World News Briefs

Missions-Catalyst-no-tagline_largeMissions Catalyst News Briefs 01.04.17

  1. INDONESIA: Christian Governor Insists No Insult Intended
  2. ALGERIA: Family Fears for Life of Christian Imprisoned for Blasphemy
  3. TURKEY: Update on American Pastor Andrew Brunson
  4. NORTH AFRICA: Why Focus on Nomads?
  5. UKRAINE: Seminar/Retreat for Pastors from Conflict Zone

Greetings,

It’s that time of year for a look back and a look forward. Some of my favorite news sources delivered:

An article from Justin Long on New Year’s Day highlights the just-published Status of Global Christianity summary report from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, and observes that “between now and 2050 we will add another 600 million unevangelized individuals—about twice the size of the United States—who will likely not hear the gospel once in their lifetime.” Sobering. So is news from another source which asserts that around the world, a Christian is martyred every six minutes.

An item from Brigada Today also includes an analysis of ministry progress and challenges, this time by providing a rare glimpse into the lives of Christians in the North African country of Tunisia. Tunisian believers are an estimated .2 percent of the population. Read and watch the beautiful multimedia presentation.

As for the present, please pray for Governor Ahok in Indonesia as well as Slimane Bouhafs in Algeria and Andrew Brunson in Turkey. Both are imprisoned for their witness. See below.

Looking ahead,
Pat

INDONESIA: Christian Governor Insists No Insult Intended

Source: World Watch Monitor, December 13, 2017

Indonesian Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”) fought back tears during the first day of his blasphemy trial [December 13].

Ahok—only the second Christian and the second governor of Chinese descent to lead the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta—is alleged to have “misused” a Qur’anic verse (which, some say, suggests Muslims should not be ruled by non-Muslims) during a speech in early October.

Some Muslim leaders accused him of insulting Islam by quoting from the Qur’an. He apologized, but said his comments were directed at politicians “incorrectly” using the verse against him and not a criticism of the verse itself.

The trial is widely seen as a test of the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation’s stance on religious freedom, since the country has a large Christian minority.

It was broadcast live on TV and Ahok continued to protest his innocence, telling the court: “I had no intention of insulting Muslims or insulting the clergy. On that basis, I plead with the judges to consider my exception plea.”

» Read full story.

» Also read The Story Behind a Massive Muslim Protest against a Christian Governor (Christian Science Monitor).

ALGERIA: Family Fears for Life of Christian Imprisoned for Blasphemy

Source: Morning Star News, November 29, 2016

The daughter of an Algerian Christian sentenced to three years in prison on a charge of blaspheming Islam fears for his life, religious freedom advocates said.

Although the date when the assault was set to happen is not publically known, advocacy group Middle East Concern (MEC) received the first reports about the plans on November 14. A group of inmates planned to attack [Slimane] Bouhafs because he objected to the views of an imam who publicly insulted Christians and Christianity in Algeria, MEC’s analyst on religious freedom in Algeria told Morning Star News.

“Bouhafs was defending Christianity, calling for more religious freedom and freedom of speech, which provoked the attempted attack,” said the analyst, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

An inmate who became aware of the plans warned prison guards, who separated Bouhafs from the inmates who sought to attack him before they could carry it out.

Bouhafs suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which causes extremely painful swelling of his joints. He controls the swelling by eating a special, controlled diet that is unavailable in jail.

“At the end of September when his lawyer saw him, and early in October when his daughter visited him, his daughter reported that he had severely lost weight to a degree where it was hard to recognize him,” the analyst said. “The lawyer said he looked very frail and weak.”

» Read full story.

TURKEY: Update on American Pastor Andrew Brunson

Source: Middle East Concern, January 2, 2017

An appeal for the release of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor imprisoned in Izmir, has been turned down. On December 9, Andrew Brunson, the pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church, was brought before a court in Izmir for questioning. The court ordered that Andrew be imprisoned on the grounds that he is linked to a terrorist organization. This accusation is based on the testimony of a ”secret informant.“

Andrew, a US citizen, was originally arrested with his wife Norine on October 7. They were told that they were to be deported as “a threat to national security.” Norine was subsequently released, but Andrew was held in an immigration detention facility until he was transferred to a prison in Aliaga, Izmir, after the court appearance.

On December 29 an appeal for Andrew’s release filed by his lawyer was rejected, but a further appeal can be made to a higher court.

Those close to Andrew Brunson request prayer that God will strengthen and encourage Andrew, speaking to him during his imprisonment, and comfort and protect his family; that the accusations against Andrew will be clearly repudiated; that family visits and telephone calls will not be obstructed; that Andrew will soon be released from detention and allowed to return home; and that Christians in Turkey will not be intimidated by these and other recent pressures.

» Read full story.

NORTH AFRICA: Why Focus on Nomads?

Source: Mission Frontiers, January 1, 2017

In Africa’s Sahel, 100 people gathered to listen to a well-known presenter on Disciple-Making Movements (DMM). After the teaching, one of the Tamajeq (Tuareg) believers stood and asked, “How can DMM be applied in my setting?”

The translator was befuddled by what appeared to be a very general question.

As he began to translate, a rather bold fellow interrupted him and attempted to explain to everyone the context this question came from. With some confidence he asserted that the question was rooted in the general poverty and great needs of the desert-dwelling Tamajeq people. Then he [presumptuously] rephrased the question this way, “How can DMM succeed when so many Tamajeq people are hungry, needy, and dying?” The presenter answered as one might expect, advising that attention be paid to the needs of the suffering before doing DMM.

The Tamajeq man sat quietly but I squirmed in my seat. We settled people have a default that identifies nomads as suffering people who barely eke out a living. We believe that nomads would succeed if they would only settle down. The fact is the Tamajeq are great nomadic pastoralists of the desert. They range over vast swaths of the Sahara Desert, living where most of us would likely die.

Neither the translator, the bold fellow, nor the presenter understood that this man was struggling to apply the principles of DMM in a nomadic society. Ideas and strategies like DMM are not imagined or purposed for people who live as they do. How, for instance, was this man to convene weekly meetings with people who are always moving in different directions? He and his Tamajeq colleagues needed answers.

» Full story unpacks missiological shifts required to reach nomadic peoples. January edition of Mission Frontiers is focused on nomads. You might also be interested in the Nomadic Peoples Network.

UKRAINE: Seminar/Retreat for Pastors from Conflict Zone

Source: Operation Mobilization, December 21, 2016

Local churches continue to work from within and nearby the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine. ОМ Ukraine, together with crisis management specialists held a seminar-retreat for pastors, who work every day in stressful situations serving people on both sides of the conflict zone.

The OM team realized that investing in pastors is of utmost necessity, because a healthy pastor can grow a healthy church.

Along with receiving a time of rest, the participants were also able to learn new material presented by the team. Just like the prophet Elijah, after being fed and resting they were able to go back and attend to the calling God has for them.

“We haven’t had such rest for long time!” was one of the positive comments made. The most important time for participants during this seminar was quiet time with God in a place where they didn’t have to serve but were served instead.

» Read full story and pray for renewal for weary workers.