Humanity Foundation International Day of Peace

20 September 2009

I was invited by Humanity Foundation a secular NGO Organization in Mumbai to speak on “Peace from Christianity perspective”. They have also invited other religious leaders of Buddhism, Sikhism and Mata Amrutanand (a different religious group).

I took this opportunity and spoke about the Jesus Christ who is the prince of peace. There are two points I stressed on to achieve peace on the earth (1) Peace within ourselves (2) peace with our neighbours.

(1) Peace Within ourselves: The very reason we organize these kinds of meetings on peace itself is the proof that we don’t have peace. We need to realize that we lack peace within ourselves. The reason we lack peace within ourselves is because we have gone away from God and there is a huge gap between us and God and that gap is created by our own sin and sinful nature. The moment we come close to God we receive peace and satisfaction within ourselves. To come near to God our sins had to be blotted away and that’s why Jesus Christ came to this earth and died for our sins.

(2) Peace with our neighbours: Once we have peace within ourselves we show patience and love towards others. Jesus Christ said, “Love your neighbour as you love yourselves”, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. Jesus never said to take revenge. Bible says Romans 12:14-21 to treat people with kindness rather than vengeance is the way to move them. Vengeance may break the spirit but kindness will break people’s heart.

To stoop to vengeance is to be ourselves conquered by evil. Evil can never be conquered by evil. If hatred is met with more hatred, it is only increased but if it is met with love, an antidote for the poison is found. The only way to destroy an enemy is to make that person a friend.

There were other religious leaders who spoke but on different perspective. I have stressed more on peace with God and peace with men and that will lead to the ultimate world peace.

Before we could impact the nation and world it should start within us.

Peter Akbar

Mumbai India

Although not seeking, He found me...

Peter Akbar wrote out his beautiful testimony of God's saving grace and healing power and the vision for his mission work. Click on the link below to read it.

http://www.islamreview.com/testimonials/akbar.shtml

Khammam church update

One year ago Global NIM helped purchase land for the church members of Khammam in northern India to build a church. It is a real story of faith and the power of prayer! You can read about it in the August 6, 2008 blog posting below.

Here is Peter's update on the project as of this summer:

"Ninety-nine percent of the believers in Khammam Church are very poor and they depend upon their daily wages but this Church has good prayer warriors; the purchase of the land itself is the answer to their long awaited prayers.

"Now they are constantly praying for the second step, that is, the Church Construction.

"In long term they have a big vision and that is, though they are badly needing at least a shed, which will cost within 80,000rupees ($1,700US), in the long term they are praying for a big, well- constructed Church.

"They shared this plan with me that in future after some years (when God provides) they will construct a two story building. The ground floor rooms will be given on rent and the top floor will be the Church. Whatever the rents come from these ground floor rooms will help further the ministry. They can travel into the surrounding villages to establish Churches and also be able to manage other expenses.

"This Church is totally submissive to my leadership since I established this Church and trained the leaders.

"I have also planned to go to Khammam at least once in two or three months and organize a five days Bible school. In this way I can also strenghten them in the Word of God and impart and strengthen the Vision."

If you would have any questions concerning this building project or would like to assist, please email Global NIM at globalnim@cox.net. Thank you!

Dear Friends,

I am glad to present the report of the first training program of this year which was organized in Andheri on 7th and 8th of March, 2009.

The training program was a fantastic one with the people who are curious and eager people to know how to reach out to the Muslims in the city of Mumbai. As usual the people had the same reasons when I asked them why they could not able to reach out to the Muslims: Lack of knowledge, Fear, pre-programmed mindset etc...

As I started the first session people never diverted their attention till I finish the last session. They gave an undivided attention and showed lot of eagerness to learn and time to time they were seriously taking the notes though they were provided the materials.

The training program was done with the help of Power point presentations and people very much appreciated the material on the screen. Whenever they missed any statement of mine they read it on the screen and follow what I am teaching.

This time I have developed the PowerPoint presentations and also the content of my teaching. Especially in the section of “Christian Muslim Apologetics” I mostly concentrate on four fundamental themes of Christianity which are always attacked by the Muslims (1) Authenticity of Bible (2) Doctrine of Trinity (3) Deity of Jesus Christ (4) Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. All of these four fundamental issues were challenged by the Muslims and whenever we share the gospel to a Muslims sooner or later in the conversation he will come up with the questions, allegations and misconceptions on these issues.

This time I used lot of verses from the Quran in support of all these four issues. For example I took scriptures from the Quran where it says that Bible is not corrupted nor changed. Of course Bible does not require some other book to come to its aid but for a simple minded Muslim who is blinded by the teachings of Islam for him only Quran is the word of Allah and he won’t listen to an independent argument. Once we proved that the Bible is not corrupted then we can encourage him to read the Bible! When he starts reading the Bible he read it with the thought that Bible is not corrupted then he realizes that if Bible is not corrupted and the Bible says that Jesus is Lord and Savoir I need to accept Him! You see my logic?

