Category: News Briefs

Source: Article18, November 25, 2021

Iran’s Supreme Court has ruled that nine Christian converts serving five-year prison sentences for their involvement in house churches should not have been charged with “acting against national security,” in what has the potential to become a landmark ruling.

While the ruling is not enough on its own to set an official “precedent,” nevertheless it has the potential to influence all current and future cases involving Persian-speaking Christians.

The ruling, handed down on November 3 but only communicated to the Christians’ lawyers [November 24], states explicitly that their involvement in house churches and even the propagation of what is referred to as the “Evangelical Zionist sect” should not be deemed against national security. 

This is significant, because in each of the cases involving the more than 20 Christians currently incarcerated in Iran for their involvement in house churches, the charges amounted to “actions against national security.”

See the full story with pictures and read other stories about persecution in Iran from Article18. They report the men were released January 1.

Another encouraging story comes from Africa, where more than 500 Muslims attended a Christmas service to promote religious tolerance in Nigeria (International Christian Concern).

Source: Back to Jerusalem, December 2021

Musfar (not his real name), was recently arrested after the police conducted a surprise raid on his home. Musfar has been handing out Bibles throughout his nation to secret believers and the police have been waiting to arrest him for months.

When the police raided his home, they searched everywhere for his secret stash of Bibles. Musfar’s apartment is small and he had over a thousand Bibles stacked in one of the most obvious locations. Surprisingly, the police found the location of the Bibles, looked directly at them, but never made any motion to touch them, pick them up, or examine them. It was almost as if the Bibles were invisible to the eyes of the police.

Is it possible that the police never saw the Bibles? Could their eyes have been blinded?

Musfar was taken to jail and accused of distributing Bibles, but the police could not provide any evidence, because they were unable to find the Bibles.

Our BTJ partners living in this closed country were able to get access to the apartment in the middle of the night after Musfar’s arrest and retrieve the Bibles. We now have several hundred Bibles to hand out in this country that desperately needs the Word of God.

As the Bibles are delivered, the people are being told about the amazing miracle of the invisible Bibles.

Read the full story.

Source: Mission Network News, December 13, 2021

Last year, believers worldwide stayed connected with their home groups and church fellowships by going online, even though COVID-19 restrictions kept them physically apart.

The online church provides more than convenience in the Middle East and North Africa. Sometimes, it saves lives. “I think about the moms who’ve come to faith, and they’re married to someone who is a non-Christian,” MENA Leadership Center CEO Jennifer Murff says. “It’s very dangerous for them and their children to just step into a local church.”

“In many countries in MENA, it’s illegal to change your religion. The digital church provides an outlet [where] they (new believers) can continue to grow in their faith and get discipled until they can step into a physical location,” Murff says.

Read the full story.

Also related to technology and the church, read how Brazilian Christians are ministering to Afghan refugees or consider The Changing Face of Missions in the Digital Age (Phil Cooke/Outreach Magazine).

Source: Mission Network News, December 6, 2021

Five young men in Ghana spend their days riding motorbikes across the country on an important mission. Each of them carries a projection kit to show the JESUS Film in different villages, some of them completely unreached with the gospel. They are called the Jesus Film Riders. The initiative is part of OneWay Africa’s Jesus Film Campaign.

Reagan Opoku Agyeman, one of the Jesus Film Riders says, “Jesus Christ has given us the commandment that we should all go into the world (Matthew 20:18-20). So that’s why I do this!”

It’s not easy. They must ride across rugged terrain—often for hours—to reach remote and isolated villages. Each Jesus Film Rider must be willing to go anywhere, sleep anywhere, and eat anything.

Another Jesus Film Rider, Lord Cyrus Nyamenlewoke, says, “I’ve been inspired by St. Francis of Assisi spreading the gospel to places that were dangerous to his life. And so it inspires me to know that I can also do something for God and my life.”

Read the full story or watch a five-minute video about this ministry.

For another encouraging story, this one from Australia, read Indigenous People Going to Lead Revival in Our Nation (Eternity News).

Source: Christian Headlines, December 9, 2021

A new study from Lifeway Research found that most Americans believe that Jesus was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago, but less than half believe that Jesus existed prior to being born on that first Christmas.

“Most Americans consider Jesus’ birth a historical fact,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “It can be easy to only evaluate Jesus like you would any other historical figure—thinking about when He lived and what He did. However, the Bible also describes Jesus in a way that [you] must evaluate who you believe He was. Most Americans believe his origin was from God the Father, but half as many believe He existed before His birth.”

Read the full story or go right to the report from Lifeway Research.

Note from Pat: I have been reading the book An Advent for the Cosmos by Jeffrey Pitts. It makes a strong case for the existence and ministry of Jesus before the incarnation.

