The Accidental Pastor's Wife

I have not fallen off the face of the earth...but here's what I have been doing:

My dear husband broke and dislocated his ankle in September so I've been, uh, pretty busy caring for him, the third grader, the kindergartener, the toddler, and the 34 week old baby still baking in my tummy.

He has about a week and a half more of his Aircast boot thingie then he can attempt to put some weight on it.

I've delivered all my babies around 37/38 weeks. So the question of the hour is: Will he be able to drive me two hours to the hospital to deliver this baby?

I try not to think about it.

But I did want to share a hilarious conversation I had yesterday with my 5 1/2 year old:

Little boy: Are you for that Rock Obama guy?

Me: Well, I'm voting for the other guy, John McCain, I guess.

Little boy: Yeah. That's who I'm for, too. That other guy doesn't want you to have your own money. He wants to give it away.

Maybe we've been watching a little too much Fox News???

I realize I've not been terribly articulate lately or attentive for that matter. But my garden is dying, my carpets need vacuuming, my laundry needs putting away...so something has to give and it's usually THIS.

Anyway, I thought this guy was pretty insightful regarding Christians' relationship to Obama, especially since I'd be classified as a "world view" Christian.

Here's the link.

That would be the question a lot of people would ask. If you know your baby has a grapefruit size tumor attached to her still in the womb, why bother? Just have another one, right?

Because this family knew that this baby was precious, even though she hadn't yet been born. At her 23 week ultrasound, the doctor discovered a rare tumor that had attached itself to the baby. The only solution:

Take the baby out of the mom, perform surgery, then put her back in.

And it worked.

Click the link and see photos of this fantastic, adorable, miraculous baby, Macie Hope.

I wish pro-choice advocates everywhere would realize the depravity of their logic that this baby isn't a baby at all.

Macie Hope has a bright future ahead of her!

I was reading the news this morning and have been following the story of the Austrian man who imprisoned his daughter and committed unspeakable crimes against her and her children. An article over at Fox news suggests that perhaps this man has some kind of mental disorder so he will plead insanity and be placed in a mental institution instead of prison.

Does this seem right? I know this isn't the first time, or the last, that this will happen. But when you have a high view of the Doctrines of Grace and a clear understanding of the utter depravity of the human heart, then anything like this is possible for any person, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD. The wickedness of what this man has done is the seed of sin that is in every human heart from the time of Adam.

The DSM-IV doesn't have a category for sin because, apparently, there is no such thing. Everything wrong with a person's mental state can be attributed to chemicals in the brain so no one is responsible for any of his or her actions because the person "can't help themselves".

The lawyer quoted in this article asserts that he cannot imagine anyone doing such a thing unless he had some mental problem. The problem, however, is that this man's problem goes much deeper than his mental condition: it goes to the heart and his need for the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit to cleanse and change this man. And I pray that somehow that will happen.

I am so compelled by this question, even though my kids are young. I should be getting the baby ready for church, but these thoughts keep swimming around in my mind after the event I attended last night.

Our town has a long standing tradition before the junior/senior prom each year: The Grand March. I'd never heard of anything like this, but all the couples gather in their finest prom attire, the whole town congregates into a gymnasium that's been decorated with the traditional prom balloons, twinkling lights, cardboard cut out decorative stands, etc. A man announces each couple by name and then the boy gives the girl a red rose and they pose for a few seconds for a photo. When that's all done, they crown the king and queen.

Remember me with the tiara?

I'm not prom queen/princess material. So I don't know if I'm just prejudiced because of my nerdiness (I didn't actually go to my senior prom-and have NO regrets. Anyway...).

I felt like the entire event was the most ridiculous waste of time. And I got to thinking about the expectations of prom night:

-appealing to a cultural standard of beauty that is all but impossible except for a few select people
-wearing an immodest dress for what purpose? ummm...I won't be crude here but I think you know what I'm meaning.
-dark room, immodest dress, boys and girls close together dancing, music that encourages what was mentioned above
-and at least when I was in high school, the culmination of prom night was a hotel room with lots of alcohol provided by some older "friend".

Am I a fuddy dud? Do I just not want kids to have fun? I mean, there was adult supervision there and an after prom party to discourage drinking and other activities. So what's the big deal? Why does this bug me? Why would I be mortified to think of my daughter in a dress like that? Why would I cringe inside if my son had one such girl on his arm and hormones coursing through his blood?

