Thirty years ago, prophetic ministry dramatically altered the course of my life. God sent a seasoned prophetic woman all the way from Israel to Dallas in order to have a three-minute telephone conversation with me via a radio program.

This encounter completely changed my career and life expectations and thrust me into ministry. It is an example of the power of true prophetic ministry-something that is desperately needed in difficult times.

But when I look at the broad spectrum of prophetic ministry today, I become concerned. I fear that a lot of us have gone off course, and it is going to take more than a shift in attitude to get us back.

It is going to take sweeping, all-inclusive prophetic reformation-reformation that begins within prophetic individuals, not the church. The way prophetic people view themselves must radically change first, and only then will the church change the way it views prophetic ministry.

For too long we have embraced the following erroneous beliefs. They are common in the church today, and all of them work against the prophetic.

It’s OK to “prophesy” whatever we want in the name of the Lord. Too many “prophetic” words inundate the Web, go out via e-mail and “appear” in videos all over the Internet. If all of them were mature and accurate words from the Lord, I would have little to say here, but most are not. And no one is addressing the error; words that do not come to pass are simply forgotten instead of corrected.

It seems as if we are living in denial, believing that God does not care when we attach His name to a word He has not actually spoken. Do we not understand that this is taking God’s name in vain?

Grace is a license for sin. Many of us have developed a habit of “managing” sin rather than seeking to live a holy life. “Grace” is touted as the trump card, and anyone who sees grace in a different light is automatically discounted as being legalistic or as having a spirit of self-righteousness.

But at what point does the embracing of grace turn into the endorsement of ungodly behavior?

A person is defined by his gifts. All of us have probably heard about prophetic individuals who are supposedly “essential” to a particular move of God, but when we make any man or woman the foundation for God’s actions, we are coming perilously close to turning the gift into an idol. This belief has resulted in an entire generation of young men and women who base their identity so heavily on their gifts that when they are questioned about their words or behavior, they act as if God Himself is being called on the carpet.

When did the gift of the prophet become more important than the purity of the Word?

Gifts are more important than character. The weighty emphasis placed on various gifts promotes the idea that gifting is more important than character. In one prophetic magazine, the editor wrote that it is unbiblical to believe that a person’s character is more important than his gift-but his statement is clearly not correct.

Character has several facets, not the least of which is love. The apostle Paul wrote that without love we are nothing, no matter how accurate our prophetic gift (see 1 Cor. 13:2). His statement alone is biblical proof that character is more important than gifting.

Furthermore, we are told in Matthew 7:22-23 that many will prophesy and do signs and wonders-all the while living in rebellion. They will bring genuine healing, prophetic words and deliverance to others, but in the end, God will say they are lawless and that He doesn’t know (have relationship with) them.

Unfortunately, it seems as if we are living in a Samson-esque era in which gifts are embraced and character is overlooked. We have promoted the gift over knowing God and His ways, and in so doing, we have become primed for the Antichrist’s appearance. What will we do when he comes and performs actual, powerful miracles? Will we ourselves be part of the great deception?

How will we be able to judge the holy from the profane if godly character is not our plumb line? Remember, the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden did not appear evil-it was a type of good that wasn’t from God. A righteous lifestyle helps each of us discern the difference between good and God and keeps us from making the same mistakes Adam and Eve did.

It’s not wrong to promote ungodly ministers. Make no mistake about it: Our nation views anyone who is on Christian TV as an example of Christianity-as well they should! The problem is that some ministers who appear on television are not good examples because of their ungodly lifestyles. By supporting those who commit adultery, divorce their spouses and engage in sexual immorality, we promote these behaviors and encourage Christians as well as non-Christians to think they are OK.

Three Ways to Reform Prophetic Ministry

I believe there are three things every believer called to prophetic ministry can do to produce a change: grow in character; develop his prophetic gift; and learn the true role of the prophet in the church.

