters from around the world… while sitting on your living room sofa. How? Host a simulcast in your home.

There are some huge advantages to simulcasting that you just wouldn’t have otherwise. First, who wouldn’t want to have easy access to the bathroom just down the hall, the refrigerator in the kitchen, or the La-Z-Boy you’ve been breaking in for the last ten years? You can even use such a setting to gather with others in a good time of fellowship by implementing a pre-simulcast meal. The simulcast would provide a natural lead-in to conversation that is not centered around sports, weather, work, or Justin Bieber. Studying the Word of God… there can hardly be a better focus.

But let’s not forget the purpose of Secret Church – to pass along what you learn that to others so that you can make disciples of Christ in all nations for God’s glory. So here’s the second perk to simulcasting. You can easily invite your friends, family, and neighbors who don’t know the Lord. You don’t have to wait until after Secret Church to begin the disciple-making. An invitation next door would likely be more comfortable for someone who is uncomfortable with “church” anyway. And since the Mayans were wrong, i.e. we’re still here, why not invite people to see what the Bible says about the apocalypse. This year’s topic may be just the thing that will peak their interest enough to get them in your front door.

Third and last (for this post… the possibilities are endless). Since one of the main ideas behind Secret Church is to drive us to remember the persecuted church and pray for them, why not use the Secret Church simulcast and the days following to pray for the spread of the church in the hard places. Your home could be a great venue for a weekly prayer gathering. March 29th sounds like a great date for the first one…

To learn more about the Secret Church simulcast or to register, visit LifeWay.com/SecretChurch. Discounted pricing is available through Friday, January 18.

Radical Experiment-FBCW

Bible Gateway Beginning Reading Plan (NASB)

For Families

IMB Prayer Lists

NAMB Prayer Lists/News

2013-01-29

Secret Church

Secret Church

2013-01-25

Secret Church

Secret Church

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 01/25/2013

2013-01-24

Zondervan Blog

Zondervan Blog

Secret Church

Secret Church

2013-01-19

Secret Church

Secret Church

2013-01-18

Secret Church

Secret Church

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 01/18/2013

2013-01-17

Zondervan Blog

Zondervan Blog

Secret Church

Secret Church