QUARTERLY REPORT APRIL-JUNE 2015 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BANGLADESH PCB [Prepared by: Ayub]

Transcription

1 QUARTERLY REPORT APRIL-JUNE 2015 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BANGLADESH PCB [Prepared by: Ayub] POLITICAL SITUATION - Present: Peaceful. But the underground Islamic groups are organizing themselves for attacking government establishments and killing the people in their hit lists. ISIS and Al- Qaeda militants are being arrested with huge explosives and weapons and closed down some of their training camps. Government has been showing zero tolerance to terrorism. Talk shows in electronic media and newspaper media are trying to educate the terrorists to change them with the reformation of moderate Islam. Recently some bloggers have been killed by the terrorists. - Economic Development: The country is growing economically. The poverty level is now at 16% and the World Bank has categorized Bangladesh as lower middle class country in The GDP growth is estimated up to 6% for this year. The government promised to push the country up to the level of middle class economy by There are some mega projects undertaken by the government like the nuclear power energy plant, Padma Bridge, tunnel beneath Karnaphuli River in Chittagong, elevated express way in Dhaka, metro rail project in Dhaka, a new international airport in Madaripur, building of a IT village in Gazipur, huge plan for developing highways into four lanes and six lanes, etc. The reserve at the central bank is over 25 billions dollars. - Forecast: The political situation would remain restful in the future. The government has weakened the leadership of the main opposition. People are not responding to political unrest. The biggest attack may come from the terrorists. The government is hanging the collaborators and criminals of 1971 Liberation War one by one. This is unstoppable and done under special tribunal but the terrorists are becoming more attacking. - Christians Response to National Situation: Christians are happy for national development becoming a reality and the arrest of the terrorists BUDGETARY SITUATION of PCB PCB has issued a notice to all staff that PCB may not able to pay three months support for their living due to shortage of funds in If any staff wants to leave, PCB would not mind. But PCB is encouraging all staff to pray and sacrifice. PRESBYTERIAN CONNECTION BANGLADESH LTD. [PCB LTD.]

2 The registration of PCB Ltd. is underway. Now we are finalizing the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association with the lawyer. We have also been trying to arrange some money about 175,000 BDT for completing the registration process. This is good news for us that Frank Schaner on behalf of Asian Crescent Partners [ACP] has agreed to be in the Board of Directors and we have decided to invite him to serve as Chairman and myself as Managing Director. We are also including Abdul Kader as one of the Directors specially for the purpose of becoming one of signatories. I would send the MOA and AOA to Frank soon after the lawyer approves from his legal side after maintaining the government formalities and regulations. I personally aim to establish the PCB Ltd. as a real business venture for sake of PCB. I may get some chance to use my commerce background in the university. PCB PROGRAMS: 1. PRAYER MINISTRY Lima Akhter, a fresh graduate of the Center is working part-time to prepare the monthly prayer sheet. So our staff and families are using the sheet for praying for PCB, ACP, the country, all Christians, persecuted ones, etc. This is a networking through prayer. This strengthens the relationship among PCB families and increasingly burdening their hearts for more intercessory prayer. One of the burdens we have undertaken has been to pray for Pastor Mike Francis of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, one of our long-standing partnering churches and friends from the beginning of PCB s partnership established. Most of our staff have asked us about the follow up of his health. Many of them know Mike personally. 2. CHURCH PLANTING - Baptism: Our church planters and pastors conduct baptism ceremony during the Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. I have baptized 2 last month at our Gazipur City Presbyterian Church one was the wife of a Center graduate and another one was the daughter of our church planter. - Presbytery: The Presbytery meets every quarter. In the last quarter we have met for a meeting at PCB HQ. We have discussed about the role of deacon and the qualifications of deacon. The Presbytery is introducing the position of deaconate in its congregations. we have also discussed the office of eldership which is not linked with job. This is a calling. - Particularization:

