Latest news on the ministry of Daniel and Mary Shayesteh: February 2006

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.

Our lead article gives you an update on Daniel’s current tour of the USA.

Contents:
1.  Daniel’s current tour of the USA
2. Upcoming Events – Australia, USA, Europe and South Africa
3. Participating financially in the ministry of Daniel and Mary Shayesteh
4. Exodus from Darkness Prayer Requests
5. Daniel's Books

1. Daniel’s current tour of the USA

“We wish you could stay with our church for 2 months at least!” was the response last weekend from a church in California after Daniel spent the weekend teaching them and sharing his testimony to Jesus.

Late last year Daniel spoke about his purpose and prayers for this time in the USA.
"I have a strong sense of purpose as I make this trip to the USA in February and March. At one time I was an avowed enemy of Christianity and the western world. But since 1991 I have been a disciple of Jesus Christ and an evangelist for the sake of his name. I pray that my visit will help many to appreciate even more the uniqueness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the preciousness of the values of Jesus for every dimension of life.

We live in very challenging times and it is dangerous if we take our democracy and freedoms for granted. Strong forces in the world have no respect for democracy and freedom. Jesus has called us to care for our society. He has called us to be 'salt and light' and he instructs us to pray to God our Father 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. I pray that my visit will help people to understand that Jesus is the true foundation for our freedoms and responsibilities. He wants us to understand the truth about Him and to understand other religions. He wants us to love all people from all nations, cultures and religions and he calls us to assertively proclaim the uniqueness of Christ's salvation for the world. I look forward to joining with people and churches in the USA to this end."

Daniel’s report on his ministry last weekend and this week in California

“Through the grace of our Lord, I am in Rosamond, a town of 19,000 people. This morning I spoke in a public high school to two senior groups of students.  The outcome was amazing; some of the students and two teachers are going to come to the church and listen to me in the conference on Saturday.  In my speech I spoke to them about the way that young people in the west are under threat from humanistic values, and how they need to be aware of who Jesus is and the foundation that his values provide for the freedoms that they want to continue to enjoy in their country.  I spoke to them while I was going through my story and photos.
 
“At a dinner that evening, I addressed my host church, Wayside Chapel Community Church, about "The responsibility of contemporary Christians in the midst of the crisis caused by radical Islam".  People were moved by my 40 minutes speech, and all praised the Lord for saving me and using me mightily for His glory.  Some spoke to me of the conviction of the Holy Spirit about their complacency.
 
“I spoke in the Wayside Chapel conference on the Saturday - three 45mins sessions.  I covered two subjects: 1. The Basics of Islam, 2. Evangelism with Certainty and Intellectual Ability and also answered people’s questions. On Sunday, I spoke in the church three times.  1. Influential Evengelism, 2. My testimony, & 3. Influential Evangelism. They wished me to be with them for two months at least.  They aim to invite me again in the future. 

“I then moved more towards the North of California.  I had a two hour talk with the Christian Students in the University of BIOLA in two sessions.  The first 45 minutes was my testimony, and the second 45 minutes was a session on comparative religious philosophy with 15 minutes of questions and answers at the end.  The audience was romantically amazed and influenced as they pondered how a Muslim background believer is able to amaze the world about Christ through his simple and influential philosophy.
 
“The University has invited me to have a panel on next Thursday 6.30-8.30pm.  I will address the audience about the recent upheaval in Denmark and other countries by Muslims and then answer their questions.”

 Why is there this amazing response wherever Daniel speaks in Jesus’ Name?

In my role as Daniel’s facilitator, I have had many opportunities to hear Daniel teach and share his testimony. My most recent opportunity was when he spoke at Wollongong Church of Christ (NSW) on a Sunday evening in January just prior to him leaving for California, USA.

So, what happened on this occasion?

It always reminds me of the stories we read in the Acts of the Apostles. The lives of those present are impacted and challenged. People turn and some people return to Christ. They are encouraged and reminded in a powerful way that God our Father is personal, that God our Father is holy, and that the Son of God was sent to bring us back into relationship with God and with each other through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. And we are now God’s agents to be salt and light in the world in every dimension of life.

And the amazing thing is that God has chosen to share this message through a man who was once an avowed enemy of Jews and Christians.

What particularly excites people is that they understand in a deeper way that the attributes of God our Father and of Jesus are unique compared to other religions. What an encouragement this is to people! What an encouragement to seek the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with all our heart! It is a fresh invitation to respond to Jesus’ words – “Come to me ……” so that we may take hold of all that our consciences are crying out to know.

2. Some of Daniel's upcoming ministry events

Daniel has many opportunities in 2006 to be 'salt and light' around Australia and overseas. Please remember him and the Shayesteh family in prayer as they respond to these opportunities to testify to Jesus.
Feb 3 - 12: Mission with CMA in California
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 11-16: Bethany Gate/All Pacific Prayer Assembly
May 20: Speaking at the Open Doors National Conference, NSW
May 21: Gymea Anglican Church
May 29 – June 2: Teaching at Perth YWAM
June 3 – 15: New Zealand
June 17-18: Wagga Wagga
June 19: Speaking at a Men’s event at Finley, NSW
July 1-2: Ulverstone Uniting Church, Tasmania
August 3-21: Participating as a speaker in 'Mosques and Miracles' Conferences to be held around South Africa
September 23 – October 15: CMA, New Zealand
October 21/22: Speaking at Epping Church of Christ, Sydney (to be confirmed)

3. An invitation – 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’s 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. 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.

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 Daniel as he speaks in the USA in February and March. 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. 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 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.

5. 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 'god', 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