Yes, it is a sign.

Confusion came to Israel and Judah when they turned from God’s covenant, according to the clear statements of what would bring curse and what would bring blessing in Deuteronomy 28 – an increasingly severe set of circumstances besetting the nation, eventually resulting in the Babylonian captivity.

Early in the return from the captivity, Ezra summed it up:

Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. (Ezra 9:7 KJV, emphasis added)

The UK is not Israel, but the principles of the Bible are there for us to study. Indeed, we are a nation that has sought to covenant with God and to live by biblical constitutional principles developed over many centuries. These principles have been behind God’s favour and protection in past times - but they have been broken piecemeal through the present generation.

Escalating Signs

In this magazine, just as Amos warned Israel by interpreting the signs (Amos 4), we have highlighted the escalating signs in our nation for more than 30 years. Now, in the context of an election founded on the need to withdraw from an alliance with the EU, with terrorist acts of violence in the background, we have emerged with a hung Parliament and confusion abounding.

We are a nation that has sought to covenant with God and live by biblical constitutional principles – until the present generation.

We have recognised a period of grace from the Lord to withdraw from the EU and many of us hoped that this withdrawal would be enabled through a clear election result. But even then we would have recognised it as, at best, a beginning of potential recovery to the Lord’s favour – and by no means a guarantee.

However, it is not going to be that easy! God’s judgment, in whatever way Almighty God has brought this about in our nation, is not to make this path easy. If we could read the signs clearly, we would hear His voice calling, “return to me wholeheartedly and I will return to you and help you.”

Call for Repentance

At the time of writing, there is still an ongoing assessment of the fall-out of the election - discussions which go this way and that to try to understand the factors at work and the way forward. For the moment the Conservative Party holds the ground of leadership, though weakly, but change of the entire political landscape is very close.

Through the election campaigns, even from a human perspective there have been clear undercurrents in the country that mark a transition in our nation. There has been an undercurrent from young people, fired up by what seems like a faint light of hope from the leader of the Labour party. New forms of social media evident across the world have been playing a significant role, signalling a new form of democracy - he who captures the moment will capture the future. Yet despite high levels of voter engagement and turnout, the rallying cries from politicians have been on principles that are far from centred on the ways of the God of Israel.

God’s judgment is not to make this path easy.

The themes of the election campaigns have focussed on important issues, including Brexit, the NHS, social care, pensions, tax, education, Scottish devolution and defence. No-one would say that the party manifestoes were completely devoid of righteous ideals, but equally there has been no talk of honouring or rescuing the biblical underpinnings of our nation, or of reversing the laws that have been passed in our nation over this generation that are 100% against biblical principles.

The abounding confusion is a clear sign that God is calling for repentance and things will not get better unless and until there is a turning back to him. However righteous the words of the electioneering may seem, they will fail unless they are enabled through the righteousness of God.

Time to Unite

But what about the Christian community in Britain? Where was our voice in the public arena throughout these past two months of electioneering? Indeed, where has a united Christian voice been over the last generation of the UK’s falling away from God? We must admit that we are diverse and disjointed. We seek to highlight our concerns but we only talk to one another – to our relatively small groups of like-minded Christians.

Surely now is our time to unite together before God in watching and praying, so that we might hear from God together what we, his Priests of the New Covenant, are called to do with one heart and one voice. We, among all the people of the nation have the resources to find the way of calling the nation to God in repentance.

Surely now is the time for believers to unite together before God in watching and praying, that we might hear from God together.

By coincidence my reading this morning was from Hosea 10, which features principles that we have highlighted over many years and which could not be more appropriate for our nation today. I leave them here as a prompt to prayer:

For now they say, we have no king, because we did not fear the Lord. And as for a king, what would he do for us? They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgement springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field. (Hosea 10:3-4)

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till he comes and rains righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12)

But the light of Christ will shine even brighter.

As the dust begins to settle on the General Election with a hung Parliament result, I believe we are entering a dark period for our nation. That’s not all bad news, because it is at such times that the light shines brightest.

One candidate seemed to sum up the situation, perhaps inadvertently, by quoting the first line of a well-known hymn, “The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended…”, no doubt referring to the long night he had endured waiting for the results.

But it was prophetic of where we are, especially in terms of the next line: “The darkness falls at thy behest…”.

The Gamble Didn’t Pay Off

Theresa May called the election in order to win a mandate for conducting Brexit negotiations from a position of strength, but the gamble has not paid off. The chips are down. Her Conservative Party will clearly have the most seats, but does not look like having an overall majority following a campaign which has come down to a two-horse race. Labour have done far better than expected despite being led by a man of the hard left who has courted the IRA, Hamas and Hezbollah, and who only two years ago paid a visit to the grave of a Palestinian terrorist.

But he has successfully won over swathes of impressionable young people, who have turned out to vote in apparently unprecedented numbers. Somehow they have rallied to his cause, which seems mainly about turning our backs on austerity (i.e. spending money we haven’t got) and promising to abolish university tuition fees – bait which has proved very tasty, not only for students, but also for their parents. But who’s going to pay for it?

I believe we are entering a dark period – but it is at such times that the light shines brightest.

It is hardly surprising that the youth of today – a second generation brought up largely without the biblical ethics that underpinned our civilisation for centuries – are for the most part interested in no-one but themselves. So a short-term magic wand proves very attractive while Mrs May’s social care policies cut little ice.

Threat from Without and Within

Though she has been a loyal supporter of Israel, which is obviously important, I’m not sure a large majority for Mrs May would have been a good thing.

The truth is that none of the main parties mentioned Christianity in their manifestoes. Policies in support of healthy family life were almost totally absent – in fact the opposite was the case. For they all appear determined to incorporate the LGBT+ agenda into every facet of national life, even to the point of compulsory education on sexual relationships (including the supposed normality of gay sex) for nursery school children.