1. Grow in character.

The character of every prophet is tested before the word the Lord has given comes to pass (see Ps. 105:19). Like Joseph, we must establish prophetic credibility and character before we will be given any prophetic authority. Then, and only then, can we expect pastors and other people to give us favor, listen, understand and take action on anything the Lord speaks through us.

There must be more mature, prophetically gifted people who are willing to stand up for the absolutes of God. Every mature prophet learns that “he who rules his spirit [is better] than he who takes a city” (Prov. 16:32, NKJV) and that the Lord dwells with “him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Is. 57:15).

We need prophets who ooze the beatitudes and abundantly exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. These characteristics are precisely what define maturity.

2. Develop your prophetic gift.

The word “prophet” is more of a function than a title. In Scripture it is most often used as a verb (“prophesy”) rather than a noun. In other words, being a prophet is something you do rather than someone you are.

Also, becoming a prophet is a process, not an instantaneous ministry. Having supernatural experiences does not automatically make you a prophet. Though we can all prophesy, few are called to become prophets, and those who are do not stand before world leaders the day after receiving that calling.

Moses waited 40 years; Samuel waited 25 years; and even Jeremiah, who the Lord said was not too young, waited 17 years before his first prophetic utterance. Waiting on God to mature our gifts seems to be a lost virtue.

During the wait, those called to be prophets must study the gift. Biblical knowledge helps lay the foundation for any future task the Lord might give them. They must learn the differences between a trance and a visitation, a dream and a vision, a translation and a transportation, and so on. All these things are described in Scripture and happened in Scripture.

Would today’s prophets know why they happened, how to use them and what to do with them? Current evidence indicates that most would not.

3. Learn the role of the prophet in the church.

Prophets must learn that edification is God’s heart for the church-and His heart for the gifts as well (see 1 Cor. 14:26). We must study the role, purpose and function of the church, as well as the role, purpose and function of the prophetic in the church, and these two must parallel each other. It is the church that will make known the manifold wisdom of God, and the prophet is just one of the many tools God uses to help the body of Christ reveal this wisdom.

Prophets must be realistic about the maturity of their anointing and gifting. Far too many have demanded authority today based on tomorrow’s anointing. In our insecurity, we have spoken our own opinions as if they were from God, and we have lost our fear of God and our concern for the long-term consequences of sin.

However, I believe there is hope for things to change. I am convinced that the application of these three principles to our lives will determine every action we take and every word we speak.

It will determine how we approach the pastor, the relationship we have with the church body and the way our gifts are received, as well as the manner in which we respond to criticism. It will be hard, but nothing in God’s kingdom comes without deep commitment to the cause.

The solution lies within us-in our own personal reformation. It must take root in us individually before it will grow and become a corporate move that will reform prophetic ministry and the church as a whole. We cannot ask the church to do anything we are not willing to live out ourselves-and we cannot impart that which we do not have.

Those who allow this reformation to shape their personal lives and ministries will stand a chance of becoming the ‘‘Samuels” of tomorrow. May the day come when it is said of us, “All that they prophesy comes to pass, because all that they prophesy comes from God” (see 1 Sam. 3:19).

John Paul Jackson is the founder of Streams Ministries International () and a popular speaker at conferences and churches around the world. He is well-known for his work in prophetic evangelism and dream interpretation as well as for his best-selling books.

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. … The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” —Psalm 29:3-5, 9

Music is a heavenly thing in its essence, a part of creation that reflects and proceeds from the very heart and personality of God Himself. This makes music prophetic in nature. Our Father loves music. He is a singing God (Zeph. 3:17). He has a powerful and majestic voice (Ps. 29).

Jesus the Son composed the song of all songs that will be eternally fresh-the “song of the Lamb” (Rev. 15:3-4). The Holy Spirit inspires songs and melodies. There is a whole book of them in the Bible-the Book of Psalms. Music has always provided a means of communion and connection between God and His creatures above and below.

Spirit-filled Christians are to occupy themselves with singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melodies in their hearts to the Lord (Eph. 5:19). Music has intrinsic power to move the inner affections and the outer actions of people.

