*Peace of Christ*
2005-11-10 01:13:17 UTC
Pray for the World 9 November 2005 Update From HCJB World Radio
Today's Headlines:
DOCUMENT REVEALS VIETNAM'S STRATEGY TO 'ERADICATE' CHURCHES
MISSION LEADER FEARS DOORS FOR GOSPEL COULD CLOSE IN BELARUS
BILLY GRAHAM CONFIRMS THAT NEW YORK CRUSADE WAS HIS LAST
CANADIAN CHURCH UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT USING SHOCK TACTICS ON SEX
SIX-MONTH WALK ACROSS U.S. INTENDED FOR 'SPIRITUAL AWAKENING'
Today's Top Stories:
DOCUMENT REVEALS VIETNAM'S STRATEGY TO 'ERADICATE' CHURCHES
A leaked document obtained by a Christian religious rights organization
shows that government officials in tribal areas of Vietnam are vowing to
"fight religion" and "eradicate" places of Christian worship. The Center
for Religious Freedom, based at Freedom House, has a document describing a
"comprehensive campaign by Communist Party and government officials, in
partnership with the police and military that was scheduled to have been
waged from March 2 through June 30, 2005." Because of the remoteness of
the rural district, Freedom House says it has not yet been confirmed
whether the campaign was implemented. The document reveals an official
policy of forcing Hmong Christians to give up their faith and of
"eradicating" Christian meeting places. "This document indicates that the
situation in Vietnam can be summed up as repression as usual," said Center
for Religious Freedom Director Nina Shea. There are an estimated 100
religious prisoners in jail or under some form of house arrest for
religious activity and hundreds of churches, home worship centers, and
meeting places in Vietnam remain closed. (Assist News Service)
MISSION LEADER FEARS DOORS FOR GOSPEL COULD CLOSE IN BELARUS
Christians in the Eastern European country of Belarus are reporting
increased harassment from authorities, says Tim Burns of Global Aid
Network (GAiN-USA) who is working to assemble a winter project team to go
into the country. However, he is concerned that the doors for future teams
could be closing. "It is beginning to be a little bit harder to go into
certain areas," he said. "Some public schools we were able to go in before
with open arms are not so welcoming anymore. Our staff on the ground there
are really starting to see a difficult time to get into some locations."
Despite the difficulties, Burns doesn't expect the government will stop
GAiN-USA from bringing much-needed aid to the orphans and poor. "We've
been blessed by God to have some open doors that other organizations,
perhaps, cannot, because we've been there for over 15 years. But those
doors are starting to close somewhat, and we don't quite have the freedom
that we used to have to proclaim the gospel." (Mission Network News)
BILLY GRAHAM CONFIRMS THAT NEW YORK CRUSADE WAS HIS LAST
Evangelism Billy Graham, who turns 87 today (Monday, Nov. 7), confirmed
that his final large-venue crusade in New York in June was in fact his
last. Graham, who has been the friend and confidant of kings and
presidents as well as being considered one of America's most admired
public figures, is enjoying time for recuperation and reflection at his
home in Montreat, N.C. An announcement from the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association (BGEA) stated that while the crusade phase of his evangelistic
ministry is over, Graham keeps busy, such as working on a book. "Ruth and
I have enjoyed our time together these last few months, and we both feel
at peace about the decision to have the New York meetings be our last,"
Graham said. "We know that God can still use us to reach people with the
gospel message in other ways, and we look forward to seeing how He will do
so." Most recently the Grahams offered their old home as a shelter for a
New Orleans family left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Graham also serves
as chairman of the BGEA board of directors and attends those meetings as
his health allows. (Assist News Service)
CANADIAN CHURCH UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT USING SHOCK TACTICS ON SEX
New Beginnings, a nondenominational Protestant church on the southern edge
of Winnipeg, Canada, unconventionally advertises on their billboard, "Sex:
Live Chat Room." The church is unapologetic about the shock tactics it's
using to entice people to enter the church. Pastor Ivor Grant, 42, said,
"Our aim is to connect with people who would not darken the doors of a
church. God has an interest in our sexuality. God invented it. Clearly he
had an understanding of what could give us pleasure." Grant believes no
other church in Canada has properly addressed sex and the Bible. He offers
an evening class that he describes as "blunt and explicit," adding that
"we live in a sex-obsessed society. For the church not to talk about it
seems to make us irrelevant." Despite his novel approach, Grant holds to
traditional beliefs that sex before marriage and abortion are outside
God's intent. Grant said his strategy is working -- the Word of God is
getting through to people who wouldn't otherwise be interested. Eight
newcomers, all women, have joined his congregation since the sex talks
began. (Religion Today/Toronto Globe and Mail)
SIX-MONTH WALK ACROSS U.S. INTENDED FOR 'SPIRITUAL AWAKENING'
Rick and Jane McKinney, of Our Heart Ministries, are gearing up for a
six-month walk across the U.S. Beginning Jan. 1 from Los Angeles, the
McKinney's intend to cover about 20 miles per day in an effort to draw
attention to the nation's need for a spiritual awakening. "Walk to Reclaim
America" is slated to begin at the Santa Monica Pier in California and
progress east across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. Then they
will follow the I-40 corridor through Arkansas and Tennessee, then head
north through Virginia. The trek will carry them across 2,800 miles to
Washington, D.C., by July 4, 2006. Joining them will be other concerned
Christians who want to share their journey as they set out to reclaim
America one step at a time. The project has many aspects, says Our Heart's
Rick McKinney. "We're going to be interceding for our country and its
people. Secondly, we're going to be encouraging Christians and churches to
stand up and be counted." McKinney served as a pastor for more than 20
years. (AgapePress)
===================
*Peace of Christ*
http://grace.break.at
