We begin today in Venezuela where churches are responding to new
opportunities for ministry in the wake of the devastating landslides and damages
that left at least 30-thousand dead and more than 150-thousand people
homeless. Latin America Mission’s Ken MacHarg reports. “Local churches are
continuing to provide services in the affected area even though some of them were
damaged or destroyed. Venezuelan Christians are exploring church planting
opportunities that will surface in light of government plans to relocate whole
communities. LAM missionary Charles Fuller says that the churches need prayer for
wisdom and favor with the authorities so they can minister. He says that the nation has
been greatly affected by the tragedy and that people are more open to the Gospel. For
Mission Network News, I’m Ken MacHarg.”
News Archives
Next, evangelistic meetings and conferences are going well in India where Bible
school students were beaten last month in Kerela State. India Evangelical
Mission’s G-V Matthai is there and says many are coming to Christ. City officials
spoke to open the meetings and police are providing security. While the events are
going well, they are seeing signs of caution. The government is not allowing Americans,
traveling with the team, to speak. Agency officials also report the government has
ordered them to discontinue printing their monthly newspaper.
Victims of one of India’s deadliest typhoons are still struggling to survive last
fall’s destruction. More than 11 million people were affected by the storm that hit at
the end of October and bodies are still being recovered. Mission India reports that
wells are polluted, food is scarce and thousands of people have fallen seriously ill.
Getting aid to the region continues to be a challenge because most roads are
impassable, however, Mission India was able to deliver relief to seven villages last
month. As a result, the teams reported many villagers showed an openness to the
Gospel.
Elsewhere, officials at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship are gearing up for
Urbana two-thousand. More than 19-thosuand young people are expected participate
in the event, scheduled for December 27th at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. Urbana’s Director Barney Ford explains. “Urbana is a student
missions conference. We’re about student missions mobilization. We would like to
think that Urbana is certainly one of the best, if not the best way for a person of
University student age to find out about what God’s doing in the world and how they
can participate in that.” Ford says it’s not too early to register for the conference.” Our
brochures are out and we’d love for people to begin to pray and think about coming.
The best way to get information is the Urbana web site, or people can write or email
us at: [email protected].” The theme of this year’s conference is worshiping Christ.
We begin today in Panama where the United States government is concerned
about the growing influence of China in Panama, specifically the Panama Canal.
The influx of Chinese in the area is giving additional ministry opportunities to
missionaries in the region. That’s the word from New Tribes Missionary Jim
Enemark. “There are a lot of Chinese in Panama City and in Colon – scatter out
throughout the whole country, really. There is an evangelical Chinese church
functioning, although it’s very small at this point. There needs to be a greater outreach.
There is not the number of men who are able to carry on in that ministry.” Enemark,
who’s staying at D & D Missionary Homes in Florida, says prayer is needed that
God will call more workers to the field. “We don’t need more Americans, I don’t think.
We need those who know their culture, who speak their language, who know who
they are. And, these people are going to be able to reach the rest of the Chinese
there.”
We begin today in Panama where the United States government is concerned
about the growing influence of China in Panama, specifically the Panama Canal.
The influx of Chinese in the area is giving additional ministry opportunities to
missionaries in the region. That’s the word from New Tribes Missionary Jim
Enemark. “There are a lot of Chinese in Panama City and in Colon – scatter out
throughout the whole country, really. There is an evangelical Chinese church
functioning, although it’s very small at this point. There needs to be a greater outreach.
There is not the number of men who are able to carry on in that ministry.” Enemark,
who’s staying at D & D Missionary Homes in Florida, says prayer is needed that
God will call more workers to the field. “We don’t need more Americans, I don’t think.
We need those who know their culture, who speak their language, who know who
they are. And, these people are going to be able to reach the rest of the Chinese
there.”
Meanwhile, children are the focus of a new video being produced by the Jesus
Film Project. Director of the Jesus Film Project, Paul Eshleman, says this is one of
their top three projects for the year. “In February we will be releasing the new story of
Jesus for children. It’s the adaptation of the Jesus Film. We went back recreated sets
just like they looked in the original film and we followed six children from ages six to
12 through the story as they watched Jesus feed the 5,000 and raise the daughter of
Jirus from the dead.” It will be released in English first and then translated into other
languages next year. Eshleman says this is a great tool to lead Children to Christ. “I
think it’ll be used by home schoolers. It’ll be used in summer camps and vacation Bible
school. With many Sunday School teachers not feeling adequately equipped and
prepared to lead their children to Christ in their classes, I think this will be a great tool
for them to use.”
The growing number of Southern Baptist missionaries has prompted a
23-million-dollar expansion project. The International Mission Board of trustees
recently met and approved enlarging their crowed Missionary Learning Center in
Rockville, Virginia. This follows the seventh straight year of record missionary
appointments to Southern Baptists’ oversea teams. IMB says they’re well on their way
to a record of five-thousand missionaries by September 2000.
Next, there’s a new internet service that is calling Christians to evangelism. In
partnership with Ichristian-dot-com, the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association
launched what they’re calling, “First Priority” on the web. The association’s Mike
Umlandt is the editor. “That mix of how to and inspiration and motivation and some of
the very best writing on evangelism by evangelists and leading Christians who are
writing about evangelism calls church leaders and all Christians to put evangelism at the
top of our ministry priorities.” Umlandt says this will not only be a great resource for
people in the United States, but in other parts of the world. He says this is the first site
of its kind. “I’m not aware of a journal like this, like First Priority that is bringing
together the very best writing on evangelism and inspiring Christians to be involved in
the work of evangelism, helping to reach their world with the Good News.”
We begin today’s newscast in the Muslim world where an evangelical group is
building homes to help share Christ’s love. Shelter Now International’s Joan
Grawvunder says last year they built two-thousand homes world-wide in earthquake
and war ravaged areas. She says going into Muslim countries with assistance is an
innovative way to share the Gospel. “The best way to show the love of Christ is to
help. To be there for them. Going and hitting them over the head with the Gospel isn’t
going to help them when they’re sitting out in the rain. By going and trying to help them
through their need and living the Christian life they can see Christ better than they can
hear.” This year, Grawvunder says they hope to surpass the two-thousand home mark.
They’re appealing for more financial help so they can take the love of Christ to other
areas of the world.
