An urgent appeal for help has just arrived by email, from Shad Williams of 'We Go To Them', one of the most productive and fruitful ministries of our time.
Over 5 million converts have resulted from this tiny, shoe-strinig ministry's 25 years in the field, especially in India and Africa. Not only have they led hundreds of thousands of Africans to Christ in Kenya alone. They also have trained many Kenyan pastors and evangelists, who have established of dozens of new Kenyan churches. (See www.wegotothem.com) Now their ministry in Kenya is being threatened. The email says:
"The new government of Kenya enlisted a Muslim man to draft a new constitution, which will be voted on by the general population on November 21. In it there is a clause which says it will no longer be legal for Christians to hold open-air meetings. That would mean we would no longer be allowed to preach in the slums, in the streets, in the open-air markets and in our evening film shows. The public-place field evangelism ministry in Kenya would be completely shut down - for us, as well as for the national (Kenyan) team. Muslims, on the other hand, will be allowed to conduct public meetings for the purpose of propagating Islam."
Shad continues:
"The constitution has not even been voted on yet, and conflicts are already occurring between Muslims and Christians. Last week, Ben (Kenyan pastor and evangelist) hosted a group of musicians from Arkansas. They attempted to conduct open-air meetings, but were hindered from doing so by clashes between Muslims and Christians, which had to be put down by Kenyan military police. Their evangelistic activity had to be confined to schools and churches."
He goes on:
"The response to the gospel is higher now than it has ever been before...The Muslims have been watching what we are doing and have learned our methodology...field evangelism...(it) is the mainstay of our ministry. Most of the 5 million people who have come into the Kingdom of God through this ministry so far were reached in 'we go to them' field evangelism events - the kind of events that will cease to take place in Kenya if the new constitution is approved."
This is grossly unfair and anti-democratic. In a democracy, there should be religious freedom. Each religion should have the right to do everything they can to PERSUADE people to accept their religion. (Not to scare them into it by killing them if they do not!) That is what freedom of religion means. It includes the freedom to try to persuade. It also includes protection from being stopped from trying to persuade or being punished for doing so peacefully.
Islam is making more and more of an effort to take over Africa. That is their right. But let them do it democratically, peacefully, fairly, not by trying to limit the rights of other religions to do the same by unfair and undemocratic laws. And especially not by using force, riots, persecution, mutilations and slavery and killings and genocide (as in Sudan) and discrimination to win the competition. Let them compete. But let it be democratic, peaceful and fair.
All of us who do not want to see Africa succumb to Islamic rule, especially when so much of it aims at world domination and conquest, need to pay attention, right now. This is the cutting edge. The crucial time in this conflict of religions has arrived. And more is involved than religion alone. If Africa becomes officially Muslim, the war of radical Islamofacism well get longer, bloodier and more ferocious.
Most Americans would not want to dictate any country's religion. But they want the people of every country to have the opportunity to choose freely what religion they will follow, without coercion of law, riots, mutilations or wars.
Africa is a continent of failed states. Since it threw off colonialism after WWII, it has gone steadily downhill. The people are poorer than before, and poorer every year. The native governments who replaced the colonialists have almost all been corrupt dictators who have stolen everything, impoverished their people and established such anarchy that there is almost no rule of law. It is ripe for a religion willing to convert by force and coercion.
And Africa is in play. It could go with the democracies of the world. But it is more likely to be taken over by Islamofacists, because it cannot protect itself from the force they are so willing to use, to convert and to rule.
Now is the time to help ministries like this one, who are on the front lines. This is a struggle for the Christian faith. But it is much more. It is also on the cusp of the time we have left to rescue Africa from Islamofacism, until it can work its way toward responsibile freedom and true democracy.
For all these reasons, please pray! Pray every day between now and November 21. Give! This ministry needs financial help to deal with this new situation. And - Pay attention to Africa! The war we are in with the Islamofacists will most likely involve more and more of Sub-Saharan Africa. And sooner rather than later. We have to stop ignoring it.
(You can read more, and give, at www.wegotothem.com.)
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