The United Nations has deemed the Darfur region of western Sudan the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” With millions displaced and impoverished, Operation Blessing is partnering with Humedica International, a humanitarian, non-governmental organization based in Germany, to expand medical and educational operations. The immediate goals are to reach the 10,000-person Al Salaam refugee camp in Darfur, Sudan. The partnership hopes to build a permanent medical clinic, hire a medical staff, and obtain a mobile medical unit to reach those in surrounding areas without access to medical care. In response to the poor sanitation in the camp, the medical clinic’s waiting room will be used as an opportunity to educate patients in hygiene practices. Operation Blessing’s involvement in the region is paving the way for future projects at the Al Salaam refugee camp, such as providing relief packages for families and establishing a school. (Religion Today)

CALEB PROJECT AND ACMC MERGE, FORM INITIATIVE360

Christian Mission Organizations Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment (ACMC) and Caleb Project have merged to form a new organization called Initiative360. The new organization will continue to help churches, agencies and institutions explore, discover and activate their roles in God’s mission. Initiative360 seeks to walk alongside churches with life-changing products, services, curriculum and real-time experiences. Initiative360 CEO Dr. Gregory Fritz says, “I have always been encouraged and blessed by those who take initiative with the faith that God gives them. God himself is the Divine Initiator, the One who created the world and all mankind, redeems us from our sinful existence, and sends us out with his salvation message to the peoples who have yet to receive the gospel.” This is the origin of the organization’s new name. Former CEO of ACMC and current President of Initiative360, Brent Eimer concurs. “By connecting with resources, web services, speaking and teaching services, networking frameworks, and powerful training events, Initiative360 partners will discover dramatically increased effectiveness in their missions calling!” (Evangelical News)

PENTECOSTALS: ONE QUARTER OF THE WORLD’S CHRISTIANS

A recent survey released Thursday, October 5, by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life showed the results of a 10-country survey of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians. Survey numbers show that a least a quarter of the world’s 2 billion Christians are thought to be “renewalists” (an umbrella term that includes both Pentecostals and charismatics as a group). Luis Lugo, the director of the Pew Forum said, “This survey demonstrates that Pentecostal beliefs and practices are literally reshaping the face of Christianity throughout the developing world.” In an effort to understand what this means, other survey questions addressed the renewalist views on religious, political and civic issues. Notable results point to an intensity of belief that leads a majority of renewalists in eight out of ten countries to say they share their faith with non-believers at least once a week. In nine out of ten countries, at least half of the renewalists surveyed indicate that religious groups should express their views on day-to-day social and political questions. Countries included in the survey included the United States, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, India, the Philippines and South Korea. (Pew Forum)

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SHAPES NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS

Book of Hope is using their Nomad internship program to impact the next generation of mission leaders. Designed to target college age students, the Nomad program interns serve Book of Hope by training nationals, working alongside the national church and going into new areas where Book of Hope is starting up pioneering ministries. Book of Hope’s Randy Young says the program, “affects career choices, it affects mate choices. It really is all about getting their lives centrally focused around the Great Commission.” This year more than 75 Nomad interns worked or are working with Book of Hope. And there are also more than 20 young adults who have given over two years to the ministry. Young said, “We love it because we want to just pour everything God's given to us into them to posture them for a life of service in Christ.” (Mission Network News)

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STUDY: ONLY 60 PERCENT OF NEW ORLEANS CHURCHES ‘FUNCTIONING’

An ongoing study has shown that only 60 percent of the churches in the greater New Orleans area are open and functioning one year after hurricane Katrina. Bill Day, with the Leavell Center for Evangelism and Church Health, presented the preliminary results of a study analyzing how Katrina impacted the viability of churches. Day found that only 905 of the 1,508 total churches are functioning one year after the storm. However, Day’s research is attempting to dig deeper to understand why some churches survive and others end up closing their doors. “I really wanted to know why churches grow.” Day said. “New Orleans is not the only place that will ever suffer terrible devastation.” Day hopes to identify the variables that led to the survival or demise of these churches. Factors like the intensity of the devastation, denominational affiliation, the repopulation rate around the church and the vibrancy of the church before the storm all seem to play a role. Day believes some churches will survive and thrive against all odds. “What’s going on with the churches pretty well tells you what’s going on with the community,” Day said. (Baptist Press)

