Křesťané se ve volebním okrsku Dhumka spojily s muslimy a společně prosadili volební vítězství přijatelného místního kandidáta strany JMM proti kandidátu extrémistické hinduistické strany BJP.

Program výcviku perspektivních amerických misionářů pro zahraničí.

Víc a více Američanů touží po práci misionáře. Program organizace Africa Inland Mission je připravuje m.j. z hlediska národopisného a jazykového.

Ateista – horlivec – není ani zákonným otcem dívky, za niž se proti jejímu přání bere.

Ukázalo se, že ateista žádající pro svou dceru vypuštění slov před Bohem ze slibu věrnosti odříkávanému žáky amerických škol, nikdy s její matkou neuzavřel sňatek. Viz zpráva z 9.7.

Rozhlasová stanice NPR se omlouvá za přirovnání Traditional Values Coalition k teroristům.

Stanice se ústy svého prezidenta před senátním podvýborem ve Washingtonu omluvila za lednové výroky rozhlasového komentátora přirovnávající nekompromisní postoje TVC (Sdružení pro tradičních hodnoty ve společnosti) k myšlení nenávistných šiřitelů antraxu. Výkonná ředitelka stanice řekla, že šlo o trestuhodné a nactiutrhačské výroky.

More than 5,000 Christians have been reconverted to Hinduism by the militant World Hindu Council (Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or VHP) during the past two years, and Christian leaders claim the reconversions are forced. The VHP is an organization that is increasingly being supported for its anti-Christian activities by expatriate Hindus from Britain and the United States, sources revealed. The VHP released the figures in mid June, proudly claiming that over the past two years Christians from the Oram, Munda and Khadia tribes in the Sundargarh district of Orissa province in northeast India have been reconverted to Hinduism. Sundargarh has a population of 2 million, of which more than 400,000 are Christians. There are more than 1,100 churches in that district. In the latest reconversion drive, 143 tribals belonging to 46 families of the Oram, Munda and Khadia tribes were reconverted at a special function organized by the Rourkela unit of the VHP at Tainser village on June 16. The VHP claims that they do not force the Christians to reconvert, but that the conversion of a Christian to Hinduism must be seen as a "homecoming." However, Christian leaders have two objections to these reconversion drives. First, they claim the conversions themselves are coerced, because the VHP uses intimidation and violence in the villages. Second, the tribals -- who mostly became Christians 100 years ago -- were never Hindus in the first place, making it nonsense to talk of their "homecoming" to the Hindu faith. The Global Council of Indian Christians has demanded an inquiry into the conversions. (Compass)

POLITICALLY SAVVY CHRISTIANS WIN IN INDIA

Persecution has given Indian Christians a new shrewdness in politics, as they are uniting with Muslims in Dhumka to defeat a Hindu extremist candidate in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) heartland state of Jharkhand. In a stunning turn of events, Christians in Dhumka mobilized during the last week of June and defeated the pro-Hindu candidate to the Lok Sabha (House of Commons) in the National Parliament by a substantial margin. The action may reverberate around the country if Indian Christians, who have thus far been politically shy, fight the fundamentalist Hindu bullet with the secular ballot. Dhumka has had a sizeable tribal Christian population. But ever since a Catholic priest named Fr. Christudoss was stripped and paraded naked down the main street in full view of the local authorities in September 1997, Christians had become the target of Hindu fundamentalism. Christians aligned themselves politically with the local Muslim population and pledged to vote against the local pro-Hindu BJP candidate, who was sponsored by the ruling national party. The result was a stunning defeat for the BJP's Romesh Hembrum and an overwhelming victory for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Shibu Soren. The JMM party represents tribal interests and contains a number of Christians. (Compass)

* In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in two languages: Chattisgarhi and Mundari. HCJB World Radio also broadcasts 11/2 hours of English programming daily to India via shortwave from South America. The ministry is investigating potential opportunities to help launch local Christian stations in key cities across India.

