Communism on Campus, The Final Frontier, Reformation, Persecution and Missions

​Confronting Communists on Campus

By God’s grace, I safely returned from a very packed and productive ministry tour to the USA. Coinciding with the 60 th anniversary with the communist takeover of China, and the 20 th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the opening up of the Iron Curtain, I was invited to speak at three different university campuses in Minnesota. At the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, at the Minnesota State University in Mankato, and at the University of St. Cloud, I spoke on The Consequences of Socialism, The Cost of Communism and The Failure of The Soviet Union.

The university meetings were well organised and widely advertised by Maranatha Christian Fellowship. This was the sixth series of meetings organised at these state universities. Previously I had been invited to speak on the Persecution of Christians in Sudan, Slavery – The Untold Story, The Crusades vs. Jihad and other persecutions of the Church. On this occasion the advertised subjects of socialism and communism drew out individuals who sought to defend atheism, evolutionism, Marxism and socialism. The discussions after the presentations were often interesting.

​An Unbroken Track Record of Failure
On one occasion an avowed atheist, evolutionist and Marxist tried to argue that, although communism had failed, socially and economically, so far, he believed that the principles were sound and, if they were only correctly applied, it could work!

Other People’s Money
When I challenged him to point to any countries which he could hold up as examples of successful socialism, the man admitted that there were none! While not arguing the catastrophic track record of communists so far, he valiantly tried to argue that it could possibly work in the future. I pointed out Margaret Thatcher’s comment that the problem with socialism is that “sooner or later you run out of other people’s money”.

Heaven or Hell
At each presentation I quoted Sir Winston Churchill, who said that “socialism could only work in Heaven where it is not needed, or in Hell, where they already have it!”

60 Years of Communism in China
Some Chinese students expressed surprise at the atrocities committed by Red China. Many claimed to be unaware of the tens of millions of Chinese people murdered by Mao Tse-Tung in the Great Proletarian Revolution in the 1960s. Many were not even aware that the present red flag with yellow stars is not the flag of China, but of the Communist Party of China. I pointed out that the Russian people never regarded the red flag with hammer and sickle as the flag of Russia, but of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Hence, when Boris Yeltsin abolished the Soviet Union, he pulled down the red flag and hoisted up the white, blue and red flag of Russia.

1 October was not the national day of China, but the 60 th anniversary of the communist revolution in China.

Speaking Up For the Persecuted
Many valuable evangelistic discussions ensued from these campus presentations. I also had the opportunity of meeting with the International Student Group and presenting reports on the Persecuted Churches of Mozambique, Angola, Rwanda, Sudan and Zimbabwe to international student groups on campus.

Attempts to Hijack Christianity
Some students tried to argue that Christianity really is communism, that the early church practiced socialism, that Jesus taught that “we should give according to our ability and each should receive according to their needs”, and after all didn’t the apostle Peter execute Ananias and Sapphira for not sharing their possessions with the poor?

Generosity is Not the Same as Confiscation
To this I had to point out that there is a world of difference between voluntary Christian generosity and compulsory communist confiscation. The Christian may say ‘what’s mine is yours’ and share, but the communist says ‘what’s yours is mine’ and takes.

Rewarding Productivity
No, the Lord Jesus Christ never taught socialism, in fact he taught free market principles. The man who had one talent and hid it was severely rebuked and what he had was taken away from him and given to the man who was more productive. “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” The Lord was scathing in his denunciation of laziness and taught that productivity and diligence should be rewarded (Luke 19:12-26).

Ananias and Sapphira
As for the passage in Acts 5:1-5 dealing with Ananias and Sapphira, the passage is not teaching anything about Biblical economics, but warning against the consequences of lying to God. As the Apostle Peter said: The land belonged to them, and after they sold it the money was theirs. The issue was not the property, or the funds from the sale. The issue was the deception and dishonesty of Ananias and Sapphira, who were claiming to have done more than they actually had. For the praise of men they publically claimed they were giving to the Lord all the proceeds from their property. This passage reiterates the principle of the private ownership of property. It’s warning is not concerning economics, but integrity and honesty.

Twisting the Truth
Also, one needs to know that none of the Lord’s disciples harmed them. God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead. The disciples did not take the law into their own hands. So, those Marxists in religious disguise who try to abuse Scripture to justify socialism, communism, and even the brutal necklace murders, are breaking the Ninth Commandment. They are guilty of deception and twisting the Word of God to justify their greed and malice.

By Their Fruit You Will Know
Christianity has produced the most free societies, the most productivity and the greatest prosperity in history. However, socialism has bankrupted whole nations and been responsible for the deaths of multiplied millions of innocent people.

“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption …” 2 Peter 2:19

Film Projects
Award winning filmmaker, Eric Holmberg, producer of such films as Hells Bells and Amazing Grace, flew up to film some of these presentations. He also interviewed me at length for a number of other films in production at this time. On one evening, we had the privilege of seeing an advance premiere of Eric Holmberg’s latest film. The Final Frontier – A Journey through life, death and beyond enables us to spend an hour contemplating eternity.

Beginning with St. Augustine’s question: “Is this a life that leads to death … or a death that leads to life?”, the students who saw this film were absolutely stunned. It is a very effective evangelistic tool for a cynical, skeptical, secular, media-saturated society. Exploring every avenue and theory of what lies beyond the grave, The Final Frontier incorporates stunning visuals, and extraordinary footage. It exposes the futility of every humanistic dead end street and leads clearly to Christ as the Way the Truth and the Life.

Serving Sudanese in the States
On the Sunday in Minnesota I had six speaking engagements, including at four church services and two adult Sunday Schools. The whole afternoon was taken up ministering to a Sudanese congregation.

