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 Call to Prayer
The apostle Paul tells us...
"And if one member suffers,
all the members suffer with it;
or if one member is honored,
all members rejoice with it."
1 Corinthians 12:26
3/30/2010 e-mail:
Dear Brothers And Sisters....Happy And Blessed Easter,
" For I know the plans that I have for you....plans for welfare and not for
calamity to give you a future and a hope.Then you will call upon me and
come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find
me, when you search for Me with all your heart"...Jer.29:11-13
The offer our Lord Jesus gave..."Truely, Truely, I say to you, he who
believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also.........If you ask
any thing in My Name, I will do it" John 14:12-14
As Jesus bares our sins and is about to pay the penalty....He promised
many things to us including taking our own cross if we want to truely
follow Him and to be ready to suffer just as He did for us in the first Easter....
He further promissed great things including eternal life if we perseveer......
I want to thank you all my dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus and to
let you know that you have been our source of perserverence hence we
have been able to tell about Jesus to many people over the years and many
have come to believe and accept Him as their saviour.
No matter the difficulties we want you to continue to pray for and we will
remain faithfully steadfast in proclaiming the Word. Happy Easter to you all
and we also pray for you always.
Your Servant in Jesus,
Ari
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3/24/2010 - Recent Communications have asked for our prayers:
· Pray for Christians in Northern Nigeria who are living in fear. Night attacks have begun
where armed men come to homes with deadly weapons and attack, killing any one
they find. There are unconfimed reports of plans to poison Christians......we do not
buy anything hawked now especially around Churches.
· There is an outbreak of Meningitis and we have the opportunity to vaccinate our so called
enemy dispite their hatred...we pray God is creating opportunity for us to speak to them
about true love only found in Jesus.....Love your enemies....Please pray for us as we
travel to far and near places to help through our Hospital dispite our limited transportion
logistics.
· There have been sudden weather changes...March used to be the hottest month in the
year and suddenly it became very cold...18 to 20 celsius....I am personally down with
cold....There are many others like me out there.The wind blows with very much dust
and sand...visiability is very very short.
· Pray for new converts giving their lives to Christ and soon to be baptized. Please pray for
discernment and for God’s guidance especially at this time.
· Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Many of you know that in 1999 BPC sent a mission team to northern Nigeria to begin a partnership with Ari Biu and the ministry he oversees in that predominantly Muslim community. Since 1999 Ari has visited our church several times and we continue to partner with him through our Nigerian Mission Board that meets to support his work.
In recent weeks Ari has made several phone calls and sent e-mails to members of our congregation - not asking for money or resources - but asking for only one thing - prayer. Because of the recent wave of violence by an extremist Islamic group over 800 people have been killed just 125 miles north of his home. The violence is continuing to spread to many of the outlying communities as well as part of the Islamic extremists residing in Ari's own town. Over 20 churches have now been burned to the ground and pastors killed. Chistians have obviously been a particular target for this group.
Try and picture this happening in our country...Aril lives 125 miles from the violence that is spreading into his region...for us that might be the equivalent of us hearing that over 800 people had been killed just north of Columbus, Ohio and watching it spread towards Cleveland. What would we do as a church? How would we minister? What is many churches between here and Columbus had been burned to the ground with pastors and their families violently killed….would we be on our knees? Would we cry out to God?
I believe Ari is asking us to do for him what we would be doing for ourselves if such a horrific experience occurred with our own family of faith—for according to the bible, they are a part of our family. What can we do? Today, around your tables at home, please pray for peace to reside….Pray for Ari and for wisdom to be given to the pastors in this area as they seek to minister….pray for safety for the believers….pray for healing for those who have suffered tremendous loss….and pray for Christ’s bride in Nigeria—that she would remain faithful until the Lord returns and that even through this tragedy—God would draw many to Him and to the life-giving, saving presence of Jesus Christ. And finally, pray for BPC—that we would be willing to boldly stand for Christ as our Nigerian brothers and sisters are doing today—all for the Glory of God alone. Amen.
-submitted by Pastor Carol Rettew,
member of the original 1999 Mission Team to Nigeria
Click HERE to read more about Ari and the Gospel Mission to Nigeria.
See below to read the most current e-mails we have received from Ari...
