The wonderful Greek word koinonia occurs many times in the New Testament. It has such a wealth of meanings that Bible translators have used a variety of English words in different passages and different translations. Fundamentally koinonia is about sharing and participation.

When the Apostle Paul describes the blessing of the cup and the breaking of the bread at the Lord’s supper, he says they are a koinonia in the blood of Christ and the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16).

His beautiful prayer for the Corinthian Christians, a prayer that has been prayed by Christians for each other ever since, asks that the koinonia of the Holy Spirit be with them all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

He also uses koinonia to mean the financial contributions made by the Corinthian Christians to help other believers: “the generosity of your contribution [koinonia] for them and for all others” (2 Corinthians 9:13 ESV). Elsewhere he writes of Christians being “pleased to make a contribution [koinonia] for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem” (Romans 15:26).

Paul tells the Christians in Philippi how he longs for participation [koinonia] in the suffering of Christ (Philippians 3:10).

Partners with God and with His people

Whether translated “fellowship” or “communion” or with other words, koinonia is a partnership with God and with His people. These two partnerships are mingled together in a great composite partnership by the Apostle John:

• We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship [koinonia] with us. And our fellowship [koinonia] is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)

We are also partners in the Gospel, something which caused Paul to pray with joy for the Philippian Christians (Philippians 1:5). And he told the Philippians that they and he all shared [koinonia] together in the grace of God, whether he was in prison or whether he was defending and confirming the Gospel (Philippians 1:7).

Making koinonia a priority

Koinonia was a priority for the early Church in Jerusalem. We read in Acts 2:42 that they devoted themselves to four things: the apostles’ teaching, koinonia, the breaking of bread, and prayer. Koinonia should still be a priority for Christ’s followers today, who can now be found in every country of the world. TBF Trust offers a way for Christians to have loving koinonia of the most practical kind with other Christians around the world.

Your gifts to TBF Trust to help suffering believers are koinonia, just like the gifts of the early Christians in Corinth, Macedonia and Achaia.

What’s more, those who give, those who pray, the TBF Trust staff, the Christian leaders who receive TBFT grants for their ministries, and the persecuted Christians who benefit from the projects those leaders run are all partners together. This too is koinonia.

Overcoming the darkness

John draws a challenging lesson from the beauty of koinonia:

• This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship [koinonia] with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship [koinonia] with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)

The darkness of our world seems to be growing, as violence and godlessness increase. Truth is despised, selfishness is praised, money is worshipped. We feel powerless to change this situation. But darkness is not overcome by strength. Darkness is overcome by light.

At Christmas, we remember the incarnation, when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. John says of this cosmic event: “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:9,14). This light cannot be extinguished by the darkness. Let us continue to walk in the light of the Light of the World (John 8:12).

Keeping the vision for serving the persecuted: the TBF Trust story

“Can you do anything practical to help us?”

That was the question church leaders asked Patrick Sookhdeo at the end of a conference in 1989.

The church leaders were from countries where Christians endure discrimination, harassment and persecution. They urged Patrick to get believers around the world praying for them. Then, shyly, they asked if Christians in easier situations might help them practically.

Patrick and his wife Rosemary set to work to raise funds to help those suffering for their faith in the Lord Jesus. Money cannot stop persecution. But it can give some relief to hard-pressed Christians.

From small beginnings, the ministry grew. By 1993 it needed a name and “Barnabas Fund” was chosen. A few years later, it was big enough to need its own charity. The first charity to take this role was TBF Trust, at that time called “The Barnabas Fund”.

As the work continued to grow, other charities became the channel for donors to give. TBF Trust stepped out of the limelight.

But TBF Trust is still here, still led by Patrick and Rosemary Sookhdeo. Its vision, method and priorities are the same as ever.

In response to many requests over the last few months – from persecuted Christians and from donors who would like to help them – TBF Trust has re-started its old function of channelling gifts to believers suffering for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your support in prayer and giving.
To God be the glory!

TBF Trust’s Christmas Appeal 2024 for persecuted and suffering Christians

Our Lord Jesus was born in a context of oppression, violence, injustice and persecution.

Millions of His followers live His experience today.

The media keep us informed about conflict in Lebanon and war in Ukraine but rarely speak of the faith of the Christians suffering there. They do not mention the Christian refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh who have fled to Armenia. They do not report the poverty caused by generations of anti-Christian discrimination in Egypt. They do not tell of the attacks on Christian women and girls in Pakistan.

But TBF Trust is giving practical help to suffering Christians in all these places and more.

Will you pray for them?

Will you give a Christmas gift for our poor and persecuted brothers and sisters?

