Next, Audio Scriptures International is reporting success from their Internet ministry. The organization recently got word that an Ethiopian evangelist working in a Middle Eastern country was using their broadcast on-line for his work. Apparently, this Christian man has been downloading and recording ASI Bible cassettes off the Internet in Hindi, Tamil, Amharic, Farsi, Russian and Urdu. ASI says the Internet has opened many doors for evangelism and asks that believers pray for missionaries as they make use of this tool.
News Archives
We begin today’s news in the shadow of threatened violence in India. There has been intelligence trickling in that Christians have become targets for Hindu radicals in places that had earlier been free of violence. First, there was a church bombing near Andhra Pradesh. Then, other stories began to come in. India Evangelical Mission’s G.V. Matthai confirms the reports. “There were three other churches that people got inside and beat the people. The churches are closed-there is no morning service or evening service in Andhra Pradesh. [But], the Christians are more committed.” Matthai adds that their ministry has seen great encouragement despite the trouble. “We have seen in history, Christians were persecuted, but last year was the heaviest that persecution took place in the history of India. But, we have seen that wherever the public meetings were held, thousands of people came forward and accepted the Lord.”
Elsewhere, TransWorld Radio’s ministry in Russia suffered an economic setback that forced it to close its doors in May. However, with one door closed, another has opened that will nearly quadruple the number of stations that will carry Christian programming in-country. TransWorld Radio’s Rich Greene explains what’s happening beginning today. “We’ll be broadcasting daily over Russia’s two largest state-owned channels, and so we’re very excited that TransWorld Radio is going to be able to continue proclaiming the Gospel of Christ within the country, and allowing people to come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.” Greene says they have the potential to reach over 156 million people throughout Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus. “This just shows the wondrous ways that God works in being able to broadcast the Gospel over a system that was set up during the pre-Soviet Union era, and so, this is a miracle.”
A Christian mission organization is using education funding as a way to get university student into Christian service in eastern Europe. Mission without Borders’ Carol Marriott says they’re trying to raise the money to send students the university. “The cost of a college education in Romania, for instance is just phenomenal. Right now we’re looking at sending 449 U-S dollars to put a child through the University of Romania. What that covers is their tuition, their books, and what the government calls school taxes.” Marriott says they’re encouraging students to get involved in Christian work. “One of the things we’re trying to do is we want to get them to make a commitment to the mission for a certain amount of time. That maybe they’ll bring their experiences back and work in some of our field programs.” Marriott says the program is a great way to help educate Christians, enabling them to be better leaders in their communities.
Next, there are reports that a Mission Aviation Fellowship plane was hijacked during a flight between Erave and Mendi, earlier this week, in southern Papua New Guinea. The hijackers were among a group of passengers who boarded the aircraft. A band of three armed men forced the pilot to change course and robbed him and three other passengers. When the attackers arrived at their destination, they got off the plane and allowed the pilot to take off. No one was physically injured, and the aircraft was undamaged.
We begin today in northern Ethiopia where this part of the country has seen hunger before. Mission Network News’ Greg Yoder is in the South Gonder region where one-million people died during the 1985 famine. Greg, what’s the situation now? “Peter, this area of the country is suffering from nearly four years of drought, which is causing a massive food shortage in the country. Nearly 600-thousand people in this region alone are malnourished and are in need of assistance to get through this planting season. Food for the Hungry is targeting about 300-thousand of them. Regional program manager, Yohannes Belihu. “People are suffering-lacking food. There was a survey done by the government and these people were separated into three major groups. Those needing assistance for eight months, five months and three months of the year. But, there is no food in the area. They are waiting.” Food for the Hungry is asking people to prayerfully and financially support their food for work program to help avoid a repeat of 1985. Your support does more than help people physically. It opens doors to share the Gospel when they otherwise wouldn’t listen. “And, whenever you go with your Bible to the community, they will not right out accept what you are saying to them. So, there needs to be some mechanism of how to approach the community.” Your gift of 100-dollars will provide a family of five with enough food for five months. Call 1-800-the number two, HUNGER to help. Greg Yoder, Mission Network News, Ethiopia.”
Emboldened by the Hindu-run government, it appears that terrorists in India are beginning to step up their attacks against Christians. Juliet Thomas, director of women’s ministries for Operation Mobilization says: “Persecution is increasing. It can happen to anyone, at any place, at anytime now. It’s not just one type or particular area, though places like Gujerat has had more and Orissa. But now, things are just happening in just any place at all.” Thomas adds that despite the increased pressure, ministry will not cease. “I think God is pouring out a spirit of prayer. We see things happening among the Christians as we have not seen before. We are seeing people in the hundreds and the thousands turn to God in prayer-the church is giving themselves to prayer and fasting as we have not had before. God is also bringing a unity among the Christians-that need to stand together and face this thing together.”
Elsewhere, missions outreach in China continues, although workers are faced with a growing dilemma. China Partners’ Erik Burklin explains what they faced during their last trip. “We were graciously told that we were not given permission to teach. We were somewhat disappointed, but as a result of that, we just realized that China is still a very volatile country, depending on where you are. There is a little bit of uneasiness by government officials in China.” Burklin says although there’s been a temporary setback in their work, they are trying to find out how they can be most effective for the growing church. However, prayer would be appreciated. “Continue to pray, just for wisdom-I think that’s the main thing for us, right now-that people pray for wisdom for China Partner, for the staff of China Partner, that we would know how to continue. We don’t want to do anything that would be detrimental to the church in China. And so, we need a lot of wisdom right now.”
And finally, while China’s economic reforms were in the spotlight this past week, evangelist Luis Palau was given an unprecedented welcome to China–evidence that religious reforms are also on the horizon. The Shanghai Christian Council invited Palau to preach in Shanghai. He also met privately with leaders from both the registered and unregistered churches. He says one of the greatest needs is for more trained pastors and leaders.
We begin today looking at the turmoil in Peru. Fraud and corruption were two charges overshadowing the political process in the days lead up to and following polling action. There were violent clashes between police and demonstrators protesting alleged government deception. In the midst of this, Sammy Tippit Ministries held an evangelistic crusade in the country. He says the response to the Gospel was unlike anything he’d ever seen. “People are divided throughout the nation, and it’s just a real time of nervousness and fear and anxiety among the people. Because of the unrest, people say “Oh, God, we need you.” ” Tippit says even though the ministry team has gone, the body of Christ is expectantly continuing the work. He adds that he has this prayer for the country: “My hope, my desire is to that this will bring the Peruvian church to the place where they will seek God with all of their hearts, for a mighty outpouring of His spirit that would result in a revival and a transformation, spiritually and morally within the nation.”
