Have you ever wished you could go to Keswick, the mother of all Bible Teaching Conventions, in the beautiful Lakes District in the north of England, but it’s too far away, too expensive to get to, etc, etc? Well, this year the Keswick Convention is coming to you – virtually. The Conven-tion itself has had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but is being re-placed with the Virtual Keswick Convention. The Virtual Keswick Convention will run from 27-31 July and will feature online teaching, sung worship and seminars for children, youth and adults. Well‐known speakers will include: Christopher Ash who is Writer-in-Resi-dence at Tyndale House, Cambridge and is on the preaching team at St Andrew The Great Church. Christopher is a pastor, preacher, and author, including several books on the Psalms. Chris Wright, the International Ministries Director of Langham Partnership, which provides literature, scholarships and preaching training for Majority World pas-tors and seminaries. He taught in India for five years. His books include Old Testament Ethics For The People Of God; The Mission Of God; The God I Don’t Understand; and The Mission Of God’s People. Andy Prime, a graduate of Oak Hill Col-lege. He was an Associate Pastor at Char-lotte Chapel, Edinburgh. In 2014 he left Charlotte Chapel to plant a church in a housing scheme of Edinburgh called Grace-mount. VKC has a packed online program based on the usual Convention program for adults, youth and children. There’s some-thing for everyone. The theme is HOPE – chosen because at this time of great uncer-tainty – in the midst of a global pandemic, there is hope in Jesus Christ. The program promises to be an encouraging time together – virtually.

The program begins at 9am GMT each day, which is 6pm Australian Eastern Time. FOR FURTHER DETAILS go to: https://vkc.keswickministries.org/

Vol 83 No 2 15 July 2020

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TELLING THE GREAT WORKS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD TODAY

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VOLUME 83 NUMBER 2

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Turkey Sets Sights On Jerusalem After Converting Hagia Sophia Into Mosque ‘The reaction of the Orthodox community was ignored. For the Or-thodox Church, Hagia Sofia is as important as St Peter's Basilica in Rome is for Catholics. The church was built in the 6th Century and was devoted to Christ the Saviour. For us, it has been and will always re-main the Church devoted to Christ’, says Metropolitan Hilarion, spokesman of the Moscow Patriarchate. Hagia Sophia was once the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Moments after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's contro-versial decision to convert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia into a mosque, the Muslim call to prayer sounded from the UNESCO World Heritage site. Once the largest church in Christendom, the Hagia Sophia is a cov-eted symbol. It was first converted into a mosque more than 500 years ago during the Islamic Ottoman Empire, then turned into a museum by Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern-day Turkey. Erdogan's move will likely have consequences throughout the Middle East. ‘The 1934 decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a museum was a way of signaling that Turkey was moving from the Ottoman era of sec-tarianism and hierarchies to a secular republic of equal citizens. Now with this move, Erdogan is once again asserting Islamic supremacism and domination over Turkey's ethnic and religious minorities,’ said Aykan Erdemir of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies. Erdogan's vision has always been more ambitious than controlling his country. In a Facebook post, he said ‘the revival of the Hagia Sophia is a sign towards the return of freedom to the al-Aqsa mosque’ in Jerusalem. He also said the resurrection of Hagia Sophia ‘is a greeting from our heart to all cities from Bukhara to Andalusia.’ Bukhara is in modern-day Uzbekistan and Andalusia is modern-day Spain. Both are references to the Islamic dream of reclaiming lands once under the rule of Islam. For Erdogan, it all begins in Turkey. ‘This is just one of many steps he has taken and will continue to take to socially engineer Turkey into a majoritarian, authoritarian, and sectarian regime. And this will have repercussions beyond Turkey in the Middle East, that many other supremacists' sectarian state and non-state actors who would like to impose their will on ethnic and reli-gious minorities. So, I would expect other [forced] conversions of reli-gious heritage minority sites in the Middle East and beyond,’ said Erdemir. Erdemir believes that Erdogan's move is also a red flag to Turkey's Christians. ‘This I think is going to be disastrous for Turkey's dwindling Christian population,’ he explained. ‘Overall there seems to be a campaign to either scare away Turkey's Christians on the one hand and also to reimpose a sectarian, Sunni Muslim dominant ideology on the other.’ – Chris Mitchell, Breaking Christian News.

TELLING THE GREAT WORKS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD TODAY

Speaking at the church’s Celebrate Freedom Sun‐day, Pence quoted faith-centric comments from the Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln and Mar-tin Luther King Jr and said, ‘The faith of the Amer-ican people will continue to perfect our nation for generations to come. The foundation of America is freedom. The foundation of freedom is faith,’ he said. ‘It is the duty of nations as well as of men … to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.’ The Vice President referenced Scripture often and quoted Philippians 4.6,7: ‘Don’t be anxious about anything, but in every form of prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, with the promise that the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’ Expressing his own faith, he said, ‘As our nation faces these diffi-cult days, I believe more than ever that we stand in the need of prayer. In coming here today … I wanted to encourage you: As you celebrate free-dom in this coming week, practise prayer in a re-

newed way.’ He also told the church about his personal spiri-tual testimony, which involved him attending a Christian music festival in 1978 in Wilmore, Ky. But that event nearly didn’t take place. The orga-nizer had recently married and had considered cancelling the event, believing it would be too dif-ficult to balance with a newlywed life. Then, on the culminating day of the event, Saturday, it rained. ‘The organizer believed it had been for naught,’ Pence said, ‘but the organizer didn’t know a 17-year-old teenager was in the crowd, feeling convicted about his sin. ‘That person was me. I remember that night. Sitting on a hillside, it was raining, and it was like … I heard the words for the first time that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever might believe in Him might not perish but have eternal life. Then I stood up, and I walked down that night – not out of a sense of intellectual as-sent, but because my heart was broken with grati-tude for what had been done for me on the Cross.

