A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today’s News Headlines:

INDIAN STATE PASSES REPRESSIVE RELIGION LAW AS PERSECUTION INCREASES NEW LAW IN LAOS ACCEPTS EVANGELICAL CHURCHES BUT LIMITS OUTREACH OFFICIALS IN AZERBAIJAN CONTINUE TO HARASS LOCAL PASTOR 3 MINISTRIES TO HOST CONFERENCE ON PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS LONGTIME MISSIONARY LEADER AT SIM DIES OF CANCER * DOCK WORKERS DISPUTE DELAYS SHIPPING OF TRANSMITTER TO AUSTRALIA

Today’s News Stories:

INDIAN STATE PASSES REPRESSIVE RELIGION LAW AS PERSECUTION INCREASES The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu passed legislation on the weekend outlawing what it calls “forced religious conversions.” Christians convicted of leading Dalits–people outside of the caste system–to Christ could face up to four years in prison, reports Gospel for Asia (GFA) President K.P. Yohannan. “This is nothing but another attempt of the Hindu sect . . . to stop conversions and the Christian work in India,” he says. “Now there is a feeling that other states may also seek to now adopt this.” While Yohannan is surprised at the new legislation, he’s not losing hope. “I believe the persecution and even martyrdom may increase rapidly. But I am convinced that more people will come to know the Lord in the midst of bloodshed and persecution and all the opposition that we will face.” Last week a Christian woman in Tamil Nadu was burned alive. Anti-Christians reportedly lashed out at believers from a local church in the remote village where she lived. Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, a GFA pastor was interrogated this week by local police and falsely accused of damaging an idol near the Believers Church that he pastors. The minister was released unharmed several hours later, but antagonism toward Christians in the area is growing. Meanwhile, a team of women who distribute Bibles in the northeastern state of Chattisgarh are facing ongoing harassment for their evangelistic work. Two of them were recently chased while walking home after conducting an outreach. They escaped unharmed. (Mission Network News/Religion Today)

NEW LAW IN LAOS ACCEPTS EVANGELICAL CHURCHES BUT LIMITS OUTREACH Worthy News reports that the Lao government passed laws in July that gave official recognition to the Lao Evangelical Churches (LEC). The laws reflect a changing attitude and have both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, believers can breathe easier, knowing that the government has accepted their church. The implication, however, is that every other Christian group is illegal. The new laws allow more freedom for the existing churches to assemble and practice their faith among themselves. The down side is that the same laws restrict outreach activities and bringing new believers into the church. One observer said, “It seems that the new laws are intended to please the international community, but not to ensure the protection of followers of religious faiths.” Others believe that the LEC will become similar to the official Protestant church in China. If doctrinal restrictions are not imposed, this could give the LEC freedom to carry on its activities. Whether new churches will be able to be planted is another question that remains unanswered. (Religion Today)

OFFICIALS IN AZERBAIJAN CONTINUE TO HARASS LOCAL PASTOR A Baptist pastor in Azerbaijan still cannot conduct services in the local church, and Bibles sent to the Baptist church remain in customs because the government refuses to release them. These are some of the findings of Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Secretary Denton Lotz and Tony Cupit, director of study and research, who visited Azerbaijan Sept. 28-30, meeting with a growing Baptist community that faces continued harassment from the state. Of particular concern is the fate of pastor Sari Mizroev who has been accused of making anti-Muslim statements. He has been banned from conducting worship in a church that he started after God gave him a vision of reaching Azeris for Christ in 1992. He began serving as pastor of the church in 1994. Since then many have become believers. There are 800 baptized believers among the Azerbaijanis in 20 groups, four congregations and some house churches. Most converts are Azeris. In 1999 Mizroev and a deacon were imprisoned for 15 days because of a sermon he preached on fasting that was seen as a slight on the Muslim feast of Ramadan. Mizroev is again in trouble with the authorities and charged with being a “hooligan” and a “traitor” while receiving negative coverage in the media. He has been banned by the authorities from attending his church, attacked in the streets and is under constant surveillance. (Baptist World Alliance)

3 MINISTRIES TO HOST CONFERENCE ON PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS Three Christian agencies working for the rights of the persecuted church will team up to host the 2002 International Christian Human Rights Conference next month. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Release International and Premier Christian Radio will jointly present the event called “Let Justice Roll” in London, England, Saturday, Nov. 16. The conference will highlight the persecution of Christians worldwide and challenge churches to respond through prayer and action. Christians from countries such as Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria and Turkmenistan will share news and personal experience of the persecuted church, together with opportunities to write letters of support to persecuted Christians. Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: “Up to 250 million people face persecution, and it is our responsibility in the West to pray, protest and provide for a better future for all of them.” Eddie Lyle, executive director of Release International, added: “An estimated 150,000 Christians are killed through persecution every year throughout the world. This issue must be urgently addressed by governments and churches alike.” (Assist News Service)

LONGTIME MISSIONARY LEADER AT SIM DIES OF CANCER SIM missionary Eldon Howard, a longtime leader in mission finance, died on Friday, Oct. 4, after a two-year battle with cancer. Howard and his wife, Liz, began service with SIM (then called Sudan Interior Mission) in Nigeria in 1965. They also served in Ghana, Liberia and the U.S., providing administrative and financial guidance for medical, media and home office ministries. In 1973 he was named SIM’s international treasurer and chief financial officer, and in 1991 he was elected as deputy general director, overseeing corporate affairs and finances. He also helped shape SIM’s strategic response to the AIDS epidemic worldwide. SIM International Director Jim Plueddemann describes Howard as “one in a million–a man of vision, strategy and heart. He was one of the few people I’ve known who could see the desired end result and could also plan the necessary action steps to get there.” (SIM)

* DOCK WORKERS DISPUTE DELAYS SHIPPING OF TRANSMITTER TO AUSTRALIA The dock workers labor dispute on the West Coast of the U.S. has held up the shipment of a 100,000-watt shortwave transmitter to HCJB World Radio-Australia’s property near the continent’s northern coast. The transmitter, designed and built at the ministry’s Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., is destined for Kununurra near the northern coast of the continent.. “Many of you have prayed about all of the roadblocks that the Australian office has met each step of the way to get a shortwave radio site up and running in Kununurra,” said Dave Pasechnik, director of the center. “God has been awesome throughout this five-year process. Now we need His intervention again.” A team from Elkhart is in Kununurra to install the antennas and the transmitter as soon as it arrives. The goal is to begin the shortwave broadcasts on Dec. 22, reaching across Asia, the South Pacific and parts of Africa with Christian programs. (HCJB World Radio)

James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor’s Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer. HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities on which it reports.