Message from Bob
HAPPY NEW YEAR! As our EVP Elijah Brown wrote in our first Speak Freedom A!ert of 2017, there are some questions whose answers this year will have profound impact on the state of religious freedom both in the U.S. and abroad. As discussed in the book I decided to highlight in the resource section of this newsletter, there are at least seven strands (listed below) to contemporary persecution. When a single act of persecution occurs in a place like Nigeria, Iraq or Pakistan, two, three, and sometimes more of these strands all play a role. Distinguishing between them is critical if we are to promote religious liberty:
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Persecution from the Ideology. The essence of an ideology is that it lays claim to be the only truth. When an ideology is reinforced by the government, a totalitarian state is born.
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Persecution from the government. Any authoritarian government feels very insecure. It is paranoid that somewhere, a group of people is plotting insurrection.
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Persecution from the family. Families will turn on each other if they feel like disgrace is brought upon them. And so it goes in most every country and culture.
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Persecution from the culture. Many of the religions around the world have formed local culture over hundreds or even thousands of years. Changing one’s religion can draw the ire of this culture in many ways.
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Persecution from the church. This is not a misprint. In fact, from virtually the third to the nineteenth centuries, the biggest persecutor of the church was the church!
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Persecution from corrupt individuals. When the primary motive for persecution has to do with money, it is usually the work of corrupt individuals. There are two main forms: where the persecutor is out to make money from the act of persecution; and where he has lost money because of those he persecutes, which prompts the oppression.
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Persecution from “over boldness.” There is a school of thought that suggests that where Christians or other religious groups living in a hostile context act rashly or recklessly, they invite arrest or harassment unnecessarily.
As you read through this newsletter, please be sure to consider reading "Faith That Endures" by Ronald Boyd-MacMillan. It will provide context to the journey this year as we work to make a difference and wait to see what happens in 2017. And if you don’t already receive our Speak Freedom A!erts, you can sign up for them here or email a request to be added to our newsletter list to info@21wilberforce.org. Don’t be surprised to get a phone call or two from me in the next few months. And please feel free to call me at any time. I would enjoy the fellowship. I appreciate you, your support, your ministry and your friendship.
May God continue to bless you.
JOY!
Bob
Psalm 84:11
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Meet Our Staff
Nathan Wineinger brings 10 years of domestic and international policy, human rights and coalition-building experience to 21CWI.
As our Director of Policy Relations, he works with thought leaders, decision makers and other non-governmental organizations to make religious freedom a human right everywhere for all people. Nathan engages and connects policy makers, think tanks, students and others by building bridges and collaborating on advocacy.
One year ago, Nathan came to 21CWI from Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), an international development firm. Prior to his time at DAI, Nathan worked in public broadcasting in St. Louis, Missouri and Washington, D.C. He also volunteered for International Justice Mission and served on the board of The Supply, a leadership education NGO.
Nathan holds a Master’s of Public Policy degree from the University of Chicago, and B.A.s in both Economics and Theatre from Washington University in St. Louis.
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In recent times, Christians in north and central Nigeria has fallen victim to discrimination, intimidation and dreadful violence, fueled by Islamic terrorism and expansionism. Hundreds of homes and churches have been torched, and Christian men, women and children terrorized and killed. Government military forces provide little or no protection and are increasingly complicit in these attacks. In the north-west, victims are not eligible for relief funding if they are Christians.
It is within this context that the Stefanos Foundation offers practical care and support in the most desperate situations in Nigeria. The group espouses a policy of non-retaliation toward aggressors while working against marginalization and discrimination. It was birthed through the activities of Release International in 2001. Release International is an organization that aims to bring the suffering of the persecuted church to the attention of the world. The organization collaborates with several other relief groups, such as the Christian Association of Nigeria, Release International UK, Voice of the Martyrs, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Stefanos Foundation Program Coordinator Mark Libdo says, “It is the vision of this organization to walk together with Christians to learn at the feet of Stephen. What motivated Stephen to be able to pray for his perpetrators and request that God should forgive them?”
Stefanos Foundation provides funding for widows and orphans, works for justice in the courts, and brings what is happening in Nigeria to the attention of world media. The group’s journey as one that brings advocacy, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction has not been easy. Mr. Libdo says, “We’ve gotten serious threats, but one thing I know is I should remain focused. No one has the right to take my life … With patience and the will of God, we’ve been able to get (where we are).”
The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative collaborated with Stefanos Foundation during its mission to Nigeria in 2016, and continues to support its work financially.
To learn more about the great work of the Stefanos Foundation, please watch the video on our website at www.standwithnigeria.org/nigeria-partners/. You can also access the group’s website at www.stefanosfoundation.org.
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 Faith That Endures: The Essential Guide to the Persecuted Church
Of the best and most timeless books about religious persecution is "Faith That Endures: The Essential Guide to the Persecuted Church." Most of us are blissfully ignorant about the true extent and nature of the persecution of Christians today. On top of that, we don’t know how to effectively help our suffering brothers and sisters. Now "Faith That Endures" stands as the most comprehensive and authoritative guide on the persecution of the church today to help you answer these important questions:
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What does contemporary persecution look like?
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What is a persecuted Christian?
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Where is the persecuted church?
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How can we best assist the persecuted church?
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What does the persecuted church have to teach us?
Through true stories from the author’s many years of work supporting the persecuted church, you will see how God is building his kingdom all around the world. As you become more connected to the experiences of the persecuted, you will discover new spiritual truths that will transform you own faith and witness. You can get your copy here.
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 We need you!!! At the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, our volunteers are critical partners in helping us stir people to action that both protects and restores religious freedom around the world. As an ambassador, I pray that you are already sharing the stories of the millions around the world suffering from religious persecution. But today, I want to encourage you to encourage others to join the movement. They can:
* Speak to their churches and community small groups
* Marshal professional and social networks to contact political leaders
* Blog and tweet to engage cultural leaders and influencers
* Write articles for community and regional publications
* Create petitions for action by policymakers
* Organize clothing drives and fundraisers at churches and schools
* Give presentations to educate students at religious schools and colleges
* Pray for the movement and the persecuted
BRING US YOUR IDEAS. Let us know how you and your groups want to be a voice of support for religious freedom.
NOTE: Also please remember that the 21CWI staff is available to come and speak to your church or group. It would be an honor and privilege for us to do so. You can contact me via email (bob@21wilberforce.org) or phone. My office number is 571-297-3177. My cell number is 432-853-1177. My office is located at Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas.
One final thing. It’s not too late to sign the most important letter that President-Elect Trump will receive. Please sign the letter and share the link below:
www.bit.ly/PresTrumpLetter
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The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative is empowering a global movement to advance religious freedom as a universal right through advocacy, capacity building and technology.
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