– Michael Foust, ChristianHeadlines.com

Mike Pence Tells Texas Mega Church: 'Hold Fast' To Jesus; Pray During 'These Challenging Times' While directed to Christians in America, the Vice President’s remarks are appropriate for Christians everywhere – Ed. Saying ‘the foundation of freedom is faith,’ US Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday 5 July urged members of a Texas mega church to pray for the nation and to rely on God to get America ‘through these challenging times.’ Pence spoke for nearly 30 minutes at First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, the same day he also held a press conference at a local hospital with Governor Greg Abbott and others to address a spike in coronavirus cases in the state. Pence wore a mask at the church and took it off to speak to the crowd. ‘Prayer and faith are key dur-ing America’s current crises,’ he said. ‘I believe with all my heart … that if we will but hold fast to Him, we’ll see our way through these challenging times, we will restore our nation’s health, we will renew our freedom, and we will inspire people across this land with our witness of the love and compassion and strength that comes in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.’

MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF THE DAY MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF THE DAY

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VISITING MELBOURNE? ST KILDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Cnr Alma Rd/Barkly St.

BALACLAVA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Cnr Hotham St/Denman Rd. MINISTER: Rev Luke Isham 0437 672 530

You’re Welcome to gather online with us online on Sundays first on YouTube premiere at 11am followed by a question time on Zoom.

– A Friendly, Caring, Bible-Believing Christian Fellowship –

UPCOMING EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS

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You’re Invited To Colin Buchanan’s Strong And Courageous Concert The Gospel Coalition invites you to tune in to a night of song with Christian artist Colin Buchanan, to reflect on God’s goodness to us dur-ing the COVID-19 season. Although we are living through a disruption unlike any we’ve experienced in Australia since World War 2, we know that God is faithful to His promises, and to His people. A night of song with Colin Buchanan will be held via Facebook Live on Colin’s Facebook page on Thursday 23 July, from 7.30pm. So tune in online and listen to songs that echo God’s sovereign care for us during this uncertain time. The concert is free, and no registration required. Just turn up on Colin’s Facebook page by the commencement time. Why not also invite your non-Christian contacts to come along and enjoy the event to-gether? – Akos Balogh, CEO of The Gospel Coalition Australia

Melbourne City Bible Forum is running an on-line forum designed to equip Christians in their daily work during lockdown. The Post‐COVID Workplace: How To Be Salt And Light In ‘The New Normal’ will explore the dramatic ways that the working world has changed in recent months, and how Christians should respond so as to be salt and light to their colleagues. They will also be sharing encouraging stories of how God has been at work saving people through work relationships during COVID. This event will take place 7.45-8.30am on Wednesday 29 July. Go to: plus.city‐bibleforum.org/postcovidworkplace Facebook event for further details or to share with friends.

EMPART Mission invites you to join them for a virtual gathering of the global Empart family. Igniting Hope 2020 is an online event where you'll hear the latest stories and updates from the field. You'll hear from Jossy and other Empart leaders from around the world who will share what God has achieved so far and will inspire us all to pur-sue His vision for this decade. The event will be held on 27 August 2020, from 7.30pm! (AEST). For further details and registration go to: simon@empart.org

Barnabas Fund Supporters’ Evening A Barnabas Fund Supporters’ Evening will be held from7pm to 9.30pm, Australian Eastern Time, on Thursday 16 July, 2020 (5pm Western; 6.30pm Central). This remote event, hosted by Australian CEO Ashley Saunders, is an opportunity to hear directly from Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund. Patrick will address the effect of Covid-19 on the Church and Christian mission, in the light of the growing persecution which is taking place as well as the multiple natural disasters be-falling the Church. He will seek to point a way ahead from which Barnabas Fund can develop into the future, as it re-structures and re-prioritises its efforts, under God, in order that the Church can be sus-tained, strengthened and advanced in post-Covid times. He will also reflect on how, through the tremendous assistance of Barnabas supporters, the Fund has been able to feed more than half a mil-lion Christians in the last three months. To register your interest for this remote event please go to: barnabasfund.org

Courtesy Warcry

‘Grant that I may not pray alone‘Grant that I may not pray alone with my mouth; help me that Iwith my mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of mymay pray from the depths of my heart.’heart.’ –– Martin Luther Martin Luther

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page FiveNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Five