I once read somewhere that the teenage years and the college years are a time when young people are given all the privileges of adulthood with none of the responsibilities of it. In other words, they can work, earn money, go to school, have a car, go wherever they desire, expose themselves to anything under the sun, but not have a wife or husband or children who they need to take care of and be responsible for. There's no one at home wondering where they are and what they're doing. It makes no difference because everything in the single person's life is focused on themselves. *Note I am most certainly NOT calling all people who are single selfish. I've known plenty of godly, loving, pure single people.

So what's the point of all this last night?

Thoughts???

OK. You get one more since I thought Pastor Throop put it so well over at his blog. Now I have to make my house appear cleaner than it usually is for when I go pick up my friend from the airport tomorrow. And finish getting ready for church.

I've had a few minutes to browse the headlines this morning and found this on Fox News. I know terrible, shocking things happen every day, but I think this really bothered me on a couple of levels.

The story is about a group of third graders who plotted to kill their special education teacher because she scolded a child who was standing on his chair.

I think I find this so disturbing because I have a third grader. Also, while I know this seed for destruction lies within the hearts of all sinful, depraved human beings, I cannot help but wonder if a few things help that seed to grow:

1. An entertainment industry bent on exploiting the worst of human nature and making it accessible to everyone, regardless of age or station in life, all in the name of freedom of expression.

2. Parents who refuse to discipline their children.

3. Parents who refuse to shield their children from the violence and sexuality in the media.

4. Teachers who try, and try, and try to discipline and teach children, who pour their lives into the kids, but cannot take the place of a parent who won't parent.

5. School administrators who won't/can't handle problem children.

6. Doctors, parents, and teachers who are more interested in medicating children than solving the root problems in the family (when most of these medications can often make psychotic episodes more likely!).

Something is so wrong here! I know that stuff like this has always happened somewhere or another throughout history. I know that the information is so much more accessible than in generations past.

But doesn't the culture FEEL different now than when we were in school?? What has changed?? What can we do to make it better??

*sigh* Now I'm all depressed.

I just read this goofball's article on www.foxnews.com. The guy reasons that because monogamy doesn't exist in the animal kingdom, then it's ridiculous to expect it among humans. Of course, the basic assumption he's making is that we're no different from animals. I suppose he's at least being consistent. The article was kind of gross and inappropriate so I won't link it here. Yuck.

But the other day as I was in the cardio room, there was a movie on that someone else was watching. I am by no means endorsing the movie; I just wanted to note something in it.

The movie was Anger Management with Adam Sandler. I suppose the story is that he has such a bad temper that the girl he loves won't commit to him and he's in therapy for it, and yada yada yada. Anyway, I saw the very end and here's what happened (spoiler warning-since I'm sure every last one of you is dying to see this movie).

Adam's character is at a Yankees game. His girl is in the stands. He somehow manages to get a hold of a microphone down on the field and the cameras of the stadium are on him. He then tells his girl how he's done getting mad, he's a changed man, and that all he wants is to get married and have a family with her. She gets all teary, he runs up the steep steps to her seat, then hug and kiss all on the big screens and everyone's happily ever after, the crowd's cheering.

If people really don't have an innate sense within them to be with one person for the rest of their lives, tell me why the happy ending to this movie was just that.

Just another example of how we AREN'T just animals, but are created in the image of God.

I got a comment yesterday about a few of my older posts regarding Islam and Christianity and their relationship. I think I'll post about it, instead of just replying in a comment. So here is the comment, and following will be my response to it. I am very thankful that Khany took the time to share his ideas. I think the free exchange of ideas is what makes the West so wonderful. Both of us are free to share and believe how we choose without fear of censorship or death.

hello Juloyes,
i just across your blog by chance while browsing the web and now i feel the urge to respond although it has been so long since you posted this that you may have lost interest in the subject.

if you are interested in islam i would highly recommend that you learn it from its "primary" sources. "my year inside radical islam" might teach you something about muslims - or one person's experience inside a geographically limited community informed by its social and political environment over the course of an year - but you can hardly expect to get a handle on islam from this reading. my intention is not to disparage the book, i have not read it.

english translations of the quran (http://www.quranexplorer.com/) are readily available so too are english biographies of the prophet (peace be upon him). there are the only primary sources of islam. having said that let me address your question to the best of my knowledge.

although there numerous quranic verses that could be quoted i will highlight only three.