Caroline Ansell, defending a slim Conservative majority in Eastbourne, was hounded by the Press over her evangelical faith and because she had dared to employ an intern from the Christian campaign group CARE.

For many in this country, the gay issue has become like the nursery classic about The Emperor’s New Clothes, in which the emperor is brainwashed into thinking he is wonderfully dressed until a small child shrieks in horror: “The Emperor has no clothes!”

We are facing a double whammy – the threat of Islamic terrorism on the one hand, and on the other the danger of collapse from within that comes to all decadent societies. I have a picture of a gaping wound which only Jesus can heal. The Prophet Isaiah foretold of how the Messiah would die on the Cross for the sins of the world, and that “by his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:5).

In discarding God from our culture following a world war when we could so easily have been invaded but for the prayers of the nation, we have poisoned ourselves with atheism. And we will only be cured when we acknowledge our diseased condition, and return to Christ for cleansing.

We are facing a double whammy – Islamic terror on the one hand, and collapse from within on the other.

Downward Spiral of Morality

The Church, meanwhile, has been intimidated into silence for fear of being dubbed homophobic. But Christians must stop denying their Lord. Part of the problem for Mrs May was that, while claiming to be guided by her (Christian) faith, she is said to have been the prime mover (as Home Secretary) behind the introduction onto the statute book of same-sex marriage – a total contradiction of biblical teaching and one of the worst laws ever passed in this land. And yet we have been largely silent in calling her to account.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, a committed believer, initially inspired hope among Christian voters until he too denied that gay sex was wrong. And then Mrs May sacked Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner for his biblical views on sexual ethics.

The LGBT+ agenda has penetrated every crack and crevice of our national institutions, and you are simply not allowed to object – Christians who have done so have been hauled before the courts. We tolerate everyone else – but not Christians. Where is the place of personal conscience in our supposed liberal society?

We have seen a downward spiral of morality on a par with that which ultimately led to the collapse from within of Roman civilisation. St Paul’s famous letter to the 1^st Century Roman Christians makes this absolutely clear as he encourages them to avoid being influenced by the depraved culture of those around them, whose descent into lust and lawlessness started by denying God as Creator. God’s eternal power was obvious from the beauty of Creation, “but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom 1:21) Isn’t this what we have been teaching our children for generations: that we evolved from apes and God had nothing to do with the beauty we see all around us?

So for the Roman pagans, one thing led to another until they ended up engaging in “shameful lusts” (Rom 1:26) involving “unnatural” sexual relationships (i.e. lesbian and homosexual activity).

We have seen a downward spiral of morality on a par with that which ultimately led to the collapse of Roman civilisation.

It’s no use pussyfooting over this issue with supposed compassion. We have participated, as those unbelievers in Rome did, in the suppression of truth, and we wonder why our walls are falling down and our bridges are breached as we come under attack from enemies of God and democracy.

The Bible says: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” (Prov 14:34).

Rebuilding on the Rock

We stand condemned as a nation, but there is a way out! Hear the wonderful words of Jesus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16f).

Our walls are broken down because of our sin, and they will only be restored when we address the decadence in our midst and return to the God of our fathers.

To use another biblical metaphor, we have built on sand and are now found wanting. A fierce storm has hit us, leaving us wobbling and about to collapse. We need to rebuild on the Rock, which is Christ, who said: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matt 7:26f).

Our walls are broken down because of our sin – they will only be restored when we return to the God of our fathers.

Thank God for media outlets like Revelation TV, who hosted their own election night commenting on the great issues from a biblical perspective. One of their panel made the pertinent point that Church leaders are failing to give guidance on voting to their congregations, as mosques clearly do. The Bible speaks into the issues at stake, so it is surely the duty of pastors and teachers to demonstrate, from the scriptures, how certain policies are either right or wrong.

Finally, we need to recapture total confidence in the Gospel as the sole means by which our beloved nation can be saved from its own folly. Let us say with St Paul: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Rom 1:16).

Greg Stevenson reviews Magna Carta Unlocked (DVD, 2015).

This time two years ago, we were celebrating a major anniversary of the Magna Carta, the document which founded so many of Britain’s Christian legal principles and freedoms. In view of the election, this week we are highlighting a resource released then which is still extremely pertinent now to Christians wanting to better understand the Judeo-Christian foundations of our nation.

This DVD set is a five-part documentary released by Sceptred Isle Productions. It examines the politics, science, society, law and warfare related to the Magna Carta, especially in areas of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. It is written and presented by Philip Quenby, who was a partner in an international law firm.¹

The DVD was issued to mark the 800^th anniversary of this powerful document of democracy, sealed on 15 June 1215 at Runnymede. Magna Carta established the basis for no man being above the law, for limiting the power of the king, for laying down the principle that punishment should be in accordance with the law and for assuring access to justice for all accused.

The document to which King John attached his Great Seal was the 48 paragraphs of the 'Articles of the Barons', later re-issued as 63 clauses by Henry III in 1217 and named 'Magna Carta'. Although the Charter focused narrowly on the concerns of a small elite, it established free men's rights to justice above the will of the king, and was a bulwark against oppression.

The English Battles for Freedom

The DVD throws us in at the deep end - in 1643, the middle of the battles of the English Civil War. This was the only English 'revolution' that re-affirmed the primary aims of the Charter, and established that the king (Charles I) could not rule by divine right with no opposition. It defined the limits of feudal rights of the Crown, brought an end to the sale of justice, protected the privileges of the church, and addressed due process of law.

As 'native rights' there was to be freedom of conscience, freedom from conscription into the armed forces, and equality for all before the law. Authority was to be vested in the House of Commons rather than the King and the Lords. The cost was the lives of 5% of the population (equivalent to 3 million of today's population).

Magna Carta established free men's rights to justice above the will of the king, and was a bulwark against oppression.