3 [1] Madargonj Presbyterian Church would be particularized in October We have been waiting for some of you to join us specially from the Westminster Presbyterian Church. They might be busy so we would go ahead with our plan. The next Presbytery meeting would finalize the date, ordination of an elder there and the particularization. [2] Bonpara Presbyterian Church would be particularized in December A Teaching Elder candidate is now under care and the Ruling Elder would be reinstalled and the church would be particularized. [3] The third one to be particularized is Gouripur Presbyterian Church. Pastor Jalil is working there. A new graduate with his family from the Center has joined there to make a team. The new staff Luke is talented in Bible knowledge and has been showing genuine calling. The date is not yet settled. - Team Building: PCB has been praying to send more church planters after the graduation from the Center. We were able to send a couple from the Center to form a team at Gouripur in Mymensing to join with Pastor Jalil. But we still need more staff in church planting to form team in Panchogor and Golachipa. Then the team building would be completed in our all 9 locations of church planting. We have left some ministry locations for now and moved some of the church planting staff to some priority locations to work in teams. 3. DISCIPLESHIP & SERVANT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM PCB DISCIPLESHIP TEAM - Marriage Issue: Now there are 7 university students in this program [5 boys and 2 girls]. One couple has already joined the PCB HQ the husband as Center In-charge and wife as Librarian. All of them are going to graduate by one or two years time. The bachelors have started praying for their marriage. This group would help PCB s future servant leadership. - Plan for the Recruitment from intermediate level: Eshita has joined this program of PCB. She is in intermediate level now and PCB helped her to get admission at Gazipur Govt. Girls College. She has finished one term at the Center. She would take more course at the Center as part-time student and have some part-time responsibility in the office during her education. PCB intends to recruit more in this level. - In the future PCB plans to start a home for recruiting PCB children for their spiritual development and school education. The time is suitable because we have PCB Mission School now for educating our own children.

4 DISCIPLESHIP CURRICULUM On-going. SERVANT LEADERSHIP BUILDING No couple is yet ready for their study at Presbyterian Theological Seminary in the Philippines. 4. NETWORKING: - Presbyterian Theological Seminary - PHILIPPINES For training our couples from and for PCB - International Teachers College - INDONESIA The continuity is not effectively done. I have received Phil s note which was not so favorable for us. The ITC is not fully ready yet in terms of their curriculum, standard and scholarship. We are interested to study their situation more. - Advancing Native Missions: PCB is happy to see a relationship developed between ANM and PCB. PCB is grateful to Carl Gordon and Bill for this connection. ANM has become one of our supporting bases where Shafi and his family have been assisting PCB, Javed and his family have been considering to develop partnership with PCB and Bert along with his Covenant Presbyterian Church have already decided to contribute into our annual budget. Additionally Bert s church has agreed to donate for two deep tube-well at Madargonj and Bhurungamri 4-Bigha projects for our agricultural projects and selling water to the neighbors. 5. CENTER - Students: In the first term during mid April-June, there has been 11 students. 5 students have completed one-year course. Their graduation would be held in some convenient date. Total 6 students would be offered certificates of successful completion. - From the next term during August-mid October, 10 students have confirmed for study [4 couples, 1 boy and 1 girl]. We are happy to receive the application from a couple of Madargonj Jamalpur for the first time. - This is the first time PCB realizes that all male students at the Center should take courses from PCB Technical Institute. We have surveyed about the interest of the students and all of them commented very positively. So from next term, all male students would take vocational classes for two afternoons every week. Whenever there would be more works of window grills making for our building, the time would be extended if needed. The first course they would join this year is welding iron and gas welding. From next year, motor cycle and CNG engine repairing course

5 would be introduced. So the Center is becoming connected with PCB Technical Institute. We want that students should learn some vocational skills. I am sure Brother Shafi would be happy to hear this news. We have infrastructures and manpower for welding course but not yet for motor cycle and CNG engine course. - Brief on Charles and Shirmyn: Many of you may know Charles, Shirmyn and their daughter Trinity [18 months old]. Charles is from Traditional Christian background and from Sylhet Presbyterian Church. He was disciplined by his church for his marital problems. He had to divorce his wife and marry Shirmyn, a Muslim girl from a wellto-do family in Sylhet. He was sent to me through a Christian leader. One pastor agreed to conduct their marriage in Christian way. Their situation was so complicated and I did not have answers for all. They have a baby already. We advised them to study at the Center for learning the Bible and understand their sins. They have already completed 3 out of 4 terms at the Center. They would compete their study until mid October and leave PCB. Two sisters of Charles are settled in Australia. Shirmyn s sisters are settled in the UK. Both Charles and Shirmyn have good relationship with their relatives living outside Bangladesh but all others in the country including his mother living with her second husband and his church all were against them. Charles had to leave his NGO of Drugs Rehabilitation because of his marrying a Muslim girl. Her brother was chasing them to kill. So they left Sylhet and had been sent to me for shelter and guidance. I had experienced the most difficult time to counsel and teach Bible to this couple. Several times Shirmyn wanted to leave her husband and once actually left PCB because she did not want to live with Charles anymore. Finally during their study at the Center, in last Summer vacation, they went to visit Shirmyn s sister in Sylhet. Her brother came to force her to practice fasting. But she rejected. Her brother was determined to accept her back as a Muslim. But Charles and his wife decided to take shelter under the law. Her brother was arrested and warned by the magistrate not to disturb his sister anymore. The situation is cool now. Charles shared with me that his mother is waiting to accept them at home, his partners in the NGO is calling him back again to join, and Shirmyn s sister is offering them their land and pond for starting fish farming. That means that all of their broken relationships in the country have been restored. It was a matter of waiting and leaving the situation under God s control. Charles experiences that God forgives sinner like him. - Faculty: There were nine in the teaching team including two Muslims. PCB is building teachers for the Center through PTS. But for this year we did not send anyone. Teachers from outside are also welcome to teach at the Center through modules. There is a significant step we are taking to exclude one teacher from the team

