Reverend Ben Cooper: 0:37

Good morning world. Wherever you are today. Thank you so much for joining us here at Ealing church. You're joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper and Sandra Robson as we gather around the mics. And as we just discussed the world of the persecuted church, we've had a few weeks off because of Christmas, because of the building work and everything that's going on, you know, in society and culture and everything. You know, life is busy. Things are hard at the moment within the UK, but God is moving very, very clearly we welcome Sondra to the mics and we are looking into Barnabas Fund today. And we have titled this 30 minute podcast up of overview of Africa, we may backpedal a bit we may be just seeing where God is going to lead us but Good morning. Good morning. Thank you to everybody that downloads these podcasts around the world. As I say I we are really really blessed we thank you so much from the bottom of our heart for the 1000s of downloads that are being listened to right across the platform of alien church. So welcome, Sondra. Good morning. Good morning and happy new years everybody. And Happy New Year to you too. Thank you so much, Sondra. It's been a while hasn't it? But we're in Yeah, we've made it. The builders are making a noise upstairs. You know, there's a lot happening. This is very raw. So just over the last couple of months, as we've been recording these we've we've had the builders and we got major renovation. So thank you to everybody that has stayed with us. But here we go Sondra, where are we today? Africa? Yeah. So I mean, yeah, last time, we were talking about displaced refugees, it was alright, coming up to Christmas. And we were asking, telling people, you know, what was going on the situation and how certain children was spending Christmas and reporting on that. And I also mentioned that there had been some good news and Iran that on the ninth of December, and the Supreme Court said the house church members, membership was not a crime. So we look forward to seeing how that will play out and how many people will be released. And, you know, and from this. So we'll see whether that does bring some freedom, some relief. You know, that news? Yeah. So watch this space. So yes, people are thanking God for this breathing space, and meaning that they're not going to be sent to prison, you know, or tried for just being a member of a house church in Iran. So those were the things I said I would look into. And then I said that there'd been a report by Barnabas, and come in my January, February magazine, which came to me just at Christmas, and I said, I hadn't had quite time to look through it or read it, but it was a gift saying, you know, that they've been looking at the deep roots of why that there is the unrest now and why we're seeing the violence against Christians now. And so I thought it would be helpful to look at that, you know, sadly, there have been more killings more kidnaps more stuff going on in Nigeria. Over this this time, you know, and Barnabas have really been, you know, keeping a great watch on this. And, you know, the guy that heads up Barnabus has got a lot of, you know, insight and understanding of the, of the situation. So, I thought I'd give you some background, you know, there's, there's, you know, there's always a good news story from it, but if we get the background, we can see why our brothers and sisters are suffering, yes. And then we can really be strategic in our prayers and and you know, seeing how the enemy is working. And one of the things that I noted and very much highlighted what James says about the tongue and you know, the the danger of, you know, what, what we say and And you know, you can really see this. So it says the rise of Islam in in November 2020, the global terrorist index, I mentioned this before, reported that the center of gravity for Islamic State, also known as ISIS and Dr. Shin, this activity had moved from the Middle East to Africa, Africa is exposed experiencing a surge in terrorism. And we've we've talked about many, you know, instances of this across Nigeria, and other places. And so several why, you know, is this happening now? Well, it started a long time ago. And they feel that the present situation is a lot due to the Islamic ideology seeping across Africa, which has deep roots from 1970s When the Muslim World League, funded by Saudi Arabia poured money into northern Nigeria, distributing Islamic literature, setting up Islamic schools and offering scholarships for religious universities, in Saudi Arabia. And apparently, in 1978, all that they did started to have an effect in Africa. And this society the is Salah society, very difficult to pronounce, I said, a ll a society, which was formerly known as a society of removal of innovation and reestablishment of Sunni. So this is a particular form of Islam, right. And basically, this movement, and I mentioned these things before to do with Egypt. This movement is committed to web web ism. So that's W, a HHABI, SM, and it's a pure form of Islam, very strict Islam, and virtually impossible to achieve rank office in northern Nigeria without links to this Eisele thing. And there was a key figure. And this there was this, this