The freedom for which men fought was enshrined in the 'Agreement of the People' argued out by Cromwell's men in 1647 at St Mary's Church, Putney Bridge. When President Adams (USA) visited the site in 1786, he said: “Do Englishmen so soon forget the ground where liberty was fought for? Tell your neighbours and your children that this is holy ground; much holier than that on which your churches stand”.

But the battle for freedom was not over. The DVD moves through James II’s attempt to suspend laws against Roman Catholics, the transfer of the Crown to the Dutch Protestant Prince William of Orange, the Bill of Rights (1689) which further confirmed free elections and the rights of Parliament, and the impacts of these developments on the most famous written constitution of all, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787.

Two Different Champions for Liberty

Finally, the DVD gives examples of two champions of liberty, both fighting against the Establishment of their day, but with very different results: Wilkes and Rousseau.

John Wilkes, born in London in 1727, argued for religious tolerance and scorned the vested interests, bribery, and corruption he saw in England. In spite of a scurrilous lifestyle, he succeeded in removing the Crown's unfettered control over judicial appointments. Thus the freedom which Magna Carta sought was fought for in the courts.

In a Wilkes trial for outlawing, he prompted the famous comment by Lord Chief Justice William Murray (Lord Mansfield): 'Fiat justitia ruat caelum' - 'Let justice be done, though the heavens fall' (regardless of the consequences). This sentence was inscribed in American courts, though many are being removed in these present secular humanist times.

The Foundation for These Freedoms

Unlike the American Declaration of Independence, English political settlement did not rest on 'In the Name, and by the Authority of the (good) people of these colonies…' but acknowledged a higher, Divine, authority.

This principle goes back even earlier than Magna Carta, to the Legal Code compiled by King Alfred the Great (the Doom Code, c.893 AD), to which he prefixed the Ten Commandments, together with rules of life from the Judeo-Christian code of ethics. This is the connection between English law and God's laws; Christian values have thus a key role in English law.

Christian values have a key role in English law.

As we have seen in America, the idea of law having an objective standard derived from the Bible was not to everyone's taste, however. In Europe, Jean-Jaques Rousseau believed that Man had been corrupted by civilisation, and published his 'social contract',² arguing that man has only one authority to which he should submit – 'the General Will of the people'. Contempt for convention in France led quickly to rebellion and revolution (1789) and a new humanist constitution, to which Edmund Burke commented that the moral code of the law was then irrelevant.³

Thus law can override personal opinion, if the general will decides that it disturbs public order, and there is no freedom of conscience (as we have recently seen in Northern Ireland). All supposed protection of the law is thus worthless. Rousseau's brave new world was soon seen in the 'New Republic' (1793) and led to brute force, terror and totalitarian revolution, with no restraint or accountability. Even though in England there was loss of life, at least Cromwell prevented this tyrannical result in our sceptred isle, for which we must be thankful.

Rights, Justice and Security Based on God's Law

The DVD's conclusion is that Magna Carta set up some principles for a sense of law based on right and justice (albeit at that time for a very limited section of the populace) and was in accordance not with royal or parliamentary prerogative, nor with ‘the general will of the people’ who espouse their own sense of right (or none), but with God's laws (cf. Deut 12:8; Jud 12:15).

Overall, it gives a well-presented, balanced view of the fight for justice, although this struggle is far from over, for the world is not clear of revolutions or totalitarian governments. But God's word will stand (Isa 40:8). With no vision, the people will (and do) cast off restraint (Heb. let loose, perish); happiness is found in keeping the law (Torah means teaching/instruction for life) – Proverbs 29:18.

In areas of right and justice, God's word is our yardstick and our security, and Philip Quenby's presentation in this double DVD set underpins this truth.

Magna Carta Unlocked is available from the publisher to stream for £5 or to buy on DVD for £12.50 (also available from Amazon). Rated 12. Click here for more details.

References

1 Philip Quenby. Magna Carta: The missing link in the EU debate. Heart of Sussex and Surrey, June/July 2016, p15.

2 Jean-Jaques Rousseau. Principes du droit politique, 1762.

3 Edmund Burke. Reflections on the French Revolution, 1790.

Monica Hill continues her study on the Ministry Gifts of Ephesians 4.

This article is part of a series. Click here to read other instalments.

“It was Christ who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13, emphasis added)

The gift of ‘pastoring’ is one with which we are all familiar – it is the backbone of the Church in this country and has been for many centuries. In many ways, it is often the only role recognised as carrying any form of leadership responsibility.

Even though the wording of Ephesians 4 seems to link it with ‘teaching’, the two roles are quite different - as we will see over the next two weeks. They can often be combined – for instance, the pastor often also carries the role of teacher – but this is not always the case. Therefore, we will look at them separately.

A common definition of a pastor is “one who is usually an ordained leader of a Christian congregation…A pastor also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation.”¹ The ministry gift of pastoring was given to ensure that named individuals took long-term responsibility for the spiritual well-being of the group of believers in their care.

But Ephesians 4 is the only mention of the role of ‘pastor’ in the Bible - the word more often used is ‘shepherd’. In fact, the Greek noun used for ‘pastor’ in Ephesians 4 is poimēn (‘shepherd’), linked to the verb poimaino (‘to shepherd’) and the Latin word pascere meaning ‘fed or grazed’. The links with feeding sheep are plain to see. This is carried through visually in Western Christianity in the formal crosiers often carried by bishops, shaped as stylised shepherd’s crooks, symbolising their pastoral/shepherding functions.

The Good Shepherd

The Old Testament’s teaching on pastoring is summed up in the well-loved Psalm 23, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’. This is followed by Jesus and his teaching in John 10 that he is the Good Shepherd, which gives us a great model of the kind of pastoring that we need to seek and practise.

Ephesians 4 is the only mention of the role of ‘pastor’ in the Bible - the word more often used is ‘shepherd’.