FAITH NEWS with Stan Hunt FAITH NEWS with Stan Hunt

Seeking Answers To Big Questions More than 1,000 young people from 70 Australian youth ministries joined on-line in June to hear Christian academics answer big questions about God. YouthQ, conducted by the Bible Society Australia, aims to offer both content and connection for youth groups around Australia. YouthQ featured John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, in conversation with Jordan Thyer from Ravi Zacharias Ministries, who is a speaker for RZIM based in Aus-tralia. An ordained pastor, Dan speaks regularly to audiences on how the Gospel connects to life’s biggest questions and on the popular ob-jections to the Christian faith, particularly on the question of suffering. They tackled the burning question of ‘where is God in a coron-avirus world?’ A second YouthQ led by Pastor Dan Paterson, dealt with another curly question: ‘Why isn’t God more obvious?’ One viewer told Eter‐nity News he was pleasantly surprised to hear respected academics wrestle with questions that were utterly relevant. He says the advice offered was helpful and inspiring. To watch the recorded YouTube events go to events@biblesociety.org.au

– Eternity News at biblesociety.org.au New Rules For Church Attendance Churches have been plunged into further calcula-tion and cleaning as the Covid-19 restrictions ease. The latest changes to the NSW Public Health Orders For Places Of Worship are being brought in amid continuing concern about the situation in Victoria where another wave of community trans-mission is emerging. The big-ticket item from the 1 July changes is the maximum number of people allowed to attend a religious service is no longer capped at 50, but by the four-square-metre rule. People still need to be physically distanced at one and a half metres away from one another. The number of people attending is based on the entire ‘publicly accessible area’ of the premises. Children and youth are not required to practise physical distancing in Sunday school and youth group. Some churches are resuming physical services and others are planning to come back progres-sively over coming weeks. They will need to com-ply with this formula. – Sydneyanglican.net Scriptures Bring Healing To Prisoners Chaplains working in NSW correctional centres aim to bring ‘a calming presence and influence’. One way they do this is through studying the Bible with prisoners. Chaplain Wally Pospelyj serves at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Complex near Windsor in Sydney’s north. He reports that the great themes of the Bible – forgiveness, cre-ation, redemption, being made in the image of God – are instantly relevant. Wally is one of 77

chaplains who are spread across 35 correctional facilities in NSW. Along with practical support like teaching convicted murderers how to go shopping upon their release, Wally leads daily chapel ser-vices. He also has 15-minute Bible studies with prisoners. He says considering the dysfunction and backgrounds of the guys in jail, the Scriptures are the only thing that bring healing and release. Prisons will soon have access to new custom Bibles published by Bible Society Australia.

– Eternity News at biblesociety.org.au Salvos To The Rescue Of Bush Fire Victims Families affected by the ‘Black Summer’ bushfire disaster are being provided with a temporary home while they rebuild. The Salvation Army has joined the New South Wales Government and the Minderoo Foundation for the project. The Salvos contributed $1.5 million toward temporary ac-commodation ‘pods’, with built-in electricity, water and sewer systems. The pods are different sizes, depending on the needs of the property owner or size of the family being assisted. The Salvation Army Secretary for Mission, Lieutenant-Colonel Lyn Edge says as well as meeting immedi-ate needs they are there for the long run. The Salvation Army assisted more than 8,000 NSW households during the bushfire response. They are providing ongoing support for thousands of people, including the residents of the 2,475 houses destroyed. More than 100 pods have al-ready been allocated to families across NSW.

Dan Peterson

John Lennox

SYRIA: Caesar's Inhumanity

On 17 June the US government enacted its Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act which mandates that any foreign entity (state, business or individual) found to be conducting business with the Syrian government or entering into contracts related to reconstruction in government-held areas will face US sanctions. Lament-ing the move as 'inhumane' and 'diabolical', Maronite Archbishop Joseph Tobji of Aleppo echoed RLPB's as-sessment, that the Caesar Act is designed 'to increase the suffering of the population to fuel popular discon-tent and thus produce regime change'. It is, as RLPB noted, siege warfare by other means. As Ziad Ghisn (a Syrian journalist who specialises in economics report-ing) explains: 'Whenever sanctions have been enforced, whether by a unilateral decision or by the Security Council, it has always been the people who have paid the biggest price; they are often the sole victim.' Ghisn's post on the London School of Economics' blog (April 2020) focuses on the devastating impact that years of Western sanctions have had on Syria's once thriving health sector. Syria's pharmaceutical industry too was once one of Syria's most successful, private sector-led industries. While it might be correct to say that Western sanctions do not directly target the health sector, this is a deception. In truth, Western sanctions have crippled Syria's health sector and pharmaceuti-cals industry by preventing access to raw materials for pharmaceuticals, medicine-enclosing and packaging materials (such as vials and ampules), hospital equip-ment, laboratory reagents and even repairs and spare parts for life-saving machines. Along with maternal deaths and infant deaths, deaths from entirely treat-able conditions have skyrocketed. In February 2019, Archbishop Tobji of Aleppo lamented that, while the bombs and terror had mostly ceased, the 'war of eco-nomics' was hitting Syrians hard. The siege established by the Caesar Act ensures that the humanitarian crisis in government-held areas is set to escalate. The human rights pretext for the Caesar Act comes from the more than 50,000 images, allegedly smuggled out of Syria by a defector code-named 'Caesar', pur-porting to show the bodies of Syrian civilians tortured to death in Assad's prisons. On this ground, the US de-clares, 'Assad must go!' However, in December 2015, Human Rights Watch released a report titled If The Dead Could Speak, in which HRW concluded that these photos are simply unverified photos of dead people,

nearly half of whom are Syrian soldiers and victims of rebel car bombs and other violence. So the pretext, too, is a deception! The US is acting on behalf of its human rights-abusing allies, Turkey and Saudi Arabia (who simply want to dominate Syria so they might run pipelines through its territory) and to spite Russia (which backed Assad) and China (which views Syria as integral to its Belt & Road Initiative). May the Lord have mercy on the Syrian people!

