Latest news on the ministry of Daniel and Mary Shayesteh: Nov/Dec 2005
We thank you for your interest in and prayers for the ministry of Daniel and Mary Shayesteh and ‘Exodus from Darkness’. Daniel and Mary’s middle-eastern cultural and religious background has helped many of us to understand our faith in Jesus and the uniqueness of our Lord in fresh and vibrant ways. We have been helped through seeing things from a different place and through different eyes.
In this latest EFD update our lead article brings you Christmas greetings from Daniel and Mary Shayesteh. (Part 2 of our November lead article will be in the February newsletter)
Contents:
1. Christmas Greetings from Daniel and Mary Shayesteh
2. Upcoming Events – Australia, USA, Europe and South Africa
3. Participating financially in the ministry of Daniel and Mary Shayesteh
4. Report on Daniel’s recent visits around New South Wales Australia
5. Exodus from Darkness Prayer Requests
6. Daniel's Books

1. Christmas greeting from Daniel and Mary Shayesteh
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Christmas is almost here! This is a good time for us to thank you full heartedly for all your prayers and financial support, that serves to keep us stronger in the service of our Lord Jesus.
While many in the western world only focus on the “mas” part of Christmas, we want to encourage you to focus on the big picture of the event, which is Christ for the “masses”. 
Hostility and hatred in this contemporary era are spread through the use of uncontrollable and intelligent weapons. Even tiny countries are rushing to have nuclear weapons. Political philosophies and relationships have become complicated and chaotic.  Life on earth has become so quick and people do not have time to think and discover the ‘reason for’ and the ‘solution to’ this chaos. 
The following words of Christ bring forth the meaning that this ignorance should not have an impact on the life of His chosen people.  They “have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority” (Col.2:9-10); and therefore they are called to be “the salt and light of the world” (Matt. 6:13-14).
Christ is amazing! He always thinks about us more highly (fullness in Him) than we are willing to think about ourselves.  He sees us as perfect examples for every era, for every phase and dimension of life, and for every nation.   We need to discover this amazing identity that Christ has placed within us, which is His fullness in us (His Spirit in and on us), so that we might become His perfect vessels, releasing the ‘masses’ to focus on Him and to experience the year of His favour.
Through His grace, we have a small but powerful secret in our hearts, which is so valuable and encouraging to us.  We try to practice it every day; and it is working in our lives.  We want to celebrate that secret with you too as 'love and recognition' for your great care and thoughtfulness towards us - as our Christmas gift to you:
Lord Jesus,
Your Spirit is on us; we belong to You.
You have saved and anointed us to preach your good news,
to proclaim your freedom,
to release people and
to proclaim the year of your favour.
(Luke 4:18-19)
Daniel & Mary Shayesteh
2. Some of Daniel and Mary's upcoming ministry events
Daniel has many opportunities in 2006 to be 'salt and light' around Australia and overseas. Please remember Daniel and Mary and the Shayesteh family in prayer as they respond to these opportunities to testify to Jesus.
Jan 22: Wollongong Church of Christ, NSW
Feb 3 - 12: Mission with CMA in Los Angeles
Feb 13: Faith Christian High School, Denver, Colorado
Feb 15: Visit to CMA HQ in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Feb 24-26: Christ Community Church Carmel, Indiana
March 4,5: Allegheny Center Alliance Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March 9-13: Missions in the CMA Western Great Lakes District
March 17-19: First Alliance Church, Erie, Pennsylvania
March 23-26: L1:8T Conference Toledo, Ohio
March 29-31: New York Alliance Bible College, New York
April 8 – 20: Daniel and Mary invited to minister in Europe to Muslim background believers and their friends
May 5-7: Missions weekend at Aberfoyle Uniting Church, Adelaide, South Australia
May 9: Aglow Frenchs Forest, NSW (to be confirmed)
May 20: Speaking at the Open Doors National Conference, NSW
May 21: Gymea Anglican Church (to be confirmed)
May 29 – June 2: Teaching at Perth YWAM
June 19: Speaking at a Men’s event at Finley, NSW
August: Participating as a speaker in 'Mosques and Miracles' Conferences to be held around South Africa
October 21/22: Speaking at Epping Church of Christ, Sydney
3. An invitation and latest situation – Participating financially in the ministry of Daniel and Mary Shayesteh
We invite you to give generously to the ministry of Exodus from Darkness so that Daniel and Mary's transformational message about Christ can continue to bear fruit around Australia and overseas. Full details for contributing to their ministry are at the end of this email.
Daniel and Mary were blessed this year by a regular donation pledged for 2005 that has helped to cover the shortfall brought on when Daniel could no longer work part-time at the University of Technology Sydney. The original intention behind that donation was to enable Mary to work alongside Daniel on a more regular basis. Please pray with us that the Lord will continue to provide sufficient resources for the Shayesteh’s so that Daniel and Mary can minister together in Jesus’ Name in 2006!
Daniel’s upcoming trip to the USA is a faith adventure. Please pray with us that our Father will provide sufficient resources to support Daniel and his family while he is away while at the same time covering Daniel’s travel and other expenses.
4. Report on Daniel’s recent visits around New South Wales Australia
Life is a journey and our relationship with Jesus is our total confidence for the future.
