Zprávy HCJB 17.5.2007

 Muslimové uvězněni po útocích na egyptské křesťany.
   Desítky podezřelých muslimských militantů jsou údajně od pondělí 14. května ve vazbě, když je egyptské bezpečnostní síly uvěznily na základě obvinění ze žhářství proti křesťanským domům a obchodům při srážkách kvůli stavbě nového kostela. Po nepokojích, během nichž bylo zraněno 10 koptických křesťanů, bylo v pátek 11. května ve vesnici Behma asi 60 km jižně od Káhiry zadrženo nejméně 59 muslimů. Podle agentury Reuters stovky lidí obou náboženství bojovaly mezi sebou tyčemi a cihlami, také zápalnými lahvemi. Napětí bylo údajně vyvoláno hněvem muslimů, že křesťané nemají povolení stavět nový kostel a nakonec po pátečních muslimských bohoslužbách došlo k šarvátkám, kdy se utkalo asi 300 muslimů a 200 křesťanů. Policie údajně nezabránila vypálení 27 obchodů a domů vlastněných křesťany, přičemž 10 domů bylo podle zpráv zcela zničeno. K událostem došlo v době, kdy si koptičtí a jiní křesťané včetně obrácených muslimů stěžovali, že místní úřady nedělají dost pro jejich ochranu, a že žijí ve strachu z nového sporného zákona zakazujícího vydávání nových občanských průkazů a rodných listů potvrzujících jejich křesťanskou víru. Zdroj: BosNewsLife
 
 Všechny zprávy v angličtině.
   BOOK ON GENEROSITY BECOMES UNEXPECTED BEST SELLER

Source: Christian Newswire
A small book on how to lead a more generous life by pastor Brian Kluth is something of a “publishing miracle” that is being ordered by churches and denominations across the United States and around the world. “A 40-day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life” has 100,000 copies in print in nine months. One publisher, David Neff of Christianity Today, said “anytime you get 100,000 copies of any book into the churches, you're making some impact. Doing so in a 9-month period is spectacular.” The largest church in Mongolia translated the booklet following a bank failure and gave it to their 1,100 believers. “Over the next two months we saw offerings increase nearly 60 percent,” the Executive Pastor emailed to Kluth. One worldwide denomination signed a copyright agreement that will allow them to publish the booklet in up to 202 countries and 363 languages and other denominations are requesting to use translated copies around the world. “This whole thing is a God-sized journey for us. We're doing our best to keep up with how the Lord is using this book across the country and around the world,” Kluth says. Brian Kluth is senior pastor of First Evangelical Free Church in Colorado Springs, CO.

MUSLIMS ARRESTED FOLLOWING ATTACKS ON EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS

Source: BosNewsLife
Dozens of suspected Muslim militants were said to remain in custody Monday, May 14, after Egyptian security forces arrested them over the weekend on charges of setting fire to Christian homes and shops in clashes over church construction. At least 59 Muslims were reportedly detained following clashes in which 10 Coptic Christians were injured on Friday, May 11, in the village of Behma, about 60 km (40 miles) south of Cairo. Hundreds of people from both faiths fought with sticks and hurled bricks and firebombs at one another, said Reuters news agency. Allegations that Christian villagers did not have a permit to build a church reportedly sparked anger among Muslims that turned to violence after Friday prayers when about 300 Muslims clashed with about 200 Christians. Police allegedly did not prevent damage by fire of 27 Christian-owned houses and shops, including 10 homes that were reportedly completely gutted. It comes at a time when Coptic and other Christians, including former Muslims, have complained that local authorities don’t do enough to protect then amid fears caused by a new controversial law disallowing new identification papers and birth certificates stating their Christian faith.

UNION OF BAPTISTS IN LATIN AMERICA ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT

Source: Baptist World Alliance
Raquel Contreras was unanimously elected president of the Union of Baptists in Latin America (UBLA) by its Executive Committee on April 27, 2007, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She will serve as president until April 2009. UBLA is one of six regional bodies of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) and represents conventions and unions throughout South America, Central America and Mexico. In a statement announcing the election of Contreras, UBLA said, “She stands out for her many gifts and her leadership capability in different areas and situations….We commend her life to God’s hands so that she be granted wisdom, His grace and strength for this new phase of UBLA.” Contreras was recently reelected president of the Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Chile, a union of 27,781 members and 326 churches. Under her leadership, the union reconciled with the Convention of Baptist Churches of the Chilean Mission after 30 years of division and conflict between the two groups. The convention and union have remained separate bodies, but they now enjoy a relationship of cordiality and cooperation and have held joint worship services and meetings.

PASTOR CLAIMS KAZAKHSTAN WAGING ‘ECONOMIC WAR’ ON BAPTISTS

Sources: Assist News Service, Forum 18 News Service
Members of a network of Baptist churches in Kazakhstan that refuse to register with the authorities because they believe it leads to state interference in their activities have complained of increasing fines which they believe are designed to crush their activities. “Of course it's war, economic war,” Dmitri Jantsen, of a Baptist congregation in the town of Temirtau near the capital Astana, said. “They're handing down fines and confiscating cars, washing machines and even pigs when we refuse to pay. They want to subject our churches to state control.” Jantsen claims the number and level of fines are increasing. Jantsen listed many recent cases against Baptist leaders across Kazakhstan who have been fined under Article 375 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which punishes religious activity by unregistered communities. The increased pressure on Council of Churches Baptists comes as officials are continuing their campaign to confiscate the entire property of a Hare Krishna commune near the country's commercial capital Almaty. Kazakhstan is located in Central Asia, northwest of China.

CHRISTIAN MUSICIAN BIKING ACROSS AMERICA FOR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS

Source: Mission Network News
Bethany Christian Services is partnering with Dove Award winner and Platinum-selling Christian recording artist Mark Schultz in an adoption-awareness campaign. Schultz is riding a bicycle across America to raise support for widows and orphans. From now through early July, he will cycle from California to New Hampshire, stopping along the way to perform concerts and special events sponsored by Bethany. His inspiration to make this 3,500-mile trek came from a 2006 visit he and his wife, Kate, made to orphanages in Mexico to help orphans and widows in distress. Mark's own adoption drew him to explore this ministry. When he saw the struggles these children endured and realized he could just as easily have been one of them, he decided to do what he could to make a difference. Schultz says, "With your help, we can do more than make the wheels of my bike turn; together, we can make every turn a momentum-building revolution, motivating others to join us and push this cause further down the road." Although he is physically doing the labor, he sees it as a team endeavor with all the sponsors who have come alongside him.

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