6 because of his inclination with the insiders. And we are consulting with another teacher for his syncretistic folk practice of Christianity. This teacher believes that one s intention is fulfilled if one visits the shrines of Muslim dead pirs. In fact he once went and got blessings according to him. He shared that with students. The Center needs more teachers. This is a great need at this moment. Until that area is fulfilled, expatriate visiting teachers are welcome more. - Conversion Story: Shathi, the wife of Luke was at our Center with her husband. When she came to the Center, she was an unbeliever. Luke was the son of an insider working with Australian Baptist group. The father believes that they practice unbiblically. So he sent his son to the Center in His son Luke completed one term at that time. This time he has come with his wife named Shathi who was an unbeliever. During her one-year study at the Center, God has changed her life. Since Pastor Jalil sent them to the Center, I advised them for his wife s baptism to go to Jalil when she expressed her interest for baptism. She told her husband that she wants to be baptized at our church. So she has been baptized at Gazipur City Presbyterian Church. 6. TED HARD LIBRARY - Lima Akhter is taking care of the library now and Eshita is assisting her. - The library would be moved at the third floor soon. We are waiting for the new shelves to get ready. - Books in English specially reference type books are welcome if available. 7. MERCY MINISTRY - Elizabeth Memorial Primary School: Running on well with 125 students. - Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahamad Primary School: Postponed now. This school program would resume when the building at Golachipa 4-Bigha Project is completed. 8. PCB MEDIA Jahangir Alam is working at the media. He is now translating the III Millennium Ministries curriculum into Bangla. Abdul Kader is helping in editing. According to the last report, 8 DVDs on two subjects are ready for dubbing. 9. PCB Technical Institute Kadir is working at this institute. From August 2015, the male students of the Center would join as his students. There are six students waiting for the welding course. Kader is now preparing the curriculum and arranging the class room. The welding section would be transferred in the newly built separate building from its old location at PCB Complex.

7 10. 4-BIGHA PROJECTS DEEP-WELL PROGRAM: Covenant Presbyterian Church has approved fund for two deep tube-wells. If fund arrives, one well would be installed at Madargonj and another one would be at Bhurungamari. Our team is fully ready with the price list and logistics; and waiting to implement the plan. BUILDING: Finally the building at Madargonj 4-Bigha project is almost completed and now only thai glass at the windows to be done. LAND: PCB has decided to purchase some land of 29 decimals adjacent with Madargonj 4-Bigha Project. We need to purchase more plots gradually there to connect the 4-Bigha project with the nearby road. WALL: At Bhurungamari 4-Bigha Project, the surrounding wall needs to be built to secure our land and ensure safety of our people. I have informed you about a new madrasah and mosque under construction near our project. Even though we appealed to the government authorities, they did not stop the work because of public pressure but promised full security for us. We have accepted their promise because we are living in the Muslim majority country where there is political influence does not go in favor of us. Even the UNO [Upazilla Executive Officer] of Bhurungamari sub-district govt. officer suggested us to build wall to secure our land. 11. BUILDING PROJECT AT GOSPEL REFORMATION CENTER GRC One of the goals of GRC building is to start a conference center for PCB s income. At present 32 persons can stay overnight, hall room is good for 150 persons, dining for 150 persons, and 24 bathrooms in three floors are also available. But we do not have necessary furniture yet. This is a great news from the ACP that funds are available for one-third portion of the 4 th floor of the GRC. Some funds have already been transeferrd to PCB for purchasing materials. PCB in the meantime within the shortest possible time procured white sand, yellow sand, brick chips, bricks and stone chips. 3/4 th size stone has been ordered. More bricks have been ordered. Steel bars have also been ordered. The previous contractor has been asked to complete the works at the rate of 210 BDT per sqft. The time of completion is 3 months of August-October. After this construction, we would be able to accommodate 60 persons comfortably for the conference and seminars. So our target is to go in operation from January By this time we would do promotion and networking with the targeted stakeholders.

