Download - Faith Messenger March 2014
Christian Triumph Honors a Beloved Missionary,
“Gone Home.”
Nasser Salib Farag
May 27, 1939 to
November 18, 2013
Nasser was born in
Alexandria, Egypt
in 1939 to pioneer
Church of God
family who came
out of the Coptic
Orthodox Church
after finding
salvation through
Christ and being
baptized by early
COG missionary,
Dr. John Crose.
Father Salib was the printer for Christian
materials in Arabic for all denominations in the
Middle East, and the printer/publisher of the
Gospel Trumpet in Arabic. He was the translator
from English to Arabic for the early COG
missionaries and served his church locally as
well as nationally, being on the government level
court which handled Protestant legal issues.
Mama Raymonda found time and energy in
addition to raising eight children to make the
Farag home a center of hospitality for Christians
and missionaries, and to make it a welfare center
to help needy families with their needs -- be it
food, clothing, and/or spiritual guidance.
Nasser found Christ as his Savior while in his
teens and later dedicated his life for the Lord’s
service, whatever that might be. He studied
social work in Alexandria and did graduate
study in social policy in Holland, returning in
1964 to work with Church World Service in
Cairo and then with the Near East Council of
Churches’ Refugee program in Gaza which
besides providing relief, assisted young
Palestinians with vocational training.
It was in Gaza that he met his wife, Marilyn
Sheaffer, who was directing the Baptist Hospital
School of Nursing which was preparing young
Palestinian nurses. They were married in Gaza
one week before the June 1967 war between
Israel and Egypt and continued serving there
until July 1968. From Gaza they were sent to the
Baptist Hospital in Yemen where Nasser served
as the business manager and chaplain and
Marilyn served in nursing. It was while serving
as chaplain that Nasser found the joy of sharing
stories of Christ’s miracles with Moslem
patients. They had many questions for him as
they had never known that an Arabic-speaking
man could be a Christian.
Continued on Page 2
Contents:
Missionary Gone Home……………1-4
Christian Triumph News…..……… 4-5
Update from Walking Man….………..5
January 2014 News from India…….6-7
*Volume 78 *No. 3 *Published by Christian Triumph Co. *Permit # 695 * MAR 2014
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Upon experiencing God’s call to Christian
ministry, Nasser and Marilyn traveled to the
States for his theological education, and that is
where Steve was born in 1970. Nasser earned the
Master’s Degree in Religious Education from
Anderson, IN University, School of Theology in
1971, and the Doctor of Ministry Degree from
Midwestern Baptist Seminary in Kansas City,
Mo., and did post-doctoral studies in missions at
Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, KY.
After completion of seminary, The Missionary
Board of the COG asked Nasser in 1971 to
become the first national to oversee the COG
work in Egypt where he served until the next
Egyptian-Israeli war (1973). At that time the
Missionary Board sent the Farags to Kenya
where during their first five years (1973-78) he
worked with untrained pastors serving in the
field. This was one of Nasser’s most enjoyable
ministries as he loved the simple elderly men,
some still walking barefoot and carrying their
one pair of shoes (if they had one) under their
arm as they walked through the mud, shallow
streams, rocks and thorns to evangelize and
plant new churches. They did not yet have the
Old Testament in their tribal language and many
of them could not read or write. They had been
taught the basic Christian doctrines and the plan
of salvation, so their same sermon was preached
Sunday after Sunday. This was effective for
evangelism but did not stimulate Christian
growth, and did not keep the attention of the
newly educated youth. Nasser was challenged to
teach the pastors many of the stories of Jesus’
life and teachings which they learned from
memory and were able to teach the spiritual
meanings to their people utilizing their youth to
read to the congregation the stories from the
New Testament books that were available.
Nasser continued training pastors during the
second five years of ministry in Kenya (1983-88),
but this time in the four-year theological college
which accepted only secondary school graduates
with a passable standard of English. Besides
classroom teaching he developed the field work
program where students spent week-ends
assisting congregations with Sunday Schools,
youth meetings, women’s ministry, etc. Every
three-month term he would take a different
group of students to a new mission area where
they would evangelize house-to-house and invite
people to meetings where students would provide
Christian drama, music, and at times films on
the life of Christ, training of Sunday school
teachers and women’s leaders, etc. He placed
and supervised the senior students as they served
under the successful older pastors in the field
and opened new preaching points under the trees
where the Word of God was given to those who
had never heard.
In between these two terms in Kenya, Nasser
served as the Missionary Board’s Fraternal
Representative in northeastern Mexico (1979-
82), assisting the pastors in planting new
churches and teaching at the Bible school. The
Mexican government refused visas for
missionaries, so the Farags had to live across the
border in Texas while Nasser spent most of his
time in Mexico. When Nasser’s oldest brother
traveled to the States for medical treatment in
California, the Farags moved there for one year.
