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Today’s Headlines:

IRAQI MILITANTS KILL CHRISTIAN RESTAURANT OWNER, MUTILATE ASSISTANT U.S. CONGRESS PASSES RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING ‘GENOCIDE’ IN SUDAN MINISTRY GETS GO-AHEAD TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN AFRICAN NATION CHRISTIAN STATION RESUMES BROADCASTING TO RESORT ISLAND IN BELIZE THOUSANDS COME TO CHRIST VIA ‘OPERATION BLESSING’ IN ARGENTINA SURVEY FINDS PROTESTANTS LOSING ‘MAJORITY STATUS’ IN U.S.

Today’s News Stories:

IRAQI MILITANTS KILL CHRISTIAN RESTAURANT OWNER, MUTILATE ASSISTANT Members of the militant Islamic group Wahhabbeen murdered a Christian restaurant owner in the northern Iraq city of Mosul Monday, July 19, “because he had American customers,” reported the human rights organization Barnabas Fund. Hani Matti Betti, owner of the Al-Hanna restaurant, was killed in Mosul’s Al-Dawasa district. Militants also cut off both hands of his business partner and blinded him. “They stated that this was to be understood as a sign to anyone working with the Americans,” Barnabas Fund reported, quoting local media reports. Before killing the businessman, militants reportedly shouted, “You are a Christian. Why do you sell food to the Americans? Are you an agent for the Americans?” Betti is survived by his wife and four daughters, the oldest who is age 20. (BosNewsLife)

U.S. CONGRESS PASSES RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING ‘GENOCIDE’ IN SUDAN The U.S. Congress unanimously passed a resolution Friday, July 23, declaring that genocide is occurring in the western Sudan’s imperiled Darfur region. The resolution, introduced a month ago by New Jersey Congressman Donald Payne, passed by a vote of 422-0. It urged the U.S. administration to “call the atrocities by their rightful name — genocide” and to lead an international effort to prevent it. More than 30,000 people in the non-Muslim area have been killed since February 2003 when two rebellions broke out in Darfur. In addition, more than 800,000 people have been displaced internally, and at least 110,000 residents have fled to neighboring Chad. Sudanese government forces and allied Arab militias, known as Janjawid, have responded to the rebellions with a campaign of ethnic cleansing against African tribes. The government of Sudan denies responsibility for the actions of these militias, but evidence has emerged that Sudan’s first vice president, Mohammed Taha, may have facilitated the release of the most notorious Janjawid leader, Musa Hilal, a convicted murderer who was serving time for armed robbery. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

MINISTRY GETS GO-AHEAD TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN AFRICAN NATION Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo will be staying in the war-torn country for at least a year to stem the tide of violence there. The violence, though, isn’t stopping Hope International from getting involved and helping the local people. Hope International recently received registration to be one of the first micro-finance institutions in the country, says ministry spokesman Peter Greer. “That means that the government has given us authorization to start working with small-scale entrepreneurs to help them start or expand their local businesses. This will allow for the country to be built up, starting at the grassroots level.” But Greer says it’s not all about helping business development. “We do want to improve the family’s financial situation. We do want to improve their social situation, but also and most importantly we want to reach out to them with the spiritual aspect. We find local believers who are engaged in small-scale business and encourage them to reach out to their community.” (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio works with local partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo to broadcast the gospel on FM stations in Boma, Bukavu and Kinshasa. Programs go out in English, French, Kikongo Fioti, Lingala, Luba and Swahili. Weekly programs in the Songe and Kikongo San Salvador languages also air from local FM stations in the country.

CHRISTIAN STATION RESUMES BROADCASTING TO RESORT ISLAND IN BELIZE Lighthouse Christian Radio resumed broadcasting in San Pedro, Belize, Thursday, July 15, after being off the air for 10 months due to technical problems and other setbacks. “We were able to get the transmitter wired properly, and even through this incident the Lord was glorified in restoring and healing relationships between brothers who were in conflict previously,” said Director Clive Welsh of Saving Grace World Mission. “In the past months, with many trips to Belize, there were seasons of weariness and frustrations as we sought to get Lighthouse Christian Radio on the air. We went through seasons of opposition, discouragement, setbacks and constant changes in plans and directions, and yet God remained faithful, causing our faith and trust to deepen in Him.” The FM station, broadcasting at 101.3 MHz, is on the air 12 hours a day, reaching the popular resort island of Ambergris Caye. “We are in the process of getting teaching programs and will soon be broadcasting 24 hours,” Welsh adds. “Pray for God’s direction as we add Bible-teaching programs and build a family of broadcasters with hearts to reach the islands with sound teaching.” (Assist News Service)

* HCJB World Radio has helped partner My Refuge Mission put 24-hour-a-day Christian stations on the air in two cities of Belize, Belmop ¡n and Ladyville. Programs air primarily in English and Spanish, but there are also broadcasts in Creole, German, Mayan and Japanese.

THOUSANDS COME TO CHRIST VIA ‘OPERATION BLESSING’ IN ARGENTINA A leading minister in the Argentina revival movement that saw thousands come to Christ in the mid-1980s and 1990s has launched a new initiative to take the gospel outside the walls of the church. Calling his effort “Operation Blessing,” Claudio Freidzon has been taking teams of volunteers to remote areas throughout Argentina to distribute food, clothing, medicine and other supplies, and to host evangelistic meetings. The pastor said that the effort is an attempt to preach the gospel not only in word, but also in deed by combining evangelism with practical assistance. Freidzon sensed God calling him to “bless” his country after an economic crisis rocked Argentina in late 2001. Burdened by the difficult conditions many Argentineans faced, Freidzon and his wife, Betty, launched Operation Blessing last year. The first event was held in the province of Tucum ¡n in April 2003 with more than 35,000 people in attendance and thousands reporting decisions for Christ. In July 2003, the second Operation Blessing took place in the province of Chubut with outreaches including hospital visitations and distribution of food and medical help. The third event was held in the province of Misiones in November with 20,000 people in attendance. This year’s events took place in the provinces of Tucum ¡n, Chubut, Misiones and Chaco. In Chaco alone more than 9,000 people gave their lives to Christ. (Religion Today/Charisma News Service)

SURVEY FINDS PROTESTANTS LOSING ‘MAJORITY STATUS’ IN U.S. A recent survey has found that the U.S. will no longer be the majority Protestant nation in years to come as membership in Protestant churches continues to decline. A survey taken by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago between 1993 and 2002 shows that the share of Americans who call themselves “Protestant” dropped to 52 percent, down from 63 percent after years of remaining “generally stable,” reported the Associated Press. At the same time, the number of people who said they had no religion rose to nearly 14 percent, up from 9 percent. Many are former Protestants, the survey’s authors said. The study was based on three decades of religious identification questions. The U.S. “has been seen as white and Protestant,” said Tom Smith, director of the General Social Survey. “But we’re not going to be majority Protestant any longer.” Respondents were defined as “Protestant” if they were members of traditional denominations such as the Episcopal Church or Southern Baptist Convention, but also included Mormons and members of independent Protestant churches. The survey pointed to the influx of non-Protestant immigrants and the failure of a growing number of Protestant parents to raise their children in the faith as possible reasons for the decline. Smith added that some former Protestants are now identifying themselves only as “Christian,” a choice on the survey. (Assist News Service) * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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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