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Today’s News Headlines:

TERRORIST ATTACKS IN SPAIN COULD HELP SPUR EVANGELISM POLICE BEAT DALIT PASTOR IN UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA INDIA’S TRIBAL CHRISTIANS FACE PRESSURE TO REVERT TO HINDUISM OPEN DOORS DELIVERS 4 MILLION BIBLES TO PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS MISSION USES COLLEGE GRADS FOR CHURCH-PLANTING INTERNSHIPS STUDY: ONE-THIRD OF U.S. WEB USERS SEEK RELIGIOUS INFORMATION

Today’s News Stories:

TERRORIST ATTACKS IN SPAIN COULD HELP SPUR EVANGELISM In Spain, where 10 terrorist bombs ripped through Madrid Thursday morning, killing more than 198 people and injuring at least 1,400 on packed commuter trains, Greater Europe Mission (GEM) spokesman Doug Bozung says the tragedy could lead to greater spiritual openness. “As many grieve the loss of loved ones and deal with the pain of recovery, it affects their psyche,” he says. “Spaniards, like most people, love life. And something of this magnitude has got to shake the society. I would hope, it would be my prayer, that Spaniards begin to consider their own mortality and their need for Christ.” While 96 percent of Spaniards identify themselves as Catholic, most aren’t involved in the church and need Christ. GEM is addressing this spiritual void by reaching out to the youth. “Young people are generally more open,” Bozung says. “Statistics show that most people come to Christ before their 18th birthday. So it’s very important to reach these people when they’re young.” GEM operates a camping ministry and a Bible Institute and is involved in church planting. (Mission Network News/Reuters)

POLICE BEAT DALIT PASTOR IN UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA Ram Prakash, a lay pastor from Mahmudpur village in the Sultanpur district of northern Indian’s Uttar Pradesh state, was beaten while in police custody and continues to face threats from Hindu activists, reported Open Doors of India. Prakash was visiting a Christian relative in an “untouchable” Dalit colony Friday, Feb. 6, when he was attacked by Hindu activists. Local high-caste Hindu leaders led a group of about 200 people to Harish Chandra’s house, where they accused Prakash of converting the local people to Christianity. The Hindu leaders seized Prakash and began to physically threaten him. Chandra pulled Prakash back into the house and locked the doors. But the crowd soon broke through the door and began beating Chandra and his wife. They also threatened women in the house and used abusive language against other Christians who were present. Meanwhile Prakash managed to call the local police on his mobile phone which was later taken from him by the mob. When police arrived, they arrested Prakash instead of the attackers. He was taken to the police station and held on the pretext of further investigation. Prakash he was eventually released on bail, and doctors performed a medical examination, confirming that he had been severely beaten in police custody. Hindu activists later charged Prakash under section 151 of the Indian Penal Code for spreading communal tension. (Compass)

INDIA’S TRIBAL CHRISTIANS FACE PRESSURE TO REVERT TO HINDUISM Christian tribal people in India, especially in the eastern state of Orissa, are facing increasing pressure to reconvert to Hinduism. Hindu nationalist groups are running “Ghar Vaspi” (reconversion) ceremonies for those who have become Christians to revert to Hinduism. Though India’s tribal groups are not traditionally Hindu, the Hindu government counts them as Hindu and deems them low caste, deprived of their rights and dignity. Therefore the conversions are called “reconversions” or “homecomings.” Hindu nationalists charge Christians with destroying India’s Hindu fabric, traditions and society through “unethical conversions.” On Thursday, March 4, 212 Christians were publicly converted to Hinduism in a Hindu temple in western Orissa. Hindu activists claim that some 10,000 Christians have been re-converted in Orissa in recent years, and aim to re-convert another 400,000. Christians refusing to convert are harassed and violently assaulted. Orissa state has the largest concentration of tribal peoples in India (22 percent) with 62 tribes accounting for more than 7 million people. (World Evangelical Alliance)

* “The Voice of the Great Southland,” the shortwave station operated by HCJB World Radio-Australia, airs more than 44 hours of weekly English programming across India. Two half-hour programs in Urdu, airing Monday through Saturday, went on the air in July 2003, and a daily 15-minute program in Hindi began in January. On Monday, March 15, weekly 15-minute programs will be added in Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Nepali and Chattisgarhi. A studio with programming and a follow-up center has been established in New Delhi. 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.

OPEN DOORS DELIVERS 4 MILLION BIBLES TO PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS Open Doors with Brother Andrew delivered almost 4 million Bibles, children’s Bibles, study Bibles and other scriptural books to persecuted Christians worldwide in 2003, an increase of about 40 percent from 2002. In addition, more than 22,000 pastors and church leaders received intensive training in how to lead their congregations and stand strong in their faith in the midst of persecution and discrimination. “We are very grateful that Open Doors teams working in hot spots around the world were able to deliver 4 million Bibles and other scriptural pieces along with training thousands of pastors despite the increase in danger,” says Open Doors USA President Carl Moeller. An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400 million facing discrimination and alienation. (Religion Today/Open Doors)

MISSION USES COLLEGE GRADS FOR CHURCH-PLANTING INTERNSHIPS The Evangelical Free Church Mission has a special outreach program geared to 20-somethings. “Take 12” is a one-year church-planting internship for college grads. During training, mission leaders work to confirm the country most needing a team to help encourage the indigenous church. Designed as a cross-cultural ministry project, team members study the language, live with a national family and immerse themselves in local church ministries. Team members emphasize evangelism, discipleship and a cross-cultural ministry project to help meet the needs of the church plant while seeking opportunities to explore ministry gifts and develop ministry skills. The latest group of Take 12 interns recently arrived overseas to begin language study. (Mission Network News)

STUDY: ONE-THIRD OF U.S. WEB USERS SEEK RELIGIOUS INFORMATION More than a third of all Americans who are connected to the Internet have used it to access religious and spiritual information, a recent Pew Research Center study shows. Moreover, there has been a significant increase in the daily use of the Internet to access religious information. This compares with 40 percent of American Internet users who have searched the web for political information, and 66 percent who have sought healthcare and medical data. While the number of these last two search categories increased 57 percent and 59 percent respectively between March 2000 and November 2002, what researchers call “religion surfers” almost doubled to 35 million from 18 million in the same period. The growth appears to be only “slightly linked” to the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. An earlier Pew poll accounted for the “bounce,” or heavy upturn in religious interest following the attack. The most recent research found that not only has the interest in religion held since 9/11, but it increased 25 percent during the subsequent 15 months. The poll found Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 to be the least interested in searching out religious material (24 percent), while those ages 30-49 (33 percent) were the most interested. (Religion Today/Agape Press)

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