It was in one of Jesus’s appearances on the seashore to his disciples after his resurrection that Jesus asked Peter “Do you really love me?” three times, which in effect brought about his full forgiveness and restitution following his three denials just before the crucifixion. Each time Peter was commissioned to “Feed my sheep” or “Feed my lambs” (John 3:17); Jesus indicated that the way for Peter to love his Lord was to shepherd his sheep.

The Call to be a Shepherd

Shepherding is more than just caring for the spiritual needs of those given into your care (the responsibility of agricultural shepherds is to care for many different aspects of their flock) – it should also mean building people up so that they mature and reach their full potential.

This is the end goal towards which those who are called to pastor (or shepherd) others today should be aiming. They not only need to be able to feed and care for the flock in their charge, they also need to have the gift of being able to draw out all the gifts in others, so that the Body of Christ grows up, and the flock are fully equipped and supported to be on the front line.²

Paul was much more an evangelist than a pastor, but he saw the need for continuing care when he moved on – not only in teaching but in broader support of the newly formed group or congregation. He reminded the Ephesians to care for the flock in the brief meeting he had with the elders on his way to Jerusalem (Acts 20:28-29).

Shepherding – Biblical vs Western

The picture given of shepherding in biblical times, which Jesus often used as an example, is very different from the ways in which we farm and care for sheep today in the West – both physically and spiritually. We must be careful to compare the two, so we can be clear on what the Lord is recommending! Read John 10 and make your own comparisons to add to those below.

• The biblical shepherd goes ahead of the sheep, leading by example; Western shepherds drive from the back and follow behind the sheep – and often use a dog to help keep control.
  
• The biblical shepherd watches over his sheep at all times; the Western shepherd takes them to a field and leaves them there.
  
• The biblical shepherd is always seeking new pastures to provide good food for his sheep; Western shepherds use planned fields with boundaries.
  
• In biblical times many of the flocks were kept safely together with others at night; in Western nations we have isolated ourselves away from each other, with pastors only called upon when needed.
  
• The biblical shepherd shares the night-time watch with others; the Western shepherd can be very parochial and denominational.
  
• The biblical shepherd knows his sheep by name and goes searching for the one who has strayed away; the Western shepherd has a long list of email addresses but may not enjoy close relationship with the flock.
  
• The biblical shepherd teaches the sheep to discern the good shepherd from the bad – to know the voice of the Good Shepherd, so they are not deceived by other voices calling them away; the Western shepherd often does the discernment for the flock – or not at all.
  

In the closing exhortations in the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus is recognised as “that great Shepherd of the Sheep” (Heb 13:20). Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) who will go to any lengths to save one lost lamb – even being willing to give his life.

Shepherding is more than just caring for the spiritual needs of those given into your care – it should also mean building people up so that they mature and reach their full potential.

Giving further instructions in his model in John 10, Jesus says:

• “I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them” (vv7-8). We are not to follow or listen to those who have the wrong motive.
  
• “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved…I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full” (vv9-10). Through Jesus the sheep will find all they need - including eternal life.
  
• “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand…abandons the sheep and runs away…[he] cares nothing for the sheep” (vv11-13). We are to avoid those do not care enough. Under-shepherds should have the same kind of commitment as Jesus – they should not act like hired hands.
  
• “I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father” (vv14-15).
  
• “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also” (v16). Jesus is the shepherd for others who have no shepherd and is concerned to bring them into the fold too.
  

Continuing Care

Peter urges his fellow elders in 1 Peter 5:1-4: “to be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away”.

References

1 Wikipedia, Pastor.

2 Heavy shepherding was a feature in the early days of the charismatic movement in the 1980s and is still followed by some today. It can be counter-productive as it does not lead to building up the body to maturity but rather to increased dependence on humans rather than the Lord.

The Church in Britain is being doubly deceived.

Why did God allow the bomber to kill innocent children and adults in the Manchester Arena? Why did a young man born and raised in Manchester carry out such a terrible atrocity in the name of Allah, the god of Islam? These are the questions that are being asked in the wake of the violence caused by Salman Abedi.

The answer is set out clearly in the Bible. It is in Habakkuk. The Prophet Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah. They both saw the decadence, idolatry and treachery of the nation, which had turned its back upon God and the good teaching he had given for the health and security of his people.

Habakkuk asked what God was going to do about it and God’s reply was “I am raising up the Babylonians” (Hab 1:6). Habakkuk was horrified! He protested, for the Babylonians were cruel and had no respect for human life.

And so it was that God revealed his short-term strategy of sending Judah into exile, whilst working towards his long-term purpose when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14). It’s all there in the amazing little book of Habakkuk that has incredible significance for our lifetime.

This purpose could only be fulfilled through the coming of Messiah Jesus, who would not only be a light for the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s promise to send his salvation to all nations, but actually present “a new and living way” (Heb 10:20) – a way of peace and love, replacing the violence of humanity.

Why did God allow the Manchester bombing? The answer is set out in Habakkuk.

The Church’s God-Given Task

This is the amazing God-given task of the Church today, at what increasingly appears to be an incredibly significant time in world history. It feels as though we stand on the cusp of either descending into an indescribable cauldron of terrorism, violence and destruction, culminating in all-out warfare between Islam and the West; or, an amazing worldwide spiritual revival that will transform the history of the world.

God is using Muslim immigration into Europe and the West to wake up the Church to its responsibility to present the truth to the nations. We are like the church in Sardis that had a reputation for being alive, but was dead to the truth. They were perfectly content to jog along with pagan society; but the word of the Lord was “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die” (Rev 3:2).

Today God’s urgent call to his Church in the West is: Wake up! Wake up before it is too late!

We have the most astounding good news to present to the world! The Gospel Jesus has given us comes with the power to deliver it and to see the signs and wonders of God’s presence. But there is a great veil of deception over the Western Church that prevents us from perceiving the truth. It is the same veil of deception that covered the religious leaders in Jesus’ day; “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not understand” (Matt 13:13). This is the work of the father of lies who seeks to impede the work of the Lord by blinding the eyes and confusing the understanding of the servants of God.

