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Today’s Headlines:

CHRISTIAN CHINESE AUTHOR SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS IN LABOR CAMP THREATS FROM NEPAL’S MAOIST REBELS PUT CHRISTIANS ON ALERT EX-PAKISTANI PM CONDEMNS TRAVEL BAN ON HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER LOCAL POLICE HANG VIETNAMESE PASTOR ON CROSS FOR 3 HOURS NICARAGUAN CHURCH LEADERS URGE BIBLE MINISTRY TO EXPAND OUTREACH NEW VIDEO TO BRING GOSPEL TO ‘EXTREME SPORTS’ ENTHUSIASTS

Today’s News Stories:

CHRISTIAN CHINESE AUTHOR SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS IN LABOR CAMP Zhang Yi-nan, a Chinese house-church writer and historian, has been sentenced to two years of laojiao (re-education through labor) by the Re-education Through Labor Commission of Ping Ding Shan county in Henan province. He was allowed to see his wife at the gate of the Lu Shan County Detention Center at 10 a.m. this morning, then escorted to a police car and driven away to an undisclosed labor camp. Yi-nan was arrested along with Xiao Bi-guang on Sept. 26 and charged with “subverting the Chinese government and socialist order.” Bi-guang was released last week and returned to his family in Beijing. The commission used Yi-nan’s personal prayer journal against him, quoting sections such as, “We ask the Lord to destroy the strongholds in China.” He also wrote out prayers that God would destroy “atheistic organizations” in China. Those words, said the local Public Security Bureau official Li Hai Tao, constituted “anti-party, anti-socialist” writings. The evidence was confiscated from Yi-nan’s house during a search on Sept. 28, the day his wife was also arrested. She was later released. Yi-nan will have one chance to appeal his sentence to the commission within 60 days. The sentencing papers also give him the opportunity to request an administrative trial in the People’s Court within 90 days. (Voice of the Martyrs)

THREATS FROM NEPAL’S MAOIST REBELS PUT CHRISTIANS ON ALERT The U.S. State Department is urging Americans in Nepal to practice caution and maintain a low profile after recent threats were made by communist rebels against U.S.-linked organizations. An embassy notice warned of possible attacks despite assurances from the top rebel leader that his forces would leave Americans alone unless they were connected to Nepal’s military. Maoist rebels are angry that the U.S. supported the Nepalese government with millions of dollars in military and development aid. The rebels want to topple the country’s constitutional monarchy and establish a communist state. Fighting has escalated again since the rebels pulled out of a cease-fire in August. For ministries such as Grand Rapids-based Inter-National Needs Network (INN), the threat is less severe since the teams consist of nationals. However, in many areas, Christianity is seen as a “Western religion,” and therefore, linked to Americans. INN’s Rody Rodeheaver says he’s more concerned about the rise in persecution. “The reports that I get from our people are that there is more persecution on the part of the Maoists against the church, meaning that they’re not allowing some of our house churches to function and our evangelists are not able to go out and minister and share the gospel,” he says. “The interesting thing is that when God is involved . . . there are ways that the Christians are able to continue to minister, and a lot of those ways are by becoming involved in community development.” (Mission Network News)

EX-PAKISTANI PM CONDEMNS TRAVEL BAN ON HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has condemned the Pakistani government’s decision, Oct. 14, to ban the prominent human rights campaigner Shahbaz Bhatti from leaving the country. In a statement, issued on Monday, Oct. 27, Bhutto accused Pakistan’s military government of trying to silence the voice of justice and reason, and demanded an immediate lifting of the ban on Bhatti. A committed Christian, Bhatti heads the All Pakistan Minority Alliance — long a thorn in the flesh of successive Pakistani governments. He is renowned in Pakistan and international human rights circles for championing the rights of religious minorities as well as victims of rape and slavery. In recent years, Bhatti has raised his voice in Pakistan and abroad against a dramatic upsurge in violence against Pakistan’s Christian minority. Last July Bhatti protested against the trend towards more rigorous implementation of sharia (Islamic law) in Pakistan, warning that this process will “strengthen religious extremism and promulgate Talibanization.” Until now, Bhatti had been largely tolerated by successive Pakistani governments as a dhimmi (protected non-Muslim). The travel ban on Bhatti signals a new hard-line policy inspired by radical Islamists in Pakistan’s military establishment. (Freedom Now News)

LOCAL POLICE HANG VIETNAMESE PASTOR ON CROSS FOR 3 HOURS A pastor in Vietnam’s Kontum province was reportedly hung on a cross by authorities. During the August incident, A En, who leads the Chu Pa Evangelical Church, was forced by local police to stand with arms outstretched on the cross for three hours, Compass reported. En was beaten and kicked when he moved. When the police finally released En, an elder from his church had to carry him from the police station. His congregation of 70 members was subsequently disbanded. Other ministers also have been targeted in the remote province of Kontum which borders Cambodia and Laos. Earlier this year, A Yen, an evangelist in Dak Rim, was beaten severely by police because he would not give up his faith and pastoral activities. Police released Yen, who fled to the home of a colleague in the Quang Ngai province. Meanwhile, two evangelists were beaten in separate incidents. Ksor Lui was beaten and then ordered not to leave his home in Kontum’s Sa Thay district. He was also ordered not to propagate his faith after returning from a Bible study seminar. Evangelist Ksor Lor was beaten unconscious by authorities who forbade him to gather Christians for public worship. Although Lui and Lor no longer hold church services, they continue to meet secretly with families. (Charisma News Service)

NICARAGUAN CHURCH LEADERS URGE BIBLE MINISTRY TO EXPAND OUTREACH Pastors and church leaders say that there is a crying need for the evangelism, discipleship, church growth, and church planter training for national Christians that the Bible League (TBL) provides. “We needed this yesterday,” said the president of the largest evangelical denomination in Nicaragua. TBL is responding to these pleas by opening ministry in Nicaragua in February. Nicaraguan church leaders have heard the success stories from other Latin American countries, and they want the same for their nation. TBL is seeking a Nicaraguan believer to lead this new ministry. Nicaragua is the next step in a long-range vision to take Project Philip, the ministry’s model for evangelism and discipleship, to all of Latin America. TBL works in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Haiti. A ministry to Hispanics living in the U.S. was also launched last year. (The Bible League)

* HCJB World Radio works with partner ministries in two cities of Nicaragua. Radio Capilla Sin Paredes (Radio Chapel Without Walls) in Managua receives programming from ALAS, the ministry’s Latin American satellite radio network with more than 100 outlets in 18 countries. Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., also have provided technical help to a station in La Trinidad.

NEW VIDEO TO BRING GOSPEL TO ‘EXTREME SPORTS’ ENTHUSIASTS A new extreme sports video is being produced to present the gospel message to teens who are part of the “skating and BMX” culture. The Luis Palau Evangelistic Association is developing an outreach evangelistic DVD called “Livin’ It,” aimed at sharing the gospel and containing resources to equip believers for evangelism and follow-up. The reality-style video will be launched during a conference in April 2004. The ministry plans to distribute thousands of copies through its evangelistic festivals. (Mission Network News)

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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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