{ PRAYER STARTER }

Inspire me, Holy Spirit, to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to You, allowing my life to be a melodious symphony of praise for Your goodness to me.

The Holy Spirit inspires songs and melodies.

Psalm 143:1-12 In this psalm David said, “I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land” (v. 6). Recently we have gone through a severe drought where I live. As I looked on our land, I saw cracks in the earth, and they seemed to be crying out, “Fill me, fill me.” The earth was cracked because there was no moisture to spare it from the burning rays of the sunshine. David was going through a dry time, and the land of his soul felt parched, dry and cracked for lack of the rain of God’s Spirit.

Sometimes God allows a dry time in our lives just so we can have a new appreciation for the work of His Spirit as He refreshes us and quenches our thirst as we read God’s Word. Thank God the dry times in my life never lasted too long. I don’t think I could have survived if they did. During those dry times, it seemed I could receive nothing from God. I knew He was still with me, but my prayer life and my Bible reading became duties instead of delight. In most of these dry times, I discovered the Lord was longing to restore fellowship with me. He had not moved, but I was allowing my lack of feeling to dictate my relationship to the Lord. It is at the dry times of our lives when we honor God the most if we continue to read the Word, pray and commit our days to Him because this takes great faith. We don’t have the delight, but we still are willing to discipline ourselves to a time daily with the Lord. If we are faithful not to abandon our quiet times during dry times, suddenly the river will begin to flow to fill and refresh those cracked, parched areas of our soul.

Do you realize that God thirsts for you? He longs to fellowship with you daily. When Jesus cried out “I thirst” on the cross, He was crying out for the Spirit of God to quench His thirst. At that moment in time it seemed all had forsaken Him, and even God for a moment turned away from Him. Jesus was thirsting for fellowship with the Father and for fellowship with you and me. Jesus said “I thirst” just after He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” John records these words about the cross: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst'” (John 19:28).

Jesus on the cross accomplished everything for our sakes that we will ever need to overcome the world. Healing, forgiveness, salvation and wholeness in every way were accomplished. Now Jesus thirsts for us to come to Him daily to obtain and receive all He has promised. He longs to fellowship with you. Even when you are in a dry place, your prayers are welcomed and your praise delights the heart of the Lord. If you continue in the discipline of a daily quiet time when you are in a dry land, you will soon feel the arms that have been around you all the time—the precious arms of Jesus. Will you quench His thirst for fellowship with you today?

Lord, I come in faith to You, and even though I feel nothing, I know You are near.

READ: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28

An Ohio judge ruled Tuesday that Christian convert Rifqa Bary does not have to meet with her Muslim parents as part of a possible reconciliation plan.

Magistrate Mary Goodrich of Franklin County Juvenile Court in Ohio denied Mohamed and Aysha Bary’s request to force their 17-year-old daughter to participate in mediation, the Columbus Post-Dispatch reported.

Image: AP Photo/ George Skene

Bary has refused to have contact with her parents or siblings. She said she has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of her ordeal and is not ready for mediation with her family. She is working with a counselor to determine if she has PTSD.

The teen will also be allowed to receive Christmas cards, letters and other messages from her supporters despite an attempt by her parents’ attorney to block such “third-party correspondence.” Mohamed and Aysha Bary’s attorney, Omar Tarazi, had filed a motion asking that all third-party communication be directed to Franklin County Children Services. He withdrew the motion Tuesday without explanation.

Bary ran away from her home outside Columbus, Ohio, to Orlando, Fla., in July, saying her Muslim father threatened to kill her for converting to Christianity. Her father denies that allegation, and a Florida law enforcement investigation found no evidence to support her claims.

The teen was returned to Ohio in October, where she has been living in foster care. She seeks to remain in foster care until she turns 18. A hearing in her dependency case is scheduled for Jan. 19.

Meanwhile, Orlando pastor Blake Lorenz is under increasing scrutiny over his role in getting Bary to Florida. Lorenz and his wife, Beverly, met the girl through a prayer group on Facebook and sheltered her for nearly three weeks before she was placed in foster care.