(002:062)
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.

(004:171)
O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.

(004:048)
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.

muslims believe that islam is not a new religion that was revealed to the prophet muhammad. in fact it was the religion of god from the first day. all the prophets and messengers of god taught the same essential message "worship none save the one true god". in deed, prophet muhammad only reiterated this primordial message. in this sense the true followers of jesus and moses (peace be upon them) are muslims in this sense. the divination of christ is an innovation in the christian religion in the sight of islam.

yet, it is not in the right of any muslim to decree that another person will go to heaven or hell whether he be muslim or otherwise. this is because only allah knows what is in the hearts of people and he can allow out of his mercy who he wills into the garden of paradise.



Some thoughts on Islam and Christianity:

1. Is it possible for one to study an English translation of the koran, or must it be read in Arabic only? Could I study it for myself in English and still make credible points with a Muslim?

2. It seems as though the first verse you quoted says that as a Christian, I will not lose my reward. Yet the following two verses seem to say the opposite, that allah does not forgive any association with him. So which is it?

3. As C.S. Lewis so articulately expressed in his book Mere Christianity, the statements of Christ do not allow us to call Him merely a "good teacher". He is either a liar, a lunatic, or He is LORD. His claims to deity in the gospel of John, for example, are so numerous that they cannot be denied. Here is one: John 10:30 "I and the Father are one."

His disciple also affirms Jesus' deity: John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father full of grace and truth.

4. Christians are not polytheists. The doctrine of the trinity is woven throughout the Bible. There is a sense of mystery involved, but the idea that God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is found in Mark 1:9-11, 2 Corinthians 13:14, and Matthew 28:19. Three persons within ONE God, that perfectly coexist with one another, the same in essence, equal in power and glory, as the Baptist catechism states so succinctly.

5. People are utterly depraved and have no hope of salvation. It makes no difference how many times a day you pray, how kind you are to the poor, whether you make a religious pilgrimage, stay morally pure. If one were to broadcast every thought and intention of my heart onto a movie screen for the world to see, I could never show my face again, I would be so ashamed. In contrast, God is so wholly Holy that I could never purify myself to be acceptable to Him. This is why Jesus came:

Jesus is the perfect God/Man. He is fully God, and fully man at the same time. Hebrews 4:15-16 explains that in Jesus we have a great High Priest, a Savior, who can sympathize with our weakness, but who ever fell prey to the charms of sin. He lived the perfect life that we cannot. He could only do that because he is God. He paid the ultimate price on the cross. He bore God's wrath. It fell upon Him. So that the person who recognizes his sinful, depraved state and trusts in Jesus' perfect sacrifice to atone for his sin, this is the person who is promised eternal life. I have the assurance that because I am trusting in Jesus to save me from the punishment my sin deserves, I will be with Him forever in heaven.

I do not have to labor. I can never fulfill the law's demands to save myself. I also do not serve an arbitrary god who will someday weigh my good and bad deeds and decide if I did good enough.

6. You claim to be unable to know the mind of allah, yet he has spoken in the koran so you know something about what is in his mind.

7. allah is not just. If he just decides that one person's sin never gets any punishment, he is the worst of rulers. We would never stand for a king to punish some for their wrongs, and not others. We could cry, "Tyrant!" In Christ, God is just and merciful. He punishes sin by placing it on Jesus, yet in His grace and mercy, provides a way for people to be saved: by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

8. While I have read many books that are critical of Islam, I have also had enlightening, frank conversations with my good Muslim friend, who I cherish. Hearing radical Muslims desire my death makes me feel uncomfortable, especially when they say the koran demands it.

8. There is ONE guarantee in Islam of paradise: death by jihad. Is this correct? If so, then I would certainly understand why a desperate Muslim would go to such lengths for the assurance that he or she has pleased allah enough to get to paradise. It would take off a lot of the pressure to be good enough.