SUDAN: REVIVAL AMIDST UNSPEAKABLE HORROR

While the causes of the long running civil conflict in Sudan are complex -- religious, racial, political, economic -- the main sticking point that unravels peace talks is the issue of Islamization. The President of Sudan himself calls the conflict a jihad and has vowed to build a society on the principles of Islam, with sharia (Islamic) law imposed nationwide. During 19 years of conflict that has claimed some 2 million lives, the Sudanese Church has grown phenomenally. This is most notable in the south, with an increase in Christians from about 5 percent of the population in 1960 to 70 percent today. The war has scattered the believers, and churches have been established in previously unreached areas. Many have turned to Christ. If there were religious freedom in Sudan, some believe there would be a great harvest also in the north amongst the Arab Muslims. (World Evangelical Alliance)

PROGRAM TRAINS PROSPECTIVE OVERSEAS WORKERS

As more and more people desire to go to the mission field, there are organizations providing needed training for these prospective overseas workers. Africa Inland Mission (AIM) has a program called, "Training In Ministry Outreach," or TIMO. AIM's John Findley was a part of it: "It's geared toward training new missionaries in cross-cultural ministry, and how to learn a language, and how to proclaim the gospel to another culture. As you're living among the people, you're also learning the academic curriculum." According to Findley, seasoned missionaries train recruits where there's no gospel witness. But, do they stay when their time is up? "Not only do people return to the place that they were serving, but people often find that those two years are very formative in discerning the Lord's will for them, and they often do come back ... perhaps in another capacity, but perhaps also in church planting, evangelism and discipleship, which is what TIMO is about." (Mission Network News)

ANTI-PLEDGE ATHEIST NEVER MARRIED DAUGHTER'S MOTHER

Atheist Michael Newdow lied to the court in order to bring a case to declare the Pledge of Allegiance illegal. First, he claimed that his daughter was injured as a result of being forced to say or hear the pledge with the phrase "under God." It was then reported by other news sources, that Newdow's wife and daughter are committed Christians and members of Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel. Now, according to the Associated Press (AP), Michael Newdow never married the child's mother, Sandra Banning, who has sole custody of the daughter in question. According to the AP report, Sandra Banning of Elk Grove, Calif., has never been married to Michael Newdow, the third grader's father, a Sacramento emergency room physician and attorney who represented himself in the now infamous case, which has made a mockery out of the legal system. In her first public comment since the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Newdow that the words "under God," inserted by Congress in 1954, make the pledge an unconstitutional endorsement of religion, Banning said she has no problem with her daughter reciting the pledge. "I was concerned that the American public would be led to believe that my daughter is an atheist or that she has been harmed by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, including the words, 'one nation under God.'" she said. "In our home we are practicing Christians and are active in our church." The San Francisco court based its June 25 ruling in part on Newdow's claim that the girl was "injured" by being forced to listen to others recite the pledge at the Elk Grove Unified School District. (Assist News Service)

NPR APOLOGIZES FOR LINKING VALUES GROUP TO TERRORIST PROBE

National Public Radio (NPR) has apologized for linking a Christian family values group to a terrorist probe. NPR President Kevin Klose admitted the network had made a mistake in reporting that the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) fit the profile of groups that could be behind the anthrax letters scare last fall, when he appeared before a House subcommittee in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, reported Fox News. In her testimony, TVC Executive Director Andrea Lafferty said that the January report had been "reprehensible and libelous" and called for an end to taxpayer funding of NPR. "Without a single fact to support [the] accusation and without a single person to even speculate that the accusation was true, NPR accused the TVC of a heinous crime against our fellow Americans ...." She said that TVC's 43,000 member churches had been "smeared" by the report, which suggested that the group could be linked to the anthrax-laced letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, because it had previously criticized his support for the removal of the phrase "so help me God" from the oath. Although it subsequently acknowledged on air that its report had been "inappropriate," NPR did not actually say sorry until Klose's Wednesday appearance. (Charisma News Service)

V jedné oblasti Uzbekistánu sleduje a pronásleduje tajná policie křesťany poté, co si sbor podal registrační přihlášku. Policie odmítá tuto svou péči vysvětlit.

Evangelijní sbory se v Rusku rychle množí.

Rusko má nyní 10.000 evangelických sborů, zatímco v roce 1990 to bylo jen 480.

Zakladatelé sborů se posilují na Uralu.

Mezi muslimskými Baškiry a Tatary obývajícími oblast ruského Uralu vznikly dvě misijní školy.

IBS v Tanzánii poskytuje Písmo obětem železničního neštěstí.

