During our Vision Trip in Nigeria, we were bombarded with the plain awareness of persecution toward Christians in Northern Nigeria.
The same day we departed the country to return home, also marked the day that the new Nigerian President was elected, Muslim Umaru Musa Yar’Adu. The election of Yar'Adu to office was of concern to Christians for a number of reasons...not the least of which is their freedom to worship Jesus Christ!
Yar'Adu was formerly the Governor of Katsina State, a place we visited on our first day of visioning. Katsina is just below the Sahara Desert in the extreme North of Nigeria, and is only a fraction of a percentage point away from being an exclusively Muslim region. But Christ, as He promised, has sheep of that fold who must (Indeed, some already have!) come to Him (John 10:16)!
As Pat Nave shared on Sunday at the Grace Lunch Fellowship, talking about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria is not simply anecdotal.
Below is a well-written article that sheds even more light for our praying about our future involvement as a church in Nigeria. Perhaps Katsina will be our target location?
Maybe it was because visiting Katsina (top-center of the map of Nigeria) was our initial Nigerian experience, but more likely because of the tug of the Holy Spirit, I've not been able to get Rev. Aliyu Auta's face out of mind. Auta is the pastor of an ECWA church in Katsina. This is a godly brother. He is faithfully pastoring his flock, and preaching the truth of Christ crucified, buried, and raised for our salvation!
Rev. Auta is mentioned in the quote below. I encourage you to read the entire article. Most of all, pray!
The same day we departed the country to return home, also marked the day that the new Nigerian President was elected, Muslim Umaru Musa Yar’Adu. The election of Yar'Adu to office was of concern to Christians for a number of reasons...not the least of which is their freedom to worship Jesus Christ!
Yar'Adu was formerly the Governor of Katsina State, a place we visited on our first day of visioning. Katsina is just below the Sahara Desert in the extreme North of Nigeria, and is only a fraction of a percentage point away from being an exclusively Muslim region. But Christ, as He promised, has sheep of that fold who must (Indeed, some already have!) come to Him (John 10:16)!
As Pat Nave shared on Sunday at the Grace Lunch Fellowship, talking about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria is not simply anecdotal.
Below is a well-written article that sheds even more light for our praying about our future involvement as a church in Nigeria. Perhaps Katsina will be our target location?
Maybe it was because visiting Katsina (top-center of the map of Nigeria) was our initial Nigerian experience, but more likely because of the tug of the Holy Spirit, I've not been able to get Rev. Aliyu Auta's face out of mind. Auta is the pastor of an ECWA church in Katsina. This is a godly brother. He is faithfully pastoring his flock, and preaching the truth of Christ crucified, buried, and raised for our salvation!Rev. Auta is mentioned in the quote below. I encourage you to read the entire article. Most of all, pray!
Our minister here, the Rev. Aliyu Auta, went to see Gov. Yar’Adua on this issue (i.e.; being permitted to complete the construction of our church building), and [Governor Yar'Adu] promised he would do something about it, but we are now at the end of his tenure as governor and nothing has been done.”
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