Christian Gunned Down in Kashmir

There are a lot of stories I could have highlighted right now. Yet this picture of children in Kashmir featured on www.mnnonline.org tells of hope and innocence. Yet violence abounds very close to home, as the following Mission Newwork News report filed on 29.11.06 tragically reveals:

Kashmir (MNN) -- A tragedy has hit a ministry in the predominately Muslim region of Kashmir. Bob Savage with Partners International says they're supporting a program called, 'Seeker Seminars' for Muslims interesting in learning about Christianity. The first convert from these seminars became actively involved in evangelism. However, his story took a tragic turn.

"He would bring people to these seminars when they happened. As often happens, a guy like him attracts bad attention. And, some people were watching him and threatening him and they just came up and point blank range and shot him." He leaves a wife and five children.

Will these 'Seeker Seminars' continue? Savage says, "People are nervous, but they'll go on. I mean, all of these guys, they know that it's a lot of risk what they've been doing. That's part of their life. Out of their commitment to reach these areas they just keep going back. You've got to admire that. It's really heroic."

Full story: http://www.MNNonline.org/article/9324

The Nativity Story: My Daughter's Take

The Nativity Story: Here’s my 17 year-old daughter’s review hot from a 23rd November 2006 London preview, so this is a typical teenage take on this new motion picture release. “The film has a realistic spin”, she told me shortly after exiting the theatre, “but toward the end it got so overdone; like the Christmas films with a star shining through a hole in the roof of the stable scenario. Then, the wise men appear right there in the stable, on the same night Jesus was born, and lo and behold, there were three of them!” (Contrary to popular myth, the Bible never does mention the number of wise men.)

“The film was well paced at the beginning,” she agreed, “but toward the end, it seemed rushed, like they had to finish off the 100 minutes of screen time.” This may reflect the tight production schedule – how many movies make it from a blank piece of paper to world-wide theatrical release in 12 months? An amazing accomplishment by any standard.

Asked about the humour angle, my daughter thinks that it “..could have done with a little humour; yes, the wise men did add some comedy flavour, but it wasn’t that funny. Oh, and by the way, let’s change the name, the title reminds me of every single nativity film you’re ever likely to see.” She rated it in the 7/10 range, (the rating on imdb linked to this piece reflects my rating, not hers – parental privilege, let’s call it!)

Interesting that I had to remind Rebekah who Keisha Castle-Hughes is, considering both young women are the same age, but she made the connection in the end, and thinks Keisha turned in a quite tidy performance. For me, I take my hat off to Mike Rich, for turning out that screenplay in one month, start to finish, and to Catherine Hardwicke for getting this to the screen for Christmas.

Regardless of how she rated the finished screen-time, at least my daughter got to see “The Nativity Play” several days earlier than Pope Benedict XVI (who is enjoying Turkish hospitality right now) for its Vatican world premier. My take on the film is that it takes us back to the time when one could openly be thankful for that quite amazing birth so long ago, and not have to make apologies to be politically correct (don't get me started on that one!)

I would like to think that this big-screen rendition will do at least as well as Mel Gibson's "Passion" at the box-office. But regardless of its commercial outcome, the "Nativity Story" is sure to touch and change countless lives around the world. Frankly, that is all that matters.

My original review can be read on International Movie Database - click the link below:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0762121/usercomments-8

The Fellowship

A quick plug for "The Fellowship" is in order. This international group of ministers started life in the 1960s under the direction of Gordon Linsey, who was the editor of a famed magazine, "The Voice of Healing". During the 1990s, 'The Fellowship' came to Britain, and is now looking toward a bright future bringing ministry together from across the denominational spectrum. Not that "anything goes" - the basis of the organization is to assist "full gospel" ministry around the world, and includes all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth.

It has been my privilege to network with Anglicans, Catholics as well as non-liturgical churches in the quest to improve chaplaincy provision across Britain. It is early days yet, but the fellowship I've enjoyed has at many times, brought tears to my eyes, as I reach across the denominational divides - not with compromise, but with the transforming love of Jesus Christ. Please do visit 'The Felowship' website at http://www.fgfcmi.org and do contact me if you are based in the UK or Europe and would like info on joining or becoming involved in caring outreach and chaplaincy.