Leighton Medley our BPCA Outreach Minister has returned to Pakistan to reach new communities with the true Gospel of Christ and to continue discipling those who have been already been reached through our previous campaigns.
Leighton’s remit for this work is quite simple, he is to bolster the faith of Christians who have little access to regular church services setting up bible study leaders who will one day become ministers of the Gospel in rural communities, he is to bring revival and better understanding to larger Christian churches in Pakistan many of which have adopted a very legalistic theology and have forgotten the need for repentance, faith in Christ and the need to place our trust in Him.
Leighton has also been reaching out to Muslims and we hope that soon his work will provide a dividend by bringing others to the family of God.
He has been having great success with many believers expressing revival, churchgoers committing their lives to Christ, and Muslims taking an interest in the Gospel though yet to commit to Christ. We hope with further donations to make Leighton’s role a permanent one in a years time. For this we will need the help and support of those who was to see Christ’s gospel flourishing in Pakistan and seek you help to finance this important ministry. One of our costs is the purchase of bibles at £4 each. If you would like to help please donate by clicking (here).
Below is one of Leighton’s recent accounts during a BACA’s trip to the home of Pastor Razaq, in Essa Nagri, Quetta 8th February 2020:
Going out at night in the middle of Quetta, is a risky business for anyone, never mind an evangelical missionary. Before we arrived at our secret location,
another house church, we had to hide in our car as we saw a young Taliban extremist walking down the street. We know this, because of how he was dressed,
wearing a long white turban designed to cover the face, which is what he was doing. There was a well known Taliban Mosque, which we passed on the way,
located near the Christian area purely put there for intimidation. Police cars, three of them pulled up in quick succession, which suggested something
was going down, it may be they arrested the young Taliban man, but we don’t know as we were on our way by then.
We arrive at another small house church, which often have to meet in secret, due to the area they live in. There are many children, eagerly awaiting
to hear the Word preached, some of them hardened already by the experience of persecution and fear, in many ways it is like being back in the first
century Church. We really don’t know what that’s like yet, here in the developed West. Even though extreme pressure, is being brought to bear upon
Christianity in the public square, we are still not persecuted in any way like these people are.
So the message I choose to bring is from Matthew 18:21-35, which is really about forgiveness. After the horrors of Yohanabad, where Christians took
revenge for the deadly church attack that happened there in 2015, we feel forgiveness is a subject that needs to be taught far more regularly. You
see, forgiveness is a matter of life and death, if we can’t forgive, then how can we expect to be forgiven ourselves. Also, we need to understand that
forgiveness is costly, not just financially, but materially and spiritually. The unforgiving servant would not pay that cost, he took his forgiveness
for granted and so lost his forgiveness in the end. Is this how we are, because if we hold onto our anger, and take revenge, then we are no better
than our persecutors.
The Apostle Paul supports this view: in Romans 12:14, he says to “bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.” We should not retaliate but
if “Our enemy is hungry, we should feed him, if he is thirsty, we should give him something to drink and in doing this, you will heap burning coals
on his head.” (Romans 12:20) This is the most effective way to promote the Gospel, and yes, it is working here in Pakistan, because we are seeing many
more secret believers here in this land.
Pastor Adil said afterwards, this was an important message for all believers, all over the world and he is right. Yet, there is forgiveness here among
these people, despite the tragic sacrifices many have made. And let us pray, that we too may learn forgiveness in a real way. There is no hiding place
for those who cannot, as this unforgiving servant found out to his cost. We will be found out, if we have the same attitude. Forgiveness needs to be
our mindset, so let us forgive those who wrong us, so our Heavenly Father will forgive us through his precious Son.
Brother Leighton