At the end of the day, I am supremely thankful to have this "cyber" discussion. I am glad that Muslims and Christians can dialogue and I think it goes along way in learning to trust each other. I do not desire the death of any Muslim, even Osama bin Laden. I desire to see God change his heart in such a way that he repents of his sin, and turns to the living God, Jesus Christ. J

So, since today is my "day off" (thanks hubby!), I got to go work out at 9 a.m. and watch one of my favorite food network star's (Rachael Ray!) talk show on CBS. I just love her. She's so cute and fun! Anyway, today she had on these two ladies who have started a business together to help new moms plan for their baby, like a wedding planner helps plan a wedding. Sounds like a great idea at first, doesn't it? I mean, you're having your first baby: What books to read? What to buy? How to parent? How to deliver? Which diaper bag to carry? You just have a lot of questions and uncertainties about what to expect.

Well, for $75 you can call these gals and have a 30 minute consultation on the phone! If you feel like you need more help than that then they can meet you to go shopping together and create a baby registry or give you any other kind of support you might need.

$75! I got on their website and they have plans that start at $500 and if you don't live in L.A., they will travel to YOU.

Somehow, these two women are "experts". I'm not sure what makes them experts, I couldn't find anything on their website that gives them any kind of parenting creditentials except maybe having a kid or two of their own. No degrees in anything kid or mom related. They did work in the media, though, so maybe that counts? I'm thinking maybe Kendra Fletcher over at Preschoolers and Peace with, what 7 precious kiddos, yeah, SHE might be an expert. Or what about Ann Voskamp over at Holy Experience with her 6? Yep, I'd listen to her. BUT--

This got me thinking: Back in the olden days, most of us asked OUR MOTHERS. Our moms helped us shop, get the nursery ready, explain labor and delivery and life with a newborn, helped us breastfeed, reassured us that we'd be JUST FINE. Now, you can HIRE someone to do it for you because a lot of us were raised by mothers who were so busy pursuing their own interests that the mundane tasks of motherhood fell to someone else on a regular basis, leaving many women, like me, who spent most of my childhood in daycare, to figure out how to run a household on her own. [disclaimer to working moms: I realize every single situation is different, so don't assume I'm just bashing all working mothers, ok? I'm not. I'm just reflecting on the culture a bit and speaking in generalities.]

There has been this huge cultural shift that has happened right before our eyes. What used to take place in the context of a family is now repackaged into a commodity to be bought and sold. You used to plan your wedding with your mom, but now you need a "professional". You used to have a close knit group of family and friends who helped bear your burdens, but now you pay someone, be it a life coach or a psychologist, to be your friend and listen and give advice. You used to plan for a new baby with your husband and mom and friends and relatives, but now you hire someone to tell you what you should do.

I just find this fascinating. Thoughts anyone?

Fox News has an article about a 32 year old man who was kidnapped and murdered. He owned a Christian bookstore and left behind two small children and a pregnant wife. The story states that he had been receiving death threats for quite some time and his bookstore had been bombed. The religion of peace?

Here's the address:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299969,00.html

I posted that silly video, noticed the date, and remembered that it was Patriot Day. Do you remember where you were six years ago when you heard the news?

I was about to go to a ladies' Bible study. We had just moved into an apartment in the city where hubby attended Seminary. It was his first semester there. My oldest was almost 2. I didn't really know anyone in the town, but I was going to this church's Bible study that was about---

the book of Revelation!

Can you imagine the thoughts that went through my paranoid head??

I remember walking my new puppy and hearing no airplanes for days. So bizarre.

And I still anxiously wait for something else to happen. One of these days, they won't foil a plot. It's at times like this I must trust in our sovereign God.

I can't hyperlink in blogger from my mac, but if you get on www.foxnews.com and go to the videos, click on the clip about this subject. A woman from Fox News asked people on the street if they were religious or spiritual. It was amazing to me how many people could really not articulate ANY religious/spiritual viewpoint. At all.

One woman did make the "all gods are the same god" argument, but the majority of the folks were dumbfounded. They might answer one or the other, but when the newsperson asked, "How so?" They couldn't explain.

It seems God isn't even on anyone's radar screen on the streets of New York City. I've found that many of my conversations with people who aren't Christians never move from the mundane everyday stuff to the spiritual. That's a huge jump. I think it's because everyone is distracted by the world, meaning if they stay busy enough then they won't have to think about deep things.

Thoughts?

Reading this. WOW. All other things have totally slacked off as I've been absorbed in this book.

I think I find Islam so fascinating because I have a friend from high school (who is now a neurologist) whose a Muslim. And I see Islam as our future.