International Bible Society v Tanzánii rozdává Bible - poselství naděje přeživším obětem a pozůstalým rodinám železničního neštěstí z 24. června, kdy při srážce vlaků u Dodoma zahynulo přes 300 lidí.

Casas Por Cristo is an outreach that grows by word of mouth. The ministry started to address the needs of the poor in Mexico. Casas' Sarah Berkbigler says when their vans come into a village, the whole community turns out for the house building process. From there, the message of the gospel is told in action. "Usually, we get a lot more hands helping out in the process, wanting to do whatever they can to help, so that's neat, because even though we can't always speak the same language, we can work together and work for Christ and we can share His message through actions rather than through the language." Berkbigler says because they work in partnership with the local church body, their work also helps the church be more effective. "They're able to tell their relatives, and other people in the community see what's going on, and they'll come up and ask us how they can get a house. We're able to share information with them about how to get in touch with a pastor in the community so that the pastor can begin working with them." (Mission Network News)

POLITICAL POLICE FOLLOW PENTECOSTAL CHURCH MEMBERS

A pastor of the Christian Full Gospel Church in the town of Andijan in the Fergana valley of Uzbekistan near the border with Kyrgyzstan has complained that members of his church are being openly subjected to pressure by the authorities. Bakhtierjon Tuichiev told Keston News Service (KNS) that he and other leading church members have been followed by the political police, the SNB (formerly the KGB), since they lodged a registration application that was blocked by the town administration. The local SNB declined to discuss this surveillance with Keston. (KNS)

CHURCHES GO FROM 0 TO 100 IN A HURRY IN FORMER SOVIET UNION

Russia now has about 10,000 evangelical churches, according to Ukraine evangelist Slavik Radchuk. "There were only 480 Protestant churches in 1990 when the atheistic communist empire collapsed, and 7,200 at the end of 2000. More than 100 new churches are birthed monthly." Radchuk said it is the younger generation that is doing most of the evangelism. He added that churches in Belarus are growing faster than anywhere else in the former Soviet Union. "It's because of the persecution. A church must have 100 members to register with the government, but it has to start with zero. So until the time it reaches 100 members, the people have to endure persecution and meet in houses. So the churches there grow quickly from zero to 100 members." (Charisma News Service/OM)

* HCJB World Radio has been blanketing Russia with gospel broadcasts via shortwave since 1941. Programs air from Quito and from a leased shortwave site in the U.K. The ministry also has worked to "plant" local radio ministries in strategic cities across the former Soviet Union since the early 1990s. In the fall of 2000 HCJB World Radio helped launch the first Christian Russian radio satellite network.

CHURCH PLANTING TEAMS TRAINED IN URAL MOUNTAINS

Only a few years ago there were no indigenous Christian churches among the Bashkirs and Tatars, two Islamic people groups of Russia's Ural region. In the past six years, however, Christian workers have started two missions schools, which in turn have trained church planting teams that have planted more than 50 new congregations. At the end of 2001, a Tatar New Testament was published. The goal is to establish at least 100 self-replicating churches by 2003. (Advance/OM)

IBS-TANZANIA PROVIDES SCRIPTURE FOR TRAIN WRECK VICTIMS

Tanzania-International Bible Society (IBS) is providing comfort and hope to the survivors and victims' families of the June 24 train collision near Dodoma that claimed the lives of more than 300 people. IBS ministry groups distributed New Testaments during burial ceremonies and will continue to distribute them in homes, hospitals and churches. Drawing on its Emergency Scripture Fund, International Bible Society is providing 1,000 Kiswahili/Arabic New Testaments and 1,000 Kiswahili New Testaments. "We are giving out these scriptures as quickly as possible to people who were involved in this crisis," said Mrs. Helen Lema, National Coordinator of IBS-Tanzania. "We hope the scripture will truly ease their pain." More than 1,000 people were on the passenger train when it collided with a freight train. Over 300 are confirmed dead. (IBS)

* Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., have worked with local churches, the Lutheran Radio Center and Trans World Radio to put FM radio stations on the air in three Tanzanian cities. HCJB World Radio is also working with Radio Africa Network, a ministry of partner CCFM in South Africa, to begin a radio station and potential network based in the capital city of Dar es Salaam.

