Africa Missions There is no such thing as a normal week in Frontline Fellowship. Missions is an adventure. A never-ending stream of challenges, opportunities and obstacles to overcome are part of any week. During September we had Mission teams across the border in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. I had a conference in KwaZulu and a Missions conference, services and seminars in Mpumalanga. This was followed in quick succession with radio and TV programmes and the Healthcare Christian Fellowship conference, a Missions conference in Bloubergstrand and the Convergence 2012 conference at the University of Stellenbosch. Arizona Mission
I was then flying off to the United States for an intensive time of ministry in Arizona and California. Within a short time of arriving in Phoenix, 9 time zones West of Cape Town, I was ministering in a dynamic Baptist Church who were enthusiastically involved in Way of the Master street Evangelism. It is always encouraging to come into a church and find the tract stands full of effective Evangelistic resources, and with a church notice board packed with upcoming events and outreaches. Agenda The next day, Rev. Bill Bathman and I were interviewed for 3 hours by Curtis Bowers for a follow up to his outstanding Agenda film. Tea Party That evening, Rev. Bill Bathman and I were speaking at the Arizona Red Mountain Tea Party Rally. This is apparently the largest Tea Party in the USA. I was invited to speak on the Arab Spring - American Winter and How US Foreign Policy is affecting Africa and the Middle East. The atmosphere was electric, the group enthusiastic and the question and answer time following my presentation was exciting. The people mobbed the literature and book table and it was quite late before we were able to leave. Other interviews and ministry opportunities flowed from this pivotal event. University Ministry The next day I began a week of lectures and ministry at Arizona Christian University. This involved presenting lectures on God and Government, Cross-Cultural Communication, Biblical Worldview and Contemporary Culture, Comparing the Bible with the Qur'an, Challenging Muslims, Understanding Islam and Recent Developments in the Middle East. I also had two college assemblies to address. On one of these days I dealt with Resisting the New World Order and on the other day, The Adventure of Discipleship. During this time I was also able to speak at a mid-week church service on A Missionary Vision for Africa. I was also able to meet with a Sudanese Mission and an American Evangelistic Organisation for strategy and planning. History Conference On Friday, I flew to California for the Old Paths Christian History Conference. This conference attracted an extraordinary amount of media attention, including interviews from the BBC and journalists from England, flying in to interview us and cover the presentations given. My presentations included: History and Guilt Manipulation; The Katyn Forest Massacre; The Great Siege of Malta; Switzerland's Strategy for Survival and For Faith and Freedom. The times of fellowship were both intense and refreshing. The interest in the Frontline book table was overwhelming and I sold over 3 boxes of books and audio-visual materials to the home schoolers and others attending this History Conference. Home Fellowships This was followed by a 6 hour home fellowship where I answered the rapid fire questions of Home schooling families, enthusiastic to apply the Lordship of Christ to all areas of life. The next day involved more travelling and home fellowships. I was then delivered to my next host, Dr. Jay Grimstead of The Coalition on Revival. For Reformation and Revival We had great times of fellowship and planning for the Global Church Council coming up in Wittenberg for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, October 2017. There was much to discus and plan concerning the Coalition on Revival and strategy for the future. Russian Baptists The next night I was collected to drive through to Sacramento to minister at the Russian Evangelical Baptist Church. There are over 120,000 Russians living in the Sacramento area, with over 70 Russian congregations. I gave a Missions Report back on ministry in Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique during the Cold War. Chalcedon and Coalition on Revival The next day, following more strategy meetings on the Coalition on Revival and a radio programme, I spoke to a home fellowship on The Battle For the Soul of a Continent. Thursday morning, Dr. Jay Grimstead and I met with Rev. Mark Rushdoony of The Chalcedon Foundation. Romanian Baptists A radio interview was then scheduled with Steel on Steel, and a 2 hour drive through to Sacramento to minster to the Romanian Bethel Baptist Church on Resisting Babylon and The Beast. The members of this church had many experiences of suffering at the hands of the communists and it was 11pm before we left the warm and enthusiastic fellowship of our Romanian brethren. San Jose The next morning, friends and family of my hosts gathered for a home fellowship. After hours of answering probing questions applying the Lordship of Christ to all areas of life, we drove through to San Jose where I had two one hour radio programmes, one live with Barbara Simpson on KSFO. That evening I met with the FF-USA Board and on Sunday morning spoke at two services of The Home Church on Courage and Conviction. This was followed by a lunch with the churches Missions Committee and home schooling friends. On Sunday evening I gave a Missions Report Back and answered questions concerning recent developments in Africa. Radio and Red Eye On Monday morning, following 3 radio interviews, I quickly packed and after enjoying some good fellowship with friends in the area, headed for the airport and the cramped and uncomfortable Red Eye overnight flight to New York, in time to catch my connections back to South Africa. America at the Crossroads In just over two weeks I had spoken at 40 public meetings. This included ministry at 6 different churches, 15 radio and TV programmes and interviews, 5 home fellowships and 12 lectures. I praise God for the tremendous times of fellowship, worship and the privilege of ministering to such a diverse, cross-section of people at such a critical time