Category: News Briefs
From the Editor: Notable People
Greetings,
As you may have guessed, I love a good story. Recently, I’ve come across some old stories that are new to me. One came to me by way of an antique Frecnch secretary desk I wanted to sell. It had a sticker with the name Sherman G. Pitt, whom I discovered was a local pastor with a son, Malcolm, who served as a missionary in India and left an impressive legacy.
Another story I discovered is that of Asa Jennings, a Methodist minister from upstate New York who was able to save a quarter of a million Christians from perishing during the Armenian genocide. Read A Failed Minister Who Saved 250,000 Christians (Boston University) or watch the 15-minute video, Miracle in Izmir: The Asa K. Jennings Story (Videoparables).
For a more recent story of sacrifice, read about Dutch Christian Father Frans van der Lugt who was unwilling to leave the people of Syria when his city was under siege. The story is told in Martyr of Love: Father Frans’ Sacrifice in War-Torn Syria (International Christian Concern).
And speaking of notable people, Flowing Data featured an interactive timeline of notable people throughout history and a map with the most notable person from locations around the world. I had to see who would qualify as “notable.” I might have made a different list, with Heaven’s headlines in mind. Who would you include?
Blessings,
Pat Noble
China: One Chinese City Has More Christians Than Any Other and How It Happened Might Surprise You
Source: Back to Jerusalem, March 25, 2024
With the continuing growth of Christianity in China, it seems that it will soon be home to the world’s largest Christian population, but of all the major cities in China, one stands out for having more believers than any other—Wenzhou.
Wenzhou has so many Christians that it is often called “The Jerusalem of China.” Some estimate as many as 15% of the population is Christian, but our studies show that the number is even higher. The number of Christians in Wenzhou is almost six times higher than the national average, and those are just the Christians that are known. There are many Christians in the underground house church movement that are not known and are not included in the official numbers.
It all goes back to a man by the name of George Stott in the 1800s who God called to preach the gospel in China. When George lost his leg in a farming accident at the age of 19, it seemed that his life dreams were over, until he met with famed China Inland Mission’s Hudson Taylor.
For most mission societies of the era, it was a preposterous idea to consider an amputee for service on the mission field, but Hudson Taylor was impressed. When Taylor asked George why he should even consider going to China with only one leg, Stott quickly answered, “I do not see those with two legs going, so I must.”
The full article includes a link to purchase an inexpensive biography of George Stott.
For another BTJ reflection on missionary decisions and their consequences, read One of the Biggest Missionary Blunders in History?
Pakistan: Witch Doctor Summons Powerful Demons, Then Turns to Christ
Source: Mission Network News, March 27, 2024
When Unknown Nations gospel workers entered a slum in Pakistan, a prominent witch doctor thought he was ready for them. The witch doctor summoned two powerful demons to harm the Christians, but things didn’t go as he expected. He later shared with the Christians, “I saw them burn up.” The man asked them what they had done to make this happen.
“We said, ‘Sir, we didn’t do anything. But the reason that those demons were burned up is because of Jesus and the power of God.’ So, we shared the gospel with him, and this guy gave his life to Christ,” Kelley says.
The man immediately turned away from witchcraft. He has begun to learn God’s Word and be discipled by local Christian leaders.
This [transformation] has angered the people the man was leading.
“He’s absolutely in danger. I mean, these places are very dark. Any place where there’s human sacrificing going on, the disregard for human life is just, it’s unimaginable,” Kelley says.
Read the whole story with prayer points.
See also a story about a former witch who baptized 200 people on a Florida beach this Easter (CBN).
World: The State of the Great Commission
Source: Lausanne Movement, April 16, 2024
The Lausanne Movement, renowned worldwide for its historic congresses and leadership in global mission over the past five decades, will soon introduce its State of the Great Commission report [analyzing] the most crucial gaps and opportunities in fulfilling the Great Commission.
The report was enriched by the insights of more than 150 global mission experts from various corners of the world, with 40% representing the global South, 35% from the global North, and 25% from the global East. Additionally, the investigation tapped into hundreds of sources of information, as well as publishing original research. First published in English, it will soon be accessible in six additional languages: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Korean, Chinese, and Russian.
Report Highlights:
1. The Great Commission in a Digital Age
In today’s digital era, evangelism faces new challenges, as online platforms shape identities and communities, making outreach more complex than mere content provision. To succeed, great commission efforts need to intentionally cross digital borders.
2. The Question of Humanness
This is an unprecedented age of technological development, and what it means to be human is being questioned amidst rapidly changing dynamics of everyday life. These broader culture movements present new alternative paths for hope, salvation, and redemption, effectively altering the plausibility of the gospel.
3. The New Middle Class
Around 2020, the middle-class became the majority of the global population and by 2050, it will increase by 2 billion individuals. This demographic shift will significantly alter global dynamics, requiring necessary adjustments in the efforts of the Great Commission.
4. The Global Aging Population
People aged 60 years and older represent the fastest-growing global population, projected to increase from 1 billion to 2.1 billion by 2050. Global ageing has not been a primary focus for Christian missions in previous decades, a failure that has a significant impact on the extraordinary opportunity to reach and disciple the rapidly growing 60+ cohort.
The report will be released globally on April 23, 2024. You can access the report by visiting Lausanne.org/report.
Readers might also be interested in Cru’s Mission Shift podcast, which explores the changing face of global missions (now in its second season).