VIETNAMESE MAN DIES IN PRISON AFTER SEVERE TORTURE

A Vietnamese Montagnard man has died in prison following severe torture, according to the Montagnard Foundation, which advocates for these indigenous people of Vietnam’s Central Highlands. The man, known as Thup, was arrested on March 24, 2004 on charges of “public order offences.” Unnamed Vietnamese officials told the man’s family that he died in Trai Ba Sao prison in Ha Nam on August 30. The Montagnard Foundation reported, “It was well known (Thup) was severely tortured in prison. His wife and relatives asked officials if they collect his body for burial but were refused this request. On Sept. 1, 2006 his village however, buried his clothes instead and mourned for him according to our customs.” Many within the Montagnards are members of Evangelical Christian groups who oppose the government. An unexpected amnesty release of Vietnamese prisoners is slated to coincide with crucial voting in the U.S. Congress and a visit to Hanoi by President Bush that could benefit trade with Vietnam. (Assist News Service)

MINORITY CHRISTIANS FORCE OFFENSIVE ALBUM OUT OF INDIA

The small Christian community in India was successful in their efforts to remove a new album by U.S. heavy metal band Slayer from store shelves. The album, called “Christ Illusion,” had a cover depicting Christ with amputated arms and a missing eye along with songs such as “Skeleton Christ” and “Jihad,” which the Christian groups said hurt the sensibilities of Christians and Muslims alike. The protests prompted Slayer’s India-based label to pull the album from all music stores and depots. “Last week we recalled all the albums and destroyed them as we did not want any community to be hurt,” said T. Suresh, the company general manager. Christians in India make up only about two percent of India’s more than one-billion people. They also succeeded in forcing Sony Pictures to add a fictional disclaimer to “The Da Vinci Code.” (WorldWide Religious News/Reuters)

*HCJB UK CELEBRATES 75 YEARS OUT LOUD

Two events have taken place over the past two weekends to celebrate 75 years of God's faithfulness through the media and healthcare ministries of pioneer missionary broadcaster HCJB World Radio. In Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland and Shirley, West Midlands, Christians came along to LIVE OUT LOUD! to hear what impact HCJB has been having across the world.

The President of HCJB World Radio, Dave Johnson, reminded the audience of the origins of the mission which started in a sheep shed in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador back in 1931. At that time HCJB World Radio’s founder Clarence Jones stood in that tiny shed with the rain pounding on the tin roof and complained to God that he'd really wanted a 2000 watt radio transmitter but instead ended up with just 200 watts. There were also only 6 receivers in the country capable of receiving the programs at that time and this left Clarence feeling like a failure. God spoke to Clarence and said that if a sheep shed was good enough for the birth of his Son then it should be good enough for the start of HCJB's ministry. Since that time the mission has grown to become an international mission, focusing on radio, healthcare and leadership development within Latin America and now further afield in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Other highlights included HCJB World Radio’s Healthcare Director Sheila Leech, who hails from Shirley, speaking about the exciting way in which Ecuadorian doctors and nurses trained by HCJB are now being sent out as missionaries overseas. There was also the latest news from Colin Lowther, the Director of the HCJB-UK office in Bradford,who spoke about the mission's two UK based ministries - Audiopot, the UK's on-line library of creative Christian audio (www.audiopot.org), and Whistling Frog Productions - creative radio productions aimed at mainstream commercial stations.

There was a big focus during the day on Radio Planting, one of the key strategies of HCJB World Radio to expand Christian radio into parts of the world where it has been difficult in the past for Christians to gain access to the airwaves. By helping local believers with training and basic equipment, over 300 radio stations have been 'planted' by the mission over the past few years. Most of these stations are now self-sustaining and autonomous, broadcasting the good news of Jesus to their local communities in places such as South America, Russia and Africa.

For more information about HCJB UK visit the website at www.hcjb.org.uk www.hcjb.org.uk

* In Britain, rather than focus on the traditional world of Christian radio, HCJB-UK has a passion to reach those outside the church who listen to secular radio stations. To achieve this we use the name 'Whistling Frog Productions' - placing our own award-winning radio material on local commercial stations, resourcing Christians already working in the radio industry and offering quality training to aspiring Christian broadcasters. HCJB-UK also runs AUDIOPOT, the UK's on-line library of creative Christian audio. This popular website offers free access to over 1300 MP3 files of thoughts, interviews and features - easy to search and perfect for illustrating talks, starting discussions in the classroom or playing on local radio. Registration is free at. www.audiopot.org