In an affidavit filed in Ohio this week, a former administrator at the Lorenzes’ church, Global Revolution Church, said several lawyers told Blake Lorenz that transporting the teen across state lines was unlawful.

In his sworn statement, Brian Smith said Lorenz and another church member bought Bary a bus ticket under a false name. Smith said Lorenz asked him for church money to pay some of the teen’s expenses, including the cost of a bed and a disposable cell phone, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Smith claims Lorenz refused to call Florida’s Department of Children and Families when police and others advised him to report that the teen was living with him and his wife.

Lorenz told the Sentinel he was not worried about Smith’s claims and that the truth would prevail. His attorney, Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, called Smith a disgruntled ex-employee.

“There’s a lot of allegations in that affidavit that I know personally are not factual,” Staver told the Sentinel. “I’ve known the Lorenzes for 20 years. The last thing they would do is intentionally violate the law.”

Smith denied that he was disgruntled and said his statement is truthful based on the information he was told. 

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement told the Orlando newspaper it has completed its investigation into the pastors’ role into Bary’s flight to Florida. A decision on whether or not the Lorenzes will face charges has not been made.

An Ohio judge ruled Tuesday that Christian convert Rifqa Bary does not have to meet with her Muslim parents as part of a possible reconciliation plan.

Magistrate Mary Goodrich of Franklin County Juvenile Court in Ohio denied Mohamed and Aysha Bary’s request to force their 17-year-old daughter to participate in mediation, the Columbus Post-Dispatch reported.

Image: AP Photo/ George Skene

Bary has refused to have contact with her parents or siblings. She said she has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of her ordeal and is not ready for mediation with her family. She is working with a counselor to determine if she has PTSD.

The teen will also be allowed to receive Christmas cards, letters and other messages from her supporters despite an attempt by her parents’ attorney to block such “third-party correspondence.” Mohamed and Aysha Bary’s attorney, Omar Tarazi, had filed a motion asking that all third-party communication be directed to Franklin County Children Services. He withdrew the motion Tuesday without explanation.

Bary ran away from her home outside Columbus, Ohio, to Orlando, Fla., in July, saying her Muslim father threatened to kill her for converting to Christianity. Her father denies that allegation, and a Florida law enforcement investigation found no evidence to support her claims.

The teen was returned to Ohio in October, where she has been living in foster care. She seeks to remain in foster care until she turns 18. A hearing in her dependency case is scheduled for Jan. 19.

Meanwhile, Orlando pastor Blake Lorenz is under increasing scrutiny over his role in getting Bary to Florida. Lorenz and his wife, Beverly, met the girl through a prayer group on Facebook and sheltered her for nearly three weeks before she was placed in foster care.

In an affidavit filed in Ohio this week, a former administrator at the Lorenzes’ church, Global Revolution Church, said several lawyers told Blake Lorenz that transporting the teen across state lines was unlawful.

In his sworn statement, Brian Smith said Lorenz and another church member bought Bary a bus ticket under a false name. Smith said Lorenz asked him for church money to pay some of the teen’s expenses, including the cost of a bed and a disposable cell phone, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Smith claims Lorenz refused to call Florida’s Department of Children and Families when police and others advised him to report that the teen was living with him and his wife.

Lorenz told the Sentinel he was not worried about Smith’s claims and that the truth would prevail. His attorney, Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, called Smith a disgruntled ex-employee.

“There’s a lot of allegations in that affidavit that I know personally are not factual,” Staver told the Sentinel. “I’ve known the Lorenzes for 20 years. The last thing they would do is intentionally violate the law.”

Smith denied that he was disgruntled and said his statement is truthful based on the information he was told. 

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement told the Orlando newspaper it has completed its investigation into the pastors’ role into Bary’s flight to Florida. A decision on whether or not the Lorenzes will face charges has not been made.