Continued on Page 3
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Unfortunately his brother passed away soon
after the move to California, but Nasser then
took the opportunity of taking chaplaincy
training and also earned a certificate in drug and
alcohol counseling.
This school year (1982-83) was difficult for Steve
to adjust after having had a very positive
experience studying in a boarding school for
missionary children in Kenya, so the Farags’
prayers led them to return to their ministry in
Kenya where Steve could finish his 8th
grade
through high school education in a Christian
environment. This turned out to be a turning
point in Steve’s life and a fruitful ministry for
Nasser and Marilyn.
The Farags terminated their missionary service
when Steve entered Anderson University in 1988
in order to be of support for him who as a third
culture kid adjusted to American life. Steve did
well and graduated with a B.S. in Social Work,
and later with an M.S. and certification as a
Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
From 1989-91 Nasser served as Associate
Professor of Missions at Warner Southern
University and director of the H.E.A.R.T.
program in Lake Wales, FL. where he helped to
prepare future missionaries and development
workers for cross-cultural service. He was
anxious to get back to the field and spent the
next year assisting Eben-Ezer Mission in Haiti in
developing their post-secondary college
curriculum. While evangelizing in Mexico, Belize
and other Central American countries (1993-96)
Nasser noted the proliferation of cults such as
Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. He began
teaching evangelical congregations and pastors
in these countries to be aware of these false
teachings and be prepared to share the truth in
love. In 1996 upon seeing this great need and
nothing being done about it, Nasser, Marilyn,
and Steve started the non-profit 501 c 3
corporation, Truth in Love Ministry, to solicit
assistance from U.S. churches to help the weak
congregations from multi-denominations with
teaching/evangelizing and construction work
camps. In 1997 the Lord provided land and a
large home in Bacalar, Mexico, to become the
venue for hosting these work camps and a place
where Mexican and Belizean churches could
conduct their spiritual retreats and youth camps,
etc. The Lord also opened up ministry with
children in the local orphanage, with men in a
nearby drug and alcohol rehab center, and with
prisoners in the Belizean government prison.
After September 11, 2001, pastors and
congregations began asking Nasser, because of
his background, about the religion of those
terrorists responsible for this disaster; thus
began his teaching ministry on Islam awareness
which was very timely as Islamic followers were
entering Mexico and Central America in larger
numbers, not just for business opportunities but
with the goal of spreading their false teachings.
After many opportunities to provide Islam
awareness and to share opportunities of reaching
Muslims for Christ, the Farags developed a DVD
course to be shared with small groups in
churches and later put much of this same
material into his book, God Almighty! His WORD
for Christians, Jews, and Moslems, under the
pseudonym of Lester Fleenor. This book became
a teaching tool in the States and abroad and was
ultimately translated into French, Arabic,
Spanish, Turkish, Hindi, Oriya, and has recently
been translated, but not yet printed, into Farsi.
With permission of the author, Dr. Labib
Mikhail (Nasser’s childhood pastor in Egypt),
Nasser translated from Arabic to English the
book The Virgin Mary in the Light of the Word of
God and adapted it, changing its emphasis from
the Coptic Orthodox beliefs in Egypt to the
Roman Catholic teachings found in Mexico and
Latin America. The English version adaptation
of this book was published by a Christian
publishing company in California, the Spanish
version was printed by Nasser’s brother Amin’s
press in California and the Arabic version
printed in Alexandria, Egypt, under the
direction of Nasser’ nephew Emil Farag.
Seminars based on this book were conducted by
Nasser in Africa and Mexico, and copies given
freely to seminar participants.
After Nasser’s first surgery for cancer in 2002,
Continued on Page 4
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the Farags moved back from Mexico to south
Texas where they continued to lead work camps
to help the Mexican congregations. Starting in
2003, they have returned every year except one
to Africa at the invitation of former students and
various multi-denominational missionaries to
give seminars and to teach in Bible colleges. He
returned also several times to Central America
and Mexico, the last opportunity was in July
2013 when he spoke to pastors and laymen at the
COG annual convention in Chetumal, Mexico,
where he had the opportunity of seeing firsthand
the growth of the church he had helped to plant
in 2001. Nasser traveled to teach COG pastors in
Eastern India in 2008 and upon arrival at New
Delhi airport suffered a fractured leg, but at the
time thought it was only a torn muscle or tendon.
He continued teaching pastors for five days and
holding evangelistic services every night having
to lean on the pulpit or on his translator due to
the pain. Upon his return home it was discovered
the cancer had metastasized to the bone, and this
began five more years of radiation and
chemotherapy – with his last treatment being on
October 4 of this year.
