Magic Statistics

Former Times of London editor, now Sunday Times columnist, William Rees-Mogg attended a joyous church service last Friday for the installation of a new abbot at Downside Abbey in Somerset.  The abbey runs Downside School, where Mr Rees-Mogg’s wife is a governor and two of their children were taught.  The service got him to thinking about the proper function of education.

Downside does not exist simply to pass exams: both the abbey and the school exist to show people the way to Heaven.

That is their function, and in my experience the school does often frame a Christian mind in a Christian soul.

Christianity has brought immense moral and spiritual benefits to Britain, without which the nation would not—could not—have become a beacon of liberty and justice.

A single Christian life brings benefit to contemporary society and to later generations. Britain is immensely fortunate to be a Christian country. When people talk of compassion, concern for one’s neighbour, for family, liberty and justice, they are talking about Christian values passed down in British history. The monastic life and teaching have been agencies for these values. So, of course, have the Church of England and the Nonconformist churches.

The Christian church gave Great Britain its greatness.  It would be foolish and very costly if multiculturalism and the drive to secularisation were to succeed in expunging Christianity from public life.

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Muslims in the West Bank and Gaza, still seething over the allegedly disparaging comments Pope Benedict XVI made last September, are threatening Christians and forcing them to move out or suffer the consequences.  Persecution of Christians is provoking what some are calling a “modern exodus”.  Christianity is dying out throughout the Muslim world and could even become extinct in its birthplace.

During the protests after the pope's remarks in September, some of the worst violence was in Palestinian areas with churches firebombed and hit by gunfire.

"Most of the Christians here are either in the process of leaving, planning to leave or thinking of leaving," said Sami Awad, executive director of the Holy Land Trust, a Bethlehem-based peace group. "Insecurity is deep and getting worse."

The native Palestinian Christian population has dipped below 2 percent of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Arab East Jerusalem, down from at least 15 percent in 1950 by some estimates. Meanwhile, the Muslim Palestinian birthrate is among the highest in the world.

Palestinian Christians, who are almost all either Orthodox or Roman Catholic, find themselves between a rock and a hard place.  On the one hand, they are persecuted by Muslims and, on the other, ignored by American Christians who focus their efforts on supporting Israel.

"We are stuck in no man's land," said a leading Palestinian Christian activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of reported death threats. "In the eyes of the West, we are Arabs. In the eyes of Arabs, we are a fifth column."

Some Christian leaders counsel unapologetic resistance to Muslim threats, but that risks even greater persecution.  Most simply stay out of sight as much as possible.

h/t: Big News Network.com - Breaking Religious News

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Inner-city minister and social activist Rev Harry Lehotsky, 49, died peacefully at his home in Winnipeg early yesterday morning.  Last May, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he had only months to live.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia, three sons — Matthew, 21, and 19-year-old twins, Brandon and Jared — and his parents, who live in his birthplace of New York City. The family declined to be interviewed.

"Some of his last words this week were that he considered his family his greatest accomplishment among all of his others," said Rev. Larry Gregan, Lehotsky's colleague at New Life Ministries on Maryland Street.

"I think that speaks volumes about him, to have had such a public life and time-consuming work and not lose sight of his first priorities."

A funeral will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Calvary Temple.

Harry moved to Winnipeg from the US 23 years ago, after he graduated from North American Baptist Seminary, South Dakota.   He was Pastor and co-founder of New Life Ministries, Maryland Street, Winnipeg.

Although he received many official accolades, Harry especially appreciated personal thanks from those he had helped.

A mural was unveiled in his honour in July.  However, Lehotsky said that flowers sent from a former prostitute and a letter from a drug dealer meant just as much to him.

The dealer, Lehotsky said, wrote to say: "I just want to let you know, especially now you're going through this, that your prayers have been answered: I'm in jail but I've got my head around doing better now."

"That, to me, is awesome," Lehotsky said.

Harry Lehotsky was, by all accounts, an exemplary and inspiring servant of Christ.  May our Lord bless and keep his family in this time of mourning.

"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” — St John 11:25-26

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The collect for today, the 22nd Sunday after Trinity, from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:

Lord, we beseech thee to keep thy household the Church in continual godliness; that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Philippians 1:3-11
The Gospel: St Matthew 18:21-35

Today, Sunday, 12 November, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  IDOP is observed around the world each year on the second Sunday of November.  IDOP Canada aims to raise awareness and encourage prayer for those who are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ.

A world map showing the places where Christians are suffering persecution can be downloaded here (pdf).  This year the focus countries are Belarus, India, Uzbekistan, and Israel/West Bank and Gaza.

More information and resources are available at:

• Voice of the Martyrs Canada
• World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Committee

The following is the text of a PowerPoint presentation posted at the IDOP page of the US branch of the Voice of the Martyrs:

Indonesia

• A mob of 100 radical Muslims nailed boards over the doors and windows of a church in West Java.  The church members worshipped in the streets while the mob continued to threaten them.
• Pray churches in Indonesia will continue to share the sweet news of the gospel regardless of threats.

Iran

• The President of Iran has threatened to wipe out all Muslims who convert to Christianity.  On a television broadcast, he angrily declared, "600 Muslims are coming to Christ every month," but there are many more than that.
• Pray Christians in Iran will be protected from their government as they share Jesus with their countrymen.

Vietnam

• When his brother died after being severely beaten by the police for his faith, Mua Say So placed a sign on his coffin that read, "BEATEN TO DEATH BECAUSE OF FOLLOWING THE GOSPEL."  That was in 2002; he has been in prison since.
• Pray for Brother Mua Say So’s release.  Also pray he will have an effective ministry while in prison.

India

• After her husband was martyred for his faith, Rathnama felt alone until she met with other martyrs’ widows.  After this, she decided to boldly continue her husband’s evangelistic outreach to Hindus and Muslims.
• Pray for Rathnama and other martyrs’ families.  Pray those who are feeling alone will be encouraged.

Colombia

• A pastor who heads up a missionary outreach in Colombia said, "We have clearly seen where persecution is prominent, the church is stronger; and where we have freedom—in the cities and other places—there are fewer Christians, and they are less fervent."
• Pray Christians who are persecuted by guerrillas in Colombia will continue to share the gospel with their persecutors.

Pakistan

• Radical Muslims cut off Mohan Shahzad’s arm with an axe after he refused to stop selling Christian literature.  Even so, he says he will continue to build the Lord’s Kingdom, even if his persecutors cut off his other arm.
• Pray Mohan’s brave testimony will demonstrate the strength that comes from a relationship with the Lord.

China

• Pastor Cai, his wife and his brother-in-law were arrested after they printed and freely distributed Christian literature.  They are now serving 3 years, 2 years and 1 ½ years respectively in Chinese labor camps.
• Pray the gospel will continue to infiltrate China, despite opposition from the government.

North Korea

• North Korean prisons are dark, brutal places.  It is said that half the prisoners in the interrogation center will die within 10 months.
• Pray for North Korean Christians who are in these prisons.  Pray they will be witnesses to political prisoners and refugees who are in the prisons but don’t know Christ.

Nigeria

• Nvou, a Nigerian woman, lost her unborn baby when she was shot in a jihad attack.
• Pray for Nvou and other Christians who have been injured by Islamic extremists.  Pray they will be a greater light for Christ because of the suffering they’ve endured.

"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." — Hebrews 13:3 (NIV)

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