Prayer and Praise Update - Sept 2014

Cavendish Mall Charity Book Sale
Last week, along with offloading another 18 tonne container shipment of Bibles and books, we took part in a 4-day Charity Book Sale in Cavendish Square, an upmarket shopping mall in the Southern suburbs of Cape Town. Along with numerous other charities, we were invited to set up book and literature tables running all day, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This was a tremendous opportunity to distribute Gospel literature, Bibles and Christian books, much of it donated by Christian Liberty Books, leading to many Evangelistic discussions and counselling opportunities. We also offered free New Testaments to anyone who completed our Spiritual Well-Being Survey, which led people through Way of the Master and Evangelism Explosion questions to evaluate their lives in the light of the Law of God and Eternity.

Thank you to those who gave of their time to man the table, or who bought books.

Debating Euthanasia
Last week I was interviewed twice on national TV on the euthanasia issue. On Sunday afternoon I participated in a panel discussion and debate hosted by Judge Dennis Davis for a programme called Judge for Yourself. I was grateful to have a doctor from Doctors for Life, also giving pro-life arguments. The pro-euthanasia group, Dignity SA, plans to take the issue to the Constitutional Court.

You can view the SABC Newsroom interview on our Youtube Channel. The Judge for Yourself programme will be broadcast on the ENCA channel on DSTV (and live-streamed on Youtube) on Sunday, 21 September, 6:30pm. If you are on Twitter, use the hashtag #JFYeuthanasia when giving pro-life comments in response to the issues raised in the debate.

The Reason for the Hope that is Within You
God reminded me of this verse before the interview: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you…" 1 Peter 3:15. The Christian can know in the midst of suffering, that God can turn everything for His glory and our ultimate good. We also have the hope of Heaven and the resurrection of the body – this gives death “dignity” (or meaning).

To Kill or to Care?
We are being subjected to a major propaganda offensive promoting Euthanasia.

As pro-life Christians we must stand for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. However, in countries where Euthanasia has been legalised, such as in Belgium and Holland, thousands of patients have been "terminated" by state employed doctors, without either the patients request, or even the relatives consent!

Former supporters of Euthanasia, such as Dutch Professor Theo Boer, have publically declared that they were "terribly wrong" to support assisted suicide. The Euthanasia laws have now turned assisted suicide from a last resort into a normal procedure. Holland is now heading towards a record 6,000 Euthanasia deaths for this year.

Compassion and support are needed for those who are ill, or depressed - not euthanasia.

In the Soviet Union, state doctors regularly called in troublesome pastors for a "routine check-up", only to report later in the day that they had died! Turning a health professional, who should be dedicated to saving lives, into a taker of lives, effectively a state executioner, is a terrible perversion of the healing profession.

"Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked." Exodus 23:7

Renowned Apologist – John Lennox Coming to Cape Town
John Lennox is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University and at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum. He has written a number of books on the interface between science, philosophy and Theology. These include God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (2009), God and Stephen Hawking, a response to The Grand Design (2011), and Gunning for God, on the new atheism (2011). He has also debated atheist Richard Dawkins. Click here to find out where he will be speaking in Cape Town and Stellenbosch from 10-14 September.  

God’s Not Dead Movie Screening and Conference
The His People Campus Society will be screening the God’s Not Dead film on Thursday, 18 September, at the University of Cape Town (UCT), upper campus, Robert Leslie Social Science Building 2A, 6:30pm. Free. You can watch the trailer here. 

Dr. Ted Baehr of Movieguide states: "God's Not Dead is an entertaining, profound, powerful Christian movie about a college student who has to stand up for his faith when bullied by an atheist professor. Despite some of the smartest dialogue ever, God's Not Dead entertains viewers as well as enlightens and inspires them. The ending is terrific!"

Based on hundreds of legal cases involving the infringement of the rights of Christian students by atheist professors on campus, God's Not Dead tackles the intense confrontations that many students have to face on college campuses.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's Will is - His good, pleasing and perfect Will." Romans 12:2

Author of the book God’s Not Dead, Dr Rice Brookes, will be equipping Christians to respond to issues of atheism at the God’s Not Dead Conference at the His People Centre, N1 City, 19-20 September. There is also a children’s programme, where Apologetics will be explained in a way children can understand.

Thank You
We are most grateful for your prayers, encouragement and support. May God continue to bless, guide and strengthen you.

Yours for Faith, Family and our Future,

Taryn Hodgson

International Co-ordinator
Africa Christian Action 
PO Box 23632 
Claremont 
7735 Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481 
E-mail:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: http://www.christianaction.org.za/
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