15 TIBETANS WALK FOR DAYS TO GET BIBLE TRAINING

Fifteen ethnic Tibetan believers recently walked 17 days each way to attend a week's Bible training. Few of them could read or write. Although Operation World lists approximately 1,000 evangelicals and 2,000 Catholics among the world's 5 million Tibetans, workers believe the real figure is much less. Christians in Tibet face persecution from both family and community, and there are few trying to reach this people group. A New Testament translation project is updating and simplifying the only other version that took 90 years to complete, but was not written in the language of the common people. (World Pulse)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Všechny léčebné odvykací kůry selhaly, ale víra v Pána Ježíše jej zachránila.

Pastorům se zdařilo poprvé v životě získat vlastní Bibli.

Jim Falkenberg z Literature International popisuje, jakou radost měli domorodí pastoři v Malawi, když poprvé v životě dostali celou Bibli.

MedSend zaplatil náklady na lékařskou péči.

Z projektu misie jsou hrazeny náklady na činnost 150 zdravotnických pracovníků ve 45 různých misiích v 55 zemích světa.

Rodiny žalují kalifornskou školu kvůli výuce islámu.

Dvě rodiny žalují Byron Union School District v Kalifornii za výuku o islámu, jejíž forma je prý protiústavní. Jedná se o poučnou simulaci včetně nošení předepsaných oděvů a odříkávání veršů z Koránu. Otázka zní: Je to jen výuka, nebo indoktrinace?

"If you insist on staying in this district, we will shoot you." With those words, an angry police inspector threatened a Gospel for Asia (GFA) native missionary in Nepal. "You're preaching the Christian religion," he continued, "which is against the rule of the country. The people are Buddhist, and you'll never be able to convert them!" The young missionary was beaten and told to appear again for further questioning the next day. The crackdown had come after Buddhist lamas alleged to the police that the Christians in their village were Maoist terrorists. When he returned to the police station the next morning, a senior inspector questioned him sternly. "What is the main message of the Bible?" he asked. The missionary cited John 3:16 and explained the gospel. "Your Jesus couldn't save Himself on the cross, how can He save you?" he jeered. After asking many other questions about the Christian faith, the inspector forbade him to preach in that area and gave him one week to leave. A courageous neighbor went to the police to vouch for the missionary's innocence and ask that he be allowed to stay for one year, but his request was denied. With tears, the believers who had come to know the Lord through this young man saw him go. He is now working in the village of another district. (Gospel for Asia)

TAIWANESE MAN FREED FROM DRUG ADDICTION

Since Operation Dawn opened its drug rehabilitation center in Hong Kong in 1976, thousands of men, women and children have been freed from drug addiction and now live productive, Christ-centered lives. But their road to freedom is not easy. Take the young Taiwanese man whom we'll call Han. Han was addicted to drugs, and his father, Mr. Lin, was so distraught that he sent his son to another country to get be rehabilitated -- but in vain. Even after Han spent time in jail, his heart did not change. Then, four years ago, Han went to Operation Dawn's center for help. During his rehabilitation, Han accepted Christ and was freed from his addiction. Now he lives with a pastor, studies high school courses, and hopes to go to seminary someday. Mr. Lin was so deeply moved by the workers' love for his son that he donated more than two acres of prime land and a 4-wheel drive Land Rover to the rehab ministry. He said he'd rather give the land for a rehab center than for another Buddhist temple. (Partners International)

MISSION STATION STARTED AFTER MAN HEALED IN INDIA

A India native missionary's fervent prayers led to the healing of a villager who was dying from an incurable illness. Without hope or a way to pay for regular medical care, Pradeep had sores all over his body and had suffered for more than six months when native missionary Abraham John brought him the Good News of Jesus' salvation. The dying man embraced the message of hope and received the Lord Jesus. Through the tearful prayers of Abraham John, Pradeep was healed. A mission station was then established in the village as the healed man, his family and another family all meet together for Sunday services. (Gospel for Asia)

