IRAQ: THE GOOD NEWS
Despite bombings, hostage-taking and political wrangling, some positive news has emerged about the growth of Iraqi churches. In Baghdad, 15 evangelical congregations have started since the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime in April 2003. Officially, only two existed before. Now local Iraqi pastors lead all congregations, and many Christians who fled the country have returned. "The people are open like never before," said Pastor Ghassan Thomas, adding, “Muslims too want peace. Many of them are frightened. When the hostages are killed, often a Quranic verse is used to justify it. So many Muslims are scared of their own God. When we preach that God is love, it is so liberating to them." In the northeast, Iraqi Kurdistan offers a haven for Christian activity as the two rival Kurdish governments reportedly grow in their toleration of Muslims becoming Christians. Kurds compose about 25% of Iraq’s population. Pray that the country’s new constitution will ensure freedom of religion. [COMPASS, 8 July ‘05]
RADICALS IN INDONESIA ORDER 8 MORE CHURCHES CLOSED
A campaign by a radical Islamic group to close down Christian churches in the Indonesian province of West Java has escalated in recent days, reported the Christian human rights group Jubilee Campaign. “Members of the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), an organization of Muslim clerics that receives 5 billion rupees (nearly US$600,000) in support from the government of Indonesia, entered 8 churches during worship services on Aug. 14 and ordered the churches to close.” The incident brings to 35 the number of West Java churches shut down since the MUI issued a series of 11 religious rulings (fatwas) at the end of July. [ASSIST NEWS/HCJB 16 Aug.’05]
“CHRISTIANS IN CRISIS”
A Filipino pastor and evangelist who was tortured and scheduled for public hanging in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Christmas Day, 1992, now leads an organisation that supports persecuted Christians worldwide. Wally Magdangal had just two days left when he was spared execution through the intervention of international human rights groups, the U.S. Congress and White House. Accused of blasphemy, Magdangal said he was actually imprisoned for leading an underground church in Riyadh for 10 years. This had become one of the largest churches in Saudi Arabia with between 300 and 700 people attending services. After being deported, he and his family moved to the U.S. where he now operates “Christians in Crisis” [
http://www.christiansincrisis.net]
, visiting heads of state to tell them about the persecution and torture of Christians and other groups in Saudi Arabia. [CHARISMA/CMDNET 6 Aug.05]
ARABIC SAT-7 VIEWERS FORM CHURCH IN SWEDEN
Ten Arabs in a small city in Sweden came to know Christ through broadcasts from the SAT-7 Arabic satellite network. Centres affiliated with SAT-7 in Europe often help viewers find and integrate into local Arabic churches. But since these new believers had no Arab-speaking church in their city, they decided to start their own. [MNN 25 July ‘05]
"BOILER ROOM" PRAYER FOR LONDON
The City of London is the latest location for a new type of prayer community known as "Boiler rooms". The centres owe their name to the claim of Victorian preacher CH Spurgeon that his ministry only bore fruit because of his "boiler rooms" of prayer warriors who prayed in the basement while he preached. The new breed of boiler rooms – five have opened so far – are an initiative of the 24/7 Prayer Network. The latest, in Tabernacle Street, Moorgate, includes lunchtime prayer for the business community and evening "complines" and has seen members praying on the tube in the aftermath of the London bombings. The groups seek to echo monastic principles as a refuge for prayer and hospitality. [NEWSWATCH/CHRISTIANITY 9/05]
GROWING MISSION-MINDED KIDS
Through the OMS International "Kids Can Do" education programme, kids can take a virtual mission trips and support project that make a huge difference. Says Susie Howard of OMS: "In a lot of Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools, the children will actually raise money for a project, but sometimes they really don't know what they're doing. By educating the children they have a better idea of who these people are. They have more compassion for them, tend to pray for them more at home, and hopefully someday be even open to the thought of going somewhere else and doing something." It's a programme not just for kids, but for adults who want to help develop missions-minded kids. For games and more info visit the Kids Corner page on the OMS website www.omsinternational.org [CMDNet 16 July ‘05]
RESOURCES
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is November 6, 2005. Find out more at:
http://www.releaseinternational.org/idopTreasury of where to look for resources connecting children and missions!
http://missionresources.com/teachingkids.htmlFree missionary stories for kids with downloadable coloring sheets from The National Children's Ministries Agency of the Assemblies of God
http://bgmc.ag.org/files/true-missionary-stories/index.cfmNEWS BYTES is compiled monthly by Debbie Meroff of OM News & Information
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