Zprávy HCJB 5.5.2008

	Nové verze obvinění čínského křesťanského knihkupce
	Čínské úřady nyní nazývají pekingského obchodníka „nebezpečným náboženským elementem,“ což přátelé tohoto křesťanského knihkupce Ši Weihan odmítají, protože to odporuje jeho hluboce vlastenecké povaze. Úřady pozvolna mění obvinění proti Ši – původně šlo o „nezákonné obchodní postupy,“ koncem roku 2007 byl ale zproštěn viny pro „nedostatek důkazů.“ (viz zpráva z 8.1.2008). V lednu byl propuštěn z vazby a v půlce března jej zatkli znovu za šíření Biblí a křesťanské literatury. Až do konce minulého týdne mu byla odmítána návštěva obhájce. Když mu návštěvu konečně povolili, vyšla pak v China Aid Association zpráva, že úřady Ši zadržují jako „nebezpečný náboženský element.“ Dlouholetý přítel Ray Sharpe řekl, že četné styky s cizinci, jako jsou cestující zástupci firem, mohly vyvolat přehnaná podezření čínských úřadů, což působí zvlášť ironicky, protože tento knihkupec podporuje olympiádu letos v létě a k čínské politice rozhodně není kritický. Zdroj: Compass Direct News *HCJB Global-Australia pomocí své krátkovlnné stanice v Kununurra vysílá 25 a půl hodiny týdně v mandarínské čínštině
	Všechny zprávy v angličtině
	STUDIES SHOW RELATIONSHIPS KEY TO UNBELIEVERS TRYING CHURCH Sources: Evangelical News, Baptist Church Unchurched adults seeking a congregation are not likely to pay a visit to church to find one, and certainly not as likely as are churchgoers shopping for a new congregation, according to several recent LifeWay Research studies. Effective evangelism, the researchers say, must begin with relationships that bring together Christians and unbelievers -- beyond church buildings. The researchers surveyed 1,684 adults who had not attended any religious services during a six-month period, learning that only 49 percent would visit in person if they were looking for a church. By contrast, 83 percent of church switchers indicated in an earlier survey that they made an in-person visit when they “actively searched for a new church.” Of the unchurched, more than half would follow a recommendation from family, friends, neighbors or colleagues if they were looking for a church. Twenty-four percent said they didn’t see themselves using any of the usual ways of finding a church. “The location of our evangelism needs to shift if we want to reach the unchurched and not just move sheep around,” said Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research. “At LifeWay we want to encourage churches to grow through conversion. To do that, they must not rely only on the unchurched visiting our churches. Church switchers are primarily the ones who visit churches. The unchurched stay home. So, if you build your outreach on recruiting and reaching church visitors, you will often build a church on church switchers.” CANADA URGED TO OPEN DOORS FOR IRAQ’S CHRISTIAN REFUGEES Source: BosNewsLife Amid reports of persecution of Christians in Iraq, a Canadian religious advocacy group is asking Canada to open its doors to Iraqi believers. The plea was made in Toronto by One Free World International and submitted by Rev. Majed El Shafie, reported United Press International, citing Canadian news reports. The group expressed concerns about assassinations and kidnappings, adding that several Christian churches have been bombed. Christians make up only 3 percent of the Iraqi population, or about 750,000 people. Several rights watchers have said all face persecution. Authorities in Canada have reportedly said the country would accept 2,000 Iraqi refugees this year. That is up from last year’s 900 Iraqi refugees accepted. BELARUS OFFICIAL JUSTIFIES REJECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PETITION Source: Assist News Service An official from the eastern European country of Belarus is defending his country’s refusal to consider a nationwide religious freedom petition signed by more than 50,000 citizens. Three people were fined for their roles in organizing the petition, accused of failing to follow proper procedures, according to Yuri Kulakovsky of the parliamentary Human Rights, Ethnic Relations and Media Committee. “There is a procedure for such initiatives in any democratic society, and they didn’t follow it,” Kulakovsky told Forum 18 News Service, pointing to counties such as Norway which “follow Europe and democratic norms.” However, Gunnar Martin Ekeløve-Slydal, deputy secretary general of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, said there is “no need at all to ask for permission to collect signatures in support of peaceful activity” -- or to follow any procedure at all. The petitioners in Belarus said they didn’t register as an initiative group, afraid they would be denied. They also agued that they were not exercising a legislative initiative themselves, but asking state bodies to do so on their behalf. WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT LEAVING OFFICE IN 2010 Source: Christian Newswire The international president of World Vision, the world’s largest Christian humanitarian aid organization, has announced that he plans to retire from his role in September 2010. Dean Hirsch said he made the announcement now to give sufficient time for a presidential search and transition process. He has served as the organization’s chief executive since 1996. “While I still love the job,” Hirsch, 60, said in a letter to the World Vision International Board, “I feel it is time for a leadership change. As Ecclesiastes tells us, ‘there is a time and a season for everything,’ including World Vision presidents.” UPDATE: CHARGES SHIFT ON CHINESE CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE OWNER Source: Compass Direct News Authorities in China are now dubbing a Beijing businessman as a “dangerous religious element” an accusation that friends of Christian bookstore owner Shi Weihan’s dismiss as contrary to his patriotic nature. Authorities have been slow in revealing charges against Shi whose original charge of “illegal business practices” in late 2007 resulted in “insufficient evidence.” After his January release, he was rearrested in mid-March for printing Bibles and Christian literature. Until last week, Shi had been denied a visit by his attorney. Following that visit, China Aid Association reported that authorities were holding Shi as a “dangerous religious element.” Longtime friend Ray Sharpe said that Shi’s many foreign relationships as a travel agent may have raised undue suspicions by Chinese authorities, doubly ironic as the bookstore owner has been promoting the Olympic Games later this summer and is anything but critical of Chinese policy. * HCJB Global-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra broadcasts 25.5 hours of Mandarin programming each week. © Copyright 2008 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA

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