Deception About Islam

The two great areas of deception are Islam and the decadence of the West.

I find it astonishing that so many people in Britain – Christians included - have been hoodwinked by the palpable lie that Islam is a religion of peace. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, actually said that the bomber had nothing to do with Islam. Such statements show either unforgivable ignorance in a political leader or culpable lying.

It is astonishing that so many in Britain – Christians included - have been hoodwinked by the lie that Islam is a religion of peace.

Manchester Central Mosque. See Photo Credits.The Qur’an instructs the followers of Allah to “Kill the polytheists [Jews and Christians] wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush” (Qur’an 9:5). This was the policy pursued by Mohammed and is now followed by those we call ‘extremists’, including the fighters of so-called Islamic State.

Of course, it is true that the vast majority of Muslims are ordinary people who want to get on with their lives and live at peace with others. But a large part of the trouble is that they do not integrate – they live in separate communities – they learn the Qur’an in Arabic and we do not know what is taught in their mosques, all of which creates fear and suspicion. They are specifically told not to integrate or to make friends with non-Muslims:

O you who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them [for friendship] is of them. Verily Allah does not guide such people. (Qur’an, Sura 5:51, emphasis added)

The central teaching of the Qur’an is that Islam is at war with the rest of the world and all Muslims are required to take part in this war until the nations have been subdued and Islam rules the world.

Ayatollah Khomeini a leading scholar of Islam said “The purest joy in Islam is to kill and be killed for Allah”. He said, “If you are slain, you will go to Paradise. Even if you do the slaying, you will go to Paradise”.¹

If Christian leaders make no attempt to discuss this teaching with Islamic scholars, young men will continue to become radicalised and terrorist atrocities will increase in the Western nations. A reign of terror will eventually lead to all-out war and no doubt someone will risk a first strike with their nuclear warheads. The end result will be catastrophic.

But it need not be like this!

God is urgently calling upon his Church in the West to wake up, both to the reality of the threat to world peace and to the incredible opportunity being presented to believers to bring the Gospel to a world that is hungry for truth and fearful for the future.

God is urgently calling upon his Church in the West to wake up - to the threat to world peace and to the incredible opportunity now presented to believers.

Deception About Western Society

However, the Church has a veil of deception drawn not only over its perception of Islam, but also over its own attitude to Western society.

Ariana Grande. See Photo Credits.Why did the bomber specifically target the Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande was performing? You have only to look at her song lyrics to see the answer to this question. On that fateful night in Manchester she sang “Tonight I’m making deals with the devil…And I know it’s gonna get me in trouble…”

As her website and song lyrics make abundantly clear, Grande propagates what has been termed ‘raunch culture’,² designed to liberate young girls from all sexual inhibitions. All this is highly offensive to Muslims - and so it should be also to Christians! Though Christians do not react with acts of violence, we should be making it clear to Muslims that we deplore the sexualisation of our children.

This is where our lack of communication with Islamic leaders is utter folly. They think that decadent, immoral Western culture is approved by the Christian Church – and even flows from Christianity – not least because we allow our children to go to concerts like the one in the Manchester Arena, the benefit show scheduled to take place at Old Trafford on Sunday, and the one that took place in the Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris last year.

Of course, these concerts glorifying sexual decadence and satanic attitudes in no way justify the indescribable violence of the Muslim bombers, but they justify the teaching given in hundreds of mosques in Europe where imams try to protect their young people from corruption by Western society by instilling hatred of the West. But sadly this leads unstable young Muslim men to think they are earning a place in paradise by donning a suicide vest.

The answer to this mess does not lie in the hands of politicians, who simply strengthen the intelligence services and put more armed police on the streets. The answer lies squarely in the hands of the Church!

The answer to this mess does not lie in the hands of politicians, but in the hands of the Church!

The Church has to be much more forthright in condemning the decadence of Western society! For too long we have allowed hyper-liberal secular humanists to dominate social policy and direct social change. Muslims are perfectly justified in reacting against Western society as demonic - but they are also justified in thinking (however mistakenly) that it is condoned by Christians.

God’s Instrument of Judgment

This is why God has allowed vast numbers of Muslims to come into Britain, the EU nations and the USA. They are like the Babylonians sent to bring judgment upon Judah.

Make no mistake: God will allow Islam to be his instrument of judgment upon the West, unless the Church wakes up and recognises how far we have strayed from the truth of the word of the Lord - and unless we repent and use all the power of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts that have been given to us to evangelise the world.

It is the Gospel of Jesus that has the only answer powerful enough to transform the virulent virus of violence that is spreading across the world.

The Church has to move from trying to live alongside Muslims in peace to actively evangelising them and practically showing them the way of love. The only way into the Kingdom is through faith, not through force. The contrast between the Gospel and the teachings of Muhammad in the Qur’an could not be greater.

The Qur’an says: “Allah does not love sinners” (Qur’an 2:190) - and this is repeated 24 times for emphasis. Contrast this with the teaching of Jesus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his One and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16).

God will allow Islam to be his instrument of judgment upon the West, unless the Church wakes up to how far we have strayed from the word of the Lord.

Live the Faith We Proclaim

The word of the Lord to his Church is not only to church leaders but to every believer: it is a call to live the faith that we proclaim - to take every opportunity to share our faith with others.

The light and love and truth of Jesus must shine out through our lives and be such an attractive alternative to Islamic teachings of hatred, and to the decadence and moral corruption of Western ‘raunch culture’, that people will embrace the truth with overwhelming relief and joy – as the man who discovered the Pearl of great Price.

This is the word of the Lord to this generation!

References

1 Baar, M, 1980. The Unholy War – Oil, Islam, and Armageddon, Henry E Walter Ltd, Worthing, p78.

2 This term was coined by author Ariel Levy, and has been used by Dr Jenny Taylor to describe Grande’s style and influence – see here.