PASTORS OVERWHELMED TO GET BIBLE OF THEIR OWN FOR FIRST TIME

Malawi joins six other Sub-Saharan African nations suffering from a combination of drought, food shortage and disease. Health officials say under these conditions, the people's life spans have shortened dramatically. It is because of this new challenge, that Bible Literature International's Jim Falkenberg is going this week to Malawi for a scripture distribution. "I have met some of these pastors in other African countries who have not ever had a full Bible; you can't imagine the excitement in their eyes and in their faces that overwhelms them when they get a Bible of their own for the very first time." Falkenberg says it is through the enormous tragedy that the pastors have opportunity to work unlike any other time "Pastors have an immediate audience with people who are dying; with people who have loved ones who are dying, or they're trying to cope with the recent death of a loved one." (Mission Network News)

MEDSEND PAYS LOANS SO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS CAN SERVE

TEAM missionary David Topazian founded a project to get doctors, nurses, dentists and other health professionals onto the mission field. A surgeon himself, Topazian recognised that many newly qualified professionals keen to put their skills to work in missions are delayed by years of paying off student debts. Meanwhile mission clinics and hospitals are closing through lack of staff. Since 1994, Project MedSend has given grants to 150 such men and women who are now serving under 45 mission boards in 55 countries. MedSend partners with mission agencies to take over monthly student loan payments for as long as that person is on the field. (World Pulse)

FAMILIES SUE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER STUDY OF ISLAM

According to the Associated Press (AP), two families are suing the Byron Union School District in California for teaching Islam in violation of the constitution. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco June 24 by the Thomas More Center for Law and Justice, located in Ann Arbor, Mich. Seventh grade students at Excelsior School allegedly were "required to participate in simulation exercises including wearing traditional Muslim clothing and memorizing Islamic prayers," according to AP. Richard Thompson, executive director and chief counsel for the center, said, "Is this education or indoctrination? You can teach about religion, but you can't cross the line and promote one religion over another," he said. "The textbook and simulation workbook used in Byron and many schools in California crossed way over the constitutional line in regard to religion." AP says that the suit is based on a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment concerning separation of church and state. It seeks to prohibit the district from funding and implementing simulations of Islam and to recover monetary damages and legal fees. (Religion Today)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Dav vedený dvěma pravoslavnými kněžími napadl během minulého víkendu členy sboru místní letniční církve přímo v jejich modlitebně v Tbilisi, bil je a rozkradl vnitřní zařízení. Na rozdíl od obdobných incidentů v minulosti tentokrát zasáhla policie. V jiném obdobném incidentu dav napadl katolické poutníky ve východní Gruzii.

Ruský soud schválil skryté kamery v kostelích.

Důvodem je podezření vyšetřovatele, že v jednom křesťanském centru se využívá hypnóza.

Průzkum prováděný Gallupovým ústavem ukazuje pokles důvěry v náboženské instituce v USA.

Přes otřes způsobený teroristickými útoky 11. září důvěra Američanů v náboženské instituce klesá. Tento pokles postihuje víc katolíky, než protestanty a může být v souvislosti se skandály. V žebříčku důvěry jsou náboženské instituce až za policií, prezidentem, Nejvyšším soudem a bankami.

Dvě v Indii působící misijní organizace oceněny.

Ocenění byla udělena na Národní konferenci misií v Bangalore. Obě misie rozvíjejí jak duchovní, tak humanitární projekty.

Zemřel Richard DeHaan.

Ve věku 79 let odešel bývalý prezident RBC Ministries.

Two Orthodox priests led an attack on a Russian-speaking Pentecostal church in the Nadzaladevi district of Tbilisi, Georgia, last weekend, resulting in several people being beaten. "They arrived to blockade the house on Friday evening," the daughter of Pastor Nikolai Kalutsky told Keston Institute. "On Saturday, incited by the priests, the mob of about thirty or forty people burst into the house, beat people, frightened the children, stole Bibles, rummaged through people's bags and uttered very many threats -- to the believers and to our family." Unlike similar attacks in the past, the police arrived to intervene and help the people. In a separate incident, a mob led by two Orthodox priests attacked a Catholic pilgrimage in eastern Georgia on July 3. They told the pilgrims that they had no right to walk in their diocese. (VOM)

