Boko Haram members come to Jesus
Boko Haram is not driving Christians away. Evangelists have expanded church planting in
Nigeria's northeast by meeting the needs of displaced people. Their courage has seen
members of Boko Haram repenting and putting their faith in Christ. Boko Haram is killing
people, but this indigenous ministry is discreetly working in villages and in camps for
the internally displaced. They are offering humanitarian assistance and proclaiming
Christ at a time when few are bold enough to do so. ‘There are 70,000+ people in the
camps, so it is a mission field for us,’ said the director of the indigenous ministry.
‘We used to reach them with the gospel in their villages, but now we reach them with the
gospel, food, medicine and Bibles.’ Former Boko Haram members are being discipled in
safe-havens and have shown a strong interest in learning the Bible, ridding themselves of
anything grievous to God and becoming spiritually grounded so they can reach other
Muslims.
Iraqi girl’s forgiveness comes from the Holy Spirit
The unwavering faith of a young Iraqi girl who was forced to flee her homeland in the
Middle East together with her family has stood out among the many horror stories on the
IS terror campaign. In a recent media interview that went viral, 11-year-old refugee
Maryam Behnam said that, despite all the transgressions committed by the IS, including
the brutal killing and abduction of thousands of people, she said she has forgiven the
jihadists. She also said that her words come from the Holy Spirit. When asked ‘What are
your feelings towards those who drove you out of your home and caused you hardships?’ She
replied, ‘I won't do anything to them, I will only ask God to forgive them.’ She also
said, ‘In the Bible Jesus said, 'Don't be afraid, I am with you,' and also, He said
‘forgive others no matter who is hating you. You have to forgive them.’
Nigeria: Another bomb blast kills 25
A suspected suicide bomber targeted civil servants at a government building in Zaria city, killing 25 and wounding 32. Boko Haram, which often targets northern Nigeria, has stepped up attacks since President Buhari took office in May. The group has not yet commented on the latest attack, which came a day after police chief Solomon Arase announced new measures to curb the rise in bombings. The measures include banning street trading and hawking in Abuja, and strengthening security at all mosques and churches countrywide. Witnesses in Zaria said people including primary school teachers had been queuing up seeking employment under Mr Buhari's administration when the bomb was detonated. Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufa'i said citizens were to be vigilant and avoid crowded places like markets, mosques, churches and motor parks in the next few weeks.
Vietnam: Persecution of Christians is 'state policy'
The persecution of religious minorities is now official Vietnamese state policy after Human Rights Watch released a June report revealing that Vietnam’s government intends to persecute any ethnic Montagnards who follow ‘unauthorised’ Christianity (Montagnards are the indigenous peoples of the Central Highlands of Vietnam - the term Montagnard means ‘mountain people’). This latest threat to Montagnards is causing many to flee into Cambodia where they hope to worship Christ freely; but many are deported back to Vietnam. Last year Cambodia returned 54 Montagnards without allowing them opportunity to seek refugee status. Formerly animists, ethnic Montagnards began converting to Christianity in the 1950s and are now a Christian group. In addition to being persecuted for their Christianity they are being targeted by the Vietnamese government because of their past allegiance to the US during its war in Vietnam.
