Zprávy HCJB 18.3.2008

	Nesnáze americké ekonomiky nenarušily krátkodobé misijní cesty
	Pachtící se americké ekonomika podle všeho neovlivňuje účast na krátkodobých misiích, uvádí World Hope International (WHI). Rekordní ceny ropy, klesající dolar a pověsti o ekonomickém úpadku by podle našich představ logicky měly snížit účast věřících na krátkodobých misijních pobytech. Ale není tomu tak přinejmenším v případě krátkodobých misijních programů WHI Hope Corp. V roce 2007 jsme do zahraničí vyslali 39 skupin a nyní se jich chystá již 55,“ řekla koordinátorka Hope Corp Debbie Hoover. „Nezdá se nám, že by ekonomická situace ovlivňovala zájem lidí sloužit a to na mně opravdu zapůsobilo.“ I když ekonomická situace postihla mnoho Američanů, nezasáhla Boží dílo. „Boží ekonomika je vyšší než lidská a ve všech dobách různé lidi vyzývá, aby vystoupili ze svého pohodlí a podali potřebnému příslovečnou sklenici studené vody. Bez ohledu na to, co se stalo s našimi peněženkami, jsme voláni k Božímu dílu. Podle mne je to dobře vidět právě na krátkodobých misiích. Zdroj: Mission Network News
	Všechny zprávy v angličtině
	U.S. ECONOMIC WOES NOT AFFECTING SHORT-TERM MISSION TRIPS Source: Mission Network News A struggling U.S. economy does not seem to be affecting participation in short-term missions, according to World Hope International (WHI). With record crude oil prices, a falling dollar and talk of a recession, you would think short-term mission trip participation would begin declining. However, that’s not the case with WHI’s short-term mission program called Hope Corp. “In 2007 we sent 39 teams abroad, and right now, scheduled for 2008, we have 55 teams on the books,” said Hope Corp Coordinator Debbie Hoover. “So we’re really not seeing that the economy has affected people’s interest in serving, which is really impressive to me.” While the economy has hit many Americans, she says it can’t hurt God’s work. “God’s economy is greater, and He’s still challenging people to step out of their comfort zones and take a cup of cold water to the needy. No matter what happens to our pocketbook, we’re called to do God’s work. And I think we’re seeing that through short-term missions.” UPDATE: CHAD VIOLENCE CONTINUES, CHRISTIAN COURAGE EMERGES Source: Bible League Tumultuous political and civil unrest in the African nation of Chad caused by an attempted coup in early February resulted in more than 300,000 Chadians fleeing the country. Amid the chaos a story of courage emerges. There was severe fighting near a Bible League ministry in central Chad, and while the staff was encouraged to evacuate, one staff member made the bold commitment to stay behind. Joseph (not his real name), a security guard for the ministry center, was determined to protect God’s property -- including an inventory of Bibles -- at all cost. Instead of fleeing to safety, Joseph stood guard for several days during heightened periods of violent outbreaks. “The area around the building was completely flattened, but the building was not looted or touched, and Joseph was safe,” said Bible League’s ministry director for Africa. While the immediate threat of violence has waned, tensions remain high. “Ministry throughout the area is pretty much at a standstill at this time because of continued insecurity around the country. People are staying close to home and traveling only when necessary, but at this time all Bible League staff members are safe,” he said. * HCJB Global Voice worked with local partner Voice of Hope to establish an FM station in N’Djamena in 2004. The mission also assisted the Church of the Lutheran Brethren with a recording studio in Gauna Gaya. HINDU EXTREMISTS FORCIBLY RECONVERT HUNDREDS OF CHRISTIANS Source: Compass Direct News Hindu extremists recently carried out a well-planned scheme to lure to a temple and forcibly convert scores of Christians from villages around Shimla, the capital city of northern India’s Himachal Pradesh state. Offering money, making threats or leading the Christians to believe they were going to government offices for official paperwork, Hindu extremists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) lured the believers to a Hindu temple on Feb. 27. Once there, a haranguing speaker and others pressured about 200 people to reconvert, forcing many of them to participate in rituals and purification ceremonies. Ramlal Kanol, a blind man who has a healing and preaching ministry in Bhutti village, said four men came to his house on Tuesday, Feb. 26, first offering him money to go with them, then threatening to imprison and fine him if he didn’t. “They threatened me, asking me to continue my work with the poor and healing the sick, but in the name of Ram, not Christ,” he said. Local media later termed the coercive conversion event “returning home.” However, by one Christian pastor’s estimate, about 30 percent of those present were Hindus pretending to be Christians who had reconverted to Hinduism. STUDY: GOD RELATIONSHIP ONLY ‘MOST IMPORTANT’ TO 1 IN 5 Sources: Christian Post, Religion Today In the eyes of the world, the U.S. is a religious -- even Christian -- nation. But a new study revealed the majority of Americans do not rank their relationship with God as the most important personal connection in their life. Seven out of 10 American adults choose their earthly family over the Heavenly Father when asked to choose the most important relationship to them, according to a new Barna Group study. One-third said their entire nuclear family is most important, while nearly a quarter (22 percent) named their spouse and one-sixth (17 percent) pointed to their children. An additional 3 percent of American adults identified their parents as the most important relationship in their lives. Only 19 percent, or nearly one out of every five adults, said their relationship with God, Jesus Christ, the trinity or Allah (specific names) is the most important in their life. MAGAZINE LAUNCHES WEBSITE TO FOSTER GLOBAL ONLINE PRAYER Source: Religion Press Release Services OurPrayer.org, part of Guideposts magazine’s network, has launched a dynamic website specifically for online prayer. Using state-of-the-art social networking technology, the site has simple, user-friendly tools to form online prayer groups with friends, family, congregations and people anywhere in the world. It includes personalized prayer pages where visitors get to know each other, create prayer blogs or keep an online spiritual journal. It also features prayer-driven content in multimedia formats and is poised to be the most technologically advanced and accessible worldwide prayer ministry in history. “It’s our desire to inspire and unite the people visiting Ourprayer.org and to become a global community of praying people maximizing the proven power of prayer, all while maintaining our unique commitment to pray by name and need for each individual request received,” said Peola Hicks, prayer department manager at Guideposts. “The Internet hasn’t really changed what people do, just how we do it. It’s truly transformed the ability to reach out and connect with others around the world. Our focus is reaching out and connecting others to God through prayer.” © Copyright 2008 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA

Zpět	Další zprávy: www.prayer.cz