RELIGIOUS GROUPS USE HIGH-TECH METHODS TO SPREAD THEIR MESSAGE INDIAN MAN IN CUSTODY OVER MISSIONARY MURDERS 9,400+ DECISIONS FOR CHRIST AT NEW YORK BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE RELIGIOUS NGOS STILL BANNED FROM REGISTERING IN AZERBAIJAN BACK TO THE BIBLE LEVERAGES TEXT MESSAGING

Today’s Top Stories:

BACK TO THE BIBLE LEVERAGES TEXT MESSAGING Back to the Bible’s Philippines office has added a new “language” to their ministry. It is called “Text.” They receive about 200 text messages each evening in response to their Heartline program. Program Director Clem Guillermo answers some of the questions on the air and others by writing back. The radio programs are drawing more listeners because they address the intimate spiritual needs of the listeners–the fact that it’s radio means a removal of obstacles that might interfere with the listener’s response to the Gospel message. Now on its 43rd year, Back to the Bible is still enlarging its ministry. The team is currently doing extensive local productions, bringing in new Christians, as well as offering counseling for their listeners. (Mission Network News)

RELIGIOUS NGOS STILL BANNED FROM REGISTERING IN AZERBAIJAN On Friday, June 17, the Justice Ministry again denied registration as a non-governmental organization (NGO) to the Azerbaijan Centre for Religion and Democracy (ACRD), one of a range of religion-related NGOs to be denied legal status. “This was entirely expected,” Islamic scholar and opposition politician Nariman Gasimoglu, ACRD’s leader, told Forum 18 News Service from the capital Baku on 24 June. The denial of registration runs counter to claims by Deputy Justice Minister Togrul Musaev in April, during a meeting with the National NGO Forum, that “decisive measures” had been taken to resolve the problem of the denial of registration to NGOs. Musaev claimed the Justice Ministry had streamlining the process, sacking obstructive officials and ordering unreasonable delays to end. “My opinion is that such groups are denied registration because of their criticism of the official religious structures,” Eldar Zeynalov, who heads the Human Rights Centre of Azerbaijan, told Forum 18 from Baku on Monday, June 27. “The impact of this denial of legal status is that they can be described in the media as ‘illegal,’ have problems getting foreign grants and have no official stamp or letterhead. The financial obstacles are the most serious.” International humanitarian organizations founded by religious groups are strictly banned from conducting any religious activity as part of their work in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is also one of only two former Soviet republics (the other is Turkmenistan) where a Bible Society – which operates as a Christian non-profit agency in most countries of the world – has been refused official registration. (Forum 18)

9,400+ DECISIONS FOR CHRIST AT NEW YORK BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE By the end of his historic Greater New York Crusade, Billy Graham had preached to more than 242,000 people. More than 9,400 people of all ages and a wide variety of nationalities had committed their lives to Jesus Christ. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) reported on its web site that Sunday’s meeting included music from longtime guests for past crusades, as well as current chart-toppers. A special video was shown to recognize those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, and New York Detective Milton Rosario prayed both for the Crusade and all those affected by the tragic events of 9/11. BGEA reported Graham preached on the great flood from the book of Genesis and related it to the future end of the world as we know it.

“We are approaching a climactic moment in history,” Graham said. “There is going to come an end to the world’s system in which we live.” While Graham spoke about humanity’s mortality and need for the saving power of Jesus Christ, he also talked openly about his own mortality. Thanking longtime associate, 96-year-old vocalist George Beverly Shea, and mentioning his own age of 86, BGEA reported Graham said, “I know it won’t be long before both of us are going to be in heaven. … In Amos chapter four it says, ‘Prepare to meet your God.’ Are you prepared?” (Assist News/BGEA)

INDIAN MAN IN CUSTODY OVER MISSIONARY MURDERS Indian police have arrested a man in connection with the murders of two Christian missionaries in southern Andhra Pradesh state, India. The 25-year-old was remanded in custody and will appear in court on July 7. Two other suspects are being sought. The two preachers, K Issac Raju and K Daniel, were found dead in early June – days after going missing in Hyderabad, the Andhra Pradesh capital. Attacks against Christian missionaries in India are not uncommon. In 1999, an Australian missionary, Graham Staines and his two sons were burned to death by a mob. (WWRN/BBC)

RELIGIOUS GROUPS USE HIGH-TECH METHODS TO SPREAD THEIR MESSAGE A wide variety of religious groups are using “Godcasts” — podcasts with a spiritual bent — to spread their message, says Olga Kharif of BusinessWeek Online. Podcasts are audio snippets designed for listening on iPods and other digital music players. “Welcome to the world of Godcasting where religious and inspirational podcasts come from Presbyterians, Mormons, Jews, Buddhists and even pagans,” said Kharif. “These programs may come across as fun, convenient or blasphemous, but they’re rarely boring.” Godcasts have multiplied faster than most other types of podcast programming. Programs from about 171 religious and inspirational groups bear names such as “Wired Jesus Podcast” (a program for tech-savvy Christians) and “Outchurched.” Godcasts are typically produced by preachers looking to spread God’s Word beyond their small congregations,” Kharif said. (Assist News Service) * * * * * * * * * * * * * Harold Goerzen HCJB World Radio E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 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. _______________________________________________ HCJBDaily mailing list

with subscribe in the subject line.

with unsubscribe in the subject line.