Teenager’s 26-mile trek over mountains inspires worldwide production of Bibles.

At this time of Shavuot (also known as Pentecost), when we celebrate the giving of the Law through Moses¹ 50 days after the exodus from Egypt, and its ultimate fulfilment in Yeshua (Jesus), consider how a young Welsh girl inspired a global explosion of God’s word.

In the year 1800, 15-year-old Mary Jones completed a marathon walk over the mountains to purchase a Bible, which was to become her most treasured possession.

A weaver’s daughter from a poor community, Mary lost her father to asthma when she was very young and was living with her mother in the tiny hamlet of Llanfihangel-y-pennant (near Dolgellau) in the shadow of the Idris mountain on the edge of Snowdonia.

Bibles were hard to come by in those days, especially copies in the Welsh language. Mary became a Christian, aged eight, through attending her village chapel and subsequently saved up for six long years – carrying out various errands like sewing garments and selling eggs – before she finally had enough to buy her own copy of the Scriptures.

Mary Jones completed a marathon walk to purchase a Bible, which was to become her most treasured possession.

So she set off barefoot on a 26-mile trek over mountain tracks to the town of Bala, where she knocked on the door of Rev Thomas Charles, who was so profoundly moved and inspired by her efforts that he and others were determined to make the Bible available to everyone at an affordable price – not only in Welsh,² but in every tongue.

Epic Journey

This led to the founding within just four years of the British and Foreign Bible Society (now known simply as Bible Society), which has since published millions of Bibles in hundreds of languages, and has branches all over the world including Israel (on Jaffa Road, Jerusalem), from whence God’s word had first been proclaimed.

Mary’s epic journey has thus helped to bring God’s light – and salvation – to every corner of the globe, and has given new meaning to the ancient Scripture: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, and a light for my path” (Ps 119:105).

Who knows but that the eternal fruit of Mary’s marathon may have partly contributed to what the Book of Revelation describes as “a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev 7:9).

Historical records indicate that the village where Mary grew up was strongly influenced by the 18^th Century Methodist revival. Bala had certainly been experiencing fresh heavenly fire in the years immediately preceding her extraordinary shopping expedition.

Running to Win

With the immense popularity of marathon running today, many will be familiar with the distance Mary walked, equal to that covered in ancient Greece by the herald who ran all the way to Athens to announce victory at the Battle of Marathon.

But Mary’s feat would be hard to beat, because it was to bring good news of the victory of Jesus over death and sin, and revolutionise the lives of millions down the ages.

Mary’s epic journey has helped to bring God’s light – and salvation – to every corner of the globe.

In a generation when parents drive their children to school, perhaps less than a mile away, perhaps it’s time to re-educate our kids about what really matters in life? Teaching the precepts of God is not only good for the soul, but health for the body (Prov 3:7f).

St Beuno’s Church, Llanycil, home of the Mary Jones World and burial place of Rev Thomas Charles.The Bible says “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” And it adds that we should “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” In addressing the need for self-discipline, St Paul challenges: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” Perhaps Mary was urged on by Paul’s motto: “…forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 4.8; Heb 12:1f; 1 Cor 9:24; Phil 3:13f).

Power from On High

Bible Society is now helping to raise the profile of Mary’s story, and made an excellent start in 2014 with the opening of Mary Jones World at Llanycil, just a mile to the west of Bala, alongside the beautiful lake of the same name. A disused church has been renovated (even with underfloor heating) and now houses a superb state-of-the-art exhibition, enabling visitors to spend several hours discovering more about the Bible as well as engaging with an inspiring story that shook the world.³

At Shavuot we remember how Jesus came to fulfil the Law (Matt 5:17) and how it came to be written, not just on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of those who believed as they were endued with power from on high (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49; Acts 2:4; 2 Cor 3:3; Ezek 36:26).⁴

Perhaps it’s time to re-educate our kids about what really matters in life - the precepts of God!

My personal Pentecost took place on 3 April 1980. I spoke in tongues with some difficulty, but I have no doubt that I was endued with power from on high as I received an emboldening to share my faith as never before.

Chapels can be seen almost everywhere you look in Wales – sadly many have been turned to other uses such as homes and shops, but they remain signs of several significant revivals over recent centuries which have shaken the world, and for which Christians on all continents can be truly thankful.

Do it again, Lord! Send your fire on our newly-restored altars of sacrifice as we honour, worship and proclaim your name among the nations (see 1 Kings 18:16-40).

Notes

1 Summed up in the Ten Commandments.

2 Bishop William Morgan translated the Bible into Welsh in 1588, and this significantly helped to save the Welsh language, which was in danger of dying out as it began breaking away into a number of different dialects.

3 For more information on the work of Bible Society, see bydmaryjonesworld.org.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

4 Shavuot also celebrates the wheat harvest and ripening of the first fruits, so the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1) was the perfectly appropriate time to witness the ‘firstfruits’ of the new-born Church.

Monica Hill continues to look at the ministry gifts of Ephesians 4.

This article is part of a series. Click here to read other instalments.

“It was Christ who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13, emphases added)

An evangelist is usually defined as one who has the ability to communicate the good news of the Gospel in meaningful and convincing ways to those who have not heard or understood it fully, with a view to people responding in faith, baptism and commitment to the body of Christ. Without evangelists, the Church would lose its calling and settle down to being just another community group.

The enabling aspects mentioned in Ephesians 4 include the ability to galvanise God's people in the area of evangelism, so that it becomes a prime factor in fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Old Testament Teaching

Evangelism is a New Testament concept – introduced to spread the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ widely across the nations. Neither evangelism nor the evangelist are mentioned in the Old Testament. Judaism is not a proselytising religion¹ – you are born into it. The religion is passed on from generation to generation and proof of ancestry (especially in the maternal line) is needed in order to be recognised as Jewish.

Without evangelists, the Church would lose its calling and settle down to being just another community group.