Have you heard the statistics (I should probably just find them.) about what percentage of Europe will be Muslim by the middle of this century? It's astounding. I feel like I need to understand Islamic fundamentalism. Of course, my friend doesn't fall into this category--she's not the type whose trying to murder the infidels and force conversion by the sword.

Unfortunately, no one else around my little town is interested in stuff like this so I read alone. Or blog about it!

I have family coming in today so I need to get ready and get this house in order.

Sorry for the lack of posts! I have about 100 pages left--then I'll be back. :)

I'm reading an updated version of Foxe's Book of Martyrs, that famous book that chronicles the men and women who have died because of their faith in the Living Christ since New Testament times. I'm only into some of the Roman persecutions, and there were many, before the emperor decided maybe he'd like to be a Christian, too.

One reason I'm reading it is because I have a great fear of dying. I know it's inevitable, but I want to want to be willing to suffer for Christ if He asks it of me. I feel like such a coward sometimes.

I was also struck with how different these Christian martyrs are from the radical Islamic martyrs of today.

Jesus prepared us that His followers will suffer persecutions. Church history records that Peter was crucified upside down because he didn't feel worthy to die the same death that Jesus did. None of these men and women fought against their torturers, but sometimes the strength of their faith ministered to their tormenters and brought them to faith in Christ, too.

The martyr of Islam is bent on the destruction of non-Muslims (infidels) as he or she is dying for Allah.

While I am not naive enough to believe that "Christians" throughout history have not tried to further their cause through the sword, the "noble" martyrdom of radical Islamists bear a striking difference to these heroes of the Christian faith who willingly and with great love and compassion for their captors died for their faith.

I was watching this special on psychotropic drugs yesterday, and I was remembering my stint working in a juvenile detention center. These kids were screwed up. And we passed out their drugs (Paxil, Zoloft, Ritalin, Wellbutrin...) like candy. It made them feel weird, and I wonder how much it even helped, especially since researchers have no idea about the long term effects of these drugs on children.

Some of the serious side effects include mania and psychosis. The documentary I was watching contended that these drugs have played a role in the rise in school violence in recent years. A compelling idea, and one I found convincing enough to purpose that my children will never take any of these drugs, drugs that one teacher labeled, "kiddie cocaine".

Ritalin is a controlled substance. It's speed. Yet it's legitimized if given as a prescription. The definitions of ADD & ADHD in the DSM-IV (the diagnostic manual that mental health professionals use to determine illness) are vague ,and often it's a teacher who recommends the drugs, not a psychiatrist, based on behaviors such as:

fidgeting
difficulty sitting in class
trouble concentrating on school work
impulsive behavior

I guess I'm wondering--what child DOES NOT act this way? I'm almost certain that if my firstborn were in the public school, he would be "diagnosed" with a hyperactivity disorder.

Seems to me the drug companies are just packaging another "convenience food" for our consumption because parents don't want to parent.

Mr. Gartenstein-Ross is courageously reporting from Iraq, interviewing journalists and soldiers. His most recent article was emailed to me today and dealt with the danger journalists face in Iraq from militant groups following them from safe zones and shooting them in cold blood sitting in their cars. Iraqi journalists are in extreme danger, and Gartenstein-Ross reports that they have a short life expectancy.

The constant danger these men and women face obviously taints their journalism, putting a negative spin on the stories they write. I found this point fascinating: there is no such thing as "value-free", "state the facts" journalism, especially when it comes to a hot button issue like the Iraq war and especially when you don't know if you'll see tomorrow.

Please pray for Daveed, a fellow believer in Christ, as he works among the people of Iraq. And check out his counter-terrorism blog at the link below:

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/05/baghdad_iraqi_journalists_targ.php

I'll have the link for this story soon but hubby said that the men weren't as mutilated as first thought. They were still murdered and their throats were slit, but apparently people who saw the bodies said it wasn't as disgusting as first suspected. We still mourn these dear brothers in Christ, nonetheless, but there is a small comfort in knowing that they didn't endure such torture.

I've copied and pasted this article--this is happening every day in the name of Allah. And while I don't think all Muslims approve of this violence, I do wonder why the Quran seems to command this kind of thing against infidels.

Christians Murdered in Turkey

A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey)

Dear friends,

This past week has been filled with much sorrow. Many of you have heard by now of our devastating loss here in an event that took place in Malatya, a Turkish province 300 miles northeast of Antioch, the city where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).