While many Christian leaders campaign to keep Christ in Christmas by going after retailers who use the words “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” a group of pastors are waging a different kind of culture war.

Now in its fourth year as a rising movement, Advent Conspiracy challenges church members across the nation to fight against the commercialization of Christmas by replacing consumption with compassion.

In 2005, Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei Community in Portland, Ore., and his pastor friends were privately bemoaning the upcoming Christmas season when they came up with a radical idea to change the way their congregants celebrate Christmas.

The group came up with a four-pronged approach to returning Christmas to its original purpose that involved worshipping fully, spending less, giving more and loving all-especially the “least of these.” The church leaders urged members to bypass the typical overspending on gifts and maxing out credit cards, and instead focus on donating money to support humanitarian work and other worthwhile projects.

Since Advent Conspiracy’s inception, more than 5,000 churches have been involved in donating millions of dollars to various causes, such as the movement’s choice cause of digging wells in developing countries through a ministry called Living Water International.

“[Advent Conspiracy is] generating income in the multiple millions of dollars,” says Living Water President Jerry Wiles. “It’s a very effective way of getting people involved and creating awareness there is a global water crisis and that people can do something about it.”

McKinley admits initially some believers were unsure about what to do in exchanging the gift of presence for presents. “Some people were terrified,” he says. “They said, ‘My gosh, you’re ruining Christmas. What do we tell our kids?'”

But after reassuring their members they were not advocating total abstinence from gift giving, the pastors said congregants began to participate in various projects.

“Christians get all bent out of shape over the fact that someone didn’t say ‘Merry Christmas’ when I walked into the store,” McKinley says. “But why are we expecting the store to tell our story? That’s just ridiculous.” 

While many Christian leaders campaign to keep Christ in Christmas by
going after retailers who use the words “Happy Holidays” instead of
“Merry Christmas,” a group of pastors are waging a different kind of
culture war.

Now in its fourth year as a rising movement, Advent Conspiracy
challenges church members across the nation to fight against the
commercialization of Christmas by replacing consumption with
compassion.

In 2005, Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei Community in
Portland, Ore., and his pastor friends were privately bemoaning the
upcoming Christmas season when they came up with a radical idea to
change the way their congregants celebrate Christmas.

The group came up
with a four-pronged approach to returning Christmas to its original
purpose that involved worshipping fully, spending less, giving more and
loving all-especially the “least of these.” The church leaders urged
members to bypass the typical overspending on gifts and maxing out
credit cards, and instead focus on donating money to support
humanitarian work and other worthwhile projects.

Since Advent Conspiracy’s inception, more than 5,000 churches have
been involved in donating millions of dollars to various causes, such
as the movement’s choice cause of digging wells in developing countries
through a ministry called Living Water International.

“[Advent Conspiracy is] generating income in the multiple millions
of dollars,” says Living Water President Jerry Wiles. “It’s a very
effective way of getting people involved and creating awareness there
is a global water crisis and that people can do something about it.”

McKinley admits initially some believers were unsure about what to
do in exchanging the gift of presence for presents. “Some people were
terrified,” he says. “They said, ‘My gosh, you’re ruining Christmas.
What do we tell our kids?'”

But after reassuring their members they were not advocating total
abstinence from gift giving, the pastors said congregants began to
participate in various projects. 

“Christians get all bent out of shape over the fact that someone
didn’t say ‘Merry Christmas’ when I walked into the store,” McKinley
says. “But why are we expecting the store to tell our story? That’s
just ridiculous.” [, 12/15/09; , 12/20/09]

Zechariah 4:1-5:11 We sing a song in our church based on this scripture. This song is saying it is not by our own might or strength that we do God’s will. It is by the might and power of the Spirit that we are able to do anything for the Lord on this earth. The Holy Spirit is the might and power of God. The Holy Spirit manifests God’s works and wonders on this earth, and these wonders and works reveal God’s might and power. We can only see the wind by watching the trees rustle their leaves and sway to and fro. God’s Spirit manifests God’s power and might throughout the earth and also through our own lives. We are vessels of the Lord created to contain His Spirit. We have to remember, however, we are not to keep this treasure to ourselves. We are to manifest God’s glory (His might, light and power) to others by allowing the Holy Spirit to rustle us, to stir us up and to pour the oil of His anointing from these earthen vessels to all those we encounter throughout the day.