Middle East: Answers From Heaven for an Anxious New Mother
Source: Frontiers USA, April 15, 2024
I gently laid my daughter in her crib before tiptoeing out of the nursery and into the living room, where I sank onto the sofa beside my husband. We usually went to bed shortly after our daughter, but we had an appointment at a nanny agency in the morning. We needed the time together to pray.
My husband and I had agreed that we needed help so we could continue the ministry and language learning we’d already begun in our new country. But we both worried about finding someone we could trust to care for our daughter.
As we prayed for a solution, I stared at the rug. I was afraid I’d fall asleep if I closed my eyes. “Lord, would you guide us to the right person?”
The next day, my husband and I visited the nanny agency. We were taken into a small room full of women, all lined up to meet us. It was a normal process in this part of the world, but I’d never felt quite so awkward.
I fumbled through introductions, my discomfort rising as I quickly made my way through the line. Eventually, I reached a woman named Jannah.
She smiled. “It means heaven.”
“Really?” My uneasiness melted away, and I began to sense the Lord at work. “My daughter’s name is Celeste. It also means heaven.” When I was pregnant, we were guided to this name, and we hoped it would serve as a lifelong reminder to keep her focus on Christ and her eternal home.
I wondered if the meaning had similar significance for Jannah. “Tell me about yourself.”
At first, she described her experience caring for children. Then, with a gentle smile, she identified herself as a believer. “I’ve been praying for the chance to work for a Christian family.”
I could hardly believe it! Yet, I shouldn’t have been surprised. God always proved himself faithful in the big things and the little.
We were Jannah’s answer to prayer, and she was ours.
Did you know? Opportunities to bless missionary families by helping care for or educate their children are abundant. Want to make a difference? Ask if your church’s missionaries or others you know could use a hand, or contact an international school, mission agency, or MissionNext.
Pearl of the South China Sea, Praying for Haiti, & More
China: Hainan, Pearl of the South China Sea
Source: Asia Harvest, March 16, 2024
Hainan is a small tropical island province situated off China’s southern coast. Once nicknamed “The Gateway to Hell,” Hainan had few Christians until the 1990s, when God sent a powerful revival which touched every part of society there. Today, Hainan is home to more than 600,000 vibrant Christians.
Uniquely, the instrument the Lord used to impact the island was not a Chinese church leader, but a humble American Baptist missionary family, who implemented God-given strategies that resulted in a revival so powerful that house church leaders from other parts of China traveled to the island to learn from it.
The growth of the Church in Hainan did not come without intense struggle, with many believers suffering for their faith.
The fire of the Holy Spirit fell here with great power, and subsequently [we have heard] numerous firsthand accounts of “power encounters” against the forces of darkness which transformed entire communities.
Read more about God’s work in Hainan and consider picking up a copy of Paul Hattaway’s new book on the topic, the eighth volume of the China Chronicles, a province-by-province account of what the author calls the greatest revival in history. I (Marti) just got my copy.
See also Christianity in Post-Pandemic China: Navigating the Shifting Landscape (ChinaSource).
In news from another country that’s often a religious battle ground, read Indian State Moves to Criminalize Praying for the Sick (Christianity Today).
Haiti: Sincere Intercession Needed
Source: INcontext, March 6, 2024
On Sunday, March 3, the Haitian government declared a 72-hour state of emergency and night curfew after gangs stormed the country’s two biggest jails and freed more than 3,800 inmates. Before the prison break, gangs already controlled around 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The previous week saw gangs burning down police stations, attacking the main airport, and threatening to seize the national palace.
Observers see little reason for optimism over Haiti’s immediate future. No elections have been held in Haiti in the past seven years, and almost three years ago, the unelected president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated. In addition, it’s been more than a year since the last elected officials left office.
While the most recent crisis can be traced back to the president’s assassination in 2021, the roots of Haiti’s chaos go far deeper. These include its slavery and colonial past, the spiritual impact of the practice of voodoo, and the generational economic impact of the vast “reparations” Haiti was forced to pay to France after independence in 1804, which equates to approximately $20 billion in current monetary terms. Years of occupation under the control of American marines was followed by the 29-year dictatorial father-son rule of François and Jean-Claude Duvalier. The Caribbean nation has also endured frequent natural disasters, including hurricanes and the horrific earthquakes of 2010 and 2021.
Read the whole story. It includes a three-minute prayer video. As you may know, Haiti has been a big mission field for American evangelicals. As of 2020, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimated 1,700 career missionaries were serving in Haiti.
Germany: Jazzed-up Psalms Reaching Berlin’s Heart
Source: Eternity News, March 13, 2024
When we arrived in Berlin nine years ago, we knew that being musicians would unlock the doors of this city to us, as a city that is a hub for artists and musicians from across the world. We have met many people through jam sessions, meeting at performances, and busking on the streets. It made sense, through the support of European Christian Mission, to do a jazz recording, bringing God’s Word though original jazz music.
The Berlin Psalm Project was born out of the desire to write creative music for an established church in the north of Berlin. As often happens, the project grew bigger and bigger. We gathered together a group of local musicians to play the music, going from a group of five to a group of seven, including a three-piece horn section.
Despite the very clear Christian lyrics straight from the Psalms, [local musicians] were very keen to be a part of the project. In Germany, despite the pervasive secular atheism that is normalized here, there is a strong biblical and church music heritage, so we believe it’s a ripe time and place to be performing the Psalms.
Praise God for new life coming from many directions. Also from Europe, read Harnessing the Power of Europe’s Migrant Churches, in which a seminary professor from Sierra Leone shares how African migrants are changing the church in Belgium and beyond (Christianity Today).