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Today’s Headlines:

CHRISTIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP URGES RELEASE OF 100+ CHINESE PASTORS RURAL NEPALESE CHRISTIANS FACE GROWING OPPOSITION FROM MAOISTS CHRISTIAN RADIO SENDS MESSAGE OF HOPE TO WAR-TORN REGION OF SUDAN TRIBAL CHRISTIANS IN LAOS REMAIN FAITHFUL DESPITE PERSECUTION LITERATURE MINISTRY HANDS OUT 250 MILLIONTH ‘BOOK OF HOPE’ FIRST ‘YOUTH MALL’ IN U.S. POISED TO REACH TEENS FOR CHRIST

Today’s News Stories:

CHRISTIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP URGES RELEASE OF 100+ CHINESE PASTORS Voice Of the Martyrs (VOM), an international Christian human rights watchdog group, is urging China to release more than 100 house church leaders who were rounded up last week by security forces as part of an ongoing government-led crackdown on evangelical Christians. The group is encouraging believers everywhere to send letters of protest to the nearest Chinese embassy. The pastors were arrested Friday, Aug. 6, in Kaifeng City, in China’s Henan province. The pastors were beginning a retreat when 200 military policemen, Public Security Bureau officers and other authorities arrived in about 20 police and military vehicles along with six minibuses. Meanwhile, Australia has rejected a bid by an influential Chinese academic and dissident for political asylum. United Press International reported that Zhao Jing, who slipped away from a tour group in Sydney on July 21 with a colleague, believes her application was rejected “under pressure from Beijing” as the two countries are discussing a free trade deal. Zhao said she could face “up to 10 years in jail” if she returns to China for her role in helping distribute books about Chinese persecution of Mongolian and Tibetan minorities living in the country. (Assist News Service)

RURAL NEPALESE CHRISTIANS FACE GROWING OPPOSITION FROM MAOISTS Native missionaries taking the gospel to rural ethnic people in the mountains of Nepal are facing persecution by Maoist insurgents who are doing their utmost to disrupt missionary travel and church planting. They have resorted to violence to drive those who spread the gospel away from their “territory.” Recently members of one congregation were in the middle of a meeting when they were surrounded by gun-wielding Maoists. But after talking to the angry mob, the Christians persuaded the attackers not to harm anyone. In another incident, missionaries trying to reach a remote area to follow up on new believers were almost forced to turn back by Maoists who tried to capture them. Despite the dangers, native missionaries continue to work in these difficult conditions, bringing the gospel to isolated ethnic groups in Maoist-overrun locations. Most of these people live in poverty without proper healthcare or education. (Missions Insider)

CHRISTIAN RADIO SENDS MESSAGE OF HOPE TO WAR-TORN REGION OF SUDAN As fresh helicopter attacks threaten to sideline peace efforts in the war-torn region of Darfur in western Sudan, Words of Hope is sending a message of eternal peace via the airwaves. Ministry spokesman Lee DeYoung says people are looking toward the hope of peace. “They’re very hungry for that to happen,” he says. ” It’s close enough that I think the hopes of most Sudanese people are raised that peace may be at hand. But it’s still not yet a reality, particularly in western Sudan.” DeYoung says while instability is a problem, work teams have seen a demand for more ministry. “The primary listeners are in the south, but we’re heard throughout the country in Dinka and Nuer,” he says. “We are working on increasing our daily broadcasts in Nuer later this year, from 15 minutes every day to 30 minutes daily. The Dinka programs will continue to air 15 minutes per day.” (Mission Network News)

TRIBAL CHRISTIANS IN LAOS REMAIN FAITHFUL DESPITE PERSECUTION Christian congregations within the Bru tribe of Laos have remained faithful to Christ despite continual persecution from authorities. A Bru pastor, who asked not to be named, testified of the ordeal he has faced since leaving his animistic beliefs and committing his life to Christ through a native missionary in 1990. “Immediately following my conversion I was imprisoned by authorities for my faith but released two years later,” he said. “The next year we were one of 30 families whose homes, barns and food supplies were burned to the ground by our persecutors. When I attempted to rebuild a shed and begin farming again for survival, authorities grew angry. They saw that they had not destroyed the Christians. So in March 1993 I was arrested again and taken to prison along with eight other believers. In prison the other believers and I were chained together by the ankles for seven months. One day angry officials beat and tortured me until I almost died. Praise God that He sustained me through this terrible time. After a year of painful suffering, the other believers and I were finally released.” The pastors and the other Bru Christians then enjoyed four years of freedom, but then they were arrested yet again. “We were tortured because we would not forsake the name of Christ,” he said. “In one effort to persuade us, the assistant provincial chief reduced our daily rations to a handful. This went on for five months. When we still didn’t give in, our rations were reduced to nothing but water for 13 days. We were finally released in May 2000 so we could return to our wives and children.” Despite such treatment, Bru churches continue to grow and prosper. (Missions Insider)

LITERATURE MINISTRY HANDS OUT 250 MILLIONTH ‘BOOK OF HOPE’ An international literature ministry recently passed a key milestone, handing out its 250 millionth “Book of Hope,” says spokesman Bob Hoskins. The organization is already making plans to reach the 500-million mark and is ready to launch the “Godman” project. “We created an animated version of the ‘Book of Hope’ that powerfully tells the story of Jesus,” he says. “It’s going to be shown to illiterates around the world and will also be shown in [restricted] countries such as China.” Hoskins says the ministry is working with teams that leave almost weekly to serve in 100 countries. “Most of the distribution is done by local believers that we train on how to reach children and young people,” he says. “We need prayer for our leadership in those 100 nations. Pray that God would protect them from harm and evil.” The “Book of Hope” combines Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to tell the life story of Jesus Christ — the core of the Scriptures. The book reads in chronological order and features 100 study questions that direct the reader back to the Bible. God’s plan of salvation is laid out clearly at the end of the book. (Mission Network News/Book of Hope)

FIRST ‘YOUTH MALL’ IN U.S. POISED TO REACH TEENS FOR CHRIST A Wisconsin-based ministry is set to launch the nation’s first “youth mall.” Organizers say the shopping and activity center in Appleton, Wis. will help 34 churches reach out to teens in their community. In 1954 the nation’s first fully enclosed shopping mall opened in Appleton. Today, 50 years later, the Valley Fair Mall is getting a major makeover thanks to the nonprofit organization YouthFutures. The ministry is spearheading the pending purchase of the dying mall with a grand reopening planned for Saturday, Aug. 21. “Part of the concept behind the mall is that there are 94,000 teens in this four-county region, and like a lot of other communities there’s not that much for them to do,” said YouthFutures Chief Executive Officer Greg Books. “What we want to create is a venue where there are a plethora of entertainment choices — a skate park, theater, paintball area, stores, food court, places to sit, a comedy house — none of which will get you into trouble.” The “youth mall” concept won’t end in Appleton, Books said. “There are literally hundreds of cities that have that same combination of a dead or dying mall, a teen population with nothing to do, and a strong, vibrant faith community.” (Religion Today/Charisma New 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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