MISSION NBWSUmR

Dear brethren in Christ,

1 AM SURE THAT YOU V.'ILL CE THRILLED TO
KNOW THAT A YOUNG COMMUNIST LAWYER STARTED
ATTENDING OUR BlSLICAL STUDIES, AT FIRST
^ HE WAS ARROGANT, PREJUDICED AND RADICALLY
O OPPOSED TO EVERYTHING V-HICIi IS PRECIOUS AND
V dear TO THE Christians. We held a number
^ OF debates on Dialectic Materialism, which
Y IS THE BASIS OF MODERN COMMUNISM. THE UORO
OPENED HIS EYES TO SEE THE DESTRUCTIVE AND
DEVASTATING POWER OF COMMUNISM AND TO START
STUDYING THE LORO's WORK OF LOVE AND GRACE.
He is VERY INTELLIGENT AND, ONCE CONVERTED,
CAN BE MIGHTILY USED FOR THE EXPANSION OF
THE Kingdom of Goo in Greece, v/e urgently
ASK YOU THAT YOU MAY CONSTANTLY PRAY FOR
THIS PRECIOUS SOUL.
We fellowshipped with a good number of
OUR American Brethren a few days ago, and
WE HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE SOME OF OUR
Christian friends from Missouri this coming
WEEK, Georgia and I will visit some
friends of ours in Corinth, sometime next
month. They asked for a good number of
Biblical messages which they wanted to dis
tribute TO THEIR friends and RELATIVES.
In a LITTLE WHILE, GEORGIA AND | WILL
BE BLESSED WITH THE nPPnpTm|iTv to
^*DE TO FACE. We plan IED IN
AND RETURN TO THE STATES^^ THE END OF MA'^
We ALWAYS MENTION YOU BE>g>aj:
Grace, thanking you for your indispensiqle
CO-OPERATION IN THE MISSION FIELD OF
Greece.
Hls'"tr?V4GE,
( Christos Danikas \
GREECE
'For I AM NOT ASHAMCO OF THE QOSPEU OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GoO UNTO SALVATION
ro EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETHj TO THE JeW.FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK." ROMANS I:|6
OVER
thessalonica
COR NTH
If YOU CANNOT COME TO GREECE
HELP SUPPORT USl
u
Christos p. Danikas ano his
FIANCEE, Georgia Antonopolous,
WHO HE HAS BAPTIZED SINCE RE
TURNING TO Greece.
(Married, April, 1967)
HOOJ SNALL THE-y HEAH UIITHOUT/) P^PACUSe \
CONCERNING CHRISTPS DANIKAS
"In 1959, Christos Danikas came to the United States
for the sole purpose of studying electrical engineering.
While attending the University of Illinois Extension in
Chicago, he came in contact with A1 Young, then Minister
of the Paxton Avenue Christian Church in Chicago. Mr.
Young converted him to New Testament Christianity. Later
Christos decided to change his plans to become an engineer
and become a minister of the gospel to his own people in
Greece. In making this decision he opposed his parents and
immediate family, his uncle in New York who had offered
him a guarantee of $50,000 per year to go into his restau
rant as a partner, refused a partnership in the restaurant
in Minneapolis where he worked to put himself through
Minnesota Bible College, and turned down an offer from the
head of the Baptist Church in the U.S. to "throw in" with
them in Greece instead of starting another church.(Copied)
Christos was graduated from Minnesota Bible College in
May of 1964. In March of that year, he appealed to the
First Christian Church of Michigan City, Indiana, to be
his sponsoring group. The Elders unanimously accepted the
sponsoring eldership and Mrs. Russell Kill volunteered to
be the forwarding agent for Christos, and has continued to
serve in that capacity.
Mr. Danikas~was-formerly ordained"into^the-Christian
Ministry on May 24, 1964, by the Michigan City Elders. A1
Young presented a Charge to Chris in the Greek language
and delivered the ordination address.
In anticipation of his return to Greece, Chris said: ""I
have decided to return home as a missionary because of
certain convictions; a man cannot redeem himself by him
self. Most individuals believe that if man is given more
time, if he increases his wealth, and if he gains more
power, he will be in a position to liberate himself from
his chains and he will be happy.
""I have experienced the truth that the more wealth man
accumulates, the more power he gains and the more time he
receives, the greater his tragedy and the more his suffer
ings become. This does not take place because of any in
herent evil in time, wealth or power.
