POLICE IN INDIA ARREST 5 MORE SUSPECTS IN KILLINGS OF 2 PREACHERS

MISSION, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS PLAN OUTREACHES TO INDIA’S DALITS

ZIMBABWE OFFICIALS ORDER DEMOLITION OF 2 CHURCHES IN ‘CLEAN-UP’

85,000+ GATHER IN SPAIN FOR LUIS PALAU’S ‘FESTIMADRID’

CHRISTIAN RADIO OUTREACH IN U.K. EXPANDS ‘ONLINE CONFESSIONAL’

Today’s Top Stories:

POLICE IN INDIA ARREST 5 MORE SUSPECTS IN KILLINGS OF 2 PREACHERS Police have arrested five more suspects in connection with the murders of two Christian ministers in southeastern India’s Andhra Pradesh state, says Dave Stravers of Mission India based in Grand Rapids, Mich. The two preachers, K. Issac Raju and K. Daniel, were found dead in early June — days after going missing in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. That brings to seven the number of militant Hindus connected to the killings. But what they confessed next was chilling. “They’ve admitted to the killings. They’ve stated that they were emboldened to make these attacks by a High Court ruling in the state of Orissa that had revoked a death sentence that had been given for a previous attack on an Australian missionary.” In 1999 Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were burned to death by a mob in Orissa. The ringleader was captured and sentenced to death, only to have his sentence reduced to life in prison. Stravers says despite death threats against team members in India, he is confident they will keep sharing the gospel. “We expect the persecution to continue, and we’re just praying . . . that God’s people in India will have courage. It’s obvious to us that the gospel is being received all over India in openness in ways that it really never was received before, and this is why we’re having this reaction from Hindus.” (Mission Network News)

MISSION, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS PLAN OUTREACHES TO INDIA’S DALITS Samuel Thomas of Hopegivers International recently met with civil rights leader Dr. Sajan George of India to discuss establishing a Dalit Center in Bangalore and a Christian Institute of Medical Sciences in Mozoram. Thomas says the Dalit center will give dignity to the “untouchables” of Indian culture. “Dalits have never had dignity in their entire life. If they’re born into a Dalit family, they don’t have any future.” Thomas says these people need a place where they can meet, get counseling and learn how they can change their life by giving it to the Lord. The two men also discussed opening a Christian Medical College to train medical missionaries to serve in India’s 600,000 unreached villages. Dalits are disenchanted with the Hindu faith that has enslaved them for centuries, and they’re open to Christianity, especially since Sajan George is now involved, Thomas says. “They know the name Sajan George. He not only promises them that we will provide [them] with a school and a clinic for [their] children, but also tells them up front that it is done because of the love of Christ.” (Mission Network News)

ZIMBABWE OFFICIALS ORDER DEMOLITION OF 2 CHURCHES IN ‘CLEAN-UP’ Two church buildings belonging to the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) in the Chitungwiza area were demolished last week because “they were built on illegal ground.” Pastor Kweshe of the ZAOGA church in Seke said church members were forced to demolish the building, and that they were now holding their prayers in the open. “Our churches were said to be on illegal ground, and we were ordered to demolish them,” he said. “We actually saved the benches and the asbestos roofing sheets which are now being kept at the elders’ homes until we build another church.” Kweshe said the churches were destroyed despite the fact that they were given the approval to build by Chitungwiza Town Council. The demolitions came just two weeks after a mosque in Hatcliffe was also razed during the Zimbabwe government’s controversial “clean-up” operation. The operation has been condemned as a gross violation of human rights as more than 1 million people have been thrown out of their homes while thousands have lost their jobs. The exercise has also forced hundreds of thousands of children to drop out of school following the displacement of their parents. (WorldWide Religious News/Zimbabwe Standard)

85,000+ GATHER IN SPAIN FOR LUIS PALAU’S ‘FESTIMADRID’ More than 85,000 people gathered in Madrid’s famed Plaza de las Ventas Esplanade for evangelist Luis Palau’s historic FestiMadrid last weekend. Spain’s church community is calling it the “largest evangelistic gathering in the nation’s history.” Palau said. “Spain may be the spiritual doorway to bringing the message of God’s love back to Western Europe. Old barriers to faith have been broken down this week, and thousands of Spaniards now have a new or renewed relationship with Jesus Christ.” While top musical artists, actors and sports figures from Europe and Latin America appeared on stage during the two nights of music and celebration, the task of sharing the gospel fell to Palau. His focus was on the biblical message of salvation through Christ. In a predominately secular nation with a small percentage of evangelicals, Palau’s message was well received by the large crowds as well as the local and national media. “This part of the world needs so much to hear a message of hope, not of religion,” Palau said. “Jesus did not come to make us religious, but to bring us God’s love.” (Assist News Service)

CHRISTIAN RADIO OUTREACH IN U.K. EXPANDS ‘ONLINE CONFESSIONAL’ Premier Christian Radio in the U.K. and its telephone help line, Premier Lifeline, has released the latest version of its confessional website, http://www.TheConfessor.co.uk. The enhanced version of the site was released after Premier Radio experienced a surge of interest in Christianity from the British public. The website shows a series of biblical promises relating to the confession of sins to God. Visitors can either consider their sins silently or type them into the space provided. A confession prayer is also available on the website. Premier Lifeline Manager Jonathan Clark says the re-launch of the website, along with a help line and e-mail service, “provide an opportunity to start a dialogue with new Christians and people seeking faith.” (Assist News Service)

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