On Wednesday morning, April 18, 2007, 46-year-old German missionary and father of three Tilman Geske prepared to go to his office, kissing his wife goodbye taking a moment to hug his son and give him the priceless memory, “Goodbye, son. I love you.”

Tilman rented an office space from Zirve Publishing where he was preparing notes for the new Turkish Study Bible. Zirve was also the location of the Malatya Evangelist Church office. A ministry of the church, Zirve prints and distributes Christian literature to Malatya and nearby cities in Eastern Turkey. In another area of town, 35-year-old Pastor Necati Aydin, father of two, said goodbye to his wife, leaving for the office as well. They had a morning Bible Study and prayer meeting that some other believers in town would also be attending. Ugur Yuksel likewise made his way to the Bible study.

None of these three men knew that what awaited them at the Bible study was the ultimate testing and application of their faith, which would conclude with their entrance into glory to receive their crown of righteousness from Christ and honor from all the saints awaiting them in the Lord’s presence.

On the other side of town, ten young men all under 20 years old put into place final arrangements for their ultimate act of faith, living out their love for Allah and hatred of infidels who they felt undermined Islam. On Resurrection Sunday, five of these men had been to a by-invitation-only evangelistic service that Pastor Necati and his men had arranged at a hotel conference room in the city. The men were known to the believers as “seekers.”

No one knows what happened in the hearts of those men as they listened to the gospel. Were they touched by the Holy Spirit? Were they convicted of sin? Did they hear the gospel in their heart of hearts? Today we only have the beginning of their story.

These young men, one of whom is the son of a mayor in the Province of Malatya, are part of a tarikat, or a group of “faithful believers” in Islam. Tarikat membership is highly respected here; it’s like a fraternity membership. In fact, it is said that no one can get into public office without membership in a tarikat. These young men all lived in the same dorm, all preparing for university entrance exams.

The young men got guns, breadknives, ropes and towels ready for their final act of service to Allah. They knew there would be a lot of blood. They arrived in time for the Bible Study, around 10 o’clock. They arrived, and apparently the Bible Study began. Reportedly, after Necati read a chapter from the Bible the assault began. The boys tied Ugur, Necati, and Tilman’s hands and feet to chairs and as they videoed their work on their cellphones, they tortured our brothers for almost three hours.

Details of the torture (caution: graphic)
Tilman was stabbed 156 times, Necati 99 times and Ugur’s stabs were too numerous to count. They were disemboweled, and their intestines sliced up in front of their eyes. They were emasculated and watched as those body parts were destroyed. Fingers were chopped off, their noses and mouths and anuses were sliced open. Possibly the worst part was watching as their brothers were likewise tortured. Finally, their throats were sliced from ear to ear, heads practically decapitated.

Neighbors in workplaces near the printhouse said later they had heard yelling, but assumed the owners were having a domestic argument so they did not respond.

Meanwhile, another believer, Gokhan, and his wife had a leisurely morning. He slept in till 10, ate a long breakfast and finally around 12:30 he and his wife arrived at the office. The door was locked from the inside, and his key would not work. He phoned and though it had connection on his end he did not hear the phone ringing inside. He called cell phones of his brothers and finally Ugur answered his phone. “We are not at the office. Go to the hotel meeting. We are there. We will come there,” he said cryptically.

As Ugur spoke Gokhan heard in the telephone’s background weeping and a strange snarling sound. He phoned the police, and the nearest officer arrived in about five minutes. He pounded on the door, “Police, open up!” Initially the officer thought it was a domestic disturbance. At that point they heard another snarl and a gurgling moan. The police understood that sound as human suffering, prepared the clip in his gun and tried over and over again to burst through the door. One of the frightened assailants unlocked the door for the policeman, who entered to find a grisly scene.

Tilman and Necati had been slaughtered, practically decapitated with their necks slit from ear to ear. Ugur’s throat was likewise slit and he was barely alive. Three assailants in front of the policeman dropped their weapons.

Meanwhile Gokhan heard a sound of yelling in the street. Someone had fallen from their third story office. Running down, he found a man on the ground, whom he later recognized, named Emre Gunaydin. He had massive head trauma and, strangely, was snarling. He had tried to climb down the drainpipe to escape, and losing his balance had plummeted to the ground. It seems that he was the main leader of the attackers. Another assailant was found hiding on a lower balcony.