"The Word of God assures us of the fact that the trag
edy of man grows because of his alienation from God. It is
only at that time when man encounters God through His Word
and becomes obedient to Him, that he is set free through
the redemptive work of Christ. Hence, the cardinal impor
tance of the preaching and hearing of the Word of God."
Christos arrived in Greece early in 1965 and has been
able to lead several to a saving knowledge of Christ, In
dusing the lovely young lady who was to be his wife and
her mother. In a recent communication from Christos, he
wrote: "My father, who is 70, wrote me a letter (while
Christos and his wife are here in America) in which he in
forms me that he has been blessed with the study of the
Bible, which I gave him sometime ago. Seven years ago he
was very intolerant to me and the work I was anticipating
to do. Now it seems that he will become a Christian. Pray
for him that he may surrender his life to the Lord for e-
ternity."
He tells of baptizing a 22 year old Greek young man,
who subsequently had to defy his parents who in turn dis
owned him. "He stood fast to his new-found faith and urged
them to start studying the scriptures, so that they might
also experience the redemptive truth of CHRIST," he says.
Recently we noted in some of the literature coming to us,
the following, which indicates something of the difficult-
ty this servant of Christ encounters from the "powers
that be":
"The Greek Orthodox Church is as intolerant
of other groups as the Roman Catholic Church.
The Greek Church will not permit foreign miss
ionaries in Greece and can do this as it is THE STATE
CHURCH, aligned with the government. It seems that
the only opportunity to convey the New Testament faith
to the Greeks is through Greek citizens. Christos,
being a Greek, has an opportunity not afforded to
many today."
And Chris, himself writes, "Our Christian friends in
Athens assemble regularly in one of their homes to study
the Word of God, and worship Him. Unfortunately, the new
military government has stipulated that our publications
go out with the foreign word 'Protestantikon Archon' (of
Protestant Origin) stamped on it, with all its suspect
associations for those who read it."
In the face of all of these handicaps, we are convinced
that God has laid His hand on this dedicated,man ofrGofl to
preach the gospel of Christ to his people. Mr. A1 Young
gives the following six reasons for the training of nation
als to take the gospel to their own people:
" 1. There will be no language barrier to overcome
2. They will be culturally identified with their own
people.
3. They will be psychologically fitted to preach the
gospel to their own people (For example, there will be no
*Yankee go Home'.)
4. They will be financially adjusted to the living
standard of their people.
5. They will have a l.egal right to preach in their own
country. 4
6. They will be acquainted with the climate and will be
immune to many of the illnesses that break the health of
Americans."
In the light of the. above, we feel that God has again
stopped another well qualified, energetic, young man to
preach the gospel of Christ where that other great man of
God, Paul, began the task some 2000 years ago. Our hearts
were touched in 1965 to see the need of New Testament
Christianity in this portion of the world. Now we are more
moved and challenged by the decision of Christos and his
wife, Georgia, as they leave to continue their preaching
of Christ to their fellow-Grecians. We have a rare oppor
tunity to take part in helping Christos ("Paul") answer
another "Macedonian (Greek) call - "Come over into Greece
and help us"; "FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION
TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH? TO THE JEW FIRST, AND
ALSO TO THE GREEK." (Romans 1:16)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE FITST YEAR
"Christos returned to Greece on December 31, 1964 after
an absence of almost 6 years. After visiting his family
who live about 200 miles from Athens,he started a Bible
study class in Athens which is slowly but steadily grow
ling, and-he-has had 5 conversions-and-baptisms-iroro-iihirs-
group so far. He has baptized his fiancee and her mother,
who are now eagerly helping him. He goes to cities such as
Corinth, Macedonia and others in North and Central Greece,
and the Isle of Crete where some friends have invited him
to come and preach. At each of these places he finds many
who want his correspondence course and literature, which
he is now able to provide with the printing equipment he
has. It will not be too long before he has the 11 converts
necessary to apply for a license. When this time comes and
he should be turned down (as is expected will happen the
first time), he will continue to evangelize in the homes
and through literature. Most missionaries have to spend
the first year or two learning the language of the land,
so we believe Christos has done an excellent job in the
year's time and against strong opposition from the Greek
Orthodox Church, which has compelled his work to be "under
ground" for the time being." (Copied from a folder)
HIS PRESENT FINANCIAL NEEDS
$ 100.00 Per month for his wife's living link.
50.00 " " car expense (gasoline, 63Queen' s tax, $10).