Nasser was basically a very optimistic man,
having learned from experience that difficult
things can at times be overcome by faith in God
plus persistent effort. He pursued cancer
treatment even though the side-effects were
drastic at times. When Marilyn would ask him to
stop the treatments he replied that he believed it
would not be pleasing to God to refuse to try all
possible means to treasure the life God had given
him. He has been anxious to get printed – it is
finished except for the final formatting – his
latest book, What Account will we give HIM? In
which he encourages Christian leaders, including
himself, to live each day in a way to be found
pleasing to Christ to whom we are all
accountable. As he studied this subject he has
been going through self-examination, trying to
restore broken relationships, make amends for
past sins and failures, and give appreciation to
those who have been good examples for his life.
He believed that once we have accepted by faith
Christ’s salvation from the penalty of sin, we
must actively work with the indwelling Holy
Spirit to glorify God in our lives as faithful
servants.
Marilyn Farag, November 21, 2013
+ + +
Christian Triumph has worked with Nasser
and Marilyn for several years, distributing
both books: God Almighty! His WORD for
Christians, Jews, and Moslems, as well as
The Virgin Mary in the Light of the Word of
God.
In 2012, this missionary ministry, along with
friends and missionary partners, sent many
books of The Virgin Mary to Mexico and
more than 100 copies to Peru. +
Christian Triumph News: The local Spanish
Bible Institute will reopen its doors this
month (March). The Church is excited about
this as well as their Sunday services. Brother
Israel has two spirit-filled, assistant speakers
to help when needed; an accomplished
interpreter translates during the service;
dedicated Sunday school teachers are
enjoying the many children who are now
coming, and God is answering those many
prayers which continue Wednesday night,
Friday night, and early Saturday morning.
Further developments are in process on the
construction of the new church. Volunteers
are ready to help when needed.
The two-day per week radio ministry is
going strong with blessings from the Lord.
Email and online requests for literature and
correspondence courses have exceeded
postal requests. One recent request from
Cuba simply asked for a Bible, wondering if
it was possible to receive one. Page 5
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Another email request came from Spain,
asking for tracts, which are already steadily
sent to that country.
Spanish Bible course requests come from
Colombia, Honduras, Chile, Bolivia,
Ecuador, and Argentina as well as other
countries. Approximately 30 to 40 emails
are received per week.
“Thank you” to each person who has
prayed for and helped with Christian
Triumph. We appreciate your faithful
Sunday school class, the women’s ministry,
the Church congregations, and each
individual who loves missions and believes
in the power of God’s Word, as it is spread
in the USA, South America, Mexico, and
many other countries.
May God bless you, each one!
“As the rain and the snow come
down from heaven, and do not
return to it without watering
the earth and making it bud and
flourish so that it yields seed
for the sower and bread for
the eater, so is My Word that
goes out from My mouth:
It will not return to me
empty, but will accomplish
what I desire and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55: 10-11 NIV
Update Update Update Update ffffrom Walking Manrom Walking Manrom Walking Manrom Walking Man
Narciso Zamora
Peru
We traveled to a small town called Jaen and
conducted a Bible training course to prepare
leaders for the churches that God is calling
together in that area. We had 25 taking the
course. Now we are back in Cajamarca where
each Monday I wake in the middle of the night to
make it up to the Porcon community and preach
a 6 a.m. service that these dedicated Christians
attend before starting their work week.
Then on Tuesday of this week, we begin a
vacation Bible school. A public school teacher
from Lima came with some other sisters to help
us in this work.
Next up is another Bible training course with the
church leaders in the Cajamarca region. We
need to prepare workers to plant new works and
make disciples. We appreciate your prayers and
support. (Below is a group of participants in the
Bible training course at Jaen.)
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JANUARY 2014 NEWS FROM INDIA
David Jerald, who Outreach Coordinator Donna
Schillinger met on her trip to India was able to
visit the United States in December 2013. He was
hosted by William Anderson and family and
spoke at a few churches in Houston, Texas, as
well as at the Christian Triumph Church of God.
Brother Jerald finally was able to get a visa
(after three unsuccessful attempts) and it is good
for 10 years, so he plans to use this time to raise
awareness and support of the work of the
Church in India.
He plans to visit the U.S. again, perhaps in
October. If your church would like to learn first-
hand more about the Church in India, its
struggles and successes, please let us know. We
would love to coordinate a visit to your church
by Brother David Jerald.
And now the report by David Jerald:
In the month of January, we traveled to 10
villages and 4 small towns from the 7th
to the 17th
– 10 days. Our team consisted of 3 missionaries,
along with me and Dr. Jayanandan, our medical
missionary.