God intends for us to do mighty exploits for Him today, but we must be filled with the Spirit and anointed by the Spirit for this to become a reality in our lives. Whenever I try to do things in my own strength I fail miserably. So often I overcommit myself to people and to doing things, and I feel overwhelmed. When this happens the Holy Spirit whispers this gentle reminder in my ears. “You can do all things through Christ who gives you the strength.” Suddenly the pressure and stress of what I am facing is removed, and joy replaces worry. His joy begins to strengthen me for whatever task I am facing.

One of the prayers I pray often in the morning is the one below. Maybe you would like to join me as I pray this today:

Lord, give me strength to face whatever this day may bring. Empower me by Your Spirit to walk in Your ways and to do Your will. I depend upon Your might and power totally and refuse to do things in my own strength. Thank You, Lord, for the Holy Spirit who is Your might and power.

READ: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 30:21-23

With at least two violent attacks and alleged “reconversion” of more than 1,700 Christians in the week leading up to Christmas, a sense of fear is growing among India’s minority Christian community.

On Sunday, Hindu extremists attacked a church during worship in western Maharashtra state’s Sindhudurg district and a Christmas exhibition in Gwalior city in central Madhya Pradesh state. The following day, extremists claimed having converted over 1,700 tribal (aboriginal) Christians “back” to Hinduism in western Gujarat state.

“Christmas is a favorite time for violence against Christians in India, as it intimidates the Christian community at large,” said Dr. John Dayal, member of the government’s National Integration Council, headed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Dayal pointed out that the first mass attack on Christians in India took place in Gujarat’s Dangs district during Christmas in 1998, setting the stage for future attacks through the season.

“Then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee [of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP] went to see the damage [in Dangs], but instead of commiserating with the victims, he called for a national debate on conversions,” Dayal said. “That political philosophy has been behind the festive season attacks on the Christian community.”

The Rev. Anand Muttungal of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Madhya Pradesh said the attacks around Christmas could be a reaction to increased and favorable coverage of Christians and churches in newspapers and television channels during the festival season.

“Rightwing extremists cannot tolerate this, and they cannot stop it either,” he said. “So, in frustration, they launch attacks.”

On Christmas Eve of 2007, eastern Orissa’s Kandhamal district witnessed a massive spate of anti-Christian attacks that killed at least four Christians and burned 730 houses and 95 churches.

Arson in Madhya Pradesh

The assailants in the Dec. 20 attack in Madhya Pradesh state have been identified as members of the extreme rightwing outfit Bajrang Dal. Muttungal said members of the Hindu extremist group shouted Hindu slogans and burned artwork depicting biblical scenes at an annual Christmas fair organized by the Catholic Church in Gwalior city.

The mayor of Gwalior had inaugurated the two-day fair on Saturday (Dec. 19), and it was organized with due permission from authorities, he said.

“The incident has spread panic among Christians in the state,” reported Indian Catholic, a news portal run by the Catholic Church in India.

The portal quoted Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal as saying that the attack “is a matter of serious concern for Christians, especially when we are preparing to celebrate Christmas.”

Three of the attackers were arrested, and two of them were sent to judicial custody by a local court.

Also on Sunday, around 60 men barged into the New Life Fellowship (NLF) church in Kankauli area in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district and beat the pastor, his wife and a few other Christians, according to NLF Pastor Atul Bhore. The church meets at the privately owned Anant Hotel in Kankauli.

“The attackers, all men, accused us of converting Hindus,” the 37-year-old pastor told Compass. “Then they beat us, including my wife, with their hands and legs. My back is still in pain.”