8 This is good that so far most of the GRC facilities are being used for office, Center, PCB Correspondence School, PCB Mission School, PCB Media, Ted Hard Library, occasional seminars of PCB, meetings of the Board and the Presbytery, etc. Operations of so many things are possible because of the availability of enough space. PCB does not have to spend money for renting outside for its own seminars and meetings. 12. LAND PURCHASE AT PCB COMPLEX Lands are available for purchase at PCB Complex. 13. OCCASIONAL SEMINARS & MODULES A. Programs Postponed: This is sad experience that PCB had to postpone its Annual Staff Conference scheduled on June. The reason was lacking necessary resources. We tried our best to manage even for the last moment but failed. Thank you all for praying but God sometimes does not grant all our prayers. B. Upcoming Programs [few of many items]: - Center for Religious Studies Center: The classes would start from 03 August. - PCB Teens and Youths seminar scheduled before Christmas - PCB Trust Board meeting in September - The Presbytery meeting in November - Partnership meeting in October/November - Particularization of Madargonj Presbyterian Church in October - External Auditing of PCB accounts [fiscal year July 2014-June 2015] in August 14. PUBLICATION - This program has been cut down in 2015 due to budget shortage. But there are 2 books ready for printing The 40 Unique Teachings of Jesus Christ and The Lord s Prayer. The book named The Lord s Prayer is 90 pages book and ready for printing. The 40 Unique Teaching of Jesus Christ is of 300 pages and still needs to be revised. Both of these books are written by me in I am currently preaching on Trinity. There are three parts in the book the Introduction, Misunderstandings on Trinity, and true Biblical meaning and explanation of Trinity. I have already completed and preached on 11 Misunderstandings on Trinity. The next portion would take at least two months to be completed. I have been convinced by the Bible that the subject Trinity is widely described and documented in the Bible. Christians must be proud of so much resources on the Trinity that they should not fear of this doctrine. - My next project of writing is on the Ten Commandments is now delayed and would be started from January 2016 since my study on Trinity has been consuming more time.

9 Are PCB books effective in changing lives - Story of Mawlana Zillur Rahman? I have the opportunity to spend time with Mawlana Zillur Rahman for three hours at PCB Complex. Zillur is a 60-years old Muslim scholar from Naogaon district and has taken double Masters degree from an Islamic institute. Then he has been lecturing at a Madrasah in Joypurhat in the north of the country. He is married and had one son and one daughter. His son died from cancer and the daughter is married. His wife is in serious frustration due to loosing her son in early age. Zillur has read in his religion that if anyone sees Allah then his going to heaven is sure. So he waited for long to see Allah. He met several scholars in Islam whether they have seen Allah but got no answer. He went to shrines of dead Muslim pirs, visited Hindu temples and met gurus to find God, went also to the Buddhist temple and met monks but became frustrated. Then from the Quran he read that Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit of Allah who came to this earth [according to him]. He started to know about Jesus Christ. He went to his nearby Lutheran church. The pastor there could not meet his needs. They became afraid of him. But the pastor gave him my telephone number. Another youth in the church has given my book named 12 Unique Claims of Jesus Christ. He has read the book. In chapter 12, he discovered that Jesus is one with God and so are the believers of Jesus united with God. Zillur was exploring for such unity and fellowship with God which was possible through Christ as his conclusion was. He put his faith in Christ but he did not disclose it to anyone because of fear. Zillur has been calling me several times since last six months after reading my book and I invited him to meet whenever he visits our city. I also told him that whenever I visit the North, I would visit him. Finally he came to meet by traveling about 250 kms. He stayed at our guest room and the next day I spend the whole morning with him. He stepped forward for a hug. Some of the things I corrected him on his learning about the Trinity. I shared with him about the Jesus in the Bible. I encouraged him to be visible and his first and foremost responsibility was to share his faith with his wife. Because he did not share about his Christian journey to his wife. He agreed to share. I was surprised to hear from him about his vision of sharing about Jesus Christ and his experience with God with 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. He wants to materialize his dreams through TV media to be broadcasted from any foreign country. I doubted where he has got this idea of mission. I checked whether he met any missionary in the meantime but he told no. I motivated him to start from his wife, then relatives and neighbors who are his Jerusalem and Judea. Zillur has gone through by-pass surgery and he has shown his mark of operation in chest. I have been praying for his maturity in Christian faith and for God s accepting him as His instrument.