50.00 On Christos' living link support.
$3,200.00 needed in car purchase fund.
All of our county Churches are urged to hear Chris at North
Hills, 7:30 p.m., December 17,1967. VJHAT A CEALLENGEI
TiiiilrQuufc'CluMi/
/M/c/iigon Cifjr, Ind/awo
*'The Church With A Vision To Fulfill Its Mission
MONDAY. JULY 19^7 ~
VOL. a
CHRISTOS OANIKAS TO SPBAK
sumAY MORNIHe
Chrjstos Oanikas
AND HIS WIFE, GEORGIA,
WILL BE WITH US ALL
DAY Sunday. Christos
WILL speak during BOTH
THE 8:00 AND 10:35
SERVICES. A SLIDE
presentation of their
WORK WILL BE PRESENTED
Sunday evening. The
Missions' Committee,
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF
Mrs. Al Swanson, will
BE HAVING A RECEPTION IN THE LOWER AUDI
TORIUM, FOLLOWING THE EVENING SERVICE FOR
Christos and his wife. They will be ar
riving IN THE STATES JUNE 24TH AND THEN
will travel to Michigan City arriving
sometime THIS WEEK, ChRISTOS AND GEORGIA
WILL BE STAYING WITH MR. AND MRS. RUSSELL
KILL WHILE IN MICHIGAN CiTY.
Christos attended Minnesota Bible
LE6E FROM WHICH HE GRADUATED IN MAY, I^OA.
In March, 196^, Christos came to the
First Christian Church in Michigan City,
SEEKING a sponsoring ELDERSHIP AND A FOR
WARDING AGENT FROM OUR CONGREGATION FOR
THE TIME WHEN HE WOULD RETURN TO GREECE,
HIS HOMELAND, AND ESTABLISH THE NEW TESTA
MENT CHURCH THERE.
Christos was formally ordained into
THE Christian ministry on May 2k, 196!^, by
the MICHIGAN City elders.
The Lord has blessed Christos and the
Greek Christians with a number of convert
ed souls, WHO ARE COMMITTED TO NEW TESTA
MENT Christianity. They gather together
IN one of the homes, study the Word of
Goo, and worship Christ according to the
SCRIPTURES.
Pray for Christos and his wife as they
PRESENT THE WORK OF THE GREEK CHRISTIANS
IN OUR SERVICES SUNDAY. BE PRESENT AND
YOU WILL BE challenged BY THE RESULTS OF
ONE WHO HAS GONE AND IS TELLING.
NO. 30
0'
reported that Christos and Mrs. Georgia
in Decemhe^ 19$7.
"^ i\0^
.Sponsoring First Christian ^hurch, Michigan City, Ind,j hfiye
Danikas returned to Athens, Greece
MISSIONARY NEWS
Dear Christian Friends:
....We occasionally encounter certain ob
stacles WHICH THE Christians in the Apos-
Itolic Era had to overcome. We find in the
Scriptures that the Lord warned them that
THE WORLD WOULD HATE AND PERSECUTE THEM.
A FEW WEEKS AGO A CHRISTIAN WAS CHARGED
FOR HAVING TRIED TO "PROSELYTIZE" CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS. This is considered a crimi
nal ACT AND HE WAS GIVEN A FOUR MONTH JAIL
SENTENCE AND SIX MONTHS OF POLICE SURVEIL
LANCE. He appealed at once and he was
later acquitted because it was stated that
EVERY Greek has the constitutional right
(Continued bottom next column)
(Continued from Missionary News)
TO EXPRESS HIS RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS. WE
thank the Lord because He intervened on
BEHALF OF HIS CHURCH....
I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I WILL TAKE WITH
ME A GOOD NUMBER OF SLIDES AND PICTURES OF
OUR PEOPLE IN Greece before we visit you
SHORTLY, We submitted THE NECESSARY PA
PERS TO THE Department of the Interior
HOPING that we will GET OUR PASSPORTS
SOON. Then we must get the U.S. visas
STAMPED ON OUR PASSPORTS AT THE U.S. EM
BASSY IN Athens. Please do continue pray
ing FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD IN GREECE.
We thank you for WI^EVEt^ YOU have done so
THAT THE WORK HERC'TriLL CONTT?rtSwAHO^PR08-
PERl
With^L^'^tuR Chr istTail L<jyE,
Tistos and Georgia
E TO BIBLI
SCH^at-
OaMlKES
first;