What TBF Trust is doing today

by God’s grace and your gifts

Practical help for Christian
widows in Nepal

Heavy rainfall caused devastating floods and landslides in Nepal in September 2024. TBF Trust was able to provide rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt, spices, soap, blankets and cooking utensils for some of the Christian widows affected. Pray that they will be encouraged in their faith and will know the continued provision of their heavenly Father. A package of food and soap for one widow and her children cost £20. We also provided a new tin roof for a pastor’s house.

The Church has grown fast in Nepal for two generations but Christians who are active in evangelism can face pressure from the authorities and media in this Hindu-majority nation. Pray that our brothers and sisters will know the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they share with others the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Medical aid in Africa

A gift of £2,500 is paying for a church leader in Chad and his son to have the surgery they require for dangerous and painful medical conditions. Ask that the Lord Jesus will guide the hands of the surgeons and that father and son will be restored to full health to serve Him with all their energy. Their country is one of the poorest in the world and struggling to cope with a huge influx of refugees. It is afflicted by drought, floods and periodic violence from extremists. The Christian minority faces persecution from other religions in the country. Pray that Chadian Christians will be peacemakers in their society, loving their enemies and doing good to those who hate them. (Matthew 5:10; Luke 6:27)

“Lives depend on it” – emergency aid for Christians in Lebanon

“While justice and international law are being crushed, we continue to have faith in one another and in our partners—the good Samaritans standing for life against the culture of death.” These were the words of TBF Trust’s project partner in Lebanon, Rev. Riad Jarjour, back in October, as violence engulfed his country. Lebanon’s economy has been in freefall for several years and Christians are amongst those who are suffering terribly. Even though Christians are not part of the conflict, Christian areas have been attacked. Thanks to your gifts, TBF Trust can be the good Samaritan for Lebanese Christians at this time. We have sent funds for food and other basics for our brothers and sisters. “Every contribution counts more than ever, as lives depend on it,” said Riad. Pray for wisdom and protection for those who distribute the aid. Pray for a lasting and just peace throughout the Middle East. Pray for all the innocent people who have suffered during many months of violence, especially our fellow Christians. Ask that Christians will find strength and hope in the Lord Jesus.

Weaving for self-sufficiency in Bangladesh

Woven floor mats are widely used in Bangladesh, where sitting on the floor is the norm in most households. This project provides looms, jute thread in various colours and training for 20 extremely poor Christian women in Bangladesh. A wooden loom shared by four women costs £267. Please pray that the women’s small businesses will thrive, and that the money they earn will save their families from going hungry any more. Although they live in a society which tends to despise Christians and women, pray that the weavers will know themselves to be the beloved daughters of the King of kings.

Feeding the elderly in eastern Ukraine

The city of Kharkhiv in eastern Ukraine has suffered much in the war that has now been running for nearly three years. It is said that almost a quarter of the city has been destroyed. A lot of young families have managed to leave Kharkhiv. Those who remain include many older people, often living in great poverty. TBFT is supporting a Christian ministry which provides monthly food packages for some of the neediest, helping them in their struggle for survival. A typical food package, containing spaghetti, buckwheat, canned food, cooking oil and more, costs around £9.

Our project partners also run a trauma healing class called “Finding Peace in the Midst of War” four times a week. For children there is art therapy with a Bible story. Through these and many more activities they try to bring spiritual and emotional help alongside the food aid. Pray that the suffering
people of Kharkhiv will grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Blessing brick-kiln workers with freedom and literacy

Thousands of Pakistani Christians live as “bonded labourers”, unable to leave the brick-kilns where they work, unable to earn enough to support their families. It is all because of debt they got into, years or generations earlier, at a time of great family need. TBF Trust is setting them free by paying off the debts. The average debt for this phase of the project is £340 per family.

Another project funds literacy classes for Christian brick-kiln workers and
their families. Being able to read, write and count makes them much less vulnerable to exploitation. A set of books for one student costs £5.70. At the end of the course each student is given an Urdu-language Bible costing £2.30.

The vast majority of Christians in Pakistan do low-paid and often dangerous jobs. They are despised by society at large and often abused, especially the women. Many are illiterate and also do not know basic principles of health and hygiene. But they love and trust the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray for them all, especially the bonded brick-kiln workers, whose situation is almost like slavery. Praise God for the opportunity to set them free, so they will get proper wages, greater respect and can change jobs if they want to. Pray for those who are learning to read and write, attending classes in the early evening, after they have finished their brick-making for the day and before they prepare the clay for tomorrow’s bricks. Pray that they will have strength to concentrate and that they will grow in their faith lesson by lesson as they read their way through the literacy materials which are based on Bible stories and Biblical teaching.