© Copyright 2006 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO USA

More than 1,000 knitters from around New Zealand took part in Operation Cover Up to knit blankets and warm items to be delivered to needy children in Romania and Moldova. A project of Mission Without Borders, Operation Cover Up shipped a container weighing more than 12 tons to Romania about three weeks ago. Packed inside were nearly 5,000 blankets, and more than 34,000 other warm items like socks, hats and gloves and hygiene items such as soap and toothbrushes to be distributed to orphanages and needy families. A second, similar sized container is preparing to be sent to Moldova. Many of the volunteer knitters are in their 70s, 80s and even 90s and enjoy doing something for others while being part of a large group. Many of the knitters organize weekly knitting sessions and the 5-year-old project has grown by word of mouth and local publicity and the tireless work and commitment of the project co-ordinators and volunteers. There is still a great need in the two countries. In Moldova, for instance, there were 51 orphanages, some of which had more then 400 children and conditions were often freezing with unreliable heating. (Assist News Service)

YOUTH KIDNAPPED, HEAD SHAVED IN INDIA

Hindu extremists in India’s western state of Orissa abducted a Christian youth from his house on Wednesday, October 4, torturing and forcibly shaving his head and displaying him around town to punish him for converting to Christianity. Ranjan Dangua from the village of Gokulpur remains missing and the situation in the village remains “very tense” as Christians and Hindus continue to debate allegations of “forced conversion.” Two days before the kidnapping, a large ceremony was held to “reconvert” from Christianity “back to their own religion” 129 tribal Christians, including 40 women and 29 children, in the presence of leaders of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A report released on the same day as the kidnapping highlights increased Hindu militant activity arising in Orissa state. According to the 2001 Census, there are 897,861 Christians out of the total population of more than 36 million in the state. (Compass Direct)

5,000 CELEBRATE GLOBAL CHRISTIAN NETWORK

Five thousand broadcasters and ministry friends from around the world joined the Global Christian Network (GCN) in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday, October 8 to celebrate the ministry’s the first year of satellite television broadcasts. Formed by a group of international visionaries, GCN endeavors to deliver quality, innovative, multilingual television programs with Christian and family-values to independent television stations, local networks, and home satellite and cable providers around the world. The weekend event included special guests from at least 12 different countries who joined together in rich multicultural praise along with an elaborate multimedia presentation. Executive Director and President of GCN, Néstor Colombo, in an address to the more than five thousand present and all viewers tuned in via the Internet stated, “This has been a year of sowing in good soil. We have laid a firm foundation over which we can continue building in the years to come” Among Christian mass media, GCN works to differentiate itself by the diversity of its multicultural programming representing a myriad of nations around the world with excellence in production as well as integrity in the presentation of the Gospel message. (GNC/Assist News)

CHINESE CHRISTIAN GRANTED RELIGIOUS ASYLUM

A Chinese Christian man who fled China after facing persecution for his faith was granted asylum by a U.S. immigration court. Xiaodong Li, was arrested, beaten, electro-shocked and forced to clean public toilets without pay for studying the Bible in a non-registered church. He first fled to the U.S. in 1995 to avoid further persecution. Li was represented by Senior Legal Council with the Alliance Defense Fund, David Cortman. Cortman said, “Mr. Li deserves this ruling for full asylum, after all he’s been through,” said Cortman. (Evangelical News).

YOUNG GRAHAM EVANGELIST HOLDS FIRST CRUSADE

Nearly 60 years after Billy Graham held his first citywide crusade in Charlotte, North Carolina, the third generation of Graham evangelists took to the stage to share the gospel. William (Will) Franklin Graham held his first U.S. crusade on Monday, October 9, in Gastonia, North Carolina in front of a crowd of more than 4,500. Will Graham opened the three-day Greater Gaston Celebration after his father, a beaming Franklin Graham, introduced him and then joined others in a tent for the Graham family members. Will Graham’s connection to his grandfather was evident as longtime song leader Cliff Barrows directed the community choir. For Will Graham, the crusade represents a spiritual milestone. “My uncle Cliff [Barrows] and uncle Bev [Shea] will be here,” he told a Charlotte Observer reporter the previous week. “I see this as kind of a passing of the baton.” (Baptist Press)

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A Back to the Bible International radio station near the tsunami zone in Indonesia could face closure as it goes before the local government for approval. Mark Blowers with Back to the Bible says, “It's critical that they get this approval from the local council, or they cannot continue broadcasting. The interesting thing is that because it's such a heavily Muslim area, these council members are almost all Muslim and so the chance of this being approved from a human perspective is almost nil.” Regardless, Blowers is asking for prayer for this effective radio station, which received more than 10,000 letters in the last year since it began. The local council’s decision, expected in the next couple of weeks, will dictate the station’s future. Blowers says a decision in favor of the station would be an amazing answer to prayer. He notes, “If we got this local approval there is basically nothing that could happen within the law of Indonesia to shut down our station in the short term.” (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio has worked with local partners to establish more than 14 local Christian radio stations across Indonesia since 2004. Broadcasts from HCJB World Radio-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra also encourage listeners nationwide. In addition, HCJB World Radio has helped with relief efforts since the Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake/tsunami and subsequent quakes that devastated parts of Indonesia.

