Websightings: Kindle Deals for Christians, ISIS Brutality Backfires on Them and an Opportunity for Christians, A 4,000 Strong Assyrian Christian Militia vs. ISIS, Rumor of Russian Invasion Across Ukraine and Ministry in a War Zone, and How to Communicate Your Faith Effectively


The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance." Isaiah 19:25 (NIV)



Assyrian Christians are one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Middle East whose foundations lie in Assyria, a historical region of northern Mesopotamia, but since the beginning of the 2003 Iraq War they have faced persecution from Islamic extremists.


Islamic State murder of Jordanian pilot sparks fury
PUBLISHED BY RUTH KRAMER ON FEBRUARY 5, 2015


No stranger to horrible content, the video of the immolation of a caged Jordanian pilot crossed a line, says the Voice of the Martyrs USA spokesman Todd Nettleton. “It’s one thing when you’re attacking the so-called ‘infidels:’ the Christians, the Yezidis. But when you are killing a Muslim in such a horrific manner and clearly taking a considerable amount of joy in it, it is causing Muslims to really look at their own faith.”

Nettleton points to key times in history throughout the Middle East when heavy-handed tactics in the name of Islam drove people away. “I have heard Iranian Christians say that Ayatollah Khomeini was the greatest Christian missionary in the history of Iran. He was not even a Christian, but he brought into very sharp relief: this is what Islam is, this is what Islam does, and this is what Islam teaches. The people of Iran said, ‘That doesn’t reflect the deepest desires of my heart. What else is out there?’ And now, today, we see the fastest growing church in the world in Iran.”


PUBLISHED BY GREG YODER ON FEBRUARY 5, 2015

“There are rumors that Russia is mobilizing military force, an army, that could sweep across and take Ukraine in a matter of a week. Many of the Ukrainians in the city of Kiev are preparing and getting ready for a full-scale invasion.”

Despite these rumors, Mission Eurasia continues to help refugees and provide training “to prepare Christian leaders for helping people who are going through stress. People are being trained to deal with people who’ve lost a parent or lost children. So, death is rampant in that part of the world.”

Mission Eurasia has sent in eleven 40-foot containers full of clothing and personal care items to help them get back on their feet.

But, it’s more than physical and emotional aid. Kulakoff says, “War is a powerful tool in the hands of God to prepare men’s hearts for the Gospel. That is where Mission Eurasia comes in: in the provision of Scripture, children’s material, and a magazine called HOPE for people to find hope in time of turmoil.”






The Pastor in Prayer 
Charles Spurgeon
$1.99






If you don't have a harmony of the Gospels, where the Gospels are put in chronological order and side by side for comparison, this is a great deal.  It is in the HCSB translation

$2.99


The Apologetics Study Bible
$9.49
Valuable contributions from a who’s-who of modern apologists such as Chuck Colson, Norm Geisler, Hank Hanegraaff, Josh McDowell, Albert Mohler, Ravi Zacharias, and many more. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Call to be a Ragamuffin: A Review of the Movie on Rich Mullins' Life

Image
I thought this film was absolutely great.  The acting was good and the story was real.  Shocked and saddened at the ghosts of Rich's childhood, if I may use that terminology, I was drawn into the healthy and unhealthy ways he struggled with his raising.   Like the Bible does with its heroes, Ragamuffin doesn't sugarcoat Rich's life.  He struggled with smoking and with alcohol.  His language wasn't always church language, to put it mildly.  One sees someone seeking to be real.  Tired of the masks Christians often put on and the blindness to the call of Christ to provide for the least of these, Rich gives generously to Christian churches and charities while living humbly.  Seeing the poverty of others and the difference he could make in the lives of those with less, Rich Mullins pours himself wholly into ministry.   Just a few other thoughts in closing.  His tragic death is handled well.  In  the special features section, Dav e, Rich's brother, does a
Read more

What's In a Name?

Image
What’s in a Name?  In 1990, I graduated from Philadelphia College of Bible.  Over the years, PCB changed and with it, its name altered as well.  After achieving university status under President Babb, a new name was chosen, Philadelphia Biblical University, one that does not easily roll off the tongue.  Eventually, students, alumni, the community, etc., got used to it like will eventually happen with the new name change.  However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t reasons to wrestle with the proposal.   The rationale for the name change Dr. Williams, current president of PBU, argues that there is a perception of PBU being a Bible college with “university” in its name, leading people to believe that it has “limited offerings and a narrow vocational focus.”  My thought:  The word narrow sounds familiar to me.   Matthew 7:13-14 Furthermore, market research conducted via focus groups and a survey yielded data that was considered in favor of a name change in gene
Read more

Reproducible Pastoral Training - A Book Review

Image
Reproducible Pastoral Training: Church Planting Guidelines from the Teachings of George Patterson by Patrick O’Connor is a book about missions. However, its insights are also helpful to anyone who is either starting a church or seeking to see it grow. Patrick O’Connor dives into the wisdom of George Patterson and presents it in an intelligent way. Various topics are explained in the text. How does one reach a culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What is better, door-to-door evangelism or another technique? Is it best to begin with a multi-cultural church or to start with one culture? How does one utilize contacts for the sake of the Gospel? Also, how does one prevent establishing a foreign church rather than a native one? Furthermore, the author goes into issues like how leaders are trained and when they should begin serving. I found myself revisiting preconceived notions of what is done in Western churches and thus is considered to be biblical. For instance, the d
Read more