Arif and Kathy Khan have been brutally murdered in their home in Islamabad, Pakistan. Many of you knew them personally or received their missionary newsletter (as I have) for many years. The Khans were serving as missionaries from Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. While there is no mention of this news on the church website, I received an e-mail copy of a letter sent to the church family by Bob Selph, coordinator of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America.
Dear Pastor Martin, fellow officers, and saints in Christ Jesus of the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey,
The brethren of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA) want to express our most sincere sympathies to you at this time of tremendous grief in the loss of the Kahns. Our hearts go out to you as our prayers for you go up to the throne of grace in this time of mourning.
You have meant so much to so many of us through the years. Hearing of such a grievous loss that you have suffered brings a deep pain to our own hearts for you in what you are dealing with. Please know that many of us who know of the Khans and of your missionary labors in Pakistan through them for these many years will be praying for you to our gracious God who loves to embrace, uphold, and comfort His people during these times. May the cause of the Gospel run even faster and farther because of this very difficult providence. Our God is able to turn this event of mourning into a victory for Gospel truth, not only in Islamabad and in Montville, but also in all the nations of the earth. Who knows what our God plans to do with such tragedy?!
Brethren, may our Lord Jesus Christ be your comfort, peace, and strong support during this time.
In the bonds of Gospel grace,
Bob Selph
Coordinator ARBCA
The bodies of these faithful servants are being returned to the United States for burial on Saturday, September 15, in Montville, New Jersey. Please pray for their adult son, Shehzad, and their married daughter, Darlene, during this extremely difficult time of sadness and loss.
The Trinity Baptist pastor, Albert N. Martin, preached two messages this past Sunday, 2 September 2007, on “The Ultimate Cause of the Murder of the Khans” which can be found on the SermonAudio.com website.
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Full news articles: Pakistan Christian Post: Families preparing for funeral in New Jersey of brutally murder Bishop Arif Khan and his wife Kathleen in Islamabad
Daily Record (Morris County, NJ): Montville church members fatally shot in Pakistan: Missionary pair went to Trinity Baptist; cops say two held in deaths
Let’s not stop praying for the families of these two courageous missionaries.