The attackers were allegedly led by a local leader of the Hindu extremist Shiv Sena party, identified as Vaibhav Naik. Also taking a lead role in the attack was a local leader of the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rupesh Nagrekar.

The NCP is part of the ruling state coalition with the Congress Party. As policy, both parties renounce the Hindu nationalist ideology of the opposition Shiv Sena party and its ally the BJP. But involvement of local leaders of the two “secular” parties is not uncommon in Maharashtra.

An official from the Kankauli police station said police were on the lookout for the attackers, and that they would be arrested soon.

A Christian from the NLF church said police were initially reluctant to take action against the attackers.

“The police warned us against ‘conversions,’ as if the allegations made against us were true,” the Christian said. “Only after Dr. Abraham Mathai from the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission intervened did the police show interest in prosecuting the attackers.”

‘Reconversions’ in Gujarat

Following these two attacks, yesterday (Dec. 21) Hindu extremist group Shree Sampraday Seva Samiti (Service Committee of the Hindu sect Shree Sampraday) claimed to have “reconverted” 1,747 people to Hinduism in Gujarat state’s Surat city, reported The Times of India newspaper.

“The camp to reconvert tribals, who had embraced Christianity, was held in the city for the first time, and nearly 5,000 people from Maharashtra and Gujarat participated in the ceremony,” the newspaper reported.

About 10 Hindu priests chanted mantras at a fire ritual, around which sat those willing to “get back” to Hinduism, it stated, adding that participants were given a meditation word and sacred thread to mark their “reconversion.”

“We organized the event in Surat to promote Hinduism in urban areas,” one of the organizers, Yashwant More, told the newspaper. “We have a series of events planned in the near future to hold such reconversion camps in urban areas of Gujarat. In January, events are planned in Vadodara and Silvassa.”

Gujarat has an anti-conversion law, known as the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, which mandates all those seeking to convert, as well as clergy involved in any “conversion ceremony,” to seek prior permission from district authorities. No permission was sought for the event, noted the newspaper.

Christians complain that anti-conversion laws, in force in four other states including Madhya Pradesh, have been enacted only to harass Christians and are rarely used against Hindu nationalist groups.

Sociologists say that India’s tribal peoples, who have long practiced their own ethnic faiths, are not Hindus. Hindu nationalists are active mainly in tribal regions to “Hinduize” local villagers and repel conversions to other faiths.

Many reports of “reconversions,” however, have been found to be false. In 2007, Hindi-language daily Punjab Kesari reported that four Christian families in Nahan town, in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, had “reconverted” to Hinduism. But a fact-finding team of the All India Christian Council revealed that none of the members of those families had ever converted to Christianity.

More than 80 percent of India’s 1.1 billion people are Hindus; Christians make up a meager 2.3 percent of the population.

Opposition and attacks will not dampen the spirit of Christmas, said Dayal.

“The birth of Christ is a harbinger of salvation, and this salvific promise goads us on to celebrate Christmas without fear,” he said. “We will not be cowed, or scared, or intimidated into retracting from our faith and from celebrating the birth of the Messiah.”

For the second time in 10 days, Protestant history was made in Vietnam Sunday when 12,000 people gathered for a Christmas rally in Hanoi.

The event, which took place in the large square in front of the entrance to My Dinh National Stadium in the heart of Hanoi, was said to be 10 times larger than any prior Protestant gathering in history in northern Vietnam. On Dec. 11 in southern Vietnam, an estimated 40,000 people attended a Christmas celebration in Ho Chi Minh City (see “Unprecedented Christmas Gathering Held in Vietnam”).

Local sources said long-requested written permission for the event, titled “Praise Jesus Together,” never came in spite of several reminders. But four days before the event was to take place, Hanoi authorities and police told organizers—in words as close as they would get to granting permission—that they would “not interfere.”

“One can hardly overestimate the importance of such an event in the lives of northern house church Christians,” said one long-time Compass source. “For many, this will have been the first time to join in a large crowd with other Christians, to feel the growing power of their movement, to hear, see and participate in the high quality, and deeply spiritual mass worship.”

