IRAQI CHRISTIANS FACE INCREASING VIOLENCE AS ELECTIONS APPROACH

INDONESIA BLOCKS MISSION GROUP’S PLAN TO PLACE TSUNAMI ORPHANS

TSUNAMI APPEAL IN U.K. BREAKS WORLD RECORD FOR 24-HOUR PERIOD

LOCAL FRENCH AUTHORITIES LAUNCH COURT CASE AGAINST PARIS CHURCH

MISSIONARY LEADER, RADIO PIONEER DAVID HARTT DIES AT AGE 86

YOUTH WORKERS IN EUROPE SEEK TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO GOSPEL

Today’s News Stories:

IRAQI CHRISTIANS FACE INCREASING VIOLENCE AS ELECTIONS APPROACH As elections in Iraq approach on Sunday, Jan. 30, violence appears to be on the rise. Christians have increasingly been the focus of the attacks from various factions fighting for power in the country. The Assyrian International News Agency detailed violence facing Assyrian Christians in northern Iraq from Kurdish paramilitaries tied to Kurdish warlord Masoud Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). This included attacks during church worship services, beatings of Assyrian Christians and threats of violence. The report states that the KDP is becoming increasingly bold, launching numerous attacks on Iraqi churches in recent months, especially in the Mosul area of northern Iraq. On Monday, Jan 17, Assyrian Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa was kidnapped in Mosul, then released unharmed less than a day later. While the Vatican officially does not consider this act as “anti-Christian,” believers in Iraq have faced continued terrorist threats, prompting as many as 60,000 to flee the country for Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. (Voice of the Martyrs)

INDONESIA BLOCKS MISSION GROUP’S PLAN TO PLACE TSUNAMI ORPHANS The Virginia-based missionary group WorldHelp dropped its plan to place 300 Muslim tsunami orphans in a Christian children’s home when the idea raised proselytizing concerns. WorldHelp President Rev. Vernon Brewer said the ministry had raised $70,000 to place 50 of the children in a Christian orphanage but halted its efforts when it learned the Indonesian government would not allow it. The plan struck a sensitive nerve in Indonesia which had regulations in place even before the tsunami requiring orphans to be reared by people of their own religion. A senior Islamic leader warned foreign relief workers Friday, Jan. 14, of a serious backlash from Muslims if they bring Christian proselytizing to tsunami-affected areas of Sumatra, Indonesia, along with humanitarian help. “All non-governmental organizations, either domestic or international, with hidden agendas coming here with humanitarian purposes, but instead proselytizing, this is what we do not like,” said Dien Syamsuddin, secretary general of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (religious scholars). (Charisma News Service)

TSUNAMI APPEAL IN U.K. BREAKS WORLD RECORD FOR 24-HOUR PERIOD Officials at Guinness World Records have announced that the response from the British public to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Tsunami Earthquake Appeal has broken a world record. Between 6:16 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, and 6:16 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, the DEC website, with the timely help of British Telecom, received 166,936 donations, raising  £10,676, 836 (about US$20 million) for the relief efforts. This is the most money ever donated online in 24 hours. Brendan Gormley, chief executive of DEC, said, “The unprecedented generosity of the British public has been humbling. DEC agencies are working together to ensure that the money from this appeal is spent wisely and well.” To date there have been more than 1.7 million telephone donations. (Disasters Emergency Committee)

LOCAL FRENCH AUTHORITIES LAUNCH COURT CASE AGAINST PARIS CHURCH Local authorities in France have launched a court case in an effort to close a Protestant church in Paris. However, members of the Paris Elim Church have vowed to defend their right to continue meeting in their present location. The first hearing was held Wednesday, Jan. 19, with a second hearing set for Friday, Jan. 28. “The local government is trying to chase the church from its current place of worship,” said Pastor Jack McKee of New Life Ministries based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in an e-mail report. “This is happening to many other Protestant churches in Paris and in many other places across France. Local authorities have had a policy for some time that is anti-Christian, and they desire to see churches closed down. They are being successful, and many are being shut. In addition to pressure from local authorities is the increasing rise in Islam which is becoming more aggressive and very anti-church and anti-Christian.” McKee is urging believers everywhere to pray about the situation. “Pray for wisdom for the church leaders and their lawyers, and that this attempt to stifle freedom of worship would not succeed,” he said. (Assist News Service)

MISSIONARY LEADER, RADIO PIONEER DAVID HARTT DIES AT AGE 86 The evangelical community lost a missionary pioneer, innovative communicator, and Christian leader Saturday, Jan. 8, as Rev. David Neil Hartt died in Abbottsford, British Columbia, at the age of 86. A veteran missionary with World Team, Hartt pioneered the outreach work in Guadeloupe and founded Radio Lumiere (Radio Light), a network that covers Haiti. Hartt was born in Silverdale, Wash., on Feb. 25, 1919, and was a 1941 graduate of Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. He was predeceased by his wife, Erma, in August 2003, and is survived by his six sons, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. (Assist News Service)

YOUTH WORKERS IN EUROPE SEEK TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO GOSPEL Churches in Europe are scrambling to figure out how to reach the young people of this generation. Greater Europe Mission (GEM) is taking on that challenge by coming alongside youth workers to provide training and to help implement a biblical philosophy of ministry, says GEM’s Rod Taylor. “We believe that God is in this, and He’s the one who actually changes the hearts of young people,” he said. “So we continue to pray and continue to seek Him for wisdom on how to go about this. It’s a lot of work. It takes a lot of patience, and it takes a commitment to be in it for the long haul.” Young people in Europe face many barriers in coming to Christ. Relationships are the key to breaking those barriers, says Taylor. He’s encouraged by the church’s response. “Everywhere I’ve gone I’ve seen God working, and I’ve seen European Christians who have a passion to see young people come to Christ. They’re crying out for help, and we can provide that help.” (Mission Network News) Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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