RUSSIAN COURT AUTHORIZES USE OF SECRET FILMING IN CHURCHES

The lawyer for a Protestant church in the town of Kostroma, 370 kilometres (230 miles) from Moscow, has condemned a court ruling that has once again given the go-ahead for a suit to liquidate the church based on secretly filmed footage of a religious service. The regional public prosecutor has been seeking to have the Kostroma Christian Centre closed down for what he claims is the use of hypnosis during services. "This is a dangerous precedent," the church's lawyer, Vladimir Ryakhovsky, told Keston News Service. He said the Slavic Centre for Law and Justice, of which he is a director, intended to lodge a complaint in the Russian Supreme Court against the decision to declare secret recordings of services admissible. He called the ruling "a scandalous violation of citizens' privacy".(Keston News Service)

OVERCOMING DENGUE FEVER, SNAKE BITE, BEATING

Missionary Prabash works in an area of India inhabited by tribal Hindus and some Muslims. They speak Oriya, Telegu, Kui, Bongu, and Adivasi languages. There is no school within 25 miles. "The people are very illiterate, just like in the Stone Age," Prabash said. "In these remote villages some men and women don't even wear clothes." Recently his wife was attacked by the deadly "dengue" fever. Many people in the area died from this disease, but God was merciful and his wife recovered. Later, while Prabash was conducting village evangelism he was bitten by a deadly poisonous snake. "Many people bitten by that kind of snake died," Prabash said, "but God delivered me from that snake poison. God is so good to us." Prabash preaches an average of seven times a week, and in the last six months led 296 Bible studies or prayer meetings. Even without a motorbike, Prabash and his disciples were able to take the gospel to seven villages in the last six months. "Many people were open to the gospel and asked us to come back," he said. But one village bitterly opposed them. "They chased us out of the village and severely beat our team members," he said. One person was struck in the eye with a bamboo stick and lost sight in that eye due to damage to the optical nerve. "But the enemy couldn't stop us," Prabash told Christian Aid. "We led 97 people to faith in Christ." (Christian Aid)

* In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in two languages: Chattisgarhi and Mundari. HCJB World Radio also broadcasts 11/2 hours of English programming daily to India via shortwave from South America. The ministry is investigating potential opportunities to help launch local Christian stations in key cities across India.

SIM URBAN OUTREACH TOUCHES KIDS OF NIGER

Niger is rated by the United Nations as the second poorest country in the world after Sierra Leone. The vast majority of the children are not being educated, resulting in a high illiteracy rate, which can complicate evangelistic work. However, SIM's Janna Henze works with the youth through the urban outreach program. "We have a weekly evangelism meeting ... we have about 50 kids that come each week. We have a two-hour program. We start and play simple games like checkers or Parcheesi. Then we have a half hour of a video, and then we go into a Bible story, and then we do the rest of the video." Henze says in spite of the fact that Niger is 80 percent Muslim, the young people are hearing the gospel message. "A lot of them don't even have electricity in their own homes, so the video is a real draw to get them to come to the event. We kind of sandwich the Bible story in the middle so they get exposure to who Christ is and why He came."

GALLUP POLL DISCOVERS LOW TRUST IN RELIGION IN U.S.

Despite interest in spiritual matters being sparked by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Americans' confidence in religious institutions is at a 30-year low. According to an annual Gallup Poll, just 45 percent expressed trust in organized religion. In comparison, the televangelist scandals in 1989 regarding sex and money pushed down American confidence in religion to 52 percent, "The Washington Times" reported. But while the Protestant confidence rate of 59 percent is about the same as a year ago, Catholic trust plummeted to 42 percent, which is largely blamed on the sex-abuse scandal. For this year's Gallup survey on 16 kinds of institutions, religion ranked sixth. First was the U.S. military, with 79 percent of respondents saying they had a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence. In contrast, only 26 percent of respondents had a great deal of confidence, and just 9 percent had quite a lot of confidence in organized religion. Between 1973 and the mid-1980s, religion ranked the highest of all institutions in confidence ratings, the "Times" reported. The poll, which interviewed 1,020 adults, found religion lagged behind the police (59 percent), the president (58 percent), the U.S. Supreme Court (50 percent) and banks (47 percent) on the confidence scale, the "Times" reported. (Charisma News Service)