“I thank God our Father for our friends at ‘Open Doors’. They have been a great encouragement to me and I really enjoyed my recent opportunity to speak to the home group of one of their team”, mused Daniel as he reflected on the meeting that took place on November 2nd at Christian City Church, Oxford Falls in Sydney. “There were people from several churches present and they were really moved when they heard my testimony. Some were really challenged to ‘come out of complacency’ as they experienced a ‘bigger picture’ about Christ’s uniqueness and glory. It was a moment when they recognized in a deeper way that they have agency and that they have been called to be agents for God in the world.”
“On 12th November I traveled to an Anglican Church at Georges Hall in south western Sydney to speak at a Men’s breakfast. These people were hungry for more than their breakfast!”, reflected Daniel as we sat together in his living room. “My testimony had a great effect on them because they live in a region of Sydney where many Muslims live. They had lots of questions and for many it was an opportunity for them to gain a deeper insight into Islamic culture. I pray for these men as they grow in their courage to walk the bridge between east and west in Jesus’ Name!”
“On 20th November I journeyed to St Stephen’s Anglican Church Belrose in northern Sydney. I spoke at both of their morning services and received a very enthusiastic response. I enjoyed meeting up with an Iranian family who attend the church and there were also people present from other churches. My prayer, as I speak to so many different people in so many different places, is that they will understand that the ‘Spirit of the Lord is upon them’. Everyone can be a witness for Jesus and the opportunity is there to be a friend towards the many immigrants who have come to our countries from the Middle East and other parts of the world.”
“The recent extreme comments made by the new Iranian President about Israel have made people even more inquisitive about uncovering where this mindset is coming from. This is something I talk about in my testimony when I share about my time in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and many people are coming to understand the deep forces that exist in the world against Christianity and the Jews. May the love of Jesus fill our hearts and enable us to love those who are against us in practical ways and without fear.”
“On Sunday 27th November I traveled up to Lawson Baptist Church in the Blue Mountains near Sydney. Some of the congregation has Muslim friends and they were eager to learn how to share their faith effectively with Muslim people. I was so encouraged by their burden to share the message of Christ with people. They had such a desire to care for the souls of their friends.”
“On Tuesday 29th I had a special opportunity to visit Silverwater Goal in western Sydney. I was the speaker for a Kairos event that was held for the prison community. There was a great reaction from this very diverse group and many there share a strong desire to share Christ with all people in the prison. I was able to share with them my own experiences of being in prison. I also spoke to them about Paul’s commitment to the gospel even when he was in chains in prison and I encouraged them to follow Paul’s example and to be an influential voice for Jesus through their lives and in their conversation with others.”
“On December 4th I traveled south to Nowra, a coastal city a few hours from Sydney. I spoke both morning and night at Nowra Church of Christ. Both times I shared my testimony because four Pastors from other churches and an entire Anglican congregation came along for the evening service. I am so excited when I see churches coming together. This is a beautiful witness to the peace of Christ. On this occasion, as on many others, the Nowra churches were keen for me to come back for further ministry. My relationship with churches around Australia is very precious and I pray for the Lord’s guidance and creativity so that we can work together with churches to share the gospel persuasively with local communities.”
“At the current time I am running some seminars about Islam at Sydney Chinese Alliance Church at Rockdale. This is a big eye opener for some of the people and I praise God for the opportunity to speak to them about the uniqueness of Christ.”
“So, that is the latest on my travels. Thank you for your interest in my ministry and for your prayer and financial support. My ministry with Australian churches is very important to ‘Exodus from Darkness’. It also helps to provide me with the some of the financial support that I need for reaching out to Muslim communities and to churches overseas. Please pray that Australian churches will invite us to minister with them and that we will find creative ways together to lift up the Name of Jesus to local communities.”
5. Exodus from Darkness Prayer Requests
We speak in Jesus' Name to many hearts across the world, that they will be challenged in this era of globalisation to search for the Truth with all their heart.
Please pray for the Lord’s guidance and creativity to be poured out upon us so that we can work together with churches to share the gospel persuasively with local communities.
Praise God for Daniel's ministry opportunities during the last two months. 
Please pray for all the people who hear Daniel’s testimony to Jesus. Please pray that these people, and all the people they influence, will grow in their courage to walk the bridge between east and west in Jesus’ Name.
Please pray for the upcoming events where Daniel will speak across Australia and overseas. Pray that people will respond to Jesus as Daniel shares his testimony to Jesus and calls people to ‘Search for Truth Together’.
Please pray for the provision of all Daniel and Mary's financial needs. They have sacrificed much to ensure Daniel could lecture and share his testimony across Australia and overseas. We are also receiving more requests for Mary to minister alongside Daniel. A donation to help them would be a blessing for them.
We thank God for a group of people who are supporting Daniel and Mary's ministry spiritually and intellectually as we consider the most effective ways for their ministry to grow in the years ahead. Please pray that the Shayesteh's ministry will be guided along the path of greatest fruitfulness for the kingdom of God.

