In This Issue: Praying Expectantly
- LIBYA: Encounter with the People of Benghazi
- EGYPT: Signs of Hope in Court Battles
- TAJIKISTAN: Children May Lose Religious Rights
- SRI LANKA: Persecution on the Rise
- EDITOR’S NOTE: Spread the Word!
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” Samuel Zwemer
Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!
Greetings!
I was recently reminded how specifically God guides our prayers. A few months ago, when Libya was so much in the news, I learned that the man who carried the cross for Jesus – Simon of Cyrene – was from a part of what is now Libya. So my prayer went something like this: “Lord, bring men and women to you that will know what it means to bear their cross for you. May the children of Simon, the one who bore your cross, know you, Jesus.” I believe he is answering that prayer and continuing to move in Libya.
What I did not know was that at about that time a man named Keith Wheeler was actually carrying a cross from Egypt into Libya. I later got Keith’s newsletter and was amazed to learn that the Egyptian army helped him keep the cross safe, and the Libyans received him warmly (log in to Facebook to see his pictures). God continues to go before his people and open doors in this region!
I’m so excited to pray for the Muslim world during Ramadan this year. Have you signed up for the 30-days emails yet? I’m also enjoying prayer videos like this one. Don’t miss out. God is on the move.
Praying expectantly with you,
Pat
LIBYA: Encounter with the People of Benghazi
Source: ASSIST News Service, July 29, 2011
“At the border … I could immediately sense something had changed in this land,” [writes Lisa Gibson, of the Peace and Prosperity Alliance]. “There was a new freedom, joy, and openness among the people that I had not seen on my other three trips to Libya. They so appreciated our group of humanitarian workers and the others [who came] to their aid and [stood] with them in their time of need.
“In my journey with this country I have had several amazing ‘God moments,’ [and these now include] delivering my story and a word of hope and encouragement to close to 100,000 people in Freedom Square in Benghazi, the [same] day the International Court issued its arrest warrant for Gaddafi and his son Seif el Islam.
“The people interrupted my talk several times as they cheered ‘Thank you, Lisa!’ All I could think of as we walked through the crowd with our armed bodyguards after the speech was, ‘What a privilege to be God’s voice to these people.’ I will forever remember the faces, the smiles, and the handshakes as I walked by, and the simple words ‘Thank you, Lisa.’ Yet in my heart what I was saying was, ‘Thank you, God.'”
>> As surprising events continue to unfold in Africa, readers might be interested in the interactive map, A Political History of Africa since 1900 (The Guardian).
EGYPT: Signs of Hope in Court Battles
Source: Middle East Concern via EMEU, July 7, 2011
On Sunday, July 3, Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court ruled in favor of those seeking to have their religious registration officially changed back to “Christian.” This ruling affects people who were registered as “Christian” but whose registration changed [at some point] to “Muslim.” Such changes can be made either by an adult choosing to convert to Islam, as a consequence of a parent changing their registration, or because of a clerical error.
The court gave three significant judgments. First, that this ruling covered all such cases and that no individual case should be referred to the judiciary. Second, that presentation of a birth certificate stating religious registration as “Christian” with a current confirmation of faith from the church would be sufficient for the change to be made. Finally, the court criticized the Ministry of the Interior for not effectively implementing previous rulings and instructed the Ministry’s officials to implement this ruling without delay.
Egyptian Christians request our prayers that the ruling will be swiftly, efficiently, and effectively implemented nation-wide; [that] the rights of all Egyptian citizens will be respected; [and that] all officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus, and choose to follow him.
>> Full story.
>> Editor’s Note: Will the Muslim Brotherhood hijack the revolution, as some worry? See Chart of the Day: Muslim Brotherhood Is Deeply Unpopular in Egypt (The Atlantic).
TAJIKISTAN: Children May Lose Religious Rights
Source: Worthy News, July 27, 2011
The Tajikistan Parliament recently adopted two new laws that could ban children from participating in religious activities. The Parental Responsibility Law will ban children under the age of 18 from participating in religious activities; the Office of Human Rights in Tajikistan said the new law will be needed should parents lose control of their children to extremist religious groups.
“I’m sure the government would say that it’s aimed basically at extremism,” said Joel Griffith of the Slavic Gospel Association. “It’s really difficult to know what their real motivation is for passing such a thing, because it goes beyond targeting just what everybody would agree would be extremist elements … As the law is worded, it would seem to impact everybody.”
The Parental Responsibility Law also restricts certain jewelry, tattoos, and even names parents can choose for their children.
“You’ve got local churches themselves that would be impacted by this,” said Griffith. “There’s question whether children would even be allowed to go to a worship service until they’re 18 years old … It’s a matter of deep concern to the churches.”
>> See also: UK Survey Finds Churchgoing Teenagers Show Greatest Support for Muslim Peers (Independent Catholic News).
SRI LANKA: Persecution on the Rise
Source: Mission Network News, August 1, 2011
Home destruction and violent beatings have Sri Lankan Christians on edge. According to Voice of the Martyrs (Canada), several attacks on Christians throughout Sri Lanka have taken place these last few weeks in an escalation of persecution.
A pastor was brutally attacked and beaten in the Ampara District on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast after attending a meeting about land distribution. A Buddhist monk called the pastor and several others to the meeting on July 10.
During the meeting, the Christian pastor was brutalized by the monk and others there. The monk kicked the pastor repeatedly in his stomach and arms, causing serious injuries.
Then while the pastor was escaping to his home, his attackers followed him and verbally abused him and his family members.
Sri Lanka is predominantly a Buddhist country with 70% of the population following that religion. The Christian minority has experienced an increase in persecution since 2005, especially at the hands of militant Buddhists.
>> Full story with picture and prayer points.
>> Are you, like me, a little confused about Buddhism? The video The People’s Buddhism will help (OMF Media).
EDITOR’S NOTE: Spread the Word!
Source: Marti Smith
Do you love (or at least like) Missions Catalyst? If so, you could …
1. Forward Missions Catalyst issues or items to people you think might be interested. Encourage them to subscribe!
2. Mention Missions Catalyst on any list of mission resources which you host or distribute.
3. Put a blurb in a newsletter or other publication, especially if it goes out electronically. For best results, add a few words of personal endorsement and turn URLs into links.
- Short Promo Blurb: Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly digest of world missions news, ideas, and resources. Learn more and subscribe at www.missionscatalyst.org.
- Longer Promo Blurb: Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic missions digest designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for prayer and global ministry. Subscribe here: http://www.snipurl.com/1mq0j.
- Longest Promo Blurb: Missions Catalyst (www.missionscatalyst.org) is a free, weekly electronic missions digest designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. It includes missions news, practical ministry ideas, and helpful resources readers can share with others. Editors read and distill dozens of missions-oriented news sources while providing easy access to further information about each topic or story. Subscribe here: http://www.snipurl.com/1mq0j.
4. Regularly reprint some or all of the news briefs in your church bulletin, or distribute them with prayer requests.
5. Other ideas, suggestions, or questions? Contact us.
Pat Noble has been the “news sleuth” for Missions Catalyst since 2004. In addition to churning out the news, she is working to create a SWARM (Serving World A Regional Mobilizers) in Northern New York using the NorthernChristian.org website. You can connect with her at www.whatsoeverthings.com.
