Mission in an era of security
-
The 9/25/2001 issue of Mission Network News carried the story of Martin and Gracia Burham, who were taken hostage in May 2001 and are believed held by members of Abu Sayyaf, some with ties to bin Laden. New Tribes Mission imposed a media blackout on their operations in the Philippines, citing security concerns.
-
Ted Olsen compiled a weblog on Terror in Pakistan which is complimented by unreached.org’s appeal for prayer on behalf of Christians there.
-
In Orlando, Florida, the “Godsmission.commUNITY” conference changed its agenda to discuss issues of security and mission in Muslim-dominated areas.
-
And, don’t forget the Westerners presently in jail in Kabul, Afghanistan. Baptist Press reports they are in limbo amid US-Afghan wrangling, while their home church prays for a miracle.
Mission work in restricted-access Islamic lands may be in a pivotal time. The 9/26 Mission Network News reports that poverty and a lack of hope is causing many in Central Asia, for example, to turn to radical Islamic groups.
We face the very real situation where the government of the United States must respond to terrorism, but Christian workers overseas may very well bear a significant portion of any further attacks. In the midst of a rising tide of violence and counter-violence, what can be done? How do we help the suffering?**
We can pray. One essay posted to the web by Open Doors calls Christians to renew their efforts to reach out to Muslims: “The call to American Christians is not to turn in the direction of hatred of our Arab and Muslim neighbors, and not to call for the destruction of Muslim states in the Middle East. Rather, it is a call to Christians to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to pray for peace in the Middle East. The call is to pray for Christians in the Middle East, small in number, large in faith, who under incredible difficulty attempt to be salt and light in their predominately Muslim countries. The Open Doors philosophy of ministry is so well captured in Rev. 3:2, ‘Wake, and strengthen that which remains and is at the point of death.’“**
Roundup
What happened to the unreached this week?
Each Friday I send a newsletter to over 2,400 mission activists, advocates, managers, field workers, and pastors - about what happened among the unreached, and what could happen next. Each issue comes with a curated list of nearly 100 links, and note why each is important. You can get on the list for free.