World: 500 mark in audio Bible translations
This month marks an exciting landmark in the world of audio Bible translation. ‘We have got to our 500th language that we have recorded,’ explains Bill Lohr with Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH). ‘About 4.6 billion people speak those languages in the world today.’ Beyond the fact that now billions of people, literate or not, could potentially access the Scriptures, the 500 mark has special meaning for FCBH. ‘The reason that's significant for us is that it puts us a quarter way to our goal, which is in 2016, we want to have 2,000 languages recorded. That will effectively be about 97 percent of the world's population.’ That is truly FCBH's heartbeat and passion: to provide every person, regardless of literacy or location, with the opportunity to access Scripture in their heart language. FCBH now has over 50 recording teams in 27 countries working on new translations to meet their 2,000 language goal by 2016. Praise: God that faith comes from hearing the word. (Ro.10:17)
Russia: New Baptist Churches being planted
The Baptists utilize effectively the freedom of worship in the country. Mass evangelism and distribution of tracts aren’t efficient any longer and new methods have to be implemented, reports the press centre of Russian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptists. Baptists in Russia trace their history to 1867. There are now about 80 000 Baptists who worship in 1,750 local churches. Revd Alexey Smirnov, the president of the Baptist Union in Russia says: ‘The number of Baptist churches in Russia is growing and the most important task of the Union is to train leaders as well as keep the unity. The work with youth and children is particularly vital as it had not been possible during the era of communist regime.’ Revd Ruvim Voloshin, the vice-president of Baptist Union responsible for missionary ministry stresses that about 200 new Baptist congregations are currently being planted all over the vast territory of Russia. Praise: God for the growth of His church and the planting of new congregations. (Ac.5:42)
Russia: New Baptist Churches being planted
The Baptists utilize effectively the freedom of worship in the country. Mass evangelism and distribution of tracts aren’t efficient any longer and new methods have to be implemented, reports the press centre of Russian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptists. Baptists in Russia trace their history to 1867. There are now about 80 000 Baptists who worship in 1,750 local churches. Revd Alexey Smirnov, the president of the Baptist Union in Russia says: ‘The number of Baptist churches in Russia is growing and the most important task of the Union is to train leaders as well as keep the unity. The work with youth and children is particularly vital as it had not been possible during the era of communist regime.’ Revd Ruvim Voloshin, the vice-president of Baptist Union responsible for missionary ministry stresses that about 200 new Baptist congregations are currently being planted all over the vast territory of Russia. Praise: God for the growth of His church and the planting of new congregations. (Ac.5:42)
Bangladesh: Rebel group prevents Christmas Worship
One of the two main political parties of the indigenous people in Bangladesh’s south-eastern hill tracts prevented Christians from celebrating Christmas, sources said. The United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), which has demanded that Christian converts return to Buddhism, threatened tribal Christians of at least seven churches in Khagrachari district, some 300 kilometers (180 miles) southeast of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka. A source requesting anonymity said that a local leader of the UPDF, a regional party seeking autonomy, warned Christians not to hold a Christmas gathering. ‘Members of the Kalapani Bethlehem Church could not celebrate Christmas this year,’ the source said. ‘UPDF members threatened them, saying ‘You cannot play the harmonium, drums and sing here. You cannot even worship silently’. Christian elders told the UPDF leader by telephone that they had arranged food for around 100 people, and the UPDF members allowed them only to eat their rice and curry. Pray: as further attacks occur on Churches gathering, that God would protect His saints and open the doors for worship. (Ps.20:6) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/bangladesh/30238/
China: Police raid Christmas Eve service
Police raided a house church Christmas Eve service in the south-western city of Chengdu on Friday night, taking into custody 17 believers, including one pregnant woman, sources told ChinaAid. Wang Yi, an elder of the Autumn Rain Church in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was taken to the local Caoshi Road police station, while the other brothers and sisters, as well as one non-Christian ‘seeker,’ were interrogated inside a police vehicle belonging to the Jinjiang sub-bureau. ChinaAid Association condemns the Chengdu authorities for their illegal raid on the Autumn Rain Church and for the totally superfluous act of taking church members into custody. It expresses its great respect to Wang, the other believers and the non-Christian ‘seeker’. By suffering persecution for the sake of your faith on Christmas Eve, you have truly lived out the real meaning of Christmas. Pray: for the Church as it faces ongoing challenges against meeting together. (Heb.10:25) More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35091&PN=1&TPN=1
Pakistan: Cleric offers thousands for killing Christian