To untangle the web we need to back up six years. In April 2001, the National Security Council of Turkey (Milli Guvenlik Kurulu) began to consider evangelical Christians as a threat to national security, on equal footing as Al Quaida and PKK terrorism. Statements made in the press by political leaders, columnists and commentators have fueled a hatred against missionaries who they claim bribe young people to change their religion.

After that decision in 2001, attacks and threats on churches, pastors and Christians began. Bombings, physical attacks, verbal and written abuse are only some of the ways Christians are being targeted. Most significant is the use of media propaganda.

From December 2005, after having a long meeting regarding the Christian threat, the wife of Former Prime Minister Ecevit, historian Ilber Ortayli, Professor Hasan Unsal, politician Ahmet Tan and writer/propogandist Aytunc Altindal, each in their own profession began a campaign to bring the public’s attention to the looming threat of Christians who sought to “buy their children’s souls.” Hidden cameras in churches have taken church service footage and used it sensationally to promote fear and antagonism toward Christianity.

In an official televised response from Ankara, the Interior Minister of Turkey smirked as he spoke of the attacks on our brothers. Amid public outrage and protests against the event and in favor of freedom of religion and freedom of thought, media and official comments ring with the same message, “We hope you have learned your lesson. We do not want Christians here.”

It appears that this was an organized attack initiated by an unknown adult tarikat leader. As in the Hrant Dink murder in January 2007, and a Catholic priest Andrea Santoro in February 2006, minors are being used to commit religious murders because public sympathy for youth is strong and they face lower penalties than an adult convicted of the same crime. Even the parents of these children are in favor of the acts. The mother of the 16-year-old boy who killed the Catholic priest Andrea Santoro looked at the cameras as her son was going to prison and said, “he will serve time for Allah.”

The young men involved in the killing are currently in custody. Today news reported that they would be tried as terrorists, so their age would not affect the strict penalty. Assailant Emre Gunaydin is still in intensive care. The investigation centers around him and his contacts and they say will fall apart if he does not recover.

The Church in Turkey responded in a way that honored God as hundreds of believers and dozens of pastors flew in as fast as they could to stand by the small church of Malatya and encourage the believers, take care of legal issues, and represent Christians to the media.

When Susanne Tilman expressed her wish to bury her husband in Malatya, the Governor tried to stop it, and when he realized he could not stop it, a rumor was spread that “it is a sin to dig a grave for a Christian.” In the end, in an undertaking that should be remembered in Christian history forever, the men from the church in Adana (near Tarsus), grabbed shovels and dug a grave for their slain brother in an untended hundred-year-old Armenian graveyard. Ugur was buried by his family in an Alevi Muslim ceremony in his hometown of Elazig, his believing fiance watching from the shadows as his family and friends refused to accept in death the faith Ugur had so long professed and died for.

Necati’s funeral took place in his hometown of Izmir, the city where he came to faith. The darkness does not understand the light. Though the churches expressed their forgiveness for the event, Christians were not to be trusted. Before they would load the coffin onto the plane from Malatya, it went through two separate x-ray exams to make sure it was not loaded with explosives. This is not a usual procedure for Muslim coffins.

Necati’s funeral was a beautiful event. Like a glimpse of heaven, thousands of Turkish Christians and missionaries came to show their love for Christ, and their honor for this man chosen to die for Christ. Necati’s wife, Shemsa, told the world, “His death was full of meaning, because he died for Christ and he lived for Christ… Necati was a gift from God. I feel honored that he was in my life, I feel crowned with honor. I want to be worthy of that honor.”

Boldly the believers took their stand at Necati’s funeral, facing the risks of being seen publicly and likewise becoming targets. As expected, the anti-terror police attended and videotaped everyone attending the funeral for their future use.

The service took place outside at Buca Baptist church, and he was buried in a small Christian graveyard in the outskirts of Izmir.

Two assistant Governors of Izmir were there solemnly watching the event from the front row. Dozens of news agencies were there documenting the events with live news and photographs. Who knows the impact the funeral had on those watching? This is the beginning of their story as well. Pray for them.

In an act that hit front pages in the largest newspapers in Turkey, Susanne Tilman in a television interview expressed her forgiveness. She did not want revenge, she told reporters. “Oh God, forgive them for they know not what they do,” she said, wholeheartedly agreeing with the words of Christ on Calvary (Luke 23:34).

