Category: News Briefs

Source: International Mission Board, September 17, 2019

Six months after his parents moved from California to Uruguay with the International Mission Board in 1990, Steven Kunkel stopped speaking. His parents first thought their one-year-old son had culture shock but knew something else was wrong when Kunkel did not speak for nearly three years.

When Kunkel was 4, his father took him to Sacramento, California, for a formal diagnosis. The doctors informed him his son was severely autistic, saying he would never be able to live on his own, learn to speak, or make any friends. The doctors recommended they leave the mission field and put Steven in a specialty school for autistic children, but they knew God had other plans for their family [and returned to Uruguay, with their son, who started speaking at the age of five].

Though doctors told his parents Kunkel would have trouble speaking, he showed a knack for languages early in his life. By the age of 15, Kunkel spoke three languages: English, Spanish, and Portuguese. At that point, Kunkel sensed a call from the Lord to be a missionary to Japan.

After working with the Japanese church [in Paraguay] for seven years, Kunkel answered God’s call by moving to Japan when he was 22. Kunkel stayed in Japan for two years and enrolled in Boyce College as a Global Studies major in spring 2015. Kunkel has continued to learn other languages and currently speaks seven fluently: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Arabic, French, and Turkish.

As Kunkel prepares for missionary service, he hopes to encourage others to trust that God can use them no matter what is standing in the way. Through living with autism, Kunkel has learned to rely completely on God’s power so much so he now thanks God for his disability.

“My autism is one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given me. The Lord healed me, but not 100 percent because he wants me to rely on him,” Kunkel said. “If it was not for my autism, I would not be determined to learn languages, meet friends, share the gospel with people, and to encourage others.”

» Read full story. Note the IMB article is a reprint from a related source published in 2015. A 2018 article which included more of Steven’s story, especially his experience with autism, reported his graduation from Boyce and plans to return to Japan later that year (Stims of Joy).

Source: OMF International, September 27, 2019

Clouds came closing in fast, the visibility deteriorated within seconds. The wind picked up and the temperature dropped significantly. We were just below the 1,989-meter (6,277-foot) summit of Mt. Yotei and icicles were forming on my beard. I stopped and changed from my sweat-drenched clothes into some dry clothes.

My two friends and I were still shivering, but all set to make the descent on our snowboards, when I spotted someone crawling up the mountain on all fours. I was surprised, because he or she were alone and far from the regular hiking route, and obviously without snowshoes, skies, or a snowboard. I knew that being alone on a mountain like this could turn into a death trap very easily, especially in conditions we were experiencing at the time. After some quick turns on our snowboards we reached the young man and I couldn’t believe what I saw.

He was wearing gumboots, gardening gloves, and a normal winter parka, with a scarf wrapped around his head—absolutely unprepared to be in the mountains. Straight away we offered help and, as he had no provisions, he gladly received a spare sandwich and finished up our water supply.

[While] he gobbled down the yummy bacon, avocado, and egg sandwich, I scolded him for doing such a foolish thing. But after my initial rant I asked him why he was there. He told us that his girlfriend had broken off with him, and so he’d fasted for two days straight. Then he’d decided to climb Mt. Yotei in search of a spiritual experience, hoping for an awakening or some kind of enlightenment…

» Read full story and pray for those seeking spiritual truth, that they will encounter Christians at just the right time.

1. MIDDLE EAST: A Wave of Baptisms as Refugees Turn to Christ
2. LEBANON: State of Economic Emergency
3. CENTRAL ASIA: A Bold Witness
4. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: First Iski Wedding of Believers
5. NORTH KOREA: Sang-chu

Source: SEND International, September 5, 2019

A year ago, we asked you to pray for the hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants and refugees who had recently arrived in Europe, most of them fleeing war and civil unrest. We wrote about their tremendous needs and about the tremendous opportunities for us Chris

Our awesome God is answering our prayers in ways almost beyond belief! Hundreds of former Muslims are stepping forward and not only giving their lives to Christ, but also being baptized.

Baptism is a very hard step for many former Muslims to take; historically, there have been some who have professed faith in Christ, but who delay baptism. Almost all Muslims see Christian baptism as the final severing of any ties to Islam, a step that once taken, is irrevocable. There is no more fence-sitting once you have been baptized, and ostracism and persecution are almost certain to follow.

However, amazingly, in one European country in particular, Muslims are accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, being baptized, gathering together, and even meeting openly as churches.

» Full story addresses the issue of false conversions (there are some) and includes ways to pray for these refugees and those serving among them.

» Read how a worker with the International Mission Board describes what discipling Muslims really looks like in his context and how baptism is seen.

Source: Mission Network News, September 10, 2019

[On September 2], Lebanon declared a state of economic emergency. This could be mistaken for a state of emergency, but a state of economic emergency allows a government to implement economic emergency measures. Per the Associated Press, Lebanon has one of the highest public debts in the world. The country is hurting.

“Because of the Syrian refugee crisis, and the economic impact that’s having on the country, [Lebanon] has been on the verge of bankruptcy. And this is just one more step in that process. The Prime Minister, [a] couple [of] weeks back, was in the United States. He’s been all over asking the other nations to help them financially help take care of this crisis, and nobody is,” [says Tom Atema of Heart for Lebanon].

“When in great hardship, great persecution…there’s a there’s a wide-open door for the gospel like never before. I don’t want to lose sight of that in all the negativity of this topic. Muslims are coming to Christ like never before, and reaping a tremendous harvest,” Atema explains.

