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Today’s Headlines:

NEW RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION IN KAZAKHSTAN CONCERNS BELIEVERS OFFICIALS ARREST EVANGELIST IN INDIA ON APPARENT FALSE CHARGES SEVERE HAILSTORM DESTROYS CHRISTIAN CAMP IN SPAIN NEW TESTAMENT TRANSLATED INTO MODERN RUSSIAN CONFERENCE IN CANADA TO SHOWCASE INDIGENOUS MISSIONS WORLDWIDE U.S. STUDY SHOWS WANING CHURCH ATTENDANCE AMONG ’20-SOMETHINGS’

Today’s News Stories:

NEW RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION IN KAZAKHSTAN CONCERNS BELIEVERS Leaders at an unprecedented religious congress in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan have agreed to create what they call the United Nations of Religions, a move that is raising concerns among evangelical Christians. Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayevof has offered to provide a new building for the organization in the capital city of Astana where religious disputes could be discussed in a neutral setting, the Voice of America reported. However, some evangelical commentators have warned that formation of the organization is just a step closer to creating a “universally accepted religion” that would contradict the gospel of Jesus Christ. Kazakhstan has been criticized for its tough line towards nontraditional groups under Nazarbayev’s leadership. Although 80 percent of ethnic Kazakhs consider themselves nominally Muslim, many also identify with the Russian Orthodox Church. Roman Catholics and evangelical denominations in Kazakhstan are growing despite government opposition. (Assist News Service)

OFFICIALS ARREST EVANGELIST IN INDIA ON APPARENT FALSE CHARGES An evangelist has been arrested in Shillong, Meghalaya, India, on apparent trumped-up drug trafficking charges. Police raided the home of Yusi Hey Yobin Aug. 21, claiming to find heroin. However, local Christians say Yobin’s arrest is part of an ongoing conspiracy to defame church leaders. Yobin, who is associated with the Meghalaya Christ Church, also served as a research scholar for North Eastern Hill University. But officials at the college terminated Yobin’s fellowship because of the charges against him. Hindu fundamentalists have increased their anti-Christian activities in Kerala, considered India’s “cradle of Christianity.” Local Christians are concerned that the area may be next in a series of Indian states to adopt “anti-conversion” laws. Regarded as a safe haven for religious minorities, Kerala’s population is 19 percent Christian, 23 percent Muslims and 58 percent Hindu. Religious groups have lived in relative harmony for many years, but numerous clashes among them have been reported in recent months. (Religion Today/Charisma News Service)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia’s new shortwave site Kununurra airs 6.5 hours of daily English programming across South Asia, including India. Two half-hour programs in Urdu, airing Monday through Saturday, went on the air in July, and plans are being made to add Hindi programs. In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio also airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in three languages: Bhojpuri, Chattisgarhi and Mundari.

SEVERE HAILSTORM DESTROYS CHRISTIAN CAMP IN SPAIN A severe hailstorm in late August effectively destroyed Greater Europe Mission’s (GEM) camp facilities in Spain, causing an estimated $130,000 in damage. Softball-sized hail pummeled the tent-based camp, forcing the 100 campers and staff members to cover the children and hide beneath tables and chairs for protection. As the storm lifted, people were grateful for their lives, but the camp was devastated. All of the tents for housing and meeting were shredded, the swimming pool was filled with mud, and many cars owned by the guests had to be repaired before they could return home. “We are grateful to God that only two persons were injured and not severely,” said GEM spokesman Ted Noble in a website report. “The balance of the camping season had to be canceled.” Noble said the community responded generously following the storm. “A local conference center gave shelter and offered to house the guests for the remaining days of family camp at no charge,” he said. “The mayor and local people became very engaged, and the main TV stations and newspapers provided helpful coverage, amazed at the positive attitudes of everyone at the camp.” GEM has found that camp ministries are the most effective way of present the gospel to the people in Spain, Noble says. (Greater Europe Mission/Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio worked with partner ministry Radio-Production Amigos to open four FM stations in Spain in 1998. A year earlier, HCJB World Radio established Radio Vida to reach southern Spain and northern Morocco with gospel broadcasts. The station is temporarily off the air until a new FM license is issued.

NEW TESTAMENT TRANSLATED INTO MODERN RUSSIAN Russia’s National State Library hosted a presentation ceremony on Monday, Sept. 15, to unveil a new modern-Russian version of the New Testament translated directly from the Greek text. The clear-cut, dynamic edition called Joyful News “contains no outdated words and is addressed to the broad reading public,” said Vladimir Vdovikov of the Russian Biblical Society’s information department. The society, founded in 1813, aims to translate the Bible into foreign languages and languages of Russia’s ethnic groups. The new publication updates the society’s previous modern-Russian translation completed “several years ago.” The Russian Orthodox Church hasn’t yet expressed its official position concerning the new translation, but the Moscow patriarchy’s department of external church expressed skepticism that it could surpass the traditional canonical synodal translation. (Ria Novosti)

CONFERENCE IN CANADA TO SHOWCASE INDIGENOUS MISSIONS WORLDWIDE A missions conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Oct. 16-18 will showcase indigenous missions from around the world. James Eagles, president of Christian Aid in Canada, said this is the first major international missions conference to be held in North America where all the key participants are indigenous mission leaders. Called Gateways, at least 50 indigenous mission leaders from developing countries are expected to attend. The theme of the conference is, “Hear their hearts, see their world.” Topics include encouraging persecuted churches, aiding the poor, involving women in missions, increasing a church’s missions vision, and reaching local indigenous people. Christian Aid concentrates on providing financial help for indigenous missions. The ministry’s combined U.S. and Canadian organizations help some 700 indigenous mission boards with a total of 90,000 native missionaries on the field. (Christian Aid Mission)

U.S. STUDY SHOWS WANING CHURCH ATTENDANCE AMONG ’20-SOMETHINGS’ A new study from the Barna Research Group of Ventura, Calif., shows that millions of “20-something” Americans — many of whom were active in churches during their teens — pass through their most formative adult decade while putting Christianity on the backburner. The research, conducted with 2,660 people in the age group, shows that Americans in their 20s are significantly less likely than any other age group to attend church services, donate to churches, be absolutely committed to Christianity, read the Bible, or serve as a volunteer or lay. Perhaps the most striking reality of the group’s faith is their relative absence from Christian churches. Only three out of 10 (31 percent) attend church in a typical week compared to four out of 10 for those in their 30s (42 percent) and nearly half of all adults age 40 and older (49 percent). The low level of 20-something church attendance is not just due to the “college years” when many young adults may not have easy access to a church. The research shows that church attendance bottoms out during the late 20s when the vast majority of students have transitioned from education to the workforce. Just 22 percent of those ages 25 to 29 attended church in the last week. (Religion Today/Barna Research)

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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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