LEBANON: Sectarian Tensions Ignite

Nationwide protests against Lebanon's political leaders erupted in October 2019, triggered by an un-precedented economic crisis which has since been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. On 6 June protests descended into sectarian violence as calls rang out for Hezbollah to disarm. As veteran Middle East correspondent Dale Gavlak reports, 'That demand ig-nited violent rage from supporters of the powerful Shi'ite paramilitary group backed by Iran ...' Shi'ite agitators aligned with Hezbollah and its ally, Amal, deliberately provoked sectarian conflict. Shi'ite agitators on 'around 200 motorbikes' stormed Ain el-Remmaneh, a poor Christian suburb southeast of Beirut close to the so-called Green Line which divides the city into Muslim and Christian sectors. Ain el-Rem-maneh, a hot-spot for Muslim-Christian violence dur-ing the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), is the birthplace of Samir Geagea, who leads the Christian party 'Lebanese Forces' and is an outspoken critic of Hezbollah. Clashes ensued and a tense stand-off per-sisted throughout the day. The Shi'ite agitators also provoked the Sunnis by chanting Shia sectarian slogans against Aisha, Muhammad's third and youngest wife who waged war against the fourth Caliph, Ali (Muham-mad's cousin and son-in-law), a Shia. Sunnis regard this as akin to blasphemy! President Michel Aoun labelled the unrest an 'alarm bell' and called a meeting for national unity, which most key stakeholders boycotted. Protesters hit the streets again on 11, 12, 13, 18, 25 and 30 June to protest the cost of living, which is soaring as the value of the Lebanese pound continues to plummet. Analysts agree that Lebanon is facing the biggest threat to its stability since the end of the country's civil war. The risk is that the unrest could turn sectarian, something a besieged Hezbollah might assess is in its interests.

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page SixNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Six

MATTERS FOR PRAYER MATTERS FOR PRAYER withwith Elizabeth KendalElizabeth Kendal

SYRIA AND LEBANON: Church In Need

Elizabeth Kendal is the author of Turn Back The Battle: Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today (Deror Books, Melbourne, Australia, Dec 2012) which offers a Biblical response to persecution and existential threat; and After Saturday Comes Sunday: Understanding The Christian Crisis In The Middle East (Wipf and Stock, Eugene, OR, USA, June 2016). See www.ElizabethKendal.com

UK: Prison Broadcasts Bring Families Together Virtually The Church of England broadcast its first online prison church service on Sunday 12 July on prison television and radio as well as on the church's website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer says that with all social visits paused due to the coron-

avirus pandemic, it is great to see technology being used to allow prisoners to connect remotely with their families. The service, with the theme of Hope, will include contributions from prison staff and chaplains as well as prayers, reflections and artwork written and created by prisoners. It will enable prisoners and their families to ‘attend’ the same church service for the first time.

– Anglican News Tony Campolo Suffers Stroke Prominent sociologist, pastor and author Tony Campolo has suffered a stroke and is being treated in hospital. Pastor Campolo is a well-known social activist and co-founder of the Red Letter Christians ministry network. He is 85. The Campolo family released details of the situation, noting that Tony had suffered paralysis down one side of his face and body, but has already started undergoing rehabilitation treatment. Pastor Cam-polo’s wife Peggy, who is prohibited from entering his room due to COVID-19, patiently sits outside his window for most of each day, talking with him and overseeing his care. The family says they are optimistic about getting their lives back on track. They have asked for prayer and say they will up-date Tony’s progress on his website: tonycampolo.org – Premier News

FAITH NEWS with STAN HUNT FAITH NEWS with STAN HUNT

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page SevenNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Seven

TURKEY: Churches Under Attack

WHO CAN WHO CAN YOU YOU INVITE TO SIGN UP FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO INVITE TO SIGN UP FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO NEW LIFENEW LIFE??

TURN BACK THE BATTLE: TURN BACK THE BATTLE: Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today.Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today.

With persecution escalating globally, Elizabeth Kendal calls us to revisit the prophecy of Isaiah, maintaining that Isaiah 1-39 provides an unambiguous treatise on how God's people are to respond to persecution, suffering and existential threat.