From: Ari Maisule
Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2009 3:53 AM
Subject: Re: Our love, prayers, and encouragement...Figures Released by Christian Association Of Nigeria Born State...Nigeria
It very ecouraging to have friends like you who care so much about us in such times.we are truely blessed and thank you so much.It is sad that we are in this part of theworld and it seems we will never get out of it,till our Lord comes. Please continue to pray for us to remain courageous in spite of vivid threat to our lives and faith.
As of yesterday the Christian Association of Nigeria In Maiduguri The Borno state Chapter Confirmed 3 Pastors killed one of them with his wife and 4 children.20 Churches burnt,most of those killed were abducted before being killed and their bodies abandoned in some locations.there are still hundreds of missing Christians.many are in hospitals with little or no help from the Govt.
Please pray for the situation created by the call from human right groups calling for investigation in the killing of the leader of the sect and his assistant.This futher seem to give the fanatics new stregth and they seem to be regrouping in the state a situation considered dangerous.
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From: Ari Maisule
Date: August 3, 2009 6:53:42 AM EDT
Subject: Re: Thank You For Your Prayers........The Situation In Nigeria
Dear friends in the Lord Jesus,
The recent call by Nigeria Civil Rights Congress,Human Right Watch and Amnesty International for investigation into Mr.Yusus's death came to us as a rude schock considering the lives and properties lost and destroyed by this man and his group over the last several months without them saying a word.When he was arrested and taken to court late last year and was released on bail by a Abuja court he returned to Maiduguri by Air amidstr toumoultous welcome with a convoy of over 2 miles....where were they? and when his {yusuf} sect members parrade the towns of Borno state Threatning to over throw the Nigerian Govt.and instal Islamic Sharia Govt....where were they? The call by these human rights group has ignited a fresh confidence in the minds of the sect and they feel they do have interntional sympathy and this certaily means more death and suffering to inncent people including hundreds of chritians and their property.
The Christian casualty in the Borno state capital increases every day as missing people continue to be confirmed dead with the number of churches destroyed incresed to 7 as at today.
Lets continue to pray as the position of the human right groups is kindling high and uncounchable fire.Thank you for your prayer and support.
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January 2009 Update from Ari Biu:
Preparing for The Jos Trip, Our Van is seen here loaded with the relief materials. Which comprises: Food - corn, rice, medicine and clothings both male and female - children and adults.
The Members (victims) of the Luthern Church appreciating the aid materials and praising God.These are representatives of the victims some of whom have relocated to their village homes as they no longer have homes here in Jos. Mary is standing in the middle with the Church Secretary on her right.
Lamingo Refuge camp - few people seen and consoled with village head explaining the tragedy.The village head of Lamingo second from right whose wife died from shock one week after the incident explained to Mary how God spared their lives and allow them see how they watch every thing they owned in life being set and burnt. They received the gifts with great appreciation.
L.C.C. Cocin Chalyem Church - 1020 people Displaced 104 Residences and houses burnt into ashes, 9 people killed including the residence Pastor –Pastor Dung Jarri who was butchered inside the church.
The overall residences of L.C.C. Cocin burnt in Jos city are 400 LCC –{local church Council} Is one of the worst hit in the riot,and they still live in fear. Many still live in the open air and many others relocated to the village homes abandoning their jobs.
Luthern Church Pastor{ Representative} Receiving gift from Mary. 12 people were killed here on that day with the Pastor escaping with bullet wounds and still receiving treatment, Most members of this Church have relocated to the villages. They are there with no job and good food and shelter.
Some Houses belonging to the Rukkus were Destroyed.A whole village unit of the Rukkos people were chased out with some killed and many wounded.They cannot rturn to their homes, but the Pastor was able to meet with our group and received a gift for them who return on Sundays to worship.
To all whom we were able to meet we convey to them your generous gifts to them in the Name Of Jesus. And in return they ask we convey to you their appreciation and say thank you to you all.
On our part also I want to thank you for responding to my call for help.
Thank you and God Bless You.
Ari
April 2008 Update from the Nigeria Mission Team:
It's so wonderful to watch God work through what looks like insurmountable problems. God is moving in Nigeria, in the missionary work of Rev. Ari Biu. But the opposition is moving also, and growing, as radical Islamists and the push for Sharia law gain more and more popular support.