In a country where blood-for-blood revenge is as normal as breathing, many, many reports have come to the attention of the church of how this comment of Susanne Tilman has changed lives. One columnist wrote of her comment, “She said in one sentence what 1000 missionaries in 1000 years could never do.”

The missionaries in Malatya will most likely move out, as their families and children have become publicly identified as targets to the hostile city. The remaining 10 believers are in hiding. What will happen to this church, this light in the darkness? Most likely it will go underground. Pray for wisdom, that Turkish brothers from other cities will go to lead the leaderless church. Should we not be concerned for that great city of Malatya, a city that does not know what it is doing? (Jonah 4:11)

When our Pastor Fikret Bocek went with a brother to give a statement to the Security Directorate on Monday they were ushered into the Anti-Terror Department. On the wall was a huge chart covering the whole wall listing all the terrorist cells in Izmir, categorized. In one prominent column were listed all the evangelical churches in Izmir. The darkness does not understand the light. “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” (Acts 17:6)

Please pray for the Church in Turkey. “Don’t pray against persecution, pray for perseverence,” urges Pastor Fikret Bocek.

The Church is better having lost our brothers; the fruit in our lives, the renewed faith, the burning desire to spread the gospel to quench more darkness in Malatya …all these are not to be regretted. Pray that we stand strong against external opposition and especially pray that we stand strong against internal struggles with sin, our true debilitating weakness.

This we know: Christ Jesus was there when our brothers were giving their lives for Him. He was there, like He was when Stephen was being stoned in the sight of Saul of Tarsus.

Someday the video of the deaths of our brothers may reveal more to us about the strength that we know Christ gave them to endure their last cross, about the peace the Spirit of God endowed them with to suffer for their beloved Savior. But we know He did not leave their side. We know their minds were full of Scripture strengthening them to endure, as darkness tried to subdue the unsubduable Light of the Gospel. We know, in whatever way they were able, with a look or a word, they encouraged one another to stand strong. We know they knew they would soon be with Christ.

We don’t know the details. We don’t know the kind of justice that will or will not be served on this earth.

But we pray– and urge you to pray– that someday at least one of those five boys will come to faith because of the testimony in death of Tilman Geske, who gave his life as a missionary to his beloved Turks, and the testimonies in death of Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, the first martyrs for Christ out of the Turkish Church.

Reported by Darlene N. Bocek (24 April 2007)

A while back, I was reading that book by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross called "My Year Inside Radical Islam". I had mentioned in a previous post some questions I had about the position of Christians before Allah. Are we capable of going to heaven? Are we infidels? What does Islam teach about these issues? So, in our cool technological age I decided to email Mr. Gartenstein-Ross and see what he says about it all. I found him to be very accomodating, and he's allowed me to post his response on my blog. (You really must read his book!) Here's his answer:

"With respect to your question, there is a split opinion among Muslims in contemporary times about whether Christians can go to heaven. Compare Qur'an verse 2:62 (saying that Jews, Christians, and Sabians "who believe in Allah and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord") to verse 3:85 (saying that "whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers"). The traditionally dominant interpretation is that verse 3:85 abrogates verse 2:62, and therefore that only Islam is a path to salvation. Some contemporary scholarship has challenged that view, but my guess based on observational data is that most Muslims, and most Islamic scholars, hold an exclusivist view of salvation.

As to Christians being "people of the book," that's primarily a political classification and doesn't speak to whether or not Christianity is a path to salvation. The "people of the book" classification allows Christians to continue to practice their faith under Muslim rule, although with the visible subjugation of the dhimmi class.

One final point. You ask whether you're "OK or not" in Muslims' eyes. This ties into the question of whether there can be respect and friendship between people of different faiths that make competing truth claims. It's worth noting that under most interpretations of Christianity, adherents to other religions cannot reach heaven. I do not find this to be an inherently offensive view, so I have difficulty finding it offensive when coming from Muslims rather than Christians. After all, if someone believes that you're on a path to hell and he's right, he's doing you a favor by trying to correct your course. And if he's wrong, that erroneous belief has no impact at all on you. I believe there can be friendship, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence between people who belong to faiths that make competing truth claims. Problems occur when adherents of one faith believe that it is their religious obligation to physically dominate believers in another creed, as is the case for radical Muslims today."