INDIA MINISTRIES HONORED FOR EXCELLENCE

Two ministries assisted by Christian Aid were honored at the India Missions Association Silver Jubilee National Conference in Bangalore, June 26-28. Gospel Echoing Missionary Association located in Chennai (Madras) but working primarily in the new state of Jharkhand (formerly part of Bihar State) was honored for "Excellence in Training." GEMS operates two elementary schools, three children's homes and seven daycare centers and has 370 workers serving among them plus other mission stations and churches in Jharkhand. P.M. Thomas, head of Himalaya Evangelical Mission in Uttar Pradesh State, also received the prestigious Yokefellow Award by the Direct Mission Aid Society of Annandale, Minnesota. The award honors those who have excellent educational, medical or other social outreach programs along with their evangelical witness. Thomas pioneered the ministry, which began in Jammu-Kashmir as Kashmir Evangelical Fellowship, in 1953. (Christian Aid)

RICHARD DE HAAN, VOICE OF RADIO BIBLE CLASS, DEAD AT 79

Former President of RBC Ministries Richard De Haan, 79, passed away on July 16, after a long illness. De Haan was the voice of Radio Bible Class, a weekly program for more than 30 years. In 1968, De Haan added the nationally syndicated television program Day of Discovery. The program originated in St. Petersburg, FL. The son of RBC Founder M. R. De Haan, Richard took over the ministry in 1965 when his father passed away. (NRB)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Během předchozích tří červnových týdnů bylo ve městě Yelwa Shendam několik kostelů vypáleno, obchody a domy byly vydrancovány a majetek křesťanů zničen. Křesťané byli z města vypuzeni a donuceni hledat útočiště v Jos.

V jiném incidentu ve Wase došlo k napadení křesťanů a k několika vraždám a ani jedna modlitebna nezůstala stát. Polnosti a stodoly byly zničeny a všichni křesťané donuceni uprchnout do Langtanu.

Očekává se, že v Číně brzy dojde k hlubokým společenským přeměnám, a proto jsou misií připravováni noví pastoři.

Panují obavy z následků sesuvu půdy v Ecuadoru.

Možná až 60 lidí zahynulo při sesuvu bahna na silnici v jižním Ecuadoru.

Christians in the Plateau State of central Nigeria have been killed and forced from their land by extremist Islamic militants. Attacks have been mounted against Christians in the area surrounding Jos, leaving several dead and many more wounded and displaced. Christians in a village outside Jos were roused from sleep by church bells at 5 a.m. on a morning at the end of June. When they began making their way to church thinking it was the bell for morning prayers, they were ambushed by Islamic militants from the Hausa and Fulani tribes. Four were killed and 20 injured. During the last three weeks of June, several churches were burned, shops and homes looted, and Christian property destroyed in Yelwa Shendam. Christians were chased out of the town and were forced to take refuge in Jos. In a separate incident in Wase, Christians were attacked and killed and no church building was left standing. Farmland and crops were destroyed and all the Christians there were forced to flee to Langtan. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

NORTHERN INDIA: RELIGIOUS REVOLUTION ON THE WAY?

Vishal Mangalwadi, one of the best-known Christian writers in India, sees signs of a "religious revolution" in India. Driven by "a spirituality of hate" at the heart of the conflict between Pakistan and India, Muslims and Hindus are heading towards war, while a growing number of people are looking for a way out of the established Hindu caste system. Some 50 million 'Forward Caste' Maratas in Western India, for example, are considering starting a new religion. Some members of the lower "Backward and Forward castes" are starting to open to the gospel, with unpredictable consequences for India's religious structure. "In my Northern Indian hometown Allahabad, 7,000 new believers meet in one church -- mega-churches in Northern India, who would believe it?! And 12 groups have planted 2,000 house churches in a state in the heart of the Hindu North, and hope to reach 1 million new churches in the next 10 years. We should not forget the role of the written word in this coming revolution," Mangalwadi continues. "Not many remember that the Protestant Reformation was mainly the work of writers, translators, printers, illustrators and preachers. In every important Reformation city in Europe, six or seven printing companies were busy around the clock, and religious literature dominated Europe for the following 350 years." (FridayFax)

