Law enforcement officers who broke up the Sunday-morning Baptist service in Balkanabad, Turkmenistan, Sunday, May 11, forcibly took all those present to the police station where they threatened and insulted. "What's the point in talking to them, they should be put in a bus and shot!" the Baptists quoted one police officer as telling them. This latest raid on the Balkanabad church came the same day as the Sunday-morning Baptist service in Turkmenbashi was raided. Yagshimurat Atamuradov, the country's senior religious affairs official, denied that the police are conducting a campaign against Baptist churches. "The law forbids the activity of unregistered religious communities," he said. "Let them collect the 500 signatures they need for registration and be registered, and then they can meet. . . . The law is the law." (Forum 18 News Service)

RADICAL MUSLIMS STEP UP THREATS AGAINST INDONESIAN CHURCHES

Muslim extremists are again threatening churches in West Java, says Elizabeth Kendal of the World Evangelical Alliance. She said that churches in Bekasi, about 12 miles southeast of Jakarta, are being threatened and intimidated by local radical Muslim groups. However, authorities are doing nothing to protect the Christian minority or rein in the Islamic militants. Wanting to put an end to Christian worship, various Muslim groups often visit and threaten Christians in their churches. As a result, hundreds of believers are staying home instead of attending services, and Christian outreach has nearly ceased in the area. Local governments are also making it more difficult for Christians to build churches, and authorities have shut down house churches and another that met in a shopping center in Lippo Cikarang. Meanwhile, the trial of Indonesian pastor Renaldy Damanik in Palu, Sulawesi, is drawing to a close. He is accused of carrying illegal arms in his car and instigating attacks against Christian villages. The trial is expected to conclude May 23 with a verdict expected to be delivered by June 9. (Missions Insider)

AFRICAN LEADER APPOINTED TO CHAIR WEA'S INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL

Rev. Ndaba Mazabane, president of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, was named chairman of the International Council of World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) during the organization's council meetings May 7-10 in High Ongar, U.K. After accepting the position, Mazabane urged WEA's global constituents to keep Christ central. "We need to uphold the evangelical heritage that has a strong emphasis on the centrality of Scripture in matters of faith and behavior, on Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation of all and the local church as God's design for his people to gather together for worship and then scatter to spread the message of hope to a hurting world." Mazabane also called for increased cooperation among believers worldwide. "I see a need for evangelicals to cooperate with others in our communities to help meet the needs of people and be vocal on issues of morality and justice without compromising our identity," he said. "Our strength as a global network must be seen in the context of functional national alliances which are empowered to respond to the issues they face, have the capacity to generate and manage resources within acceptable stewardship principles and sustain ministry projects that link them with their communities at the grassroots." WEA is a global network of 121 nations that have each formed an evangelical church alliance. Nearly 2 million local churches and 250 million Christians identify with these alliances. (Assist News Service)

CONFERENCE IN CANADA ADDRESSES NEEDS OF INDIA'S 300 MILLION DALITS

The movement of concern and sympathy for India's 300 million Dalits -- often called "untouchables" -- is gaining ground. A conference in Canada this week helped believers set goals and make plans to reach out to this lower caste of people who are searching for a new religion and purpose. "Many thousands are genuinely looking for a different way of life," said Operation Mobilization's Peter Dance. "They're looking for freedom, for respect and equality and a relationship with God. Now they don't quite know who that God is yet, but we want to bring them Jesus Christ." Dance hopes to partner with those who envision meeting the tangible needs of this massive people group. "We're trying to bring in the business community where they could raise funds to start schools throughout the country . . . to move forward education and women's issues." (Mission Network News)

20,000 U.S. CHURCHES TO HONOR HEROES ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

More than 20,000 churches across the U.S. will take part in "Honor Our Heroes" events in conjunction with this Memorial Day weekend. More than 60 denominations and dozens of ministries have endorsed the collaborative effort of Mission America Coalition (MAC) to recognize the country's heroes -- including many recently returned soldiers from the Middle East -- and encourage pastors and churches to build bridges between churches and communities. MAC President Wayne Pederson says American culture has been in need of heroes -- positive role models of strength, bravery, character and passion. "The war in Iraq and other events in the country have produced a new brand of hero," he said. "This weekend's events put the spotlight on modern-day heroes who model the traditional biblical values we hold dear. Those heroes give us the means of pointing to our greatest hero, Jesus." In addition to soldiers, churches will also honor people such as police officers, firefighters, medical personnel and educators. Rev. Jarvis Ward, MAC's national facilitator of city and community ministries, adds that this is a "practical and simple way to demonstrate appreciation for those men, women and young people who have gone unrecognized and yet have given so much to individuals and to our communities." (Assist News Service)

* CHRISTIAN CENTER OF COMMUNICATIONS ACCREDITED IN ECUADOR

Ecuador has accredited HCJB World Radio's Christian Center of Communications (CCC) in Quito, a three-year college for Spanish-speaking young people from across Latin America. CCC Director Elsi Peńaranda says official approval came through CONESUP, Ecuador's accreditation entity, on Wednesday, May 14, the culmination of an 18-month application process.

"Dr. Guillermo Bossano, our legal representative, just gave me a copy of the resolution in which CONESUP approves the creation of the CCC as an upper-level technological institute," she said. "This has been a slow process, but it's been worth the wait! Give thanks to the Lord, and pray that He would continue guiding and helping us."

Peńaranda said that even though the CCC dates back to 1984, the accreditation process didn't begin until late 2001, six months after the Ecuadorian Congress passed a new education law that "opened the door for us to apply."

Now that the accreditation is in place, graduates will receive a nationally recognized degree in Ecuador. "This is important," she explained. "The students were very excited when I made the announcement on Monday morning. Then we prayed together to thank the Lord. I'm very grateful to the Lord that we gained this status in His time."

Peńaranda added that it will be an ongoing challenge to "maintain our high academic standards and to be a good Christian testimony in society and before other institutions." The accreditation will have little impact on the course of studies at the CCC, other than moving to a semester system instead of the present trimesters. "We will continue to look to the Lord for his leading in the future. Please keep us in your prayers."

The CCC integrates communications and technical courses with biblical knowledge and hands-on experience in radio, television and written communication. Many of the graduates work in the mission's radio and television ministries in Ecuador and with other Christian organizations in Latin America, Europe and the U.S. The school has graduated 115 students in its 19-year history. Average annual enrolment is about 30. (HCJB World Radio)

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