Churches and Christianity Continue to Grow in Kabyle Region of Algeria.

A growing church in the Kabyle region of Algeria was to begin meeting in their new building on Saturday, December 26. This is their usual meeting day, but they were planning to have a special celebration of the birth of Jesus. When the believers started to arrive at their new premises, they found around 50 Muslim protesters barring the doors. The church leaders contacted the authorities who responded by sending police who monitored the situation but didn’t intervene. The protesters continued their threats, saying that if the Christians continued to meet in this building, they would slaughter the pastor and his family. 

This church has seen incredible growth in the last few years, with many miraculous signs and wonders taking place while they meet. Many hopeless families and young people have found hope in Jesus through this ministry. The church leaders are not afraid or discouraged. They returned to their premises the next day and discovered 20 protesters still gathered there. They were able to share the Christian faith with them and give out New Testaments.

This incident was reported in one of the national newspapers, El Watan. According to the paper, the protesters were local residents who were upset at finding that a church building with many visitors from outside the area would be opening up next to their houses. The article highlighted some of the misconceptions that Muslims have of the church growth in Algeria, stating that they were afraid that their youth would be lured into the church with promises of money, visas, foreign wives or cell phones. The newspaper tried to play down the involvement of the Muslim fundamentalist groups, but it is highly likely that these groups will capitalize on local unrest and use this as an opportunity to further their agenda.

Uzbekistan and Islamic Architecture

For more than 2,000 years, trade routes ran across Asia connecting the Mediterranean region to China. Caravans of camels, mules and horses carried precious cargo such as spices, minerals, gold, and tea. With these caravans came new cultures and different ideas. The Silk Road traveled right through the heart of Uzbekistan and connected three cities - Samarqand, Bukhara and Khiwa. These cities flourished as a result of these lucrative trade routes.

In Samarqand, the Islamic architecture that still stands dates back to the 15th century. In Bukhara, there are so many mosques and Islamic schools that the city has earned the name "The Divine."  The most impressive mosque is the Kalyan Mosque which was built in 1514. The minaret alone rises 155 feet. There are quite a few museums in the city and visitors can wonder around the old city and visit workshops and even see where the old harem quarters used to be.

Time is Short for Learning How to Live in Community with Each Other.

What will you do with the time and resources you have left? Was that last fight or argument really worth it? Did someone actually win or did everyone loose? Were hearts softened or hardened as a result? Living in community in this small world is better than living alone in a big world. What does it profit a man or woman if they gain the whole world but loose their soul? Most wars and conflicts today arise over material possessions. Greed, jealousy, envy, and anger result in coveting, stealing, damaged relationships and more. And who wants to live in a world like that? Be a peace maker. You will be blessed.

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Dramatic Changes Along the Silk Road.

Two men from a Central Asian country recently flew to Afghanistan. They were on a spiritual mission. Upon arrival, they drove to a city in the north. After resting and changing into local dress, they picked up their backpacks of Christian literature. They had plans to visit five towns during their two week stay. 

These were places where no foreigner has ever preached the message of Jesus Christ. The men befriended a taxi driver who took them to his house, showed them around town, introduced them to his friends and invited them to stay the night. Many relatives and friends came to dinner. The men shared openly and a young boy who had been beaten and left disabled by religious Muslim leaders listened with tears. The men then prayed earnestly for the group of guests, especially for the boy. No one had heard prayer like that before. 

The same taxi driver continued with them from town to town. Everywhere people seemed poor and desperate. Islam had not provided them with what they had hoped for materially. Many pushed passport size photos into their hands begging them to give these to anyone who might be able to come and help them. The men considered ways in which they might help the people better themselves. Could they start some income generating business there?

In one town they made contact with a shoemaker who had converted from Islam to Christianity. His parents had been killed because of their Christian faith. They learned from him that there are at least one hundred families who follow Jesus though their understanding of the faith is weak. If teachers came they would be eager to learn. Soon the two men were full of ideas. "Choose 10 leaders from among yourselves. Gather them in a safe place and we can send someone to teach them. They in turn can teach the others. Perhaps two or three could even come and stay with us a for a time of leadership training."

Back home, at the end of this life changing trip, they shared their experiences and spread out the photographs on the table. They remembered their pleading, "Come and help us. Give us hope." Two small churches in Central Asia, who are very poor themselves, decided to "adopt" the new Christian believers in northern Afghanistan and help them grow in their faith. Such are some of the dramatic changes along the Silk Road.

One way that Christianity is being spread in Afghanistan is through radio. Pamir Productions has contact with many Afghan Christians. More stories like this can also be found at: More than Dreams.

