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Inside CT: Greatness Is in Heaven

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  • Inside CT: Greatness Is in Heaven

    Christianity Today, IL
    January 2008, Vol. 52, No. 1
    Jan 4 2008


    Inside CT: Greatness Is in Heaven


    Timothy C. Morgan | posted 1/04/2008 09:22AM


    Last spring, when Denise McGill and Tony Carnes were invited to an
    international conference in Istanbul for Christians in journalism, we
    saw an important reporting opportunity crop up. But in April, the
    story about Christianity in Turkey took a sharp turn for the worse
    when ultranationalists brutally murdered three Christians in Malatya.

    Tony, a senior writer for CT, and Denise, professor of visual
    journalism at Palm Beach Atlantic University, arrived in Istanbul six
    weeks after the killings. They found the Christian community still in
    shock. International tensions were high as Turkish troops were
    deployed along the southern border to repel Kurdish rebels in
    northern Iraq.

    "The martyrs - that permeated every conversation," Denise says,
    describing her discussions with the Christians closest to the
    surviving family members. "People were guarded on the telephone. They
    were looking over their shoulders."

    Denise spent three days with Semse, widow of slain pastor Necati
    Aydin, and their two young children. "It was clear she needed someone
    to listen to her," says Denise. "My role as a journalist is to get
    the word out to other people. But being on the scene was a real
    blessing to the people who were there. This is a story important to
    the kingdom."

    Daily life for Turkish Christians is significantly more difficult if
    they speak openly about their faith convictions. One Christian leader
    told Denise, "Christianity is not illegal, but neither is it
    legitimate."

    Christians are keenly aware of their low social status. "They are a
    minority, so you see humility," says Denise. "The joy that they have
    in Christ comes from an inner strength, not material wealth. In the
    States, we associate Christianity with 'Be all you can be.' We expect
    God to give us very rich, fulfilling lives. That's really not the
    expectation in Turkey. The greatness is in heaven."

    Straddling two continents, Istanbul is renowned as both a marketplace
    and the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and central Asia. Tony
    Carnes told me he was walking along the waterfront one day when a
    persistent drug pusher offered to sell him "anything you wanted."
    After repeatedly turning him down, Tony finally exclaimed, "My editor
    won't approve that expense!" Thankfully, that kept Tony (and CT
    editors) out of hot water with our auditors.

    As Tony and Denise drew closer to Turkish Christians, their role
    became more than journalistic - almost getting goose bumps as they
    found themselves witnessing the rebirth of an ancient faith.

    Turkish churches have lived with Islamic rule for more than five
    centuries. The genocide that occurred during World War I nearly wiped
    out the Turkish

    Armenian Orthodox church. Today the church is growing again, now
    under the charismatic leadership of people like Mesrob Mutafyan.
    Unexpectedly, Turkish Kurds are increasingly attracted to independent
    churches, even though these churches do not explicitly evangelize
    Kurds. Instead, these churches build trust through building
    relationships. This first-century evangelistic method in a
    twenty-first-century context is making a difference.

    - - -


    Next Issue: Like many of their Turkish counterparts, ancient-future
    evangelicals increasingly think the church's future lies in the past;
    Democratic strategists try to woo the faithful; and Hollywood
    produces a series of pro-life plots.

    A Victorious Family | A murdered pastor's family rebuilds its life.
    (January 4, 2008)
    Justice Delayed | Security worries stall recognition of Armenian
    Genocide. (January 4, 2008)
    Jesus in Turkey | After 550 years of decline, a bloodied church is
    being reborn. (January 3, 2008)
    Accidental Outreach | Christian leaders avoid targeting Kurds, but
    reach them anyway. (January 3, 2008)
    Articles on the Malatya killings last April include:

    Milking Martyrdom | Turkish Mission accused of sending false report.
    (September 14, 2007)
    Faith Perfected | Recent martyrdoms sadden us but cannot make us
    despair. A Christianity Today editorial (July 12, 2007)
    Young Muslims in Turkey Murder Three Christians | Deaths mark first
    known martyrdom of Turkish converts since founding of republic.
    (April 20, 2007)
    >From CT Liveblog: On Trial in Turkey | Malatya murder trial defense
    finds footing by playing to anti- missionary sentiments. Also: the
    roots of anti-Christian violence in Turkey. (November 30, 2007)
    How you can help:

    Open Doors USA has a campaign to send letters of encouragement to the
    martyrs' families.
    Funds for the families are being collected by the Alliance of
    Protestant Churches of Turkey. (Please be warned that there are scams
    being circulated by other entities.) Inquiries can be sent to
    [email protected] or [email protected], or to Turkish World Outreach,
    508 Fruitvale Court, Grand Junction, CO 81504, United States. Donors
    should designate "Survivors Fund" on their checks.
    The BBC and the New York Times have sections with recent news and
    information about Turkey.

    http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/ january/17.9.html
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