10 I am convinced to write more and make those writings available for Muslim readers. 15. INCOME-EARNING PROGRAMS: - GOSPEL REFORMATION CONFERENCE CENTER GRCC would be in operation from January PCB MISSION SCHOOL PCB bears the expenses for PMS. But this year PMS [from its income of annual fees and sale of books and stationaries] has refunded 80,000 BDT [1,000 USD] to PCB. As students increase by years, this refund would also increase. All stationaries, expenses for occasional programs, conveyances, etc. are spent from PMS s monthly tuition fees. PCB pays only staff salaries. Capital investment has been given once last year. PCB has planned to make three school vans for commuting students. These vans would cover three areas and each van is good for carrying 8 students. This would help PMS for attracting more students. The steel body of the van would be made by PCB Technical institute. We have to purchase the van chasis only from outside. - AGRICULTURE All the current 4-Bigha projects and PCB Complex are earning money for PCB. The income of PCB Complex has increased. This would increase year after year. Every day there is sale and now outsiders are coming to buy fruits and vegetables. VISITATION FROM ACP None from ACP. But Dr. Thomas Corson from Philadelphia has spent 4 days with us by teaching Center students, having small sharing time with our staff in the HQ, and spending some time with the teachers of PMS. Rev. Edward Lee, one of our Korean friends has brought the pastor and elder of a Korean American church in California. We had good time together. I did not ask their address or any contact information because they were Koreans. But I am trying to collect and being in connection. TRIP TO USA & PARTNERSHIP BUILDING Dates are not yet settled by the ACP. I am once again invited by the Transform World for attending a meeting in Korea on Islam in October. I have agreed to go but I have to raise my own travel costs.

11 MANAGEMENT - PCB Board of Trustees - The time has come to make the PCB Board a fully Reformed. So far we have invited non-pcb persons to make the Board and they have been doing well for PCB by assisting to fulfill our agenda. We did not have suitable persons in PCB itself to sit in the Board. The first move in 2015 is to invite Abdul Kader [Licentiate] to sit in the Board from PCB. We believe that more persons would qualify to be members in the Board specially from our Discipleship program. Some of our student-staff as disciples are completing their Masters degree from the universities and they are well equipped as Reformed in PCB. By next two-three years we would see enough persons qualified for the Board and the present Board would be replaced by them gradually. - Management Board of PCB Mission School: This is under PCB Trust. The present members are James Hilton, Mrs. Maya Hilton, Bill Nikides, Edward Ayub and Jostna Ayub where the Principal Rajani Biswas is an ex-officio. The curriculum preparation, teachers development, policy modification, etc. are on-going under the guidance of the Management Board members. - The Presbytery Next Meeting is scheduled to be held in August PCB Ltd. Board of Directors: With the existing bodies, a joint-venture company is under process to be registered. PCB hopes to get the final registration by the July-September quarter. PCB Ltd. would deal the income-generating programs and initiate for more incomeoriented options. THREAT: You can seriously pray for the safety of Christians, Christian workers and the establishments in different areas. I have been called by an imam/mosque cleric from Dhaka several times and he is informing me that some Muslims are planning to destroy Christian works. He knows about the attack at Madargonj and the same group is involved for future attack. He has come to know about me from one of ex-staff of PCB and read my books. So he wants to save us. One of the damages I have found against PCB happening in our Bhurungamari 4-Bigha project where a new mosque and madrasah are being contrcuted by Muslims. CHALLENGES: Nil this time. MY FAMILY Our health is fine. Utthan has completd his one semester in his study at military engineering school. He is visiting us every week. PRAYER ITEMS: Pray that

12 - More servant leaders are developed from PCB. - All the members in different management levels are from Reformed background. - Discipleship curriculum is completed within its time-frame. - More church planters may join to complete church planting teams and to be sent in new locations specially the locations we have closed due to shortage of staff and moving our staff into some clusters. - Mawlana Zillur Rahman continues his zeal for Christ and may join the Center for his study, his safety and openness in his own area of Naogaon district. His wife is sick due to their son s early death of cancer. - Land at Madargonj to be purchased adjacent our project to connect our project with the nearby road. ends here...