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Highlighting the History of Christianity in India • the Changing of Diversified India Highlighting the History of Christianity in India • The Changing of Diversified India B R I N G I N G T H E T R U T H H O M E FrontLineJanuary/February 2007 • $3.95 Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International 87th Annual Fellowship Hosted by Burge Terrace Baptist Church Indianapolis, Indiana June 12-14, 2007 Featured Speakers: Clarence Sexton Gary Hirth Sam Harbin Kevin Bauder Rick Arrowwood Morris Gleiser Workshop Sessions Include: Strengthen Your Pulpit Preparation (Dave Burggraff) Creative Ideas for Local Church Evangelism (Todd Curtis) Assimilating New Members (Sam Horn) Burge Terrace Baptist Church Administrative Leadership (Kevin Schaal) 9345 Brookville Rd. Effective Preaching (Sam Harbin) Indianapolis, IN 46239 Current Theological Issues (Kevin Bauder) (317) 862-6109 Special Ladies’ Workshop Sessions www.burgeterrace.org (Holly Stratton and Faith Taylor) Additional conference information at www.fbfiannualfellowship.org JANUARY/FEBRUARYContents 2007 FRONTLINE MAGAZINE VOLUME 17 • NUMBER 1 6 Highlighting the History of Christianity 9 The Changing of in India Diversified India Departments Mike Redick Dave Sproul Although India received Only a small fraction 4 Mail Bag the first foreign missionar- of 1% of India’s huge ies from Europe, England, population is born- 5 On the Front Line and the United States, it is again believers. What a What We Can Learn still one of the least-reached great harvest field! from India countries in the world. John C. Vaughn 20 On the Home Front 12 Maintaining Fundamentalism in the 25 Wit & Wisdom Second Generation David Atkinson Edwin Chelli and Johanon Chelli 26 Ladies’ Circle With a population of 1.2 bil- The Love We Seek lion and growing, there is a Kim Melton great need for the gospel to be preached in India. 29 The Evangelist’s Corner 14 Building Baptist God’s Word Never Churches in India Returns Void Chandrashekar Eda Jerry Sivnksty There are many sincere 17 The Indigenous people in India who have Principle 30 At a Glance proceeded in the wrong V. D. Mani Ezra—Part 1 direction because they lack The Biblical Layton Talbert knowledge of the Word of indigenous principle God. must always be 33 Newsworthy our goal. Robert Condict 22 Building a Bible College in India 35 Global Focus P. D. Cherian Building Empowering Partnerships in India An essential element of Pearson Johnson a successful ministry is dependable men, both lead- 37 Chaplain News ers and followers. A Bible Joe Willis college cannot succeed with- out them. 38 Cogitations On Works and Unbelief Warren Vanhetloo 39 Behind the Lines Visit us on the Web at Dan Hall and Brenda Ellis www.fbfi.org Mail Bag FrontLine We want to hear from you! Editor Executive Board Let us know what you like or don’t like Dr. John C. Vaughn Dr. Rick Arrowood President about FrontLine. Address your comments to Dr. James Baker Managing Editor, FrontLine Office Manager Rev. Earl Barnett 500 West Lee Road, Taylors, SC 29687. Mrs. Carol Logan Capt. Wayne A. Bley, USNR You may also fax your comments to Rev. Richard J. Cross (864) 322-0838 or send them by e-mail to [email protected]. Publication Editor Dr. Johnny Daniels You may request that your letter not be published or that your Mr. Steve Skaggs Dr. Gordon Dickson name be withheld, but anonymous letters will not be accepted. Contributing Dr. Mike Harding Editors Dr. Gary Hirth Dr. Gordon Dickson Dr. Sam Horn e very much appre- the Scripture means “to Dr. Mark Minnick Dr. David Innes Wciate getting the the Jew first” in priority, Dr. Layton Talbert Dr. Tom Knauf FrontLine magazine and not merely first in order. Dr. Thomas Nieman especially the last issue The word “first” is the Design Dr. John C. Mincy Mr. Mike Moreau Dr. Mark Minnick on missions. It is right on same word used in Matt Harvest Media target. 6:33 where Jesus told us Rev. Jeff Musgrave Executive Officers Dr. Fred Moritz Bob and Liz Patton to seek “first the king- Dr. Chuck Phelps Dr. Matt Olson Suriname dom of God.” First must Vice President Dr. David Pennington mean first in priority, not Dr. Bradley Smith Dr. Kevin Schaal he recent issue of just first in order. Secretary Rev. Wilbur Schoneweis Dr. Wayne Van Gelderen Jr. TFrontLine magazine Jewish people are Dr. Kevin Schaal Research Secretary Dr. Michael Yarborough was especially exciting largely unreached in and thorough. It has much of America. Many been very beneficial to cities have Jewish popu- Advisory Board Board Emeritus the cause of Christ to see lations that are largely Rev. Mark Bouslog Dr. Charles Britt Dr. Bob Jones III some of the objections unevangelized. Local Dr. David Burggraff Dr. Gerald Carlson Dr. Walter Kirk to indigenous missions churches, though they Dr. Robert Condict Dr. Ed Caughill Dr. Bennie Moran Dr. Stephen Jones Mr. Mike Moreau broken down by the may not yet realize it, Dr. Walter Coles careful use of the Bible as Dr. Matthew Recker Dr. Marion Fast Dr. Ed Nelson are already equipped Dr. David