Our Longing for Community

Our Longing for Community
by G. Franklin

I long for a place where I feel welcome and accepted.
     Enable me to open my heart and arms to others.
I long to belong - to be known and loved.
     Enable me to embrace others.
I long to enjoy the comfort and company of close friends.
     Enable me to extend my friendship to others.
I long for friends who accept the reality of who I really am in the present.
     May I freely offer the gift of safety to others.
I long for friends who believe in me and in the person I long to become.
     May I gladly offer the gift of vision.
I long for friends who live me enough to be truthful with me.
     May I humbly offer the gift of wisdom.
I long to move past my fears of being hurt of disappointed by people.
     Free me to risk living in community.
I long to break free from my comfortable apathy.
     Free me to risk living in community.
I long to embrace the way of deeper commitment to others.
     Free me to risk living in community.

Then in this environment of community we want to become more like Christ.

Together may we experience the mystery of spiritual transformation.

The Carpet Workshop

When Jay arrived in a beautiful Silk Road city, he found it was a region of chronic unemployment. He wanted to do something that would empower the poor to be able to help themselves. It took a lot of hard work and long hours, but Jay was determined to start to help the region once again produce high quality carpets as it had done centuries past. He was committed to seeing that the first workshop would be a model of ethical business in a country where corruption was the norm. There was no special treatment for friends and he focused on empowering the widows, orphans, and the disabled. Soon he was employing 50 people, raising their self-esteem through regular and fair salaries. The workshop was set up as a co-operative with an elected committee of weavers and dyers making decisions. Jay watched the business grow as the assortment of employees were woven into something akin to a tight knit family. 

Baptism in a Turkish Hotel Pool Surprises All

Seven years ago, a Turkish man named Yousef was tormented by demons. After recently accepting Jesus into his life, he was delivered from his tormentors and he wanted to be baptized. The Lord truly had touched his heart in a great way. One day while driving with a Turkish pastor, they stopped to eat at a hotel restaurant. The pastor saw a pool behind the hotel and it came to his mind that he could baptize Yousef there. But then he realized that it wouldn't be possible because lot of people were in and around the pool. In many Turkish churches, the common thing that can be heard is, "Don't let anybody see it happen." or "Don't let any people outside the church see the baptism." The pastor prayed while thinking these things and as they approached the pool he said to Yousef, "I suppose we couldn't do it here?" Yousef said, "Just a minute." and hurried to the reception of the hotel and asked, "Is it alright if I get baptized in your swimming pool? It will only take 5 minutes?" You can imagine how surprised the person at the reception desk must have been!

The next surprise came as Yousef emerged from the hotel with tens of people and the pastor thought they were coming to start a fight. They approached the pastor and said, "Mr. Priest, is it OK if we watch the baptism too?" Yousef had explained to them all what was happening and had invited them to come and watch.

The Lord had done this and Yousef was baptized in the pool with 20-30 Muslim spectators watching! The clapping after he came out of the water was more than the pastor had ever heard at anybody's baptism in his church and almost all of it being from unbelievers! Before they parted they were able to talk to the group of people at the baptism and distribute all the New Testaments that they had.

The Lord once again reminded Yousef and the pastor that He prepares everything and He will lift up his holy name. People need to simply give themselves to God and watch as He is the one who does everything.

Communities Around the World: First Stop the Silk Road.

The Silk Road is the land between China and Europe. Traders crossed back and forth over this land for thousands of years. Most of the people of the Silk Road are Muslims. However 70 years of Marxist propaganda in Central Asia left little formal knowledge of Islam, so for many people only the folk superstitions survived. Many Turks, for example, pride themselves on their liberal interpretation of Islam. Turkish aspirations to join the European Union have fostered the desire for more freedoms. Religious nationalism still results in the persecution of religious minorities, such as Christians. Iran opposes the West in the name of Islam, but disillusionment with the regime has led to great interest in other faiths, especially Christianity. Where there is war and poverty, Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise and strengthening. Iraq is on the verge of further unrest once the Americans completely pull out the end of 2011.

The Turks

The Turks were nomadic peoples who burst out of the steppes of Central Asia and astonished the world as they captured Baghdad and Constantinople. Now the languages and cultures of the Turks of Turkey, the Azeris of Azerbaijan, the Turkmen, the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgys and Uighurs of Northwest China are closely related, with a shared feeling of kinship.

The Persians

The Persians were the first to dominate this region. Darius' empire spread from the Aegean Sea to the Pamir Mountains. Persian language and culture and their early conversion to Islam impacted the lives of everyone under their influence. Today, the people of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan are proud of their Persian heritage, its poetry and its carpets.

The Muslim peoples of the Silk Road related themselves back to Ishmael, the son of Abraham. Many are disillusioned with hypocrisy and corruption. They are tired of poverty and hopelessness. There is a cry in their hearts for righteousness, peace and acceptance from God.

Here is an excellent resource for reading more about peace with God or Allah in your own language.