Day: April 5, 2017

With mountains up to 6,800 meters (22,300 feet) above sea level, Himachal Pradesh, India, contains many hidden tribes and ethnic groups that have yet to hear the gospel. “Sarita” was the first known Christian in her village. See related story below (Asia Harvest).

Missions Catalyst News Briefs 04.05.17

1. WORLD: The Good Country Index
2. INDIA: The Eagle and the Cell Phone
3. NEPAL: The Top of Karma’s Prayer List
4. SUDAN: Petr Jasek Speaks of His Imprisonment
5. TAJIKISTAN: Churches Investigated for Underage Attendees
6. USA/TURKEY: New York Times Publishes Story of Former Jihadist

Greetings and Happy (Almost) Easter!

This time of year usually sees many showings of movies about Jesus. Do you plan to watch any of these with your family or friends? Some are good, others not so good. I am looking forward to a new one, The Case for Christ.

Thanks to all of you who responded with sources on St. Patrick. So I’ll seek your wisdom again: what, in your opinion, is the best movie on the life of Christ? Comment on our Facebook page or website, or send me an email.

Have you heard about Harvard Law professor Simon Greenleaf and his investigation into the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection? I hadn’t. Maybe someone should make a film about that!

Because Jesus has risen,

Pat

Source: INcontext Ministries, March 20, 2017

The idea of the Good Country Index is simple: to measure what each country on earth contributes to the common good of humanity, and what it takes away, relative to its size. Using a wide range of data from the UN and other international organizations, a balance sheet for each country is drawn up showing at a glance whether it’s a net creditor to mankind, a burden on the planet, or something in between. So in this context, good means the opposite of selfish, not the opposite of bad.

The Good Country Index does not include religion, so this report aims to connect the dots [between] what people believe and how this relates to the benefit of mankind.

» Read the INcontext report; it draws some interesting conclusions about the influence of Christianity. You might also want to watch a 2014 TED talk about the Good Country Index. We might differ with the speaker about what’s wrong with the world and the root of those problems, but good food for thought nevertheless.

» See also Changed in a Day in which Justin Long makes a case that sustained church growth over decades is the key to see national transformation.

Source: Asia Harvest, March 15, 2017

Last year a teenage girl we will call Sarita heard the gospel and believed. She was the first known Christian in her village, and the Hindu leaders were angry and tried to get her to renounce Christ. Sarita refused, and continued to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

One day Sarita went to the forest to cut grass for the animals. After working several hours she sat down for a rest, when a crow suddenly swooped down, snatched up her cell phone in its claws and flew off! The young sister was deeply upset, as she had not owned the phone for long and she used it to communicate with Christian friends and receive online Bible teaching.

When she returned home, Sarita shared what had happened and the Hindu villagers mocked her. Undeterred, the young Christian told them that Jesus is the Living God who controls nature. She told them she was going to pray and ask him to do a miracle. This made them laugh even more.

Three days later, when many of the villagers were outside working in the hot sun, they saw an eagle slowly circling overhead with an object in its claws. They watched in amazement as the eagle glided in low to the ground (something they never do) [and dropped] the object right next to where Sarita was sitting. The people rushed over and were astonished to see that the eagle had returned Sarita’s cell phone, still in perfect working condition!

This miracle had a powerful impact on the whole community. They no longer opposed Sarita’s faith, and they agreed that Jesus is the Living God. Many asked to hear about God, and the gospel spread to many Hindus who had never previously heard the name of Jesus Christ before in their lives. Today there is a church in this remote village.

» Read full story.

Source: Act Beyond, April 2017

Karma was all by himself when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015. The door to the room his was in was jammed shut from the shaking. It brought Karma to a point of crises in his faith. Was he going to trust only in Jesus or trust in other religious superstitions of his Tibetan Buddhist background? A few days after the earthquake Jesus visited Karma in dream and Karma decided to wholeheartedly follow Jesus.

Several months later the Beyond team members started a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) with Karma and two other believers. Over the next year that DBS developed into a small church that meets together each week. Karma is one of the two leaders that leads that fellowship.

It’s been nearly two years since the earthquake and Karma has just had another breakthrough. Ever since the DBS started, Karma has been worried about what his village leader might think. Even though Karma lives in the capital city he still felt pressure to have the approval from his village leader. So, on the very first day of planning for the DBS, Karma made a prayer list that hung on the very same door that was jammed shut after the earthquake. On the top of that list was the village leader’s name.

Each day for the next 18 months he prayed for his village leader. Recently he went and met with the village leader and told him all about the fellowship and his desire to see his people follow Jesus. The result? The village leader encouraged him to keep up the good work! Yes, a Tibetan Buddhist village leader encouraged Karma to continue spreading the gospel!

» Read full story.

Source: Voice of the Martyrs, March 31, 2017

Petr Jasek, a Czech national and [Voice of the Martyr’s] Africa regional director, spent 445 days in a Sudanese prison. Days after returning home, Petr sat down with VOM Radio to share his story and thank the thousands of people who prayed for him and his co-defendants during his long months in prison.

Listen in as Petr shares about going to the airport to leave Sudan in December of 2015, and the point when he knew that what he faced was much more than a routine security screening. He’ll share how he kept praying as he was questioned, and how he found out that his cell mates were members of ISIS. Your faith will be encouraged as you hear how God had been preparing Petr—even years before his arrest—to remain faithful during months in prison.

» Read full story and listen to interview (three separate broadcasts, each 28 minutes long).

Source: Mission Network News, March 31, 2017

A network of churches in Tajikistan is under heavy scrutiny. Their crime? Having children and teens under the age of 18 at religious services.

In Tajikistan, it’s illegal for underage minors to engage in religious activities, even if they’re with their parents. Several security officers attended Sunday services in two towns to film and take photos for evidence.

Kristin Wright, Advocacy Director with Open Doors USA, says they’re keeping an eye on the still-unfolding situation. “Since then, there’s been a criminal investigation against the church and against the members. These members are being questioned on a daily basis. It’s a situation of real concern for Christians, not just of this church, but churches across Tajikistan where these severe regulations really prohibit parents from even bringing their children to church and introducing them to the gospel.

“Right now, the authorities are planning to close the churches and make the activity completely prohibited. So that’s obviously the worst-case scenario, as well as just that constant stress the members are under, being questioned on a regular basis.”

» Read full story. See also an intriguing article from neighboring China about a church challenging government restrictions (WORLD Magazine).

Source: God Reports, March 28, 2017

In the New York Times Saturday Profile on March 24, journalist Patrick Kingsley introduced a subject that rarely appears in [its] gray pages—a profile of a jihadist who had his life transformed by Jesus Christ.

It seems Kingsley was shocked when he stumbled upon an Istanbul basement filled with 22 Christian refugees—many of whom were former Muslims.

While Kingsley noted that some refugees fake their conversion to Christianity for immigration purposes, “Mr. Mohammad’s particular experience, however, does not fit easily into this narrative…

» Read complete story and Kingsley’s article.

» See also Muslim Converts Revitalize Europe’s Fading Christian Churches (Gospel Herald).