With an opening prayer, we started our journey
towards Karur, Erode and the Dindugal district
of Tamil Nadu State. We traveled with 10,000
Gospel tracts, 700 New Testaments, 120 Bibles,
all in the Tamil language. We traveled 650
Kilometers and started our mission in Banari, a
village which has never heard the Gospel. We
looked around and saw a big crowd of more than
500
people
walking
on
burning
charcoal
to please
their
Hindu
false god.
The
parents pushed the children and many people
were crying in pain from fire burns. The priest
commanded them to walk across the coals, one
by one.
We started playing Gospel music and switched
on the microphone and invited the people with
these words: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
All people turned towards us. The Hindu priest
got angry and took a big stick to beat us. The
crowd supported us and said, “We need rest so
we need to hear this message. We are tired of
walking in the fire.”
We preached the Gospel to them: “No pain! No
walking in the fire! Nothing needed from you –
just open your hearts and believe in Jesus Christ.
He will save you and give you eternal life.” All
the people shouted, “We need free salvation; we
are living with fear every day under pressure.”
I preached plainly the Gospel with Bible verses
and asked the whole crowd to say the sinner’s
prayer. 241 people, with tears, accepted Jesus
Christ as Lord and personal Savior. We sung
“At the Cross” in Tamil. With tears, we saw
souls saved by the grace of Jesus when they
surrendered and called to Him.
Dr. Jayanandan treated their fire wounds with
ointments and put on bandages. We got all the
addresses of the people and in March will send a
missionary to start a house church.
Our next turn, we went to 3 villages and
preached the Gospel. In all these villages, we
stayed each day, finding it very hard. Only 23
people believed in all these 3 villages. In the 3rd
village we stayed, they cooked food and fed our
team. We had a medical campaign there and
passed out Gospel tracts to each and every
house.
On these 4 days, we traveled to a Muslim village
in Dindugal. I began preaching and giving out
tracts, but they told me to get out of the village,
as the women in the village are so eager to hear
the Gospel. We said it is our right to propagate
the truth. One man punched us, but older people
opposed this and said we could preach for 30
7
minutes which we did and handed out Gospel
tracts. No one openly said they believed in Jesus
Christ, but secretly, 14 people called us and
asked for Bibles. We passed Bibles (secretly) to
those hungry souls. We are praying this Islamic
people will get saved through the Word of God.
The 5th
, 6th
, and 7th
days, we traveled through 2
small towns and 3 villages, preaching in 5 places.
One man said he would kill us if we preached.
We went out from that village to another one. A
college student who was saved at his college saw
us and joined our team. He took us to remote
hamlets, and we preached and helped the sick
with medicine. We stayed in a bus station for 2
nights where the beggars, lepers, and outcasts
there got saved. We gave new cloths, medicine
and cooked food for them.
On the 8th
, 9th
, and 10th
days, we had a great
opening to preach in 2 Hindu festivals which had
thousands. We distributed 8000 Gospel tracts
and many women heard the Gospel, and many
gave their lives to Christ. We collected almost
927 people’s addresses and are doing follow up
work.
We are committed to take the Gospel to millions
in India. We need your prayers and support.
Soul winning is the great thing we do for Jesus in
this world. Please lend our team a hand with
your love to get Gospel tracts, Bibles, food,
medicines, and a good sound system.
Yours in Christ,
David Jerald & Gospel Team
LOVING ONE ANOTHER By Editor
Loving and selfless giving to others, whether at
home or on the mission field, is an attribute of our
Father God. In sharing what little we have, we
discover His approval, His blessings and the
sweetness of His Presence.
In I John 3:17, John, the disciple of Christ,
questions the choice of clutching tightly to one’s
belongings. If anyone has material possessions and
sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how
can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us
not love with words or tongue but with actions and
in truth. NIV
In 2014, I see many persons helping others. For
some of us, however, the economy presents a
challenge, making it difficult to keep up with
heating bills, groceries, gas and the list goes on.
This is reality! Thankfully, God is in control of our
world, and the promise found in the Biblical letter
to the Philippians is as true for us today, as it was in
the Apostle Paul’s time: “My God will meet all
your needs according to his glorious riches in
Christ Jesus.” These words are for each person
who loves God and has accepted Jesus as Savior. Deuteronomy 30 and Philippians
Giving from a loving heart embraces more than
financial donations. In truth, one of the most
powerful gifts of all is compassionate prayer.
Financial resources are very effective in helping
others; however, sincere, believing prayer presented
before God with a humble, trusting heart will work
miracles and will change things in amazing ways!
In summary, God’s word says it all: The world and
its desires pass away, but the man who does the will
God lives forever. Do not love the world or
anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. For everything in
the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of
his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does –
comes not from the Father but from the world. The
world and its desires pass away, but the man who
does the will of God lives forever. I John 2:15-17NIV
God bless your precious life!
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