The day before the event, Christians gathered near the stadium for final prayer and to help with preparations. Witnesses said the huge public square at the entrance to the stadium was arrayed with thousands of stools rather than chairs—plastic, backless, and bright blue and red. In 10-foot tall letters, “JESUS’ was emblazoned on the backdrop to the stage.

Invitations had been sent through house church networks even as official permission for the event was still pending. When church leaders decided to move ahead only days before, Christians were asked to send out mass invitations by text-message, leading some to speculate whether this may have been the largest ever such messaging for a Christian event.

Nearby Christians as well as those bussed from more distant areas began to fill the venue hours before the event. They were not dissuaded by a Hanoi cool spell of 12 Celsius (56 Fahrenheit) with a chill wind. Bundled in thick jackets, their heads wrapped in scarves, they waited expectantly without complaint.

They were not disappointed. Witnesses said the throng deeply appreciated a program of outstanding music and dance, a powerful personal narrative followed by a gospel message and an extended time for prayer for the nation. As at the previous event in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec. 11 that house church Christians had long worked and prayed for, the program featured music from Jackson Family Ministries of the United States.

In a world of globalized gospel and praise choruses, songs included hymns such as “How Great Thou Art” as well as classic praise songs such as “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord.” Witnesses said the music was accompanied by tasteful, emotionally engaging dance. Top Vietnamese artists performed, including news songs by Vietnamese songwriters, and a Vietnamese choir of 80 sang, as did a Korean choir.

A young man in his 30s who now pastors two house churches told the crowd how an encounter with Jesus proved more powerful than the grip of drug addiction. His story, simply and humbly told, proved an effective bridge to a Christmas evangelistic message by Pastor Pham Tuan Nhuong of the Word of Life house church. Then the winsome Pastor Pham Dinh Nhan, a top southern house church leader, gave a disarming but strong invitation to follow Jesus, witnesses said.

Organizers said approximately 2,000 people then poured forward in response, packing the large area in front of the stage.

The final portion of the program included a time of intense prayer for the nation, with pastors confessing and praying for righteousness for Vietnam’s leaders, as well as for God’s protection and blessing on their land. In their prayers they claimed Vietnam for Christ, witnesses said.

A high point for the throng was the superimposing of a large white cross on a yellow map of Vietnam on the backdrop. As the Korean choir sang a spirited revival hymn, the crowd raised thousands of hands and exploded in sound.

“The sound of crying, of praise, of prayer were blended as one, beseeching Almighty God for spiritual revival in Vietnam,” said one participant.

The event was streamed live at for Vietnamese and others around the world to see.

Until recently—and still in some places—most Vietnamese meet in small groups in homes knowing at any time there could be a hostile knock on the door, a source said.

“None of these groups is registered or recognized by the government,” the source said of the crowd at yesterday’s event. “What you see is Christians standing up!” 

In addition to this event and the Dec. 11 event in Ho Chi Minh City, a large public Christmas rally was held by the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North) at the Hoang Nhi church in Nam Dinh Province on Saturday. Some 2,500 people gathered in the church’s large courtyard, with sources saying 200 responded to an invitation to follow Christ. 

In Tuy Hoa, on the coast of central Vietnam, a Christmas program is planned for Dec. 26 in a 4,000-seat theater. Many smaller events are also planned in other areas, part of an unprecedented public display by Vietnam’s Protestants.

At the same time, the freedom for Christians tolerated in large cities has not reached some more remote parts of the country, where ethnic minority Christians live. In Dien Bien Dong district of Dien Bien Province, authorities on Tuesday (Dec. 15) orchestrated immense ethnic social pressure on a new Christian couple to recant. The couple told Compass that police added their own pressure.

“The police said they would beat me to death, and take away all my possessions, leaving my wife a widow, and my children orphans with no place to live,” the husband told Compass. “I folded. I signed promising that I would no longer follow God. I really want to, but it is very, very hard to be a believer where we live, as the officials will not allow us.”