For purchasing options, visit: www.ElizabethKendal.com

Attacks on churches in Turkey have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic as Christians are blamed for the crisis and social woes. According to Christian satellite television network SAT-7, churches are being attacked, including incidents of attempted arson and removal of crosses. The TV networks says ‘coronavirus-fuelled anger’ has led to ‘a climate of fear and hatred, which has put Chris-tians in the direct line of protests.’ Turkish SAT‐7 presenter Senem Ekener says they aim to counter that with lives that reflect Christ. He told the Christian Post they are using their platform to encourage Christians to respond to the at-tacks by ‘living out their faith with love and taking the path of peace.’ SAT‐7 is the only Christian network that broadcasts every day in the Turkish language. According to International Christian Concern, Armenian churches in Turkey are often vandalised and defaced.

– The Christian Post

Please Pray For Syria And Lebanon, That Almighty God Will: • provide the Church in Syria with her every need, in particular with all the food, water, shelter, medicines and educational re-sources she requires, not only for herself and her own survival but also for her numerous and varied humanitarian and out-reach ministries (see Matthew 6.31-33); • intervene in Lebanon to subvert all plots to trigger sectarian conflict; may peace reign and those who plot evil fall into their own traps (see Psalm 7.14-16); • provide Lebanon's Christian leaders – political, civic and reli-gious – with all the wisdom, discernment, courage and grace they will need to lead their people through the storms that lie ahead; • move by His Spirit in Syria and Lebanon to redeem all suffer-ing, all grief and all anxiety, and use it to draw those who are lost towards the Saviour, as well as those who are believers into a deeper relationship with their Saviour. May the Lord bring revival and spiritual unity to the churches of Syria and Lebanon.

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FAITH AT WORK FAITH AT WORK LET US PRAY ... LET US PRAY ...Chinese Communist Party Threatened By Growth Of The Church Christians suffer in China as the government cracks down, but the Church continues to see explosive growth. Early Rain Covenant Church is an underground church in China, but one that had been getting very active online. They caught the attention of the Chinese government, who raided the church in 2018. Their Pastor, Wang Yi, is currently servings a nine-year sentence that. One of the elders, Qin Defu, is also still being held in prison, serving a four-year sentence. Voice Of The Martyrs Canada recently posted a letter from his wife, who had been able to talk with him over the phone for many months, but hasn’t heard from him since March. She says, ‘My reasoning makes me believe that he is still alive and that God is with him. However, not hearing from him is like an enemy. It hurts me so much that I suffer every day.’ Where is the threat? Why is this church such a threat to the Com-munist Party? One observer says, ‘What the government is looking to do is [insist that] if you are Chinese, you go along with the com-munist government and their ideology. The Church, and Christianity, is often seen as Western. But it’s also seen as not conforming to Chinese culture. These churches exist and have grown by millions, that is probably the greatest re-vival in all history.’ He cites studies saying there could be as many as 200 million Christians in China by the year 2030. With growth like that, the Communist party fears the Church could start to threaten its power. It has responded by trying to crack down on any expression of Christianity. Even the Three‐Self Patriotic Movement, the state-approved Protestant organization in China, has come under scrutiny lately. And the consequences can be serious for Christians. COVID-19 has been used [for persecution] all over the church, whether it’s North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, India, and even in China. Christians, because they’re not followers of the state ideology, are being withheld food and aid. Pray for Qin Defu’s wife and family, along with other Christians suffering in China, that they would know they are not alone, and that Christ would comfort them. And pray also that the church in China would continue to grow, that persecution could even make the Church grow faster. – Kevin Zeller, Mission Network News

Special Bible For Indigenous Prisoners With more than 25% of the prison population made up of Indigenous in-mates, the team at Prison Fellowship wanted to offer a course that intro-duced Jesus in a way that connected culturally. The Prisoner’s Journey: Aboriginal Edition is a mixture of video testi-monies and stories from the Gospel of Mark. They highlight who Jesus is and how following Him can change a life. Sydneyanglicans.net report Prison Fellowship will roll out the course once the pandemic is over, hoping to see it used in prisons across several states. A team of international organisa-tions, Aboriginal elders and Aborigi-nal Christians worked with Prison Fellowship for twelve months to pro-duce the course. Sydneyanglicans.net

CHINA: The Blood Of The Martyrs Still The Seed Of The Church The Church in China continues to see explosive growth, despite continued government crack-downs. Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs cites studies saying there could be as many as 200 million Christians in China by the year 2030. The growth of the underground church in China is probably the greatest revival in all history, he says. But with growth like that, the Communist party fears the Church could threaten its power. Mr Musselman told Mission Network News the reason the Church is such a threat to the Communist gov-ernment is that it is seen as Western and not conforming to Chinese culture. It has responded by trying to crack down on any expression of Christianity. Even the state- approved Three-Self Church has come under scrutiny lately. Church persecution leads to further growth. But it is a double-edged sword. Persecution also tears families apart and increases their suffering. – Mission Network News

Seafarers Around The World Give Thanks Seafarers joined a virtual service from boats and ports across the world on Sunday 12 July. The Mission to Seafarers conducted the service fea-turing chaplains and seafarers from around the world and the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, the charity's President. Led by the Secretary General of the Mission, Rev Canon Andrew Wright, the online service jumped from the UK to Dubai, with a reading from the Philippines and a prayer from Seattle. The service was an opportu-nity to thank so many for their dedicated service alongside seafarers, who play an important role in keeping the global economy turning.

