Saturday, December 04, 2004 8:04 AM

COLOMBIAN PASTOR DIES IN BOMB EXPLOSION IN BOGOTA

TRANS WORLD RADIO DEDICATES SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER IN BRAZIL

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY MARKS 195 YEARS OF MINISTRY

PIONEER CHURCH PLANTER, MISSION FOUNDER DIES IN U.K.

CONVERT TO PAKISTANI SECT GETS LIFE SENTENCE FOR ‘BLASPHEMY’

CHINESE CHRISTIAN LEADERS BENEFIT FROM TRAINING SEMINARS

Today’s News Stories:

COLOMBIAN PASTOR DIES IN BOMB EXPLOSION IN BOGOTA Javier Segura, the 31-year-old pastor of a Mennonite church in Bogot ¡, Colombia, died instantly the evening of Sunday, Nov. 28, when a bomb detonated outside a public building in the neighborhood called La Victoria. The minister was the only person killed in the 10 p.m. terrorist attack in which six other people suffered injuries. Segura had just said goodbye to his fianc ©e, Sandra Figueroa, and was returning to his home where he lived with his elderly parents. ALC reported that the investigating police initially implicated Segura as one of the bombers, but later withdrew the allegation. “He was a person completely dedicated to his work as a pastor, and it occupied all his time,” Figueroa said. In the past two years, more than 400 evangelical Christians have died in violent incidents in Colombia. Of those, 65 were pastors or church leaders. Peter Stucky, president of the Colombian Mennonite Church, said Colombians have learned to live with dangers. “But you never expect to be the victim, particularly in a city of more than 7 million people,” he said. “It’s very painful when these things come close and affect the church.” Government officials have offered a reward of 100 million pesos (US$40,500) for information leading to the capture of the bombers. (Compass)

* Together with local partners, HCJB World Radio broadcasts the gospel on FM stations in four Colombian cities. The ministry also continues to air Spanish programs across the country and all of Latin America via shortwave from Quito.

TRANS WORLD RADIO DEDICATES SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER IN BRAZIL Trans World Radio (TWR) formally dedicated a 50,000-watt shortwave transmitter in the southern Brazilian city of Santa Maria Sunday, Nov. 21. Tom Corcoran, international director for TWR-Americas, says the 24-our-a-day Portuguese station is within hearing range of nearly 175 million people. “Already, responses are coming in from listeners across the country,” he said. “We’re getting reports that the signal is reaching well up into the Amazon.” The station hopes to add programs in tribal languages such as Baniua, Makuxi and Ticuna. “[We also hope to add] Spanish, especially since the signal reaches into countries like Bolivia and Paraguay.” Corcoran said. (Trans World Radio)

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY MARKS 195 YEARS OF MINISTRY The International Bible Society (IBS) will mark 195 years of ministry with a celebration in Colorado Springs, Colo., Saturday, Dec. 4. One of the first four Bible societies founded in America, IBS has grown into a global ministry. Originating in 1809 as the New York Bible Society, IBS was primarily a Scripture supplier to immigrants, prisoners, hospital patients and soldiers for many years. While the scope of the ministry has widened since 1809, its purpose and passion has remained the same — evangelism. “Our outreach ministry in New York is an indelible part of our rich history,” said IBS President Peter Bradley in Colorado Springs, Colo. “But now our ministry focus is worldwide. Our vision is to provide millions of people across the globe God’s life-transforming Word in clear, accurate, contemporary translations and formats.” IBS translates and distributes the Bible through 45 ministry centers in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North America. IBS also provides online Scriptures to virtually every corner of the world. Since 1995 the ministry has put 40 translations online in various digital formats. To date the ministry has distributed more than 402 million Scriptures. IBS has translated at least some portion of Scripture in 89 of the world’s major languages and, in conjunction with Wycliffe Bible Translators, has published God’s Word in more than 660 languages. (International Bible Society)

PIONEER CHURCH PLANTER, MISSION FOUNDER DIES IN U.K. Philip Mohabir, founder of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA) and the Connections network, died in London Friday, Nov. 26, after a lengthy illness. He was 67. Mohabir was best known for his commitment to ecumenical and cross-cultural work through Christian churches. He devoted his life to a vision of unity and reconciliation and championed issues that were key to those that society and governments often marginalized. Mohabir was involved in church planting, pioneer evangelism, training workers and social action programs for more than 40 years. Born in Guyana, at the age of 15 he became the only Christian in his Hindu village. After eight years in England as a missionary in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Mohabir returned to his homeland and for 19 years served in evangelism and church planting throughout Guyana and the Caribbean, establishing more than 100 churches. In 1983 he returned to the U.K. where he founded the ACEA and the Connections network. He was ACEA’s first general secretary, providing a key link with the Evangelical Alliance UK and the wider black majority church community in the U.K. Mark Sturge, former general director of ACEA, called Mohabir a “pioneer, reconciler, missionary and an ambassador — he inspired us all.” (African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance)

CONVERT TO PAKISTANI SECT GETS LIFE SENTENCE FOR ‘BLASPHEMY’ A Pakistani court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment under the country’s controversial blasphemy laws. Iqbal Ahmad, a member of the Ahmediya community, was found guilty of being disrespectful to the prophet Mohammed in a mosque near Faisalabad. Ahmad maintains his innocence and said his lawyer will lodge an appeal. Human rights groups call the country’s blasphemy laws “draconian,” and that the burden of proof is too easy for the prosecution. Malik Khalid Masood, a spokesman for the Ahmediya community, told the BBC that Ahmad’s conviction was “an act of retaliation by his own family” who opposed his conversion to the Ahmedi sect last March. In October a Pakistani man was sentenced to life imprisonment for burning a copy of the Koran under the same laws. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has called for changes in procedures so investigators can test the validity of blasphemy accusations before cases reach the courts. (WorldWide Religious News/BBC)

CHINESE CHRISTIAN LEADERS BENEFIT FROM TRAINING SEMINARS China Partner continues to work with other groups to equip local Chinese pastors in furthering their ministry. The mission recently held pastoral training seminars in Wuhan and Nanchang and followed up by sending study books and study Bibles to local Chinese church leaders. As churches continue to grow in China, the biggest need is for trained, equipped leaders. China Partner recently helped build two new church buildings that were dedicated in Jiangxi province, giving believers a permanent place to meet and worship, especially as more people come to know Jesus. (Mission Network News)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 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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