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Today’s News Headlines:

PROTESTANTS FACE HARSH NEW MEASURES IN TURKMENISTAN, BELARUS LEBANESE COURT FINDS CANADIAN CHRISTIAN INNOCENT OF SPYING CHARGE ANTI-CHRISTIAN GROUP HACKS INTO TURKISH WEBSITE BAPTIST WORKERS REMAIN IN IRAQ DESPITE INCREASING THREATS FEBC NAMES 4TH PRESIDENT IN RADIO MINISTRY’S HISTORY CHURCH IN OHIO ADDS ‘NEW LIFE’ VIA FAIR OUTREACH

Today’s News Stories:

PROTESTANTS FACE HARSH NEW MEASURES IN TURKMENISTAN, BELARUS Baptists and other Protestant groups in two of the most oppressive republics of the former Soviet Union faced fines and possible liquidation Monday, Sept. 1, unless they stop church meetings. In Turkmenistan, police banned members of a Baptist congregation in the town of Balkanabad from gathering for services, and a law on demonstrations in Belarus, which came into force Aug. 29, could liquidate religious groups if they “harm the public interest.” Local Baptists in Balkanabad told Forum 18 News Service that they will be fined for each meeting following a raid during a service on Sunday, Aug. 24. All those present were reportedly taken to the 6th division of the regional police department, which combats terrorism and religious extremism. Balkanabad’s Baptist congregation belongs to the unregistered Council of Churches which has grown to more than 3,700 congregations throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States. Turkmenistan’s harsh policy came as Christians in Belarus faced potential difficulties Monday after harsh anti-religious measures proposed by President Aleksandr Lukashenko came into force on the weekend. He reportedly removed proposed exemptions for religious events from the text of the new law that was approved by the lower and upper houses of parliament in June. (Assist News Service/ Forum 18 News Service)

* HCJB World Radio works in partnership with Back to the Bible to air Christian Turkmen programs. Twice-weekly broadcasts began airing from an undisclosed site outside of Turkmenistan in 2001 and moved to daily programming earlier this year.

LEBANESE COURT FINDS CANADIAN CHRISTIAN INNOCENT OF SPYING CHARGE Bruce Balfour, the 52-year-old Canadian Christian charged with spying for Israel, has been found innocent by a Lebanese military court. The court ruled unanimously Monday, Sept. 1, that he was not guilty of the spying charge of collaborating with Israel. The charge carried a 15-year prison term if he had been found guilty. Balfour had also been accused of inciting sectarian sentiments and was convicted of the lesser charge, but the tribunal said the time he had already spent in prison since his July 10 arrest at Beirut Airport was sufficient punishment. He is expected to be released today and then deported immediately. During a court appearance last week, Balfour, who had been in Lebanon as the field director of Cedars of Lebanon, a project to help replenish the biblical cedar trees of the country, said that he was not a spy and that he served the Lord. Ibrahim Hariri, Balfour’s lawyer, argued that his client had visited Israel on a religious mission. Grant Livingston, another Canadian citizen who stood trial in absentia on the same charge of collaborating with the enemy (Israel) was also found innocent. (Assist News Service)

ANTI-CHRISTIAN GROUP HACKS INTO TURKISH WEBSITE An anti-Christian group recently hacked into a website of a Turkish believer, reported the Inter-National Needs Network. An advertising campaign via the website offered to send Christian books to some 6 million e-mail addresses. “There have been complaints and attacks as a result of this strategy,” said a website report. “But there have also been thankful messages from people who have received the book which we have sent. They ask if we can send any other books. . . . Last month we sent out 103 Scriptures, ‘Jesus’ films on CD and calendars. We are also working on cartoon films for children using Bible stories. As a result, we have received 23 e-mails and 10 telephone calls from people asking about Christianity.” (Inter-National Needs Network)

BAPTIST WORKERS REMAIN IN IRAQ DESPITE INCREASING THREATS Threats against non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Iraq are forcing groups to reduce work there, says Mark Kelly of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB). “The United Nations NGO coordinating council passed along some information that the remnant of Saddam Hussein loyalists were apparently planning attacks that would intentionally target NGO personnel,” he said. “Our workers in Iraq contacted us saying that they felt we needed to delay for at least two weeks sending any volunteers into the country.” However, IMB staffers aren’t leaving Iraq. Kelly says this will be a great testimony to the Iraqi people. “Our folks are planning to stay and keeping a lower profile. It will mean a lot to the locals when they see our workers are staying put while other foreigners are packing and leaving the country.” Meanwhile, safety concerns have delayed the delivery of 46,000 IMB food boxes to Iraq. (Mission Network News/Baptist Press)

FEBC NAMES 4TH PRESIDENT IN RADIO MINISTRY’S HISTORY The international radio ministry Far East Broadcasting Co. (FEBC) has a new leader. Outgoing President Jim Bowman announced that Gregg Harris became FEBC’s fourth president on Monday, Sept. 1. Bowman says Harris, who has 10 years of international radio ministry, is a great person to succeed him. Bowman, meanwhile, will work full-time with field leaders and assist in developing FEBC’s international office in Asia. (Mission Network News)

CHURCH IN OHIO ADDS ‘NEW LIFE’ VIA FAIR OUTREACH An Assemblies of God church in Ohio has added new life to its congregation by using an innovative outreach at a local fair. Instead of evening services at New Life Assembly of God in Circleville, members ministered the last two Sundays in June at the Pickaway County Fair, serving as greeters and gate attendants at the fair’s three main entrances. Planted in 2000 with nine people, New Life uses the fair — attended by more than 10,000 people annually — as a way to exhibit Christlike friendliness, while creating community awareness about the church, senior pastor Tim McGinnis said. Members wear neon-green T-shirts as they hand out leaflets with information about the church. More than 30 people have joined New Life’s now 175-member congregation as a result of the outreach from the past three summers. McGinnis said 85 percent of New Life’s adherents are new converts. “The church is a spiritual hospital,” he added, “where people should feel that they can come dressed as they are, with habits as they are, income as it is, and not be looked at in shame.” The church recently completed a $50,000 addition to its facility, which sits on the 70-acre fairgrounds. (Charisma News Service/Religion Today)

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio U.S. Ministries Communications Director E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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