guy, Abu Barak, Muhammad Gumi, and he argued now, this is where I say about the power of the tongue, argued that Muslims should never accept the rule of non Muslims. Wow, he made this statement to 12 North Nigerian states adopting elements of Sharia law after a Christian was elected president in 1999. Wow, that's what set all this off, they say was that he did not he said that Muslims should never be ruled by any anyone except anyone else. Anyone, except themselves. So they govern themselves. Yeah, they go by the rules of themselves. Yeah, go by very strict and very nice. And there is another side to Islamism. Very clearly, they want to over so basically, so of course, the Touch Paper was yeah, he said this at the time that this guy who happens to be a Christian Christian became the president. So it was a very, you know, very prominent, very powerful strategic planning, planning or was it actually a spiritual wealth? Yeah, because when I mean, physical has led to what it is, I mean, it unleashed I mean, because he says, you know, so there was somebody who had a lot of money. Muhammad, I address, Nas, Nas Rudden. He was a highly successful atrium born businessman based in jobs in Plateau State where there's a lot of this violence going on now. And he helped the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Muslim Muslim Brotherhood and channeled funds from Nigeria to various Islamic causes, including Islam, you know, in London and things and now what's happened is that's coming back. Yeah, it's come so he's coming in circle again. He took it out and now they're coming back give him give all this information. Sandra is right before our very eyes is in black and white. It is in Barnabas magazine. Yeah, I've actually got it online as well. So all this information that we bring to the mics is clear and very easy to read. Obviously the pronunciations Yeah, but we have no standards, no need to apologize. So we got Barnabas funds, if you are looking out there to support ministries in the world of the persecuted church, please, please have a look at Barnabas Fund, they got so much good stuff online, and it's easy to find it's really easy to find. So that's where we're coming from. Do you know Sam? Yeah, so is apparently, this ideology and the finances her brought about bucur around, that's my, that my main, you know, so. So you need to see how, you know, that little statement then was taken up, and then through money and, you know, other things has then led to this group with this particular ideology that they they must get rid of Western culture they see, you know, Christianity is very much a Western thing as a as something not African, not anything, you know, and quite interesting. Isn't those the redirect to the route? They go right downs? You know, because, you know, I looked, and it says about the fact that there were two growth, so the African church, I mean, the Africa is home to 54 nations. Yeah, the the Pentecostal movement in Africa is very powerful. And there's like 1.2 billion people. And, yeah, it's the poorest nation. But they reckon that population is going to double by 2050. But there were two that they saw in there looking at history, they were blessed by two periods of massive church growth. And the first was in North Africa. And, and that was in the beginning of the, of the gospel really going out to the world. And they said, an estimated 40% of Africans were Christians, although only 45%, has actually heard the gospel at that time. And then Islam came along, was, you know, as a as a religion? Yeah. And and then snuff that out. But some of the people from that time, one of them was called Hadrian from modern Libya. And he traveled to Britain, and became the Abbott's as a monastery in Kent. Yeah, in 670. And he was highly influential in our church in the in the beginning of Christianity in this country. So yeah, a lot of South Africa has gone, a lot of missionaries have been put into, as well, it's two way track. And then second period of rapid growth was in the 20th century. And that was in the southern part. Really? Yes. And they say that by 2016, is thought that nearly half of the world's Christians, hundreds of millions, will be living in sub Sahara Africa, despite all that's going on, still gonna be very low. So you see this press of the enemy again, all in all these places, is this like, panic reaction, we do not want to be overtaken by this people group. It's the same sort of Egyptian mindset thing, isn't it? That this is, you know, that we've got to get got rid of them. We've got to suppress them. They can't be over us, you know, and yet, you've got this the beauty of the gospel. And you can see that that in some cases, there has needed to be a hard press, although my gosh, what I'm reading about is so hard to, to and to look you know, to, to take it sometimes but we've got an issue in part of Nigeria, I know some people won't like that. But the fact is, there is some sort of prosperity gospel there has caused great harm. She will and because they they've they've said looked at this and they say look, this is what your church is about. This is what Jesus is about. This is you know, you don't care about you know, because remember these people are in poverty, no