Shumate a guide. Dr. Collins Glenn Dr. Les Ollila with the very best Dr. Michael Sproul Dr. Brian Green Dr. Randy Shaylor I had always regarded missionaries, that is, Rev. Ronald Smith Jr. Dr. Bill Hall Dr. John Stevens missions among the Christian friends, neigh- Rev. Jeremy Sweatt Dr. Bruce Hamilton Dr. Bob Taylor Rev. Douglas Wright Jewish people as a dif- bors, and loved ones Dr. Gary Jones Dr. George Youstra ficult but important field who already meet these on an equal plane with Jewish people in the other mission efforts. course of everyday life. Mission Statement: The Fundamental Baptist Fellowship . I was recently chal- . After all, God chose International exists to provide a rallying point for Fundamental Baptists seeking personal revival and the opportunity to work lenged to consider again to use the Jewish people with committed Bible-believers in glorifying God through the what the Lord may have to give us our Bible and uncompromising fulfillment of the Great Commission. meant by “to the Jew our Savior. Our debt As the journal of the FBFI, FrontLine Magazine provides a forum for first” (Rom 1:16). Even to the Jewish people is God’s people to reverently express a conservative Christian perspec- after Paul said, “I go to acknowledged by mak- tive on pertinent issues. In an effort to keep readers informed, quotes the Gentiles,” he contin- ing their souls our genu- and references to many different individuals and organizations will ued to go to the Jewish ine concern. appear. This does not imply the endorsement of the magazine or its board. Unsolicited manuscripts and artwork accepted for review. people first in every Gary Huffman town he visited. Perhaps Belleville, IN Advertising: For information contact Harvest Media at (847) 352-4345 or FAX (847) 352-0317. All advertising in FrontLine is for the sole purpose of sharing valuable resource materials with our readers. Although we carefully screen the materials, we are not giv- ing a blanket endorsement of any products or advertisers. FrontLine Magazine 500 West Lee Road • Taylors, SC 29687 (800) 376-6856 • (864) 292-3010 • FAX (864) 322-0838 E-Mail: [email protected] • www.fbfi.org COPYRIGHT 2007 FrontLine Magazine. No materials may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the publishers. ISSN 1526-8284 4 FrontLine • January/February 2007 On the Front Line A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT What We Can Learn from India John C. Vaughn ome time ago, in order to con- because missions were indigenized in traveled to specific mission fields, mis- tinue the ministry of FrontLine India as they must be in other nations, sion directors and missionaries who magazine with a largely vol- and quickly. have extensive experience in particu- unteer workforce, we shifted Former Communist countries are lar cultures, educators and Christian our strategy for the selection toying with the benefits of the old ways business or government leaders who of topics and recruitment of of doing things. We cannot assume that understand the global issues that are Sauthors. Pastors and other Christian because the Cold War between Russia impacting world evangelism is essen- leaders who have a burden for a par- and America has ended, Communism tial. Fundamental Baptists must not ticular subject—and who have already is gone. China and North Korea as well abdicate their responsibility in this been engaged with other leaders in as oil-rich Marxist Hispanic nations discussion. Wealthy evangelicals, important discussions about it—have are using their economic, military, and enriched by their own bestselling taken up much of the responsibility energy resources to wield influence on books, maintain their appeal by care- for developing those interests into spe- world affairs unimagined just a few fully avoiding offense, even the offense cific issues of FrontLine. years ago. These geopo- of the gospel. We should know by now We now have a strong litical shifts are occurring how easily that truncated approach production schedule Working with while the West is increas- deteriorates into mere social work. in place well into 2008, national leaders has ingly preoccupied with We must admit the benefit of asking, with topics under con- never made more its own confusion over “What would Jesus do?” But someone sideration beyond that. sense. How would the reality of the threat needs to keep asking the question, Fundamental Baptists are the evangelization from Islamic Fascism. “What did Jesus say?” We are not here invited to present pro- The world is changing merely to follow His social example posals for specific top- of India be possible quickly, and the windows but to announce His saving gospel! ics on which they would today without this of opportunity may close Without discounting efforts to be willing to do research growing number of before we expect them to relieve hunger, disease, and other and to recruit competent serious, well-trained while new opportunities, forms of human suffering, we can writers to address.
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