To send e-mail, remove "youhat" from address
Today's Headlines:
DOCUMENT REVEALS VIETNAM'S STRATEGY TO 'ERADICATE' CHURCHES
MISSION LEADER FEARS DOORS FOR GOSPEL COULD CLOSE IN BELARUS
BILLY GRAHAM CONFIRMS THAT NEW YORK CRUSADE WAS HIS LAST
CANADIAN CHURCH UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT USING SHOCK TACTICS ON SEX
SIX-MONTH WALK ACROSS U.S. INTENDED FOR 'SPIRITUAL AWAKENING'
Today's Top Stories:
DOCUMENT REVEALS VIETNAM'S STRATEGY TO 'ERADICATE' CHURCHES
A leaked document obtained by a Christian religious rights organization
shows that government officials in tribal areas of Vietnam are vowing to
"fight religion" and "eradicate" places of Christian worship. The Center
for Religious Freedom, based at Freedom House, has a document describing a
"comprehensive campaign by Communist Party and government officials, in
partnership with the police and military that was scheduled to have been
waged from March 2 through June 30, 2005." Because of the remoteness of
the rural district, Freedom House says it has not yet been confirmed
whether the campaign was implemented. The document reveals an official
policy of forcing Hmong Christians to give up their faith and of
"eradicating" Christian meeting places. "This document indicates that the
situation in Vietnam can be summed up as repression as usual," said Center
for Religious Freedom Director Nina Shea. There are an estimated 100
religious prisoners in jail or under some form of house arrest for
religious activity and hundreds of churches, home worship centers, and
meeting places in Vietnam remain closed. (Assist News Service)
MISSION LEADER FEARS DOORS FOR GOSPEL COULD CLOSE IN BELARUS
Christians in the Eastern European country of Belarus are reporting
increased harassment from authorities, says Tim Burns of Global Aid
Network (GAiN-USA) who is working to assemble a winter project team to go
into the country. However, he is concerned that the doors for future teams
could be closing. "It is beginning to be a little bit harder to go into
certain areas," he said. "Some public schools we were able to go in before
with open arms are not so welcoming anymore. Our staff on the ground there
are really starting to see a difficult time to get into some locations."
Despite the difficulties, Burns doesn't expect the government will stop
GAiN-USA from bringing much-needed aid to the orphans and poor. "We've
been blessed by God to have some open doors that other organizations,
perhaps, cannot, because we've been there for over 15 years. But those
doors are starting to close somewhat, and we don't quite have the freedom
that we used to have to proclaim the gospel." (Mission Network News)
BILLY GRAHAM CONFIRMS THAT NEW YORK CRUSADE WAS HIS LAST
Evangelism Billy Graham, who turns 87 today (Monday, Nov. 7), confirmed
that his final large-venue crusade in New York in June was in fact his
last. Graham, who has been the friend and confidant of kings and
presidents as well as being considered one of America's most admired
public figures, is enjoying time for recuperation and reflection at his
home in Montreat, N.C. An announcement from the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association (BGEA) stated that while the crusade phase of his evangelistic
ministry is over, Graham keeps busy, such as working on a book. "Ruth and
I have enjoyed our time together these last few months, and we both feel
at peace about the decision to have the New York meetings be our last,"
Graham said. "We know that God can still use us to reach people with the
gospel message in other ways, and we look forward to seeing how He will do
so." Most recently the Grahams offered their old home as a shelter for a
New Orleans family left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Graham also serves
as chairman of the BGEA board of directors and attends those meetings as
his health allows. (Assist News Service)
CANADIAN CHURCH UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT USING SHOCK TACTICS ON SEX
New Beginnings, a nondenominational Protestant church on the southern edge
of Winnipeg, Canada, unconventionally advertises on their billboard, "Sex:
Live Chat Room." The church is unapologetic about the shock tactics it's
using to entice people to enter the church. Pastor Ivor Grant, 42, said,
"Our aim is to connect with people who would not darken the doors of a
church. God has an interest in our sexuality. God invented it. Clearly he
had an understanding of what could give us pleasure." Grant believes no
other church in Canada has properly addressed sex and the Bible. He offers
an evening class that he describes as "blunt and explicit," adding that
"we live in a sex-obsessed society. For the church not to talk about it
seems to make us irrelevant." Despite his novel approach, Grant holds to
traditional beliefs that sex before marriage and abortion are outside
God's intent. Grant said his strategy is working -- the Word of God is
getting through to people who wouldn't otherwise be interested. Eight
newcomers, all women, have joined his congregation since the sex talks
began. (Religion Today/Toronto Globe and Mail)
SIX-MONTH WALK ACROSS U.S. INTENDED FOR 'SPIRITUAL AWAKENING'
Rick and Jane McKinney, of Our Heart Ministries, are gearing up for a
six-month walk across the U.S. Beginning Jan. 1 from Los Angeles, the
McKinney's intend to cover about 20 miles per day in an effort to draw
attention to the nation's need for a spiritual awakening. "Walk to Reclaim
America" is slated to begin at the Santa Monica Pier in California and
progress east across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. Then they
will follow the I-40 corridor through Arkansas and Tennessee, then head
north through Virginia. The trek will carry them across 2,800 miles to
Washington, D.C., by July 4, 2006. Joining them will be other concerned
Christians who want to share their journey as they set out to reclaim
America one step at a time. The project has many aspects, says Our Heart's
Rick McKinney. "We're going to be interceding for our country and its
people. Secondly, we're going to be encouraging Christians and churches to
stand up and be counted." McKinney served as a pastor for more than 20
years. (AgapePress)
===================
*Peace of Christ*
http://grace.break.at
To send e-mail, remove "youhat" from address