12 FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS SHUT DOWN BY UZBEK AUTHORITIES

Over the last year, authorities in Uzbekistan have shut down around 12 foreign charities and humanitarian organizations they suspected of being religiously affiliated. Alleged missionary activity by staff members was often cited as the reason for the various closures. One source told Forum 18 News that “several hundred” foreign Protestants working for such organizations have been forced to leave the country. Government spokespersons have not clarified if religiously-affiliated charities are now barred from the country. Uzbek law does not prohibit such activity. James Hall, the head of Central Asian Free Exchange (CAFE) which was one of the Christian humanitarian groups closed down this year by the government, insists his charity conducted genuine humanitarian aid projects with no regard for recipients' faith. “I always told the Foreign Ministry we were Christians,” he said from the United States on 5 October. “I told them there was no Christianity in the projects - we didn't present Christianity in any of our work. I was honest and I felt they understood.” (Forum 18 News)

* HCJB World Radio airs 2.5 hours of Uzbek programs per week from an AM station outside the country. More than 15 million people speak this language.

URBANA OFFERS ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS’ TRACK

People interested in using their business skills to advance God’s Kingdom are encouraged to attend the Open for Business track at Urbana 06, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Missions Convention to be held in St. Louis, December 27-31, 2006. The Open for Business track is designed to encourage businesspeople to use their gifts and training, integrated with biblical principles, to help communities around the world flourish economically, socially and spiritually. Participants will attend 40 unique, business-related seminars and be encouraged to enter a $40,000 business plan competition for the best business ideas that pursue an integrated triple bottom line approach: financial, social and spiritual impact. Urbana wants to encourage the proliferation of these types of businesses around the world. This track is open to third-year undergraduate students and up, and will be limited to 1,500 participants. (Assist News Service)

CHRISTIAN GENDER EQUALITY CONFERENCE SLATED FOR INDIA

The Minneapolis-based group known as Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) will travel to Bangalore, India for a symposium dealing with topics of gender inequality across society and in the church on February 15-18, 2007. The conference is entitled “Side by Side: Gender from a Christian Perspective: Men and Women Dependent on Each Other.” In partnership with CBE in facilitating the symposium, are Pilgrim Partners, South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, and Union of Evangelical Students of India. This is the first time a global partnership of Christians will meet to discuss the impact of gender inequality and a worldwide response. CBE, founded in 1987, is a non-profit organization of evangelical men and women from nearly 100 denominations who believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of men and women of all ethnicities, economic classes, and ages. (Evangelical News)

5,000 MARCH IN ZIONIST RALLY IN JERUSALEM, SUPPORT ISRAEL

More than 5,000 Evangelical Christians marched through Jerusalem on Tuesday, October 10 to voice their support for Zionism and the state of Israel. The event, organized by a group known as the International Christian Embassy of Israel, included believers from areas as diverse and distant as Congo and New Zealand. The largest numbers of Christian Zionists, most of whom are evangelical Protestants, are based in the United States. They believe the return of Jews to the Holy Land and establishment of Israel are proof of God's promises to biblical patriarchs. The Zionist movement has drawn criticism from the Vatican. “The Christian Zionist program provides a world view where the gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism,” a declaration read. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert delivered a recorded message to the group saying, “This is the city God has chosen to be the capital of the Jewish people and it will remain the capital of the Jewish people.” The comment drew strong applause and Hebrew chants of “The nation of Israel lives!” from the crowd. (WorldWide Religious News)

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The Social Service Department of the China Christian Council (CCC) has sent out an urgent appeal for assistance in rebuilding churches that were damaged during the intense typhoon that hit the Chinese costal provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian on August 10. More than 43 Protestant churches have been either destroyed or heavily damaged. Churches in those areas reported 37 deaths and 15 wounded among the Christian population. The typhoon, called Saomai, was the most intense typhoon to hit China in 50 years, causing great economic losses to the cities of Cangnan and Funding and the surrounding areas. More than 8,000 Christian brothers and sisters are homeless due to the disaster. The CCC’s appeal quotes Galatians 6:10, which says, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially those of the family of faith.” The announcement said, “We appeal to brothers and sisters home and abroad for your kindness and loving hearts to pray for them and provide offerings to help them endure through this difficult time.” (Amity News Service)