show when you think the hardest place for poverty in the world is being given the prosperity gospel. Yeah, and nothing is happening because that prosperity gospel isn't the gospel of Jesus Christ and then react reaction to Islam saying look, yeah, go fight we believe in in you know, we are you know, and we give to the poor we do we can offer this absolutely So you can see how so now, you use that word a lot. I know in your in your sermons been stripped back, definitely. They've been absolutely stripped back. Yeah. To say, No, this is what it's about. It's about Jesus, Jesus. And to the point, like, you know, I'm reading about, you know, children who are crying out and still won't say, you know, the what their their prayer they're asking them say, and that, you know, it's I mean, it's, it's rific it's it is the youngest one that was martyred was five years old, Oh, God. And, you know, it's, it's shocking, you know, and that was in, you know, Sudan. But then, as I say, we've got these things that I was looking at over Christmas on this CD that Sam, open doors do. And, you know, Cameroon, that's another place where, you know, Boko Haram have terrorized people. And this lady fardy Yeah, and her sister was kidnapped, one of the first to be kidnapped. And, as a result, sadly, her mother died of a heart attack as a result of the shock of dance trauma. And but she has remained strong in a faith. And yet, she has had to flee from the place where she lived, then, as a young girl, she had to, you know, move somewhere else, they were attacked again, she's had to move again, again, and again, and again. And they now she's living somewhere where she only stays there during the day, and then they sleep in the mountains, because that's the safest place to be. But she hasn't given up and, and she's drawing, you know, all this, the COVID business, and some people managed to get through to give food aid, and she was dancing. And she was sitting there, they, you know, they took some pictures of the village. And she would say, she was praising God, and she was there, you know, with whatever it is maize or whatever. And she was saying, you know, I, I still love Jesus, I still, you know, and thank you for all that you're doing for us. And then there was a widow whose son, she has been able to go to school, and I pray for him, I pray for the protection of those children. They are so precious, he wants to be a doctor, you know, and they'll sit That's the spirit, you know, that they have against all this? Yes, against all the odds, you know, and so we know where that word comes in as hope. Yeah. And that's very difficult for a lot of Christians and maybe non believers that tap into this that, that think well, how, where, where is where is this God of Israel amongst all this, we heard, and we know children are being martyred, and all this sort of stuff. There's always hope. You know, there's always hope we are in such a fallen world. It is the it is the officials it is the government's it is the leaders of these nations that are allowing this to go on. God has given a clear exit for everything, there is a way forward, we've gone. So when we see all this stuff going on, the Bible says about persecution, it makes it very, very clear that there will be persecution. But these lives are not being taken because of God, these lives are being taken because of the brutality of human beings. Yeah, because of the evil drive. Yeah, it's not unanimous ideology that I mean, yeah, that, you know, see, that comes into it. And it's twisted, and we have the power of free will, to wear the walk of your brother and sister and be close with your neighbor, or to be the opposite. And I think for them, as well, and I do pray for the pastors and we know many of them have been martyred because they have broken in to their communities, and have shown Jesus Yeah, to their villages. And the ones who were following Islam have realized, oh, wait, we've been told about long Jesus, this is the this is somebody else, you know, this Jesus heals this Jesus, you know, I have forgiveness this I have freedom with this with this Jesus. And so there are there are many, many African you know, X, Muslim believers. You know, coming to, you know, coming to Christ, we see it and we hear, you know, 1000s Yeah, but there is a cost there is a cost there is they are meeting the true. Jesus. Yes, there is such a significant difference. Yes. Such a different you know, and so when happens it, it completely changes lives and villages and everything. So I have here you know, God is building and rebuilding his church because it's being leveled. Yes, the physical Yeah, churches been leveled, every day they are burning. Every day, every day God raises up and living stone, that's correct. They further you know, an I call a physical being, but God His name, He raises up a living stone every time and this as he says that the rocks will cry out. And I don't know, I wrote, I wrote this down by his stripes we are healed, stand and see what the Lord will do. And he is doing great things. And we really do need to stand with our brothers and sisters in Africa, because they are, you know, shining testimonies, and you know, that, you know, joy and all the, you know, the suffering