God-fearing Gentiles were acknowledged, and even one of the Outer Courts of the Temple was called the Court of the Gentiles. It was set aside for them to pray and was probably the one that Jesus cleared of money-changers (John 2:12) just before Passover, when he became very angry over its wrong use.

New Testament Teaching

Although there are only three references to an evangelist in the New Testament (Acts 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2 Tim 4:5), there are numerous references to people evangelising (euangelizo in Greek) in the book of Acts. This is referring to the spontaneous witness of ordinary believers who could not keep quiet.

Evangelism became of paramount importance following the stoning of Stephen, when Christians began to suffer great persecution (Acts 8:1). In fact, the more persecution there was, the more the Church grew! In the 2^nd Century AD, Tertullian commented: “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”. And certainly this was the way the early Church grew.

When the Christians were forced to leave Jerusalem following the stoning of Stephen, there was a significant change in recording this growth – from “the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47) to “the church…multiplied” (Acts 9:31 ESV). Even those with little mathematical understanding will be able to deduce how significant this was.

There are numerous references in Acts to the spontaneous witness of ordinary believers who could not keep quiet.

There were named evangelists in Acts 8: Peter and John after their visit to Samaria evangelised many villages on their way back to Jerusalem (v25); Philip evangelised the Ethiopian eunuch in the desert (v35) and then evangelised in all the cities as he travelled to Caesarea (v40). But the greatest growth was brought about by every believer sharing their faith.

Ministry vs General Calling

We are all called to be witnesses and should be brimming over with the Good News to share with others - although only some will be called to the ministry of an evangelist. But even they are dependent on God entering the lives of those they have introduced to the Gospel, because only God can bring that life-changing relationship into being.

Evangelists are single-minded and so full of the Good News that they are able to share it wherever they go - and in all situations. Paul even said “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16-19). It was his whole calling – he as so full of the risen Jesus that he could not keep quiet!!

In fact, only Philip, one of the Seven, is called an 'evangelist' (Acts 21:8), although Timothy is told by Paul to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim 4:5). Timothy took every opportunity to share Christ – so Paul probably meant that that Timothy was not to wait until people came to him asking questions.

But of course Paul is often seen as the model evangelist – the one who does not settle for too long in an area but is an itinerant tent-maker and church-planter. Our concept of evangelists usually accepts this definition - but there may be ways in which in future we need to change our mindset towards evangelism, in order to be more effective.

Evangelists are single-minded and so full of the Good News that they share it wherever they go.

In the ministry of Jesus, we can see all five ministry gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4, including that of an evangelist: in the synagogue at Nazareth he claimed that he was the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy “to preach good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18).

Evangelists Today

Today, we have often taken evangelism out of the local church and assigned it to para-church organisations, who flourish, commending different types of evangelism. But this in many ways means that evangelism is seen as an optional extra – reserved for ‘professionals’ or those from an evangelical tradition.

Crusade evangelism with named individuals like Billy Graham or Luis Palau is still seen as a major (if not the main) form of evangelism, with seaside, street, marketplace or door-to-door outreach drawing church members away from activities with the faithful to become involved with not-yet-believers. But these kinds of evangelism rely on limited encounters. This does not mean they are not worthwhile, but they must be supplemented with the building of continuing relationships, which is so important. This is where the personal sharing of faith – or friendship evangelism - has been proved to be the most effective.

Ideally, every church member should be taught how to share their faith with others - and when and where. They should be prepared to share their faith especially in their links outside the church – say in the family, workplace, school, and even in prisons (although all of these are becoming more difficult). Surely the worst comment any believer can receive is “I did not know you were a Christian!”.

Evangelism is the most important gift for the continuity of the Church – we know in theory that ‘God has no grandchildren – only children’ but we are not very good at passing the baton on to others, and so there is a large gap in age within many of our churches.

We also often fail to recognise that the best evangelists are the newly converted – they still have non-Christian friends and the experience of conversion is a living daily subject with them – they are excited by everything that is opening up for them. Perhaps this was what was lacking in Ephesus (referred to in Revelation 2:1) – that the members had lost their first love. This enthusiasm and excitement for sharing the Good News with others should continue to be present in every member of the Body so that there is a living witness portrayed to the world.

We often fail to recognise that the best evangelists can be the newly converted.

But we also need to realise that evangelists are not pastors – and should not try to be – churches and believers do not grow up to maturity with just evangelism. Pastors and teachers are needed to take people to the next stage of discipleship and continue the work started by the evangelist. This is why all the five ministry roles are needed in the Church.

Finally, two or three illustrations that might help from the world scene:

• From South America – where one flourishing new church would not allow anyone to become a full member until they had brought someone else to Christ.
  
• From Singapore – where at one time, acceptance to membership in the Anglican Church required training which included a week on mission to share their faith with Muslims in neighbouring Malaysia.
  
• From the underground Church in China - where they could not build up large congregations as meetings of more than ten were restricted; they were in a way ‘forced’ to send their new converts out, and the Church flourished.
  

Next week we will be looking at the more familiar role of the pastor, which is indispensable in our churches today.

Notes

1 Proselytising is converting or attempting to convert someone from one religion to another. Islam is a proselytising religion – by force if necessary, whereas Christianity evangelises by love. In Islamic nations, conversion away from Islam is usually banned.

This is the day of your salvation!

Whilst we continue to challenge those in positions of leadership in Church, nation and the Islamic world to stop fudging the issue of the divide between the Bible and Qur’an, let us remember God’s high priority: this is the day of salvation!

When God revealed in the mid-1980s that he was about to bring forth a great harvest from among Muslims, there was not much evidence to back it. Yet, since then such prophecy has been verified as true, as millions of Muslims have turned to the Lord across the world. Is it any wonder that our spiritual adversary has risen up in hate, whipping up jihad and drawing up battle lines?