– Premier News

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FAITH NEWS FAITH NEWS with with STAN HUNT STAN HUNT

US Supreme Court Hands Down Victory For Employers With Pro-life, Religious Beliefs

Provision Of Potable Water Points To ‘Living Water’ Gospel For Asia, a leading mission agency, has provided safe drinking water for a staggering 37.5 million people in Asia, the world's ‘thirstiest’ continent. In the past two decades, GFA World and its partners have provided more than 30,000 wells and 58,000 BioSand filters. GFA reports mil-lions of water-deprived families across Asia now have safe, reliable drinking water. The report comes as the World Health Organization says one

in every three people in the world doesn't have access to safe drinking water. GFA founder K.P. Yohannan says, ‘Jesus Wells, up to 1,500 feet deep, tap underground reserves and bring year-round, clean water to thousands of villages across Asia. By providing safe water, GFA hopes people who've never heard about God's love will see ‘love in ac-tion.’ The United Nations predicts that by the year 2050 up to 5.7 billion people worldwide could be affected by water shortages.

– Christian Newswire

The US Supreme Court is upholding religious ex-emptions for pro-life employers who don't want to be forced to provide contraception, including abortion-inducing drugs, to their employees. In an overwhelming 7-2 ruling, the court sided with the Trump administration which had taken steps to allow employers with religious convictions to be exempt from the birth control mandate in the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, ‘We hold today that the Departments had the statutory authority to craft that exemption, as well as the contempo-raneously issued moral exemption. We further hold that the rules promulgating these exemp-tions are free from procedural defects.’

The case revolved around a group of nuns who were fighting back against the contraception mandate, saying it violated their religious beliefs. The nuns had fought the case and won before, but then the state of Pennsylvania tried again to force them to violate their pro-life beliefs. Thomas continued in his ruling, ‘For over 150 years, the Little Sisters have engaged in faithful service and sacrifice, motivated by a religious calling to surrender all for the sake of their brother ... But for the past seven years, they have had to fight for the ability to continue in their noble work without violating their sincerely held religious beliefs.’ – CBN News via Breaking Christian News

Many Russians Far From Persuaded It’s hard to share the Gospel when people think they are already Christians, but that’s the challenge the Slavic Gospel Association is having in the Soviet Union. Eric Mock, with SGA, says many Russians consider themselves to be Christians, especially as part of the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest denomination in the country. He says they call themselves Christian because they call themselves Rus-sian. Many see Christianity as an ethnic or nationalistic identity. But they have no idea of Christian faith. Mr Mock told Mission Network News most Orthodox Russians attend church during Christmas and Easter. Outside of that, they have absolutely nothing to do with the Church. The SGA asks Chris-tians to pray that a relationship with Jesus Christ would replace religious nationalism. – MNN

Glorious Things – A Protestant’s Guide To London • Revised! • Updated! • Illustrated! • Now Available As An e-Book!

Glorious Things will help visitors to London arrive well prepared to make the most of their time there. The guided tours will take you to places like Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral,

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As Christians feared and many expec‐ted, the Church Of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wis‐dom) is now, again, a mosque, following a brief spell as a ‘museum’ (1934 to 2020). The Turkish Council of State ruled on 10 July that the original 1934 decision to con-vert the 6th Century Byzantine basilica into a museum was illegal. When Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II con-quered then-Constantinople, he placed the iconic church in a waqf – an Islamic en-dowment administering personal property, usu-ally designated for religious purpose. The original stipulations opened the building for Islamic prayers, and sharia law keeps waqf designations in perpetuity. Shortly after the court’s decision, President Recep Erdogan signed – and tweeted – a decree handing the building to Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate. In a televised address to the nation, Erdogan said the first prayers inside the Hagia Sophia would be held on 24 July, and urged re-spect for the decision. ‘I underline that we will open Hagia Sophia to worship as a mosque by preserving its character of humanity’s common cultural heritage,’ he said, adding: ‘It is Turkey’s sovereign right to decide for which purpose Hagia Sophia will be used.’ Istanbul‐based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholo-mew I, considered the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, warned in late June that the building’s conversion into a mosque ‘will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.’ And UNESCO reminded Turkey of its international obligations, as the Hagia Sophia is registered as a World Heritage site. ‘A state must make sure that no modification undermines the outstanding universal value of a site listed on its territory,’ the UN body stated. In response to the Turkish decision, the Rus-sian Orthodox Church expressed regret, stating it could lead to ‘greater divisions.’ The foreign min-ister of Cyprus called it a ‘flagrant violation’ against ‘a universal symbol of the Orthodox faith.’ And in Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki, protesters gathered outside a church that is mod-eled on the Hagia Sophia and bears the same name. Holding Greek flags and Byzantine banners

they chanted, ‘We’ll light candles in Hagia Sophia!’. The official conversion could take place as early as 15 July, as Erdogan marked that day for prayers in commemoration of a failed coup against him in 2016. ‘Like all of our other mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be open to all, locals or foreigners, Muslims and non-Mus-lims,’ Erdogan said. Dozens stood outside the Hagia Sophia, cheering in celebration. A poll conducted in June showed a divided pop-ulation: 47% favored Hagia Sophia being opened to Muslim worship, while 39% said it should re-main a museum. And similar to the desire of Ar-menian Patriarch Sahak II, resident in Istanbul, 13% said it should be open for all religions to worship. However, an ethnic Ar‐menian member of Turkey’s parliament tweeted that it was ‘a sad day for Christians [and] for all who believe in a pluralist Turkey.’ ‘The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque will make life more difficult for Chris-tians here, and for Mus-lims in Europe,’ wrote Garo Paylan. ‘Hagia Sophia was a symbol of our rich history. Its dome was big enough for all.’ – Jayson Casper And The Associated Press, In Christianity Today

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page TenNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Ten

‘FATHER, FORGIVE THEM ...’ ‘FATHER, FORGIVE THEM ...’