Heart for Lebanon is in the process of opening its new Hope Ministry Center, which officially opens October 1. This center serves the refugee community in the Bekaa valley with Bible studies, informal education for the children, job training, and more. In being the hands and feet of Christ to people who fled their homes, Heart for Lebanon is also helping relieve some of the economic pressures the Syrian refugee crisis has placed on the Lebanese people.

» Read full story.

Source: International Mission Board, September 11, 2019

[When Ruslan] first heard the gospel from relatives in the big city, he couldn’t sleep for days. On the fourth day, he visited their church and heard the truth about Jesus again. In tears, he repented and believed in Christ for salvation.

Ruslan is now a married father of four, an evangelist, and a church planter. Many people have come to Christ through his obedience to boldly and faithfully share the gospel at every opportunity. He fasted and prayed ten days for the salvation of his mother, who came to faith. His older brother also repented and believed through Ruslan’s witness.

Another Christian met Ruslan at a wedding and asked him to share the gospel with his antagonistic older brother. The older brother had been threatening to inform the police about the Christians. Ruslan was hesitant and said he would share with the older brother during his next visit.

The other Christian disregarded Ruslan’s offer to follow up later, and he brought the older brother into their conversation right there at the wedding. Despite his fear, Ruslan shared the gospel with the man and talked for an hour about Islam and Christianity. Ruslan noticed a phone in the man’s chest pocket but assumed it was off.

A couple of days later, Ruslan learned the man recorded their entire conversation on his phone. Ruslan’s first reaction was fear, but he gave it to the Lord and prayed, “Use this for good. May your will be done.” He later found out that instead of giving the recording to the police, the man listened to the gospel message again and again. He too believed.

» Full story goes into further detail about the risks and tensions associated with sharing the gospel in sensitive contexts.

» You might also read The Risk of Reaching the Unreached: Finding the Balance Between Safety and Compassion (Lausanne Global Analysis).

Source: Ethnos360, September 16, 2019

In the Iski people group of Papua New Guinea, “marriage is an ill-defined term,” said missionary Aurélie Tousch. “People go out together, move in together [and] break up, a bit like in the West. There is no wedding day but a ‘trial period’ that often ends in separation even after the birth of a child.”

After the gospel was presented and Iski believers began growing, the missionaries taught biblical principles of marriage. Though counter-cultural, the Iski believers accepted the teachings and have been waiting since 2017 for an opportunity to demonstrate their obedience.

One of these Iski believers is Bitris, a young, single lady. Bitris’ friends encouraged her to marry, but she chose to wait because there were few single, believing Iski men.

Meanwhile, in a different language group far across Papua New Guinea, Moombi, a young Mibu elder, began looking for a wife. For years, he waited to marry because he “felt rather strongly that God wanted him to focus on ministry and leave these things in his hands,” said missionary Chris Walker. Then in December 2018, his brothers “informed him that it was time for him to get married,” and Moombi followed his family’s wishes and began growing his beard in a Mibu cultural practice to “advertise” that he was looking for a wife…

» Read full story. Many first-generation believers face with similar issues finding spouses. See also The Iski Church Has Been Born! (2017).

Source: Open Doors, September 2019

“In primary school we were told that all missionaries were terrorists… they will be nice to you at first, but when they get you into their homes, they will kill you and eat your liver.”

Join Christians around the world on Sunday, November 3, for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church—a global prayer meeting for our Christian brothers and sisters who boldly witness for Christ at any cost.

VOM’s 2019 IDOP short film, Sang-chul: North Korea, provides a dramatic example of the challenges of following Christ inside the world’s most restricted nation. The film will inspire you and your family, group, class, or church to pray for persecuted Christians in North Korea and around the world.

Filmed on the Korean peninsula, the film shares the true story of Pastor Han, who was assassinated by North Korean agents in China because of his effective gospel work among North Koreans. The story is told through the eyes of one of Pastor Han’s disciples, Sang-chul, a man who has followed in his mentor’s footsteps by continuing to share the gospel with North Koreans despite the danger.

» Learn more and order IDOP materials.

» See also a recent, thoughtful article from Open Doors, Five Reasons People Persecute Christians.

1. ERITREA: “We Will Not Negotiate Our Faith”
2. ESTONIA: Theology Degree to First Deaf Student
3. MIDDLE EAST: Bringing Scripture to Unreached Deaf Communities
4. THAILAND: Deaf Start a Church Where You Can’t Fake It
5. HONG KONG: What Do the Protests Have to Do with Missions?

Source: Open Doors, September 1, 2019

“We will not negotiate our faith and will continue following Jesus.”

The bold words of six Christian government employees in Eritrea came on August 16 when officials pressured them to recant.

The incident is part of an intensifying crackdown on Christians in the East African country. Since the end of June, 150 Christians have been arrested in Asmara and Keren, Eritrea’s second-largest city approximately 56 miles northwest of Asmara.

The first arrest took place on Sunday, June 23. Security officials rounded up 70 Christians (35 women, 25 men, and 10 children) from the Faith Mission Church of Christ in Keren. This is the only church that has remained open there. They also closed the church-run school.

We know that the group arrested in Keren is being kept in very harsh conditions in a prison complex called Ashufera near the town of Hagaz about 15 miles from Keren. The complex consists of underground tunnels and is far from the main road.

This means that anyone who wants to visit loved ones there must walk a minimum of 30 minutes to reach the entrance. Inmates are said to be forced to dig additional tunnels when officers need extra space for more prisoners.

The intensified government action has sent other Christians from Keren into hiding.

» Read full story and see Eritrea: The Korea of North Africa.

» See also At Least 150 Christians Arrested in Eritrea Clampdown (World Watch Monitor). Eritrea has also closed down all Christian-run health centers (Premier).