Muslims began protests on Friday, December 24, against plans to change Pakistan's blasphemy laws, after an Islamic leader offered nearly $6,000 for the killing of a Christian woman he accused of offending Islam. Tensions have risen over a government ministry's recommendation to release Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy. The case has sped up a government investigation whether to change the blasphemy laws, which has led to the sentencing of Christians throughout the country. Friday's protests were encouraged by Pakistani cleric Moulana Yousaf Qureshi who announced a financial award for anyone killing Bibi. ‘I will pay 500,000 rupees ($6,000) for the loyal follower of Muhammad who beheads Asia Bibi,’ he told a crowd of several hundred people earlier this month. The amount is more than six times the country's average annual wage. (See Prayer Alert 4910) Pray: that Asia Bibi would gain her full freedom in safety - and the proposed changes to the blasphemy laws would be successful. (1Pet.2:16) More: http://www.worthynews.com/9851-muslim-protests-as-cleric-offers-thousands-for-killing-christian
Algeria: Christians appeal against prison sentence
Four Christian men of a small Protestant church in Algeria are appealing against a court decision to hand them suspended prison sentences for worshiping without a state permission. News of the appeal comes after a court on December 12 reduced the sentences of Abdenour Raid, Nacer Mokrani and Idir Haoudj - to two months. The fourth man, Reverend Mahmoud Yahou, was sentenced to three months in jail and a 1,000-dinar fine (US$ 132). The prosecutor had asked for one-year prison sentences for each defendant. Defence lawyer Mohamed Benbelkacem said the men were found guilty of ‘clandestinely housing a pastor’ who was to hold a conference in their village of Ait Atteli. The Christians said they want to appeal against the sentence to avoid a government crackdown on other churches. The verdict was the latest in a series of cases targeting converted Christians in the country. Pray: that the authorities would reconsider and scrap these unjust sentences. (Is.10:1) More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/14856-algerian-christians-appeal-against-prison-sentence
Gaza: War 'only a question of time'
A senior Israeli army officer has told the BBC that as long as Hamas remains in control of the Gaza Strip, another war is ‘only a question of time’. He said the Palestinian Islamist group had re-armed so much since the Israeli offensive two years ago that it was now in a stronger position militarily. There has been an increase in rocket fire coming from Gaza in the past week. Earlier, Israeli defence officials said tanks fitted with a new missile defence system would be deployed near Gaza. The UN has condemned the firing of ‘indiscriminate’ rocket and mortar attacks by militants in Gaza in recent weeks. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also warned that tensions were escalating in the region, and that any Israeli attack on Gaza would only lead to further bloodshed. ‘Military solutions such as these won't achieve anything and will only complicate the situation,’ Mr Erekat said. Pray: for a speedy resolution to the Gaza situation and against any new conflict. (Pr.6:4)
Philippines: Bombing wounds 11 at Christmas Mass
A bomb exploded during Christmas Day Mass at a chapel inside a police camp in the volatile southern Philippines, wounding a priest and 10 churchgoers. The device was hidden in a ventilation window near the ceiling of the chapel, which is on the compound where the provincial police office is located in Jolo town on Jolo Island, Sulu provincial police said. The island is a stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants, but it wasn't clear who was responsible for the bombing. Investigators recovered parts of a cell phone they believe detonated the device. All of the wounded were civilians. One woman remained at a hospital for observation on Saturday, but police said one did not need hospital treatment and the others had been treated and sent home. The Philippines is predominantly Catholic, but Christians are a minority on Jolo and nearby island provinces that are majority Muslim. Pray: that God would intervene and bring His peace and unity to the people of Jolo and Mindanao. (1Sa.10:6) More: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/25/bombing-wounds-11-christmas-mass-philippines/
Nigeria: Christmas violence death toll rises to 80
The death toll for the Christmas Eve bombings in central Nigeria and the Christian-Muslim clash that ensued has risen to at least 80 people. Police initially said 32 people were killed in the coordinated bomb explosions in Jos on Christmas Eve. The latest death toll includes those killed in the connected conflict between Muslim and Christian youths on Sunday in central Nigeria. Another 100 people were wounded and are in the hospital. On Christmas Eve, two bombs exploded near a busy market where people were Christmas shopping in Jos, the capital of Plateau state. Another blast occurred in a predominantly Christian neighbourhood and a fourth bomb exploded near a road leading to the main mosque in Jos. Sectarian violence is nothing new to residents of Jos, who earlier this year endured a massacre that left more than 500 people dead. Jos lies in the middle of Nigeria, where the Muslim north meets the mainly Christian south. Pray: for the people of Nigeria that God would break through and bring peace to this divided nation.And for grace and wisdom for Archbishop Ben Kwashi as a peacemaker. (Mt.12:25) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/nigeria.christmas.violence.death.toll.rises.to.80/27298.htm