SERIES OF CHURCH ARSONS IN INDIA FAIL TO INTIMIDATE LOCAL BELIEVERS

CHRISTIAN LEADERS WORLDWIDE MEET IN GREECE TO TACKLE ISSUES

NATIVE AMERICAN BELIEVERS HOLD CONFERENCE AT NAVAJO RESERVATION

REMOTE SOUTH PACIFIC GROUP TO GET FIRST SCRIPTURES IN THEIR LANGUAGE

DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER BEGINS IN BURKINA FASO

Today’s News Stories:

SERIES OF CHURCH ARSONS IN INDIA FAIL TO INTIMIDATE LOCAL BELIEVERS A series of arson attacks against Believers Church in the Thoubal district of northeastern India’s Manipur state have failed to discourage local Christians. Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan says there have been three attacks on the church this year — the most recent on Tuesday, April 19 — and the sixth time it has been targeted. In several cases the building was under construction and destroyed by fire. Despite the attacks, the believers refuse to be intimidated. “They’re saying, ‘This is our church, and we will continue to rebuild it. No matter what they do to us, we are going to pay the price.’ In spite of the persecution and the opposition, the believers themselves are saying, ‘We are not going to simply walk away and quit.'” Yohannan says the Christians’ attitude speaks volumes. After the third hit this year, gang members were bewildered. “They saw these new believers with strange behaviors, in terms of saying, ‘We’ll pray for you. We’re not against you.’ That itself was the reason for a couple of families to give their lives to the Lord.” (Mission Network News)

CHRISTIAN LEADERS WORLDWIDE MEET IN GREECE TO TACKLE ISSUES Christian leaders, theologians and religious activists from around the world are meeting at a conference of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Greece. They are discussing divisions among Christians regarding same-sex unions, the role of homosexual pastors, and women’s role in worship. Also on the agenda are ways to combat the spread of AIDS in Africa and promote interfaith dialogue with Muslims to offset the influence of Islamic extremists. The WCC represents more than 350 Christian denominations. Last month the more conservative World Evangelical Alliance told the U.N. Commission on Human Rights that more than 200 million Christians worldwide are being denied religious liberty. (AgapePress)

NATIVE AMERICAN BELIEVERS HOLD CONFERENCE AT NAVAJO RESERVATION The Many Nations One Voice Celebration is coming to the Oasis Church in Farmington, N.M., Friday-Saturday, May 13-14, bringing together Native American Christians from across the Southwest. Speakers include Terry LeBlanc, Bryan Brightcloud, Jon Lansa and Richard Twiss. Joining them will be Fern Noble, Rita Bear-Gray, Pastor Curt Alderton and Dale Tsosie. Leading the worship will be Terry and Darlene Wildman of the Grammy-nominated worship team, RainSong. The conference is of particular importance because it is being held on a Navajo reservation and will be a key event in the region. Conference organizers have received an official letter of invitation from the Navajo nation as well as from pastors in the area. “We believe [this event] is happening for a godly purpose,” said Richard Twiss, president of Wiconi International, a ministry dedicated to spreading the gospel among indigenous peoples around the world. (Assist News Service)

REMOTE SOUTH PACIFIC GROUP TO GET FIRST SCRIPTURES IN THEIR LANGUAGE The isolated Saa-speaking people from the southern tip of Pentecost Island — one of the chain of islands that make up Vanuatu in the South Pacific — will soon have the Gospel of Mark in their own language. Mark is the first book of the Bible to be translated into the Saa language which is much different than other languages spoken in the area. Saa had not been written until translation specialists with the Bible Society helped the local people begin translating the Gospel and put it into written form four years ago. With the completion of Mark, translators have started working on the Gospel of Luke. Copies of the Gospel of Mark in Saa are expected to be printed and distributed by the end of this year. (Bible Society-New Zealand)

DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER BEGINS IN BURKINA FASO Christian World Outreach (CWO) recently broke ground on a vocational training center in the West African country of Burkina Faso, a year after two tribal chiefs donated 10 acres for the center and an orphanage. The complex will minister to hundreds of people from the villages outside of Ouagadougou in the Yimdi area. “Not all these kids are orphans, but their families are willing to let them live away from them for a while so that they can get an education and come back to help the people in the village,” said CWO’s Greg Yoder. “What we would do is continue that education.” He added that CWO has received a gift that will allow the ministry to drill a well on the property and then, as funds become available, begin construction of the buildings. The ministry is seeking additional funds and short-term teams willing to help with the project. (Mission Network News)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor’s Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer. HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities on which it reports.