March 6, 2010 - I am constantly amazed at the life and ministry of the apostle Paul.  There has never been another like him in the history of the church, never another with his abilities, his achievements, the power of the Holy spirit on his life.  One of the things that amazes me is how many times that gifted man requested God’s people to pray for him.  He understood that in His providence God is pleased to use the prayers of His people to accomplish his work.

Paul especially prayed and asked others to pray that God would set before him “an effectual open door.”  God had raised him up as the apostle to the Gentiles and called him to go through that effectual door.  Paul saw that call as a product of the grace of God.  He wrote, “I have written the more boldly unto you . . . because of the grace that is given to me of God that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God . . . so that from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Rom 15:15-19).  Now, over thirty years later he looks back on the years of missionary journey and says, “So have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation” (v. 20).  But he wasn’t looking to retire.  He was still driven to the regions beyond.  He wrote, “Having a great desire these many years to come unto you, when I make my journey into Spain, I will come to you, for I trust to see you in my journey” (v. 23).  Paul rejoiced to see before him the “effectual open door”.

God in His grace has set before us an effectual open door.  On  March 7-27, the Lord willing, we will be going on mission  to Pakistan.  I will be traveling with Pastor Younis Farhat who is pastor of the only Pakistani Baptist church in Atlanta:   The First Asian Indian Baptist Church of Metro Atlanta.  This dear man came from Pakistan in 1992 at the invitation of the Georgia Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.  He is a courageous and effective servant of God and I am pleased to be working with him in these coming days.  This is a new area for us and I believe the Lord has indeed set before us an effectual open door.  I want to share with you what we will be doing there but first, I want to focus on the Pakistani mission field and the plight of the Christians there. The persecution and the level of poverty endured by the Christians there is beyond the ability of comfortable Americans to imagine.

Map of Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the most dynamic and diverse nations in the world with more than sixty languages and dialects.  The population ranks eighth in the world with 168 million people living in a landmass only twice the size of California. Pakistan was formed in 1947 as a Muslim state in the partitioning of British India. In the civil war of 1971 East Pakistan left Pakistan to form Bangladesh.  Throughout most of  its history, Pakistan has been under military rule that deposed elected governments at will.  The constitution establishes Islam as the state religion.  Evangelism among Muslims is banned and in some cases punishable by death.   In 1998, Sharia law was adopted in Pakistan.  Under Sharia law Christians have very limited rights.

Many Pakistani Christians are serving the Lord at great sacrifice.  Christians in Pakistan face severe opposition from militant Islamic groups, including imprisonment, torture and even death. Many Pakistani Christians have been falsely accused under Law 295c of blaspheming Mohammed or the Quran, a crime punishable by death. Courtrooms packed with militants

have often pressured judges into returning a guilty verdict or continuing the trials indefinitely.

Christians are regularly barred from jobs or face troubles from their employers and co-workers. Christian merchants are often harassed. The war in Afghanistan has intensified these problems as Pakistani Christians are seen as being a part of an attack on Islam. In court, a Christian man’s testimony is worth only half that of a Muslim man’s testimony. A Christian woman’s testimony is worth only a quarter, so Christian women and young girls are easy targets for rape and justice for them is elusive.

One of the best sources of information concerning the work of the gospel in Pakistan is Voice of the Martyrs. Tom Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs said recently that even though Christians are facing incredible persecution, the church is growing.  “Depending on the area of the country where you are, it can grow openly above ground.  In other areas, particularly the areas that have recently gotten under the control of the Taliban, the church is forced to grow in a sort of quiet way.” Many Christians have left the Taliban-held areas for fear of their own safety but there is still a Christian witness there.  Nettleton reported that there are still some solid believers committed to reaching Muslims for Christ who have elected to stay in the area. Nettle said, “they don’t do this lightly.  They face incredible risk, literally risking their lives to be in that area, to be a follower or Jesus Christ in a place that’s controlled by the Taliban.  The Taliban believe that any Muslim who follows Jesus is an infidel and should be killed.”

A View of the Pakistani Countryside

Please pray that the Lord will be pleased to bless our work in Pakistan.  I will be there for three weeks teaching pastors and preaching in  Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Narowal, Salimkot, Sangla Hill, Chichawatni, and Peshawar, Dorogawala, Sahokimalian, Sheikhpura, Saleem Kot, Jodu, Kacha Paka, and Kasur.   There will be a three day pastor’s conference in Lahore with  conferences in other cities and preaching in the churches there at night.  I am told that one of the greatest needs of pastors is the need for training.  I will be dealing with the subject of how to preach the gospel on a mission field where ninety seven percent of the people are Islamic. The schedule for those three weeks is very intensive.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and courage to preach and teach the Word of God in its purity and clarity.

Pray that Christians in Pakistan will have a bold testimony to those around them trusting God for eternal results.

Pray that Pakistani Christians will remain unshaken as salt and light to their communities.

Pray that local Christians will respond to violence and persecution in a Christ-like manner, with forgiveness and without retaliation.

Pray that those who have lost loved ones in senseless violence will know God’s comfort.

Pray that those in prison for their faith will know the presence of God and will continue to grow in their faith.

Pray for the Pakistani authorities as they seek to restore law and order in the region and pray that those responsible for the violence against Christians will be brought to justice.

Pray for protection for Christians facing intimidation and threats from those around them.

Pray for our health and safety during this trip.  Some people are concerned about our safety.  I don’t want people to worry about me but I do want your prayers.  We take security very seriously.  We have obtained quarters that are among the safest in all of Lahore.  When I am on the streets in places like Pakistan I always keep a low profile.  I will be in Pakistani attire whenever we are on the streets or in the market place. In response to their request I have grown a full beard. (I have never had a beard before.  Actually, I have a football beard: eleven on each side).  I do not take foolish risks.  But I know this: our best and only defense is the Lord. As David said, “The LORD is my strength and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

We began this article with Paul’s prayer request as he looked to his third missionary journey.  What did he ask the Roman Christians to pray for?  “Now I beseech you brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.”  What did he ask them to pray for?  “That I might be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea; that my service which I have for Jerusalem might be accepted of the saints;  that I may come to you with joy by the will of God and may, with you, be refreshed” (Rom 15:30-32).

August 23, 2009 - Sound the Trumpet Ministries, the evangelical ministry of Dr. Larry Draper, is proud to welcome you to its new website.  As we enter into a new phase of this aspect of the ministry, we hope that you'll keep an eye on us here as we will be adding lots of content and features over the coming weeks.  We're glad that you stopped by to visit, and please feel free to contact Dr. Draper via the contact page if you have any questions or comments.  In the meantime, and as the Lord tarries, we ask that you pray for  this ministry and Dr. Draper and his family, that God would prepare a way for us, and that He will continue to use us in the spreading of the Gospel of Christ.