Canada: Action on climate change
Gregor Robertson, the mayor of Vancouver, says he plans to encourage the Pope to ramp up pressure on national governments across the globe to take action on climate change when he meets with the Catholic leader later this month. Mr Robertson will be the only Canadian to join 30 representatives of cities in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas for a two-day visit with Pope Francis in Vatican City on 21 July. Meanwhile on Wednesday and Thursday this week hundreds of delegates have attended a two-day Climate Summit of the Americas in Toronto. Former Mexican president Felipe Calderon, former US vice-president Al Gore and California Governor Jerry Brown were among the delegates. The summit emphasised the role that provinces, states and other sub-national governments can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. World leaders will also meet later this year in Paris for the UN Climate Change Conference. See http://www.640toronto.com/2015/07/08/66933/
China: Confusion in finances
The turmoil in China’s stock market is so bad that 700 companies have halted trading to ‘self-preserve’, thus preventing investors from selling their shares. That means about a quarter of the companies listed on China’s two big exchanges are no longer trading. The government has taken extraordinary steps to try to prevent further damage and over 20 of China’s top brokerage firms publicly pledged to buy back stocks and funds in an effort to slow the downfall. It did not work and investors aren’t convinced. By Wednesday 8 July China’s stock markets had lost $3.25 trillion (that’s more than the size of France’s stock market and twice the size of India’s). Those in the know are saying China’s $28 trillion debt is a threat to the global economy. See also http://www.bloombergview.com/quicktake/chinas-debt-bomb
Pakistan: Front-line workers
The group of Pakistani Christian men knew the risks when they entered an Islamic festival where fanatical Muslim leaders preached jihad and attendees renewed their religious zeal. Quietly, they initiated conversations about Jesus, who is considered a holy prophet in Islam. By the end of the evening, they had distributed several hundred flyers telling about Jesus Christ and had exchanged phone numbers with people who wanted to learn more. These men are a few of the more than 30,000 front-line workers supported by Voice Of the Martyrs. They are sharing the gospel in hostile and restricted nations at great risk. As they minister in these difficult places, they need our prayers. Will you commit to stand with them in prayer as they share Christ? See https://secure.persecution.com/giftslip/frontlineworker.aspx
Sudan: Pastors face trumped-up charges of espionage
A Sudanese and a South Sudanese pastor face impossible deadlines in their trial on 14 July for espionage. On 2 July, the Sudanese judge ordered the trial of the Presbyterian pastors, giving their defence attorney only 12 days to prepare and only 15 minutes to confer with his clients before their hearing. Pastor Yat Michael was arrested after delivering a sermon at the Evangelical Church in Khartoum. Pastor Yen was arrested when he delivered a letter to the Religious Affairs office asking about Michael's arrest. Both men are facing trumped-up charges by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). Amnesty International say the NISS is an agency ‘above the law.’ Sudan's constitution guarantees freedom of expression and religion, but in reality these rights do not exist. Pastor Michael and his wife were in Sudan seeking medical attention for their child when he was asked to speak at the church. If found guilty, Pastors Michael and Yen will be executed.
Israel: IS threatens Christians in Jerusalem
Arabic leaflets have appeared in Jerusalem, issued by an IS-aligned group, telling Christians they must flee Jerusalem by the end of Ramadan (18 July) - or they will be slaughtered. The threat comes as IS and Hamas engage in a struggle for the allegiance of Palestinian Muslims. Religious tensions are rising across Israel, and Christians are being attacked by Jewish ultra-nationalists and radicalised Muslims. Some are wondering if Christians have a future in Israel. The Israeli government has condemned the violence against Christians as 'an attack on us all' and affirmed Israel's commitment to religious liberty and the rule of law. Please pray for Israel and its Christians. Please pray that God will guide and assist the Israeli government and security forces, that they will protect Christians from Jewish ultra-nationalists and the far more dangerous IS-incited and organised militant Muslims. For the full story click the ‘more’ button below.
Church planting throughout Europe
European Christian Mission (ECM) has a mission to plant and develop churches throughout Europe because only through loving communities can Europe really experience transformational change.For centuries the centre of Christendom has been in Europe but now Europe is the only continent where Christianity is in decline. Many years of secularisation, immigration and rising standards of living have replaced faith in God with a multiplicity of different beliefs and lifestyles. Europe has become a complex, multicultural and multireligious continent, a continent full of challenges. However, God continues to work through these challenges, and His light still shines in Europe. ECM believes that church planting is the strategy to transform Europe. God has chosen the Church as His instrument to reach the whole world with His Gospel of salvation.