they're going through, and the food, you know, poverty and, you know, but they are still and, you know, shining for Jesus and the trauma centers, I pray for them, and these the prayer points protection for them. And for the churches that remain actual, you know, buildings that, you know, there'll be protected. So there'll be a place that people can go there, don't be afraid to gather in there and pray for provision for families and fresh revelation of God's grace for those pastors that are fine, you know, finding it so difficult, having seen so many people, killed, displaced, you know, Trump's so much that is on their plate. So we pray for them as well, that they would have the food that they need. Economic, economically, and there would be unity, within Africa, within Nigeria, that northern Nigeria and southern Nigeria would know what each other is going on. Because they don't, there's a disconnect. But now because it's coming onto their border, they're becoming more and more aware of what's been what's going on. And that they will share their resources. And we thank Lord for all the different support of Barnabas and open doors for strength to stand. Which is equipping you know, churches that are there and pray for international awareness. And yesterday was the launch of the World Watch List. By Yes, ranch quick. I'm so pray that, you know, what's been what was said yesterday will really make an impact. Yes. You know, and that it will go up the agenda. So, yes, so just pray for our brothers and sisters. But thank the lord thank God for what he's doing behind the scenes as well and continues to pray you know, that pray for for our enemies, as it says, And this ideology will be pulled down. Like Paul says, this new warfare is not against flesh and blood, but about every principality. Yeah. heavenly realms. Yeah. Tearing down tearing down strongholds stronghold? Yeah. It's a very clear scripture. So it's, that's what it's about. Yeah. It's prayer to Prayer is the key. So there may be many out there. Wondering how can I support this, you can support this financially, you can go online, you there's a, there's a Donate button. So you can go on to barnabas.org. It's very easy to find this. There is it's enormous. This website. It's fully loaded. With everything on there. You get by monthly magazine, you can read it online, you can subscribe to it. They've got videos, they've got Africa as obviously this this month, so you can get it through a PDF and other other ways. There is just so much information. I'm just scrolling through as we go. There's pages of it. So you've got hours of reading. So there's a lot of prayer points. There's a lot of connecting points with people in displaced church. So there's Africa is India and Pakistan, in that so it's loaded, it is fully loaded with information. There is just a simple subscribe button. It just says sign up to receive the magazine. So how easy can that be? So obviously financially, they got a donate button in red that you can do that, you know, and accepting all the cookies and all the razzmatazz. So as you click the button, you're straight in very easy site to navigate. So I would and sander would obviously would encourage anyone to go on to Barnabas. And obviously there's Transworld radio as well which is a great, great site. You've got open doors, and you've got release International. So there's there's a good few places, you know, Voice of the Martyrs. Yeah, that's one that sits a bit in the quiet voice and the martyr says, There is a lot of information. Yes, this professor who has children's home in Nigeria, and he has been terribly persecuted, and all the children were sent to other homes, and then they were badly treated, and he's going through different courts, you know, get the children back. He's also, you know, got to go through a court proceeding because they were saying that he was doing things wrong, and it was all fabricated. Yeah, so that's something that CSW a particularly campaigning about. So if you want to actually follow somebody, and, you know, make a difference there, and writing to your MP, you know, and that's still important, and to the envoy for you know, religious freedom as well. As easy to find on the government side. There's lots of ways you can support the world of the persecuted church. Sandra, we just want to say thank you so much time has gone. The builders are itching. We are so sorry about the noise that came over a little bit earlier. But that's the reality of where we are. So may God bless you and strengthen you Sandra, thank you for sharing. For these 30 minutes you will catch us again God willing next week, the noises will disappear as the builders will exit the building in the next few weeks. But thank you so much. You can find us on Buzzsprout you can find us on I Heart Radio, and Apple music as well as Amazon music. Amazon Music is an easy place to find everything regarding the podcast that we have been doing over the last number of months, just type in Reverend Ben Cooper, his podcast and it will come up. And that is an easy site to navigate or Spotify, any of those. But thank you so much for everybody around the world for listening and sharing everything that we do. Have a great day and God bless