Hagia Sophia Converted Back To Mosque By Turkey’s President

I was shown around Hagia Sophia by a Moslem guide who told me that the name meant ‘Wisdom’ and so the building celebrated human wisdom. As gen-tly as I could, I said that ‘Hagia Sophia’ actually meant ‘Holy Wisdom’ and I thought it was a refer-ence to 1 Corinthians 1.24, ‘Christ, the wisdom of God and the power of God’, so it seemed to me that the name was paying tribute to God’s wisdom displayed in our Lord Jesus Christ. The tour continued in silence.

– Bob Thomas

INDIA: Wave Of Hindu Persecution Breaks On Christians Hindu nationalists in India have unleashed a wave of persecution of Christians. In just two weeks there have been at least eight incidents of Hindu nationalists threatening and physically assaulting Christians. In one incident a pastor suffered a brutal beating by a mob of nearly 150 Hindus as he was praying for a sick person. Pastor Suresh Rao says they kicked him like they would kick a football. They dragged him into the street and trampled him. The Hindu mob told him India is a Hindu nation, and there is no place for Christians. astor Rao has sustained a serious eye injury from the attack as the result of a punch to his left eye. Converts to Christianity from Hindu backgrounds are often extremely persecuted by their family members and communities.

– International Christian Concern NIGERIA: Most Boko Haram Attacks Go Unreported The Church of the Brethren, the largest Christian denomination in northeast Nigeria, where the Boko Haram factions operate, reports that most Boko Haram terrorist attacks go unreported. Na-tional President of the church Rev Joel Billi says

that eight pastors and more than 8,000 church people have been killed and 700,000 displaced. He says more than 18,000 of their members are still taking refuge in Cameroon. More than 300 of the denomination's 586 churches have been ei-ther burnt or destroyed. Countless numbers of houses belonging to church members have been burnt or looted. Christian Solidarity Worldwide chief executive Mervyn Thomas says the Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria continues on an almost daily basis. Most of the 276 school girls abducted from their school in Chibok in 2014 were from this church. – Premier News CAMEROON: Bible Translator Martyred Bible translator Angus Fung was among seven people killed in Cameroon during an alleged at-tack by Fulani herdsmen. The town of Wum is among several localities where youth from the nomadic Fulani herding community are carrying out attacks. According to Efi Tembon, who leads a ministry called Oasis Network for Community Transformation, Fulani herders stormed five homes early Sunday 5 July. They pulled people out and slaughtered them. He told the Christian Post Mr Fung's wife, Eveline, had her arm cut off and is being treated at a local hospital.

PERSECUTION WATCH PERSECUTION WATCH

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page ElevenNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Eleven

TURKEY: Expelling Two US Christian Workers After Deporting 16 Others This Year In what appears to be an official campaign to rid Turkey of foreign Christian workers, the coun-try’s authorities have sent deportation orders to two American Christian workers. At least 16 for-eign Christian workers have been expelled from the overwhelmingly Muslim country this year, and two American Christians – Joy Subaşıgüller, who is married to a Turkish pastor, and Pastor Zach Balon of New Hope Church in Istanbul – are the latest targets of the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey’s Ministry of Interior has told Sub-aşıgüller that her residency permit has been re-voked, and Pastor Balon was told as he was about to fly from Istanbul with his family, that he would-n’t be allowed to return to Turkey. Balon canceled his flight and filed an appeal but that may not pro-tect the pastor, as such appeals have been unsuc-cessful in the past. Chief executive of Christian Solidarity World-wide, Mervyn Thomas, called the expulsions ‘deeply worrying’, saying, ‘These workers had all

the necessary legal documentation to live and work in the country, yet they are being deported by a government that continues to crack down on Christianity in line with a guiding ethos that equates being Turkish with being Muslim. Worse still, in several cases deportation may result in the separation of families.’ Thomas called on the Turkish government ‘to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief for all citizens, and to end the deportation of these Christian workers, who are legally resident in the country.’ Challenged by the opposition party, which has called for early elections, Erdogan is desperate to gain support among his conservative base, ac-cording to reports in local media. Erdogan is supporting calls for Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum, which was the seat of Eastern Christianity for 900 years before being converted into an Ottoman mosque, to be turned back into a mosque.

– Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page TwelveNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Twelve

PERSECUTION WATCH (Continued) PERSECUTION WATCH (Continued)

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North Korean Released From Chinese Prison Thanks God For Guiding Her A North Korean defector, who was arrested while leading Bible studies in China, thanked God for guiding her ‘in the valley of death’ after she was miraculously released from prison. Lady Eunji, the leader of a Bible study for North Korean women refugees, was held in a Chinese detention centre for nearly ten months after she was arrested in August 2019 near the North Korean/ Chinese border, ac-cording to persecution watchdog Open Doors USA. She was waiting for repatriation back to North Korea as a Christian. Because of her faith, Eunji would likely be transferred to a Kwan-li-so, a maxi-mum-security political labour camp in North Korea, where Christians are often tortured and killed. While the details of Eunji’s escape are few, Eunji said that because her deportation to North Korea was delayed, she was able to remain in China and be released before she was repatriated. The delay gave her Chinese husband an opportunity to rescue her. Eunji thanked God for His protection and for guiding her ‘in the valley of death’ and expressed gratitude for the prayer support and love of Chris-tians around the world. North Korea has for the last 19 years ranked as the worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors World Watch List. Open Doors estimates that approximately 50,000 Christians are held in inhumane prison camps in the isolated country, where Christianity is seen as ‘hostile to the state.’ The group reports ‘an increased number of arrests and abduction of South Korean and Chinese Ko-rean Christians and missionaries in China, strengthened border control with harsher punishment for North Korean citizens who are repatriated from China, and increased efforts by the North Korean gov-ernment to eliminate all channels for spreading the Christian faith.’ – Australian Prayer Network Iran: Christians Ask For Prayer Following Series Of Arrests Across Three Cities Iran's Revolutionary Guard conducted the arrests, which began with a raid on the house of a Christian convert in Tehran. The agents marched all the occupants of the house outside before reading out a list of names. Those on the list were handcuffed, blindfolded and taken away. Police also confiscated the mobile phones, before searching for Bibles, other Christian literature, and electronic communication devices. They moved on to other homes and made further arrests. Under Iranian state-mandated Sharia law, Christians who have converted from Islam are considered apostates and may be subject to arrest, imprisonment and even execution. – Premier News

This is the record of the arrest (John 18.1–11), trial (18.12–14, 19–24, 28–40), and sentencing (19.1–16) of the Lord Jesus. It is an eyewitness account (John 19.35). Judas carries out his act of betrayal (see John 13.27–30) and Jesus is arrested. But dark as this seems, Jesus knows that God is working out His purposes. John 18.4 closely parallels John 13.1 and 13.3. Jesus knows His time to die has come in accordance with God’s will, and yet Peter – just as in Mark 8.32, – impetuously resists the purpose of God. Jesus invites His arrest and ensures the safety of His followers (v.8), fulfilling His own words in John 17.12, ‘I protected them and kept them safe ... None has been lost ...’ Jesus is taken to Annas (vv.12–14,19–23), the previous high priest, and then to his son-in-law Caiaphas, the current high priest (vv.13,24). From there, Jesus is sent to the Roman authority, Pon-

tius Pilate. Here the double stan-dard of the Jews is evident: they could not become ceremonially un-clean by entering a Gentile governor’s residence during the Passover festi-val (lasting seven days), but they had no qualms having Jesus executed on the basis of their

false accusation (vv.28–30). Pilate examines Jesus, who responds that His Kingship and Kingdom are not of this world (v.36). Pilate declares the innocence of Jesus (v.38). Jewish guilt is com‐pounded when they choose to release a con-victed rebel, Barabbas, in-stead of Jesus (v.40). The Lord Jesus is flogged and mocked. Pilate, for the second and third times, declares Him inno-cent (John 19.4,6). The Lord Jesus has no criminal record. The persistence of the Jews wins out over the weak-willed Pilate who, though declaring Jesus innocent and referring to Him three times as ‘king’ (John 18.39; 19.14,15), abandons Jesus and allows Him to be treated as if guilty. Yet Jesus is clear about His trust in His Father. Pilate does not control His destiny, rather His Fa-ther does (John 19.11), but this does not relieve the guilt of His betrayer. Here is further evidence of the sovereign rule of God. Joseph could say to his brothers, ‘You in-tended to harm me, but God intended it for good’ (Genesis 50.20). From the unjust and cruel cruci-fixion of His Son, God was bringing about the greatest good. Similarly, we today know that God is at work in all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called by Him. The good He works to achieve is that we should be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8.28,29). God is sovereign. He can bring great good from the evil intentions of humankind. The cross is proof of that. Here, in the darkest hour, is where we find the greatest comfort.

NEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page ThirteenNEW LIFE – 15 July 2020 – Page Thirteen

JOURNEY THROUGH JOHN JOURNEY THROUGH JOHN withwith David CookDavid Cook

Man Rules But God Overules Read John 18.1–14, 19–24, 28–40, 19.1–16

Think Through:

Are you travelling a hard road at present? Remember the cross is proof that God can bring great good from difficult times. Turn your thoughts into prayer and praise.

Reprinted From Our Daily Bread Journey Through Series®

– Journey Through John by David Cook (Copyright © 2017)

published by Discovery House. Used with permission of Discovery House.

All rights reserved. For further enquiries please visit:

journeythrough.org or email: australia@odb.org

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