Elsewhere, Open Doors is announcing “Project Jade”, a major project to bring
more than 2 million Bibles and other Christian literature into China. Organizers
say they have never attempted anything this ambitious before. Bibles are in such short
supply that half of the estimated 60 million Christians in China have no Bibles and
thousands of pastors are without proper training.
News Archives
Topping the news today, Venezuela is still trying to relocate hundreds of
thousands of people left homeless by last month’s mudslide. The disaster killed up
to 50-thousand people. Mission Without Borders is teaming up with New Horizon
Ministries to help the many people who need medical attention. New Horizon’s Doctor
Bruce Woodling. “As a matter of being an immediate responder with mission without
borders, we have just shipped nearly $600,000 worth of antibiotics, basic medical
supplies, very basic medical equipment.” Woodling says it’s all being used to meet the
physical and spiritual needs of the people. “One of the questions we’re always asked
when we’re outreaching is, why are you helping us. We tell them that’s God’s work and
we’re here to minister to you physically and also to you spiritually and it’s an
opportunity for evangelism.” The need for more medicine is desperate. Call
1-800-245-9191 to help with this two-fold outreach opportunity.
Next, guerrilla violence continues in Colombia, but missionary leaders say
that’s not stopping church growth. New Tribes Mission officials say tribal
Christians are traveling to Bogota to receive training, then using what they’ve learned to
work in areas where foreign missionaries can’t go due to security risks. While many
evangelical leaders are being threatened and killed, ministry officials say because the
training continues, the church is growing. Pray that God will allow this outreach to
continue.
The World Bible Translation Center recently finished its complete Mandarin
Chinese Bible translation and the first 10,000 copies should be printed in the
next few weeks. WBTC’s Richard Loh says what’s even more remarkable is where
the copies are being printed. “We have had the opportunity of distributing our Chinese
New Testament inside China for the last two to three years, and that has opened up
many doors for us. It was just by God’s grace that we finished them in time before the
end of last year and we were able to put them into the hands of people who were able
to print it inside Mainland China.” Loh believes the Bibles have really encouraged the
underground church. “Many of them are just thirsting for knowledge, and with a
Chinese Bible that is so easy to read and so easy to understand, it is definitely going to
have a great impact on the spiritual lives of all the Chinese people.”
Elsewhere, paying off student loans for medical students no longer has to be an
excuse to keep doctors away from the mission field. SIM International says
because the shortage of medical missionaries is so “staggering”, they began looking for
ways to help. There is now a ministry called Project MedSend that helps young
doctors serve on the mission field. The ministry works in cooperation with other
mission organizations to assume the monthly payments of their educational loans. So
far, 84 grants have been issued.
Violence against Christians tops our news today as more than 25 Coptic
Christians have been killed in violence in Egypt. Voice of the Martyrs Todd
Nettleton explains what caused the slaughter. “The Christians in the city of al-Kosheh
have come under attack repeatedly in recent days by fanatic Muslims there.
Apparently the conflict started as a small conflict between one Christian and one
Muslim and then it escalated and apparently the whole village is now under attack.”
Nettleton says Police currently have the situation under control, but that could change
in an instant. He’s asking people to pray. “Pray for safety for these Christians. And,
then I think, pray that even in situations like this they can be a witness for Christ. I think
in adversity and the trials by fire that’s where the true gold can really show through.
And, so, I think God can use these situations to bring people to himself.”
Elsewhere, a week after fierce storms ripped through France, hundreds of
thousands of households remained without electricity. Cultural monuments
suffered damage and the high winds also downed hundreds of thousands of trees.
Evangelical Baptist Missions’ Dave Nunemaker describes what happened. “The
storms that hit France are the worst of the past century or perhaps the worst in
recorded history. Basically put, we had about four hurricanes that hit within the space
of 48 hours, and literally, all of France was touched by it-most of the damage was
severe.” Nunemaker says the storm has also had an impact on their work. “A church
which we had the joy of planting lost their roof completely, and half of the end wall of
the building fell in-that’s pretty severe damage. The most important need is prayer that
the Lord will give them [believers] courage to face the disaster and to be able to trust
the Lord.”
A large and growing gap is being felt by church and mission agencies around the
world as the need for workers increases. The most urgent demand is for long-term
workers according to Operation Mobilization. OM says the problem is there is not
enough prayer and vision to meet the needs and opportunities available. The group also
blames apathy, legalism and Biblical compromise plaguing churches for the continuing
shortage. OM asks believers to become active in missions work and consider where
God may lead in the year 2000.
Meanwhile, Christian workers in China are asking people to pray for
evangelism, discipleship and safety in that country. According to China Partner’s
Eric Burklin, the tremendous growth of false teachers, cults and religious sect is
increasingly putting pressure on the Christian church there. Because the government is
cracking down on these groups it’s causing added pressure on unregistered evangelical
church groups. Pray that this crackdown doesn’t affect China Partner’s theological
training.
Topping the news today, peace talks between Israel and Syria are giving
Christian missionaries more opportunities accomplish their work. Christians
For Israel’s David Sudlow says with or without peace, their work of repatriating Jews
won’t be affected. “All the statistics are saying that. They’re expecting a greater influx of
Jews from the former Soviet Union this coming year. Even if settlement on the Golan or
in parts of the West Bank is curtailed they’re going to cram into little Israel some how.
We’re going forward with our Exodus Project to bring them home.” Sudlow says up to
80-thousand Jews from the form Soviet Union are expected to return to Israel this
year. He says evangelism will be subtle. “It’s really a cup of cold water in Jesus name.
We hope by our rubbing shoulders and helping these people, that for once in the
history of the church they see the love of Jesus. So, as far as the practical witness of
true Christianity we are living witnesses.” Pray that the doors in the former Soviet
Union remain open.