We must be careful not to be fully diverted into this battle and miss the opportunities on our doorstep. There are many young people who have been born into Muslim families but whose hearts are being stirred for truth. God is opening hearts to receive the Gospel message as never before in the Muslim communities on our doorsteps. It is God’s time for the Muslims!

Millions of Muslims are turning to the Lord across the world - is it any wonder that our spiritual adversary has risen up in hate, whipping up jihad?

Time for Equipping

There are a number of ways that God will send the Gospel to these people, but every Christian would do well to be equipped to be God’s mouthpiece for one-to-one evangelism. Witnessing to our Muslim neighbours could bring one or many to salvation - the angels in heaven rejoice over each and every sinner brought to faith in Jesus.

It is time for churches, especially those near Muslim communities, to ask questions of their own understanding and attitude. If God is holding out a loving hand of invitation, we must be his willing ambassadors.

Practical Preparations

It is foremost a time for prayer: prayer for understanding, prayer for wisdom, prayer for opportunity, prayer for individuals.

But there are also preparations we can make. There are resources available from existing missionary organisations to equip us to understand the Islamic mindset and to develop a right approach (scroll down for some). Here are key areas that we can consider:

• The history of Islam, its missionary zeal and its methods.
  
• The five ‘pillars’ on which Islam is founded: statement of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca.
  
• The call to and nature of jihad.
  
• The structure and message of the Qur’an.
  
• Islamic teaching on sin and good works.
  
• Islamic teaching on Jesus.
  
• The role of the Mosque.
  
• The character of the Islamic god Allah.
  
• The intent of the Islamic movement in the West.
  
• The sects of Islam.
• The basics of Shariah law
• The missionary intent of the Islamic movement (House of Islam versus House of War)
• The concept of the Dhimmi (treatment of Christians and Jews under Islam)
• Women in Islam
  
• Recent evangelistic moves among Muslims, especially individual testimonies of those coming to faith in Jesus.
  
• Testimonies of Christians in fruitful evangelism among Muslims.

In studying these issues, the goal in personal evangelism is not to confront Muslims aggressively, but to be good listeners. Let’s not be seen as crusaders. There are tracts available from some Christian missions to read and have in one’s back pocket. Let’s be serious about our Bible study and prayer and not be on the defensive, or on the attack.

We must be careful not to be fully diverted into this battle and miss the opportunities on our doorstep.

If, as the evidence shows us, this is indeed the day when God is calling many Muslims to himself, some of us will be privileged to find already prepared, open-hearted Muslims ready to respond to the Gospel message. If we meet someone in the earlier stages of questioning, let us leave a good and loving testimony on which the Lord can build as time goes on.

It is one thing to face up to the spiritual battle against Islam. It is another to win Muslims to the Lord. This is the day of salvation.

Resources for Outreach to Muslims

Understanding Islam (including its history, theology and worldview)

Unveiled: A Christian Study Guide to Islam. Barnabas Fund. Suitable for individuals and groups. Available here for £3.50.

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Study Guide (8 sessions). Nabeel Qureshi, with Kevin and Sherry Harney. Suitable for individuals and groups. Available here for £7.60 (paperback), designed to accompany a DVD study.

Booklets from the Barnabas Fund (£1 each, discount available when purchasing the entire set. Click here to buy):

• What is Islam?
  
• Is the Muslim Isa the Biblical Jesus?
  
• Islam and Slavery
  
• Islam and Truth
  
• What is Sharia?

Books by Patrick Sookhdeo: Unmasking Islamic State (2015), Understanding Islamic Theology (2013), A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Islam (2013), The Challenge of Islam to the Church and its Mission (2009), Faith, Power and Territory: A Handbook of British Islam (2008), Understanding Shari’a Finance (2008), Understanding Islamist Terrorism (2004) and many more. Click here to purchase from the Barnabas Fund.

What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Qur’an (James R White, 2013, £8.99 paperback)

Books by Sam Solomon: Not the Same God (2016, £7.99 paperback), Modern Day Trojan Horse (2009, £11.95 paperback)

Articles by the team at Christian Concern – all available online. Click here to read.

Resources for Engaging with Muslims

Leading the Way (international ministry): plentiful online resources, testimonial videos, books, DVDs/CDs. Many free downloads. Click here to explore the UK site.

Say Hello (US ministry): Online resources for Christian women seeking to engage with Muslim women, including prayer resources, articles, videos. Click here to find out more.

Breaking Through the Barriers: Leading Muslims to Christ (Rosemary Sookhdeo, 2010, £6.99 paperback)

Barnabas Fund Evangelism Pack: Contains Breaking Through the Barriers and Unveiled (both above) plus a selection of tracts designed for outreach to Muslims. £10. Available here.

Mahabba The Friendship Trio courses: three courses (comprising DVDs and worksheets) aimed at equipping Christians to engage with Muslims. Available to purchase in parts or in full - click here. Plenty more resources are available on the Mahabba site.

Books about Mission/Testimonials of Conversion

A Wind in the House of Islam (David Garrison, 2014. £15.20 paperback) – read our review here.

Miraculous Movements (Jerry Trousdale, 2012. £6.99 paperback)

Books by Nabeel Qureshi: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (2016), No God but One: Allah or Jesus? (2016), Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward (2016). Click here to find out more.

Hiding in the Light: Why I Risked Everything to Leave Islam and Follow Jesus (Rifqa Bary, 2016, £13 paperback)

Face to Face with Jesus: A Former Muslim's Extraordinary Journey to Heaven and Encounter with the God of Love (Samaa Habib, with Bodie Thoene, 2014, £8.99 paperback)

The Torn Veil (Gulshan Esther, 2004, £6.99 paperback)

I Dared to Call Him Father (Bilquis Sheikh, 1978, repr. 2003, £8.99 paperback)

Mission Organisations with Which to Engage and Support

• Frontiers
• Leading the Way
• Barnabas Fund
• Mahabba Network
• Arab World Ministry
• Pioneers

If you know of any more useful resources on this topic, do comment below!