NEW ARAB CONVERTS TAKE EPIC CAMEL TREK TO SHARE THE GOSPEL

Recently, converted Arab Christians in northern Africa undertook a grueling, three-month camel journey across the Sahara desert to share the gospel with a hostile group of nomads. The group was unable to contact their families, were once beaten by metal rods, kidnapped, and one man was stabbed. Nonetheless, they returned with intentions to repeat the trip again next year. Southern Baptist missionaries introduced the Arabs to Christ six years ago when there were fewer than 10 Christians in the Muslim group of 1.5 million. Now there are nine worship groups who attentively listen to teachings on church planting and evangelism. The Arab believers felt led to share the gospel with a non-Arab tribe that was notoriously fierce and unfriendly to outsiders. Even the women of the group were said to carry knives and guns. The worship groups contributed eight camels, horses, tea, grain and cooking oil to the effort. They gathered stacks of Gospel cassettes and “JESUS” videos dubbed into the recently translated language of the nomadic people. Team members memorized key Bible stories to tell and compiled calendars with prayer requests for each day of their anticipated 90-day desert trek. The group found open hearts in at least ten nomadic camps. “The trip was very difficult, as we expected it would be,” the missionary said. “But they testify that God cared for them along the way and that their faith has grown.” (Baptist Press)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe with Christian Arabic programming aired via shortwave, satellite and local stations. The mission’s Arabic satellite network airs programs direct-to-home 24 hours a day. This region has the world’s highest concentration of personal satellite dishes.

JESUS CHRIST TELEVISION BROADCASTS GOSPEL FROM PAKISTAN

Pakistan now has its own Christian television channel called Jesus Christ Television (JCTV). Started in 2002, JCTV is based in Lahore, Pakistan and run by second-generation Christian Pastor Javed Rauf, 31. Rauf said, “God gave me a vision to preach the Gospel through another way -- by using mass media. So it is my privilege that I am involved in the television media.” The station broadcasts programming 24 hours per day, mostly in the Urdu language with some items in English translated into Urdu. “We have lots of testimonies,” shares Rauf. “Even when we just pass through the streets, people stop me there and say that they are Muslim and they have bought a television so they can watch JCTV. I believe that it is God who brought JCTV to Pakistan and there’ll be a great change with the passage of time.” Pakistan is the world’s sixth most populous country and the second most populous Muslim country. (Assist News Service)

STUDY: 48 PERCENT OF AUSTRALIA’S YOUNG ADULTS BELIEVE IN GOD

A three-year study on youth spirituality in Australia found that only 48 percent of Generation Y believe in God. Generation Y, defined as individuals born between 1976 and 1990, was found to rely on family and friends as the sources of their beliefs, values and social support. Fewer than half of the group identifies with any traditional religion. The study’s co-author, Dr. Andrew Singleton says, “It’s well-known that there has been a turn away from church attendance and participation in young people, but we thought there was going to be a move towards alternative spiritualities.” Instead, the majority of Australia’s Generation Y seems to be content to have no spiritual belief at all. The study, known as the Spirit of Generation Y Project (2003-2006) was conducted by Monash University, the Australian Catholic University and the Christian Research Association. (Religion Today)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia operates a shortwave station in Kununurra, reaching across the Asia Pacific region with programs in 20 languages. Studios at the office in Melbourne are used to record programs in English and Oromo, a language spoken in Ethiopia.

HOPEGIVERS’ ‘ALL INDIA GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER’ BEGINS TONIGHT

Hopegivers International is hosting the “All India Global Day of Prayer” tonight and tomorrow, Friday and Saturday October 13 and 14. Bill Bray, with Hopegivers International, says Christians worldwide will be joining their institutions, schools, hospitals, orphanages and their 20,000 churches to pray. Bray says they will “intercede for the crisis situation in India and the persecution that’s going on there in these last months.” The event will continue around the clock as local groups worldwide join in prayer. Bray says, “All over the nation there’s almost daily report of this increased wave and pressure on the believers.” Despite the persecution, Bray says Christians are continuing their evangelistic work. “They're cautious; they're careful. They're not doing public evangelism like they used to -- street meetings and tract distribution -- but they're doing a lot more quiet witnessing one-on-one and continuing all the activities.” (Mission Network News)

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