Serving the Suffering
In Arkansas I spoke on The End of Islam and Serving the Persecuted at two evening rallies to which some participants travelled from as far afield as Kansas and Oklahoma. In Arizona I lectured at a Christian college, addressed a missions rally on The Cold War and The Iron Curtain and preached at three churches on Sunday. All in all, this two-week ministry tour to the USA included thirty meetings, in three states, to seven congregations, at three universities and at one Christian college.

Boxes With Love to Zimbabwe
Since returning to Cape Town we have been busy preparing for cross border field outreaches. Yesterday we were shopping and packing Boxes with Love for pensioners and other suffering Christians in Zimbabwe.

Mission to Malawi
Our Field Director, John, was a guest speaker at a Mission Training Centre in Malawi.

After speaking at the Graduation Ceremony, he took part in an evangelistic outreach into the Shire Valley region. This was blessed with many surrendering to Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Life Chain Confronts Abortionists
By God’s providential timing, the annual Life Chain in Cape Town on Sunday, 4 October, coincided with the opening of a Pro-Abortion Medical Congress – at the Cape Town International Convention Centre – directly opposite where the Life Chain was held! The FIGO World Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics website claimed that over 6000 delegates were expected at the Congress. Lecture Topics included: Why “Mysoprostal is Essential for Reproductive Health”, “Reaching Women with Medical Abortion Services”, “Innovative Reproductive Health Service Models for Undeserved Communities” and “Preventing of Unsafe Abortion: Expanding Women’s Access to Safe Abortion”! Most of the lectures were given by pro-abortion organisations, such as Marie Stopes, The World Health Organisation and IPAS. Some of the delegates received pro-life leaflets and were engaged in personal witnessing by pro-life protestors.

Approximately 200 Christians gathered at the Cape Town Life Chain prayer vigil, holding placards proclaiming: Abortion Kills Babies, Abortion: One heart stops, another heart breaks. Take my hand – not my life, Abortion: The ultimate child abuse, and A person is a person, no matter how small. Over 5000 pro-life leaflets and Gospel tracts were distributed to passing motorists and pedestrians.

Guided Tour for Schools at Huguenot Monument and Museum
We are encouraging Christian schools in the Cape area to send their students to the Huguenot Monument and Museum at Franschhoek on Friday morning, 30 October, where I will conduct a guided tour and give the children a special presentation on the importance of the Reformation.

Preparing for a New Reformation
Saturday, 31 October is Reformation Day. The theme for this year’s Reformation and Revival Conference is Preparing for a New Reformation. Rev. Erlo Stegen of KwaSizabantu Mission will be our special guest speaker.

Reformation Sunday Service at the Huguenot Monument
On Reformation Sunday, 1 November, we will be conducting a special Reformation Sunday service at the Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek at 11am.

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
Sunday, 8 November is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We are commanded in the Scriptures: “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also.” Heb 13:3

To enable pastors to more effectively mobilise their congregations to pray for the persecuted, Frontline Fellowship has produced ThePower of Prayer Handbook, the Remember the Persecuted audio CD, various Frontline newsletters on the suffering church in Zimbabwe, and DVDs on the persecuted church in Sudan. Numerous Bible studies and sermons on Persecution are available on the www.frontline.org.za website.

Remember Rhodesia – Pray for Zimbabwe Rally
Wednesday, 11 November, Frontline Fellowship will be hosting a rally to remember the Christian heritage of Rhodesia and to mobilise prayer and action for suffering Christians in Zimbabwe. This year will mark 44 years since Ian Douglas Smith, the Prime Minister of Rhodesia, signed Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Great Britain on Thursday, 11 November 1965. Historic films will be screened and an up to date PowerPoint slide report on the crisis in Zimbabwe, and what we can practically do to help the suffering, will be presented. The Remember Rhodesia – Pray for Zimbabwe Rally will be held at the Emmanuel Church of England, Patou Ave, Amanda Glen, Bellville, Cape Town at 7:30pm Wednesday, 11 November.

20 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
November 1989 will mark the 20 th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the opening up of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of the Soviet Empire. To celebrate this victory over communism, and for God’s merciful answers to prayer, Frontline Fellowship has produced a special edition of FF News incorporating an article by The Chairman of the Board of Frontline Fellowship, Rev. Bill Bathman, and historic photographs of this dramatic time in recent history. If you have not received a copy of this special edition of Frontline Fellowship News, Edition 3 2009, please contact [email protected]"> [email protected].

Going Through
Rev. Bill Bathman spend most of his 58 years as a missionary focused on ministering behind the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe. If you have not read a copy of Rev. Bill Bathman’s book: Going Through – Even if the Door is Closed, or listened to his history-on-a-disc, audio documentaries: Communism; Reformation and Revival in Romania; Romania: the Miracle Revolution; or my new presentation The Cold War and The Iron Curtain, these are available for those in North America from: Frontline Fellowship USA, 1177 Branham Lane, PMB 413, San Jose, California, 95118, USA. Tel: 1-866-785-7210 or [email protected]. Those in Africa, and other parts of the world, can order directly from Christian Liberty Books, P O Box 358, Howard Place, Pinelands, 7450, Cape Town, South Africa. Tel/Fax: 021-689-7478 or email [email protected]
Biblical Worldview Summit – Reclaiming the Nations For Christ
If you hunger for Reformation and Revival, and want to change your world, come to the Biblical Worldview Summit 1 - 8 January 2010 near Cape Town.

Great Commission Course
For those who are serious about missions, the next Great Commission Course will be conducted 1 – 20 January 2010 in Cape Town. This intensive and practical hands-on missions training course involves daily practicals and outreaches. It will be followed up by a series of missionary outreach opportunities across the border.

“Finally brethren, pray for us that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have Faith.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Yours for the fulfillment of the Great Commission

Dr. Peter Hammond

Director