PRESIDENT OF AMBASSADOR ADVERTISING AGENCY DIES

EU REQUESTS TURKEY PROVE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BEFORE ENTRY

EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN IRELAND GROWING

ANTI-CONVERSION LAW BEING CONSIDERED IN SRI LANKA

INDIAN MISSIONARIES ACCUSED OF PROSELYTISM, IMPRISONED

Today’s Top Stories:

PRESIDENT OF AMBASSADOR ADVERTISING AGENCY DIES On Wednesday, June 22, Jon Campbell went to be with the Lord. He battled cancer for years before his homegoing. “There’s nothing that pleased Jon more than serving all of us and thereby serving his heavenly Father,” said Jim Sanders, VP of Technical Services at Ambassador and Jon’s brother-in-law.

Jon was appointed President in 1989 after serving the agency as its Executive Vice President overseeing agency operations. Jon was involved in Christian broadcasting at many levels including being elected member of the Executive Committee of National Religious Broadcasters. He also served as a board member for the Evangelical Christian Credit Union and was on the board of Azusa Pacific University.

Under John Campbell’s leadership Ambassador grew to represent key radio ministries around the country including Billy Graham and Franklin Graham, Joni Eareckson Tada, Chuck Colson, John MacArthur, as well as HCJB World Radio’s “Beyond the Call.”

Jon and his wife Peggy, of nearly 35 years, served together at Ambassador. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations go to scholarship funds established at both Biola University and Azusa Pacific University.

EU REQUESTS TURKEY PROVE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BEFORE ENTRY Since last December, when the European Union (EU) decided to begin accession talks with Turkey, religious freedom has been one of the urgent issues that Turkey must solve before entering the EU. The basics of religious freedom must be implemented into the national laws and be evidently practiced in real life also. However, media and government fanned intolerance is spreading throughout the country, especially during the past six months. State officials regard Christian activities as dangerous; Islamist and nationalist groups are attacking Christian communities, verbally abusing them, and in extreme cases – physically beating them as well. As articles 115 and 215 of new penal code states, it is outlawed to “prevent or obstruct anyone from expressing or changing their religious, political, social or philosophical views or from meeting for religious worship.” (Christian Today)

EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN IRELAND GROWING According to a recent survey by the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland, the number of Evangelicals is growing. The survey estimates that there are an estimated 13,000 people worshipping in evangelical congregations every week in the Dublin area, many of whom are coming from the Catholic Church. Greater Europe Mission’s Phil Kingsley has worked in Ireland for 23 years. “There’s just a radical explosion in comparison in the number of new churches and the number of new church groups.” 25 years ago there were only 40 evangelical churches in the region, with an average of 20 to 30 members. Now 130 churches have been identified with an average membership of 100. While evangelicals still number less than one-percent of the population of Ireland, Kingsley is excited about the quality of its make up. “One of the exciting things for us, from our standpoint, is to see local Irish Christians — they themselves are stepping up and saying, ‘God is calling us to be the (in) in the forefront of spreading the message of Jesus, the message of hope and life across this nation.'” (Mission Network News)

ANTI-CONVERSION LAW BEING CONSIDERED IN SRI LANKA With an anti-conversion law being considered by the country’s Parliament, Christians are facing renewed violence and intimidation. According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the Assemblies of God (AG) Church in Ambalangoda, located in the Galle District, south of Colombo, was attacked on June 5 with rocks, stones and bottles filled with sand. The next morning, a crowd of about 100 people shouting threats surrounded the church. Several hours later, the mob stormed the church, smashing windows and breaking open the door. The pastor’s van was also damaged. Armed with iron rods, shovels, swords and other weapons, the mob brutally assaulted the pastor and two church members. One person was seriously injured and all three are now in a hospital receiving treatment for their injuries. There are fears that the mob may return to attack the church again. Sri Lanka’s Parliament is debating a new law, which would ban so-called “unethical” or “forced” conversions, CSW said. However, the terms “forced” and “allurement” are so vaguely defined that the law would in effect severely restrict religious freedom in the country. (Religion Today/ Charisma News Service)

INDIAN MISSIONARIES ACCUSED OF PROSELYTISM, IMPRISONED Two Christian Pentecostal Indians accused of proselytism continue to sit in Saudi prisons. They were arrested together with other Christians on May 28. The other six were released because the police acknowledged they had been practicing their faith privatly in their homes. Christians in the Saudi Kingdom are increasingly worried and fear the worst about the fate of the other two, who are both Indians from Kerala. The Saudi government prohibits the practice of any religion other than Islam. Missionary work is forbidden as is any public manifestation (having Bibles, wearing a cross, a rosary, praying in public) of Christianity. The religious police, the notorious Muttawa, are well-known for their ruthlessness and use of violent torture. (WWRN/Asia News) * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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