News headlines for June 20th 2003

(Iran)–We begin today in Iran where reports indicate a majority of Iranians want a regime change. Demonstrations by Iranians demanding free democratic elections have lingered all week. Lee DeYoung is with Words of Hope[1] , which is transmitting Christian programming into Iran. He says this could have positive implications on ministry. “Because the regime is so closely linked to Islam itself the negative perceptions of the regime are translating into disenchantment with Islam. That means that there is probably unprecedented interest in spiritual things and especially Christianity.” As the spread of Islam has been driven by the inspiration of the Iranian revolution 20 years ago, DeYoung says its demise could have widespread implications. “If that revolution is undone or discredited by the popular will of the people of Iran itself, the repercussions psychologically throughout the Islamic world will be enormous.”

(India)– Elsewhere, anti-Christian violence incidents in India are on the rise. This comes as no surprise to those counting the states adopting anti-conversion laws. For Trans World Radio’s[2] International president, David Tucker, it’s a cause for prayer. TWR broadcasts into India from outside, but for new believers, their new faith is costly. “When they want to come to the point of baptism and church membership, we take them to a lawyer and we get them to stamp that they are prepared to convert to Christianity. That’s the way we’ve done it for many, many years. We’ve planted over 600 churches in India in that way.” Tucker says a church begins with a listening community, and, “…when the community builds to about 100 people, we will probably build a community center. It will be for educational work during the day, we do baptisms there, it will give clean water for the village. So, there will be a development within the village itself. This isn’t an outside force coming in, these are the Indians doing their own evangelism.”

(India)–Nearly 90 percent of all the poor Indians and 95 percent of all the illiterate Indians are Dalits, members of the ‘untouchable’ caste. However, illiteracy should not hinder them from the Gospel. Audio Scripture Ministries'[3] Tom Dudenhoffer says they’ve launched a new Bible program specifically for these people. “We’re anticipating starting a program that’s going to be focusing on illiterate families in the rural villages of India. Our goal is going to be to provide them with a tape player of some sort and a set of Scripture tapes so that they can hear the word of God in their own dialect and in their own language.” As the Dalits fought to free themselves of the caste system, the upper castes countered with anti-conversion laws. Dudenhoffer responds. “While it’s difficult for them to live in that country as Christians, it still is so significant that many will take the risk and commit their lives to Jesus Christ, if they have the opportunity to hear.”

(Indonesia)–Next, Christian Aid[4] reports three Muslim officials approached an evangelical Bible school leader in northern Sulawesi and asked for his help. In response to the new education law, they needed his Bible school be part of a program preparing Christianity teachers for the Indonesian public schools. Officials expect a shortage of about 3000 teachers of Christianity in the state-run schools in the next few years. Pray for believers as they await results on a legal challenge to the law.

(USA)–And finally, a program in the United States is reaching inner city youth. Here’s Life Inner City[5] is sponsoring ‘SAY Yes! Centers’ for youth development. ‘SAY Yes’, stands for ‘Save America’s Youth’. These church-run centers provide kids and their families a neighborhood church contact. There are 59 centers in 18 cities serving more than 12-hundred inner-city children. Here’s Life hopes that because of these centers many young people will turn away from gangs and drugs and turn to Christ.

[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=WOH [2] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=TWR [3] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=ASM [4] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=CAID [5] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=HLIC ———————————————————————

Mission Network News, a service of Cornerstone University of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. http://www.MNNonline.org

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