Please pray for wisdom for the EFD committee as we finalise planning for Daniel’s ministry trip to the USA during February to March 2006.

Please pray for Daniel as he works with Christian refugees from the Middle East seeking to come to Australia. It is proving extremely difficult to bring Christian refugees to Australia even though we are a country with a Christian heritage. Please pray for Daniel and others as they talk about these difficulties with Australian politicians.

6. Daniel's books

Many people have been blessed through the special insights into Islam and other religions that are provided by Daniel's books. Always accompanying these insights is Daniel's testimony to the uniqueness of Christ our Lord in every dimension of life.

Please make use of Daniel's books listed below and share them with your churches, bible colleges and friends.

'The Difference is the Son' compares the Qur'an and the Bible against the backdrop of Islam's early history and Islam's contemporary message. Daniel concludes that the difference between these two books in all dimensions of life is the 'Son' - our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the only source of eternal confidence.

"A Journey from 'gods' to Christ" looks at the nature of 'gods', sin and salvation in all the world's major religions, while at the same time challenging the conscience (God given!) of every human being to search for the Truth.

'The Difference is the Son' - suggested donation $20 + $5 for postage
"A Journey from 'gods' to Christ" - suggested donation $15 + $5 for postage. For contact details for ordering these books, please see the end of this email.

I close with the words of Jesus.

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37,38 (CEV)

Shalom! Michael York