in America's history. Thank you to all my hosts and intercessors who made this such a productive time of ministry. Speaking Up for the Persecuted Much prayer and practical action was mobilised on behalf of Christians suffering persecution throughout Africa and the Middle East. I challenged Christians throughout America, on radio programmes, on TV interviews, in church services, in college chapel, in class rooms, at conferences and in churches, to remember the persecuted, to speak up for those who are under fire for their Faith. Also to bring pressure to bear against those responsible for the sufferings of the persecuted Church. Ideas Have Consequences I was also able, on numerous occasions, to point out, how US Foreign Policy often affects believers in Africa and the Middle East: A Trail of Betrayal During the 4 years of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, 13 countries fell to communism. In most cases, they did not just fall to communism, but were actually betrayed into the hands of communist revolutionaries. It was a high foreign policy goal of Jimmy Carter's presidency to force the people of Rhodesia to hand over to Robert Mugabe's ZANU terrorists. Americans removed Jimmy Carter from the presidency over 32 years ago. However, the longsuffering people of Zimbabwe are still stuck with Carter's legacy in the form of Robert Mugabe's murderous Marxist dictatorship. A Legacy of Liberty No countries fell to communism during the 8 years of Ronald Reagan's presidency. In fact countries started to be freed from communist oppression. Ronald Reagan put freedom on the offensive, supported resistance movements in communist countries and helped win the Cold War that brought down the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain. The collapse of communism throughout Eastern Europe in 1989, brought about a new era of religious freedom and Missionary activity that had previously been inconceivable. Strength and Weakness As one politician observed: "There is nothing they despise more than weakness; there is nothing they respect more than strength!" America was plainly despised in the days of Jimmy Carter. However, America was respected under Ronald Reagan. Persecution Increases During the Clinton era, we witnessed and experienced a steady increase of violent persecution of Christians in the Muslim world. It was in the 1990s that radical Islamic regimes, such as the National Islamic Front in Sudan, began systematic terror bombing campaigns of churches, hospitals and schools. It was at that time that I experienced artillery and aerial bombardments while ministering in churches in Sudan. A Dramatic Decline of Bombings However, as America began fighting back after the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001, toppling the radical Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the bombing of churches in Northern Nigeria and South Sudan stopped. We enjoyed a period of relative peace and stability as radical Muslim regimes went on the defensive. An Explosion of Persecution However, since Obama became president of the USA, there has been an unmistakable escalation of violent attacks on Christians worldwide, particularly in the Muslim Middle East. Literally hundreds of churches have been bombed and burned throughout Northern Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan and Iraq in the last 4 years. Just in Northern Nigeria alone, there have been 70 attacks on churches so far this year. American Foreign Policy Affects Lives I'm sure that most Americans do not think foreign policy when they vote for their president. However, believers in Africa and the Middle East would earnestly entreat our brethren in America to seriously consider the foreign policy implications of their votes. Lives are at stake. Doomed There is no doubt that millions of people died throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East because of the foreign policies of Jimmy Carter. Tens-of-millions continue to suffer to this day as a result of the Carter foreign policy legacy, including the people in Iran. It needs to be remembered that the Shah of Iran was one of America's closest allies in the Middle East when Jimmy Carter's State Department actively worked to betray their ally and hand Iran over to the ayatollahs. The end result of that has yet to be seen as Iran continues to be a volatile part of the extremely violent Middle East. Delivered However, as I wrote in my article: Ronald Reagan Saved Lives in Angola, there are many millions of people alive, and free, today, because of the far-sighted and courageous foreign policies of President Ronald Reagan. An Urgent Call to Prayer and Action Ideas have consequences. What we sow, we reap. There are consequences for every action. We continue to pray that our Christian brethren in the United States will be in much prayer and seek the wisdom of God as they approach this critical election, 6 November. Back to the Bible for Reformation and Revival May we all be Faithful to God's Word and effective in His service as we seek to reclaim our countries for Christ, laying solid Biblical foundations for Reformation and earnestly praying for Spiritual Revival. Thank You We are very grateful for your prayers and support. May God abundantly bless and reward you for your faithfulness. May the Lord continue to be your strength and shield. Yours for the fulfilment of the Great Commission Dr. Peter Hammond Director Frontline Fellowship P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725 Cape Town South Africa Tel: 021-689-4480 Fax: 021-685-5884 Email: [email protected] As several supporters have requested our banking details, they are: (For local supporters) Acc. Name: Frontline Fellowship First National Bank – Rondebosch Branch code: 201509 Acc. No: 5017 0589 260 Ref: initial and surname and what it is designated for (For overseas supporters) Acc. Name: Frontline Fellowship First National Bank – Rondebosch Branch code: ZA201509 Acc. No: 5017 0589 260 Swift No: FIRNZAJJ Ref: initial and surname and what it is designated for (For USA supporters) Acc. Name: Frontline Fellowship USA Bank: JP Morgan Chase Routing Number: 102 001 017 Acc. No: 910 341 692 Swift No: CHASUS33 Ref: initial and surname and what it is designated for
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