CHINA PARTNER TRAINING GRASSROOTS PASTORS

More than 50 percent of the current Chinese government is expected to retire this year, making room for a new generation of leadership and change. The Chinese church is facing the same issues, and new leaders are focusing on pastors' training to strengthen the church. Aside from the Bible school they're helping to build, China Partner's Erik Burklin says there are other developments in Jiangxi Province. "In addition to this Bible school, there are 17 small training centers now that are all conducting short-term training courses for mostly poor, grassroots pastors; most of them are farmers. These are happening in all registered churches all across that province." Burklin says the robust lifebeat of the church in China means the future is bright. "What was so thrilling for me was to see the devotion and spiritual fervor of the their students there; it just thrills me to see a new generation of Christian leaders being trained for their future ministry in China." (Mission Network News)

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE IN CLASSROOM DEMOTION SPARKS SUIT

A professor recently filed a lawsuit against a college affiliated with the United Methodist Church, charging that her salary was cut and her teaching duties taken away after she distributed a Christian magazine in her classroom. Janis Price, an elementary education teacher at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., ran into trouble after she put out copies of "Teachers in Focus," a publication produced by Focus on the Family, United Methodist News Service (UMNS) reported. The copies she distributed featured articles on combating pro-gay activism in schools, but a student in Price's class filed a complaint. "She never instructed from the magazines or assigned anything from the magazines," said John Price, an attorney representing the professor but no relation to her, UMNS reported. Several weeks later, DePauw officials told Price that her salary was being reduced 25 percent and her job responsibilities were changing, her attorney said. In her lawsuit, Price says officials told her that her actions were "intolerable." A full-time employee at DePauw since 1992, Price is still with the school, but is no longer teaching classes. In her lawsuit, she is requesting that her teaching duties and full salary be restored, and that the disciplinary action against her be dropped. The case will go to trial this fall, UMNS reported. (Charisma News Service)

TRANSFORMING A MEXICAN COMMUNITY FOR CHRIST

There were banners waving, hands upraised, smiles and tears, old people and children lifting their voices as one in worship, intercession and gratitude. This may not seem so remarkable except that the 450 people present represented 20 Mexican churches of many denominations. This unprecedented "Fiesta Familiar Jesucristo 2001" took place at an outdoor theater in Chiconautla, a hillside community on the outskirts of Mexico City. Even a couple of years ago, cooperation between churches and denominations was unheard of, not only in Chiconautla, but in many parts of Latin America. Denominational lines have typically made evangelistic efforts disjointed at best and competitive at worst. Two years ago, when Manuel Vivanco, Latin America Mission (LAM) missionary and pastor of the Iglesia Bautista Bet-lehem in Chiconautla, saw a video entitled Transformations (by Global Net Productions), he caught a vision for what God could do through the united efforts of Evangelical churches that were willing to lay aside their differences for the sake of the kingdom. Manuel saw in these remarkable stories two common threads -- focused prayer and unity among churches. If God could radically transform other cities for Christ, why not his city? Having ministered in Chiconautla for almost 15 years, Manuel was well aware of the lack of cooperation between the Evangelical churches. So in November 2000, he contacted the pastors of the 28 churches in the area and invited them to a breakfast at Iglesia Bet-lehem where they were given a copy of the Transformation video. The eight pastors who attended viewed the video together and began praying that God would do the same thing in their midst. "I'm amazed and delighted at what God is doing," says Manuel. "Our initial expectations have already been surpassed. In the past year, the number of churches involved has more than doubled." (LAM)

DOZENS FEARED DEAD IN ECUADOR LANDSLIDE

Up to 60 people were feared buried under tons of mud on Wednesday after a landslide in southern Ecuador engulfed a dozen vehicles on a remote highway, officials said. Red Cross rescue director Daniel Arteaga told Reuters workers recovered the body of a teenage girl at the site some 170 miles southeast of Quito, and the state Civil Defense Agency said scores more people were feared buried. Arteaga estimated more than a dozen vehicles, including two buses, were trapped by the slide on Tuesday that swallowed a section of road in the jungle province of Morona Santiago on the eastern flanks of the Andes leading to the Amazon region. Downpours and dense fog made rescue efforts difficult and frequently forced workers to retreat from the area out of fears for their own safety. According to the Civil Defense Agency, cattle remains and car parts have been found in the mud along the road, which was 500 feet deep in some places. Heavy rainfall is common on the eastern flanks of the Andes mountains and Amazon jungle in July and August, and often triggers landslides and floods. (Reuters)

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