Dr. John and Naomi Biswas and Roger Lippross, representing GCI and the Bengali Evangelistic Association (BEA), recently attended a meeting of the Southern California Coalition on Ministry to Muslims in North America. The event was held at the Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, California where executive pastor Scott White welcomed the group of about 70 people with reflections on Christian leadership. He was followed with presentations from churches and pastors who are reaching out to Muslims in the Los Angeles area.
Event organizer Vance Nordman of the Jesus Film Project, gave a presentation about a new computer app that enables a person to easily email a link to anyone worldwide so they can watch the Jesus film in their own language. According to the Jesus film website, every eight seconds a person becomes a Christian due in part to the film.
Special guest speaker Zeebandee Abedini (shown in the center of the picture at left with John and Naomi Biswas) told of her brother Saeed Abedini, an ex-Muslim who was sentenced to an eight-year-long prison term in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. Saeed, who is a Christian pastor, has been the subject of various press reports telling of how he has been beaten and tortured due to his Christian faith. Zeebandee also told of how she and her parents were led to Christ by the Jesus film. She asked for our prayers for her brother and for the underground church in Iran.
Other presentations at the event focused on the worldview of Muslims and how to reach Muslims with the gospel message. During the event, GCI/BEA representatives received many positive comments concerning what BEA and GCI are doing to reach out to Muslims in the US and in Bangladesh.
We have been praying about Pastor Abedini since hearing about him on Fox News. Thank you for updating us on what is happening with him. We have heard that he is tortured everyday. Please continue keeping us in the loop on what is happening!! We pray that God will intervene & make a way possible for him to be released & returned to his home in Boise Idaho to his family.
God Be With Him!!
Thank you for this update of events so our prayers may be more effective in the matters towards the Muslims and Pastor Abedini! May Jesus move mightily on this front of need for a people needing to experience His unconditional love for them. And we pray for protection for all involved also. God Bless us all in these matters ministry to a people in need!
I am sure the meeting on ministry to Muslims was very productive as it focused in part on understanding the worldview of Muslims and then in that understanding and in the message of God through Jesus Christ, how all of us may effectively relate to Muslims in the world. Always appreciate BEA, John and Naomi and their main support group in their updates.