BAPTISTS BRING PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL AID TO FLOODED AREAS OF ROMANIA

HINDU NATIONALISTS IN INDIA LABEL CHRISTIANS AS ‘UNPATRIOTIC’

POVERTY, ISOLATION MAKE TRAINING DIFFICULT FOR LAHU TRIBE IN ASIA

RADIO PULPIT BROADCASTS GOSPEL IN 11 SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGES

CHRISTIAN LEADERS WORLDWIDE RESPOND TO LONDON BOMBING

Today’s Top Stories:

BAPTISTS BRING PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL AID TO FLOODED AREAS OF ROMANIA

The worst flooding in 50 years has hit Romania as well as the borders of Serbia and Montenegro. Government reports indicated nearly 2,000 homes in four southern counties were flooded along with about 350,000 acres of agricultural land. Damage is estimated at $596 million. Since international relief response is focused on other natural disasters — combined with the fact that there was little infrastructural damage due to the scope of the flooding — little attention has been given to the area. “We immediately heard about this from the Baptists in Serbia there who asked us for assistance, and also from a group called Tabita, which is a group based in Novi Sad,” said Baptist World Aid Director Paul Montecute. “We were able to provide funds, and with the funds, they were able to do a great deal.” Montecute says the work their teams are doing is also opening many doors for ministry. “One of the team leaders said when he went into a flooded village he found it a place of absolute hopelessness,” Montecute explained. “By sitting and talking, sharing the love of Christ as well as providing food packages and waterproof clothing, there is an opportunity to lift the spirits of the people.” (Mission Network News)

HINDU NATIONALISTS IN INDIA LABEL CHRISTIANS AS ‘UNPATRIOTIC’

The head of India’s Hindu Nationalist party, the VHP, says conversions to Christianity have increased since last year’s national elections. He’s asking the Sikhs in power to take note of the church growth rate and consider it a “threat,” says Voice of the Martyrs’ Todd Nettleton. “The bad news is that he’s identifying Christians, and he actually uses the words ‘anti-national forces,’ saying, ‘Christians are not good citizens, they’re not patriots, they don’t love their country.'” Such an attack against believers could result in even more anti-Christian sentiment, raising concerns among those involved in evangelism, Nettleton says. “There are forces within Indian society that would like to see more anti-conversion laws, stronger anti-conversion laws. We’re seeing attacks in the physical realm, attacks against pastors, and I think this represents attacks in the political realm of, ‘Let’s see what we can do to close down the church.'” (Mission Network News)

POVERTY, ISOLATION MAKE TRAINING DIFFICULT FOR LAHU TRIBE IN ASIA

Southeast Asia’s Lahu tribe has responded strongly to the Christian message, but poverty and isolation make it difficult to obtain on of their greatest needs — training. Indigenous missions are meeting this need through a strategic training institute located on the Myanmar-China border; a three-year Bible and evangelism program attended by more than 50 students from the two countries. Hundreds from Myanmar have already been trained. Thousands of Lahu have been driven across the border into Thailand as a result of the Myanmar government’s crackdown on ethnic minorities, however, many have not left. Most still live as they have done for hundreds of years in thatched homes on stilts. While the Christian faith has spread among the tribe through the work of native missionaries, the majority cling to ancient animistic beliefs. Native gospel workers in Myanmar have been sharing the gospel for years and the number of Christians in the tribe is growing, as is the number of trained Lahu leaders. (Religion Today/Christian Aid Mission)

RADIO PULPIT BROADCASTS GOSPEL IN 11 SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGES

Broadcasting the gospel message to South Africa can be a complicated affair, but that hasn’t stopped Dr. Rudolf Petersen, chief executive officer of the Radio Pulpit Group. Petersen is the head of South Africa’s National Christian Radio Station and also the voluntary chief executive officer of UCB Africa, a joint venture between Radio Pulpit and UCB International. “Radio Pulpit is a very