Source: International Christian Concern, December 8, 2021

A Buddhist association in South Korea is upset about Seoul’s decision to subsidize the playing of Christmas songs in the coming weeks. It is filing a lawsuit to prevent the government from using its budget for the carol campaign.

Copyright laws have been enforced in South Korea to the extent that Christmas songs are disappearing during the festive months. In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism recently allocated 1 billion won (US$850,000) to encourage commercial radio stations and public spaces—including shopping malls, cafes, and restaurants—to play the Christmas tunes in the next few weeks.

The state-sponsored program is not well received by everyone. [On December 2] the Association of Korean Buddhist Orders announced its decision to sue the government.

The statement reads, “The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, which should be fair and impartial in policies regarding religion, is leading a Christian missionary project on the pretense of comforting people.”

The Buddhist group added that “If the songs, which some people are uncomfortable about, are played continuously through the media, it turns into a deadly weapon and is nothing more than pollution.”

The ministry has responded to the complaint by saying that it did not favor any religion but rather seeks to promote festive spirit towards the end of the year.

Read the full story.

By the way, could you or your church use some global advent songs? Paul Neeley of Global Christian Worship made a great YouTube playlist. Languages include French, Yoruba, English, Arabic, Irish Gaeilge, Huron, Norwegian, Nepali, German, Hindi, Thai, Italian, Urdu, Spanish, Pangasinan (from the Philippines), Zulu, Korean, and Swahili.

Source: INcontext International, December 2021

Amid the relentless waves of COVID-19 infections and deaths, ongoing conflicts, political instability (coups, protests, and upsets), and an increase in disasters, one could easily sink into despair—were it not for the Lord’s sovereign hand and merciful intervention in our world. In this special edition of A World in Motion, we look at five significant, ongoing stories to watch in 2022. There are already some clear indications of possible impacts to the Church and missions in these regions or situations, while others remain speculative.

1. China-Taiwan flashpoint, one of several
2. Russian-Ukraine tensions and potential ramifications
3. Conflict in Ethiopia and its regional impact
4. Iran nuclear ambitions and their wider geopolitical implications
5. 2022 could be a decisive year in the COVID-19 battle

In Habakkuk 1:5, the Lord says to the prophet:

“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

As followers of Christ, let that be the spirit in which we embrace the coming year—a spirit of anticipation and readiness for what he will do in and through his Church, in our world.

Read the full story or a previous, related story, Five Major Headlines of 2021 and What They Mean for the Church. Both are long and may be easier to read and share in PDF form, which is provided.

See also Three Trends Shaping the Post-Pandemic Church (Ed Stetzer, for Outreach Magazine).

Source: Brian Stiller for World Evangelical Alliance, December 3, 2021

In late November, I met with Ukrainian church leaders to discuss matters of unity and public witness among evangelicals. On a Sunday morning, I walked into a sun-filled sanctuary, alive with a surprisingly young crowd—the average age was probably around the mid-thirties. Worship at the Salvation Church in Kiev was enthusiastic, unabashed, and joyful, led by a worship team and band.

This was the very day on which we heard that Ukraine’s neighbor to the east had expanded its military presence, heightening fears of an imminent invasion. Yet in this country where Evangelicals represent about 4% of the nation’s population of 41 million, neither the geopolitical uncertainty nor the pandemic seemed to negatively impact church attendance. Following the service, we were taken to the construction site that will soon become a 4,500-seat sanctuary. That’s not exactly a sign that the church is about to go into hibernation or close its doors.

For much of the 20th century, [Ukraine] lived under tight Soviet political, economic, and ideological control. Churches were closed and pastors killed; many spent years in prison; congregations were driven apart by intimidation and spy networks.

As the Soviet empire crumbled and freedom seeped in, Evangelicals seized the opportunity to witness and provide Bible training. But here is what surprised me: Evangelicals in Ukraine care deeply about maintaining biblical orthodoxy but they also know that working constructively with the Orthodox, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims matters. In the aftermath of decades of subjugation, they had the courage and creativity to work with all religious groups, at a time when the Evangelical presence was ascending.

I’ve traveled to scores of countries, working among Evangelicals and other Christian communities, but I’ve not often seen anything parallel to this. When they are a minority, Evangelicals tend to keep an arm’s length from other Christian communities and other religions, due to concerns over dilution of theology and waning of witness.

I’m writing this because it is a reminder of what spiritual resilience can accomplish. Ukrainian Evangelicals are more than surviving. Their fervent faith, evangelistic outreach, and energetic worship could offer a positive example as new mutations of the coronavirus wind their way from region to region.

Read the full story.