Recent comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury, urging the British Parliament to somewhat allow British Muslims to practice Sharia law have served to strengthen the voices of radicals in Ari's community. "Even Christians in England see that our law is superior," they taunt the Christians in Biu. This is a clear example of how words can travel around the world and sometimes reap unforeseen consequences, and the importance of speaking only the true Gospel.
Bay Presbyterian Church provides a doctor for the Maitaimako Hospital in Biu, Nigeria. But much more is needed. As of December 2008, there will be no more hospital if Ari can't find a new location. His landlord will not renew his lease, largely because Ari is a Christian and his work is done in the name of Jesus Christ. Earlier this year, our congregation generously donated about $7,000 to Ari because a piece of land became available. That property was lost; however, because before we could wire Ari the funds the land was sold to someone else. We've instructed Ari to keep the money in the bank, and not use it for anything except land with a building for relocating his clinic. Please pray that he finds that property in time. Pray also that the price will not exceed his resources.
The Nigeria Mission Team gets together four times a year to discuss Ari's needs and ways we can help the mission work there. We welcome all and anyone who would like to join us. Email Ed Moore at eroom@oh.rr.com to be included in our e-mails and meeting notices. God Bless BPC and all they do around the world!
 Gospel Mission to Nigeria's Beginnings Ari Biu's father, the late A. P. Mai-Sule ("King Solomon") Biu, was from the ruling dynasty of the Biu Kingdom and a Muslim. Biu is located in Northern Nigeria, which is predominately Muslim. Ari's father contracted leprosy as a child and was taken to a mission hospital for treatment. Similarly, when Ari's mother contracted leprosy as a child she was taken to the same hospital as Ari's father. The result was that both Ari's father and mother were cured physically and spiritually. They became Christians and married. Ari's father, having accepted Christ, could never go back to Biu to claim his position as the heir to the throne. Instead, Ari's father attended a four-year Bible training program at a mission school. Ari's father later became the president of all the protestant Churches in Northern Nigeria with a membership of 6.5 million before his death in December 1999. The late Rev. A. P. Mai-Sule Biu was often called the “Nigerian Christian Evangelist.”
 Gospel Mission to Nigeria's Vision
Ari Biu accepted Christ as his personal savior at the age of ten. He grew up with the desire to bring people to Christ just as his parents had brought him to the Lord. Ari, mentored by his father, discovered his gift of evangelism early in life. He later traveled to Ashland, Ohio to attend the Ashland Theological Seminary in 1994 and 1995. Ari’s professor at Ashland suggested that he work on developing a ministry to evangelize the unreached peoples in Northern Nigeria. As a result, the Gospel Mission to Nigeria was born. Ari is driven by a total commitment to the great commission, believing that the Holy Spirit will empower him to preach the Word to all the people of Nigeria. His courage is extraordinary given the fact that Nigeria is the center of Islamic affairs in West Africa and the home country of Othman Dan Fodio, a man who was regarded as related to the Prophet Mohammed and the founder of Islam in Nigeria. By preaching the Gospel in Nigeria, Ari puts his life on the line every day.
 BPC and the Gospel Mission to Nigeria
The most powerful tool Ari Biu has to spread the Word is his Mai Taimako ("King Helper") Clinic. BPC has provided support, both spiritually and financially, to Ari and his Clinic in Nigeria for several years. In fact, Pastors Carol Rettew and Tom Madden, and Dr. Dave Eberlein traveled to the Clinic in 1999. In 2001, several members of BPC formed the "Nigerian Mission Team" to address Ari's requests for the Clinic and pray for his needs. Because of the shortage of health care in the area, people travel from miles around to receive treatment at the Clinic. The staff at Ari's Clinic prays twice a day with the patients, and with each patient before surgery. When the Clinic is fully operational, approximately 20 to 30 patients per day are treated, and about 10 patients stay overnight. Ari tries to have the lowest prices and no one is denied treatment. BPC has primarily supported the Clinic by providing for the salary of a medical doctor. Having a doctor is so important because there is only one doctor for every 5,000 people in Nigeria compared to one doctor for every 250 people in the United States.
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