Day: July 5, 2017

 

Click on the image above for a new prayer video for Vietnam from Prayercast; related story below.

In this issue: Reasons to celebrate

1. MIDDLE EAST: An Unscheduled Appointment
2. IRAQ: First-ever Sorani Kurdish Bible Published
3. VIETNAM: God Is on the Move
4. BURMA: Baptist Pastor Jailed for Spying Falls Ill
5. CENTRAL ASIA: Believers Standing Firm

Greetings,

As I wrap up this batch of news I can hear distant fireworks as tomorrow is my nation’s birthday. But actually, because I live 20 miles from Canada and get their radio stations, I know that our northern neighbor just turned 150 years old. That is a big deal! Someone had a great idea to celebrate with 150 murals made across the nation. They are truly beautiful. I hope to visit Toronto this month. Maybe I can see one of these murals up close.

Two short videos challenged me on this eve of US Independence Day: Russell Moore on Whether America Is a Christian Nation (The Gospel Coalition) and Do American Christians Love Muslims? (Jihad of Love).

Some of our long-time readers may remember we shared this great flash mob celebration of Resurrection Sunday in Budapest, Hungary in 2011. As the song says, “Freedom was paid for on Calvary.” Enjoy!

Pat

Source: Arab World Media, June 30, 2017

[Soon after he gave his life to Jesus,] Abdul moved to a new part of the country and began working at a bus station. One day, he helped a family find their way. They came to thank him and asked if he was a Christian. Abdul replied, “Yes.”

The family were thrilled that they had met an evangelical Christian. They told Abdul that they were Orthodox Christians who had been praying to know the Christian faith better and be rooted in the Bible. They had been watching a well-known Christian TV channel, but the priest at their church had told them it was a bad, evangelical TV channel.

The family had prayed that God would send them someone from the evangelical church to tell them about the Christian faith. It seems he chose to use an unlikely individual—a new believer from a Muslim background. They asked Abdul if he would be willing to help them. Of course, Abdul said yes! They have since formed a group and have been studying Genesis.

Praise God for the wonderful way in which he moves, bringing people together at just the right time. Lift up this small group as they delve into the Word together. May they encourage and strengthen one another, and may they see their numbers increase as God continues to use them.

» Read full story. Praise God for 52 people who gave their lives to Christ in conversations with AWM responders during Ramadan and pray for efforts to share the gospel with Arab Muslims vacationing in Europe.

» See also Invisible Atheists: The Spread of Disbelief in the Arab World (New Republic).

Source: Mission Network News, June 26, 2017

After 28 years, [a translation] team in Kurdistan is finished, and the Kurds have “an accurate, contemporary translation” of the entire Bible.

Hans Combrink of Biblica said it wasn’t an easy road. “There have been starts and stops, there have been wars, there have been disruptions of all kinds, but the team persevered and they finally saw the work brought to completion.”

Kurdistan is “a sensitive part of the world that’s difficult to work in,” explained Combrink. Since the region is made up of pieces of several countries, he thinks this new translation [in the Sorani dialect of Kurdish] will help the Kurds feel a sense of identity and camaraderie.

“Bible translation is obviously tied up in language and culture—you can’t separate one from the other,” said Combrink. “It forms people’s sense of identity.”

“Relationships are key in any kind of work that we do, especially in sensitive parts of the world,” said Combrink. Kurdistan’s conflicts and religious context certainly qualifies, which is why Biblica teams worked side-by-side with indigenous translators instead of simply shipping copies in from somewhere offsite.

» Read full story and a related story which adds that this Sorani Kurdish Bible translation is also now available on YouVersion and BibleGateway, providing access for those who can’t afford, don’t have access to, or can’t read printed Bibles (Biblica).

Source: Prayercast, July 2, 2017

Did you know that Vietnam is one of the last communist nations on earth? The communist party retains supreme control. Repression and human rights violations are widespread.

The Vietnamese government professes religious freedom, but harassment, discrimination, and outright persecution against Christians remain.

But rising from a long history of opposition is a growing Church. From 1975 to 2010, Evangelicals grew nine-fold! God is on the move.

Yet the nation remains cloaked in darkness: drug addiction, AIDS, prostitution, child exploitation, and false religions. Over half of the population have never heard the gospel.

» Join the people of Vietnam in praying for their nation.

Source: Morning Star News, June 20, 2017

One of two assistant pastors arrested by the Burma army last Christmas Eve is suffering deteriorating health from malnutrition, sources said.

Pastor Dom Dawng Nawng Latt, 65, has become weak, lacks energy and suffers from asthma and diarrhea, according to his wife and a lawyer for Nawng Latt and fellow pastor La Jaw Gam Hseng, 35, who is on trial with him.

The two were arrested in Burma (Myanmar) for helping local journalists cover attacks on a Catholic church building in northern Shan state, in eastern Burma, in November 2016.

Normally suspects can be held for only 28 days without trial under Burmese law, the attorney said. The two pastors finally appeared at a trial hearing in Lashio on May 3.

A Burma army prosecutor has charged the two pastors under the Unlawful Association Act with recruiting and spying for armed ethnic groups such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the second largest ethnic armed group in Burma. The two Kachin Baptist Convention pastors, along with other denominational leaders, deny the charge. Human Rights Watch has decried the arrests as arbitrary and called on Burma to release the pastors immediately.

Armed conflict between Burma and ethnic armed organizations erupted anew in northern Shan state in November 2016, forcing over 50,000 refugees in total to flee to other areas of the state and the border with China.

» See full story with picture. Another story from Morning Star News reports about four Iranian converts to Christianity charged with acting against national security and awaiting a verdict after lengthy delays.

Source: East-West Ministries, June 22, 2017

Times are tough in Central Asia. Spiritual warfare is constantly at play through false religions and opposition from the government against Christians … including our team of missionaries and nationals.

In the middle of a recent wedding, police invaded and arrested a local believer leading the service.

The only thing that indicted this man was that he’d written notes for the ceremony that included Bible verses and had a Bible with him. And the oppression against these believers only heightened as 11 more leaders were arrested.

During each arrest, the officers kept asking, “Why are you becoming Christians? You’re supposed to be Muslim!”

» Read full story.