I once again affirm that Christianity stands on its own it do not require the support of another book. But while in evangelism we need to carefully pickup scriptures from the Quran which won’t contradict the reality of the Bible and then utilize them. Just like Paul quoted the poets of Athens and then presented the gospel. We make use of all the available opportunities to connect the existing beliefs of the people to the real Salvation which in Jesus Christ.

At the end of the second day that is on 8th I asked the people to take a paper and write their suggestions, requests, and comments about the training program and also about my teaching. I specifically asked them to write about their confidence now they have to reach out to the Muslims.


There are plenty of comment papers I received from the people and I wish I could scanned and put them in this report.


Please keep praying for this ministry.
Peter Akbar
Mumbai India

The Fear is Vanished

"The August training program in the city of Bangalore went very well...

The program was a wonderful opportunity for most of the attendees and they were equipped for the first time in their life how to evangelize their neighboring M friends.

Whereever I go through out the country, when I see the people who come for the training program, I hear the same news from the people that for many years they wanted somebody to teach them how to reach Ms. There are many people who tried to learn but they didn’t get the right person.

After the training program in the end when I closed it with my testimony, they have no words to express their joy. I could see on their faces that feeling and confidence that finally now they have some knowledge to present the gospel in a better way. I also see that the fear in their hearts which kept them away from reaching the Ms is gone.

Recently when I was giving lectures in the seminar organized by the Asia Pacific Free Methodist Mission on 15th and 16th of August, during the lunch time a Pastor came to me and told me that two years back he attended one of my training programs. Since then he was very bold in preaching the gospel to the Ms; as a result one whole Muslim family came to know the Lord. I was very happy to hear that a M family is attending the Church regularly.

He also shared that some M ladies come to the Church in their "Nakab" or "Burkha’s" and Pastor never tell them to remove their veils and see to it that they are comfortable and he also keep their identity secret.

One specific statement he made and that is, "Brother Akbar, the fear which I used to have is vanished at the training program as you explained the credibility of Christian Faith and the solid grounds we have for our beliefs. After the training program never even for a single time I feared while witnessing to a M". When I hear such testimonies I am encouraged.

I know one thing for sure that the main thing which is keeping Christians away from witnessing is FEAR.

I believe that when Christians receive the knowledge of the TRUTH of Christianity and the FALSENESS of "I" or other religions, the Fear will have no place in hearts of the Christians.
In Bangalore its the same thing; the people were excited to get equipped for M Evangelism. At the end I could see their faces with enlightenment."

“Dear Brother Andrew,

“Greetings in the precious name of Jesus Christ

“I am glad and once again grateful to
God for what He has done. On 8th of July I came to my native place from Mumbai and on July 9th I went to Khammam. Once again I heard disappointing news that the rates of the lands have been increased. With utter disappointment I sat under a tree thinking and praying to the Lord. But still somewhere deep down in my heart I know that Lord will do something about it.

“With disappointment I with the pastor and few leaders were walking towards the main road. Suddenly a man was coming on a bike and we happen to stop him and enquired about the lands and their rates. He told us that there are no lands here around within our budget but he himself is having a piece of land of 117 yards on the sub main road which is a prime location and he is ready to give for 1800 rupees and the only condition is that all the money should be given at a time without installments. He told us that he had a great necessity of money to pay a huge amount for his daughter’s education and the last date is very near; that’s why he is selling the land urgently for that price.

“I jumped out of joy because I have the whole money ready. I told the land owner that we are ready for that. He gave us his card and asked to come to his home to check the papers of the land. On the same day we went to the owner’s house and we checked the papers and land was perfectly without litigations and we are well pleased with all the documents.

“Immediately we gave him the down payment and asked for date for transfer of the land and registration. Due to the registration department strike on some issue the office was closed for few days. Then on 14th of July we went to the registration office for the land registration; on that day I paid the remaining whole amount.

“I shared with the believers about the good news and the miracle that God has done. They were overwhelmed with joy along with me. And on the next day I took the pastor and some of the key leaders to the land and we prayed and thanked the Lord for the land and asked to bless GNIM for helping us to purchase this land. I could not gather all the believers in that place because they all have gone to the work and they cannot take leave because most of their houses run on the daily wages.”

Equipping the Called

"Greetings in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

I am glad to present this report. On 11th and 12th of April there was a two day conference on ( ) Evangelism and importance of Apologetics in ( ) evangelism.

I happen to address to the 150 members from a well known organization in Mumbai, (name deleted).

It was a fantastic training program every one was equipped and trained for ( ) evangelism."

Peter is busy finishing his B.A. in English Literature; his exams are May 12th through the 16th. Please pray for his preparations.