Dear friends

The event in Bali has enormous implications for our nation and for the Christian church here, as a challenge and as an opportunity to speak into the community.

It has started to bring the world to face the atrocities committed by Laksa Jihad Moslems against the Christians of Ambon, etc. - and it is becoming clearer in the media that at least part of the violent attacks of Islam around the world are not just political, but anti-Christian. People are asking what is Islam, what is Christian? Where do we find hope?

It is certainly a challenge for the Church: to be focusing prayer and love for the conversion of Moslems in our nation to be praying for Indonesia - for the millions of Christians there (for their protection and witness)

- for the government to take an effective stand against Islamic violence to seek renewal of our spiritual life and influence in our nation. To declare our faith clearly.

I copy below some notes sent to me as suggestions that may be useful in local churches this Sunday.

Such a tragedy can become a valuable time of speaking hope and faith into the lives of many.

Bless you

ROB

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR CHURCH RESPONSE TO BALI ATTROCITY From Ian Grant, Harvest Bible College

A Immediate Pastoral Care and longer term Strategic Action Key: What is God saying to us? ... personally? ... as a church? ... as a The Church ... ... as a nation?

1 Ideas for inclusion in a Sunday worship service. 1.1 Specific focused congregational prayer - as congregation and / or small groups. Possibly around communion time. 1.2 Key Scripture readings focusing on: a Repentance (eg., 2 Chron 7:14) What is God saying to us in this? Is He speaking to us about our lifestyle & priorities as a nation? Especially as the location involved people pursuing hedonistic activities b Proactive blessing on leaders for the sake of the Gospel's spreading (eg, 1 Tim 2:1-4)

1.3 Prayer: a for victims, for relatives, for nation of Indonesia, for Australia. b for global leaders, esp. President Bush. Why? War inhibits spread of the Gospel (usually!) (see 1 Tim 2:1-4)

2 Possible Action Points. 2.1 Find out if any person within my community had been directly affected, then: a Inviting them to share about their relative the service, so the church can bless them & pray for them. b Prepare a gift and card expressing our condolences to the family offering practical help, eg., subsidised counselling, friendship, etc. (This incarnates the 'think globally & act locally' heart of a 'World Christian mindset.)

2.2 Find out about local Balinese victims (hundreds of them) of the bombing, and make a scholarship for the victims' orphans a project in local church missions. 2.3 Raise awareness of militant Islam's agenda (by means of special speakers / seminar / video etc. then act locally on that information, by a Focused spiritual warfare against 'the last of the giants' (George Otis); b Loving focused evangelism amongst local Muslim people; c Targeted effective church planting and mission amongst the 1.2 billion Muslims. d Investing time in grass-roots activism to stem the growth of Islam locally.

Rev. Rob Isaachsen, Coordinator, MELBOURNE PASTORS NETWORK P.O. Box 2536, CHELTENHAM, Victoria 3192 AUSTRALIA Ph. & Fx: 613 9585 1134 http://www.pastornet.net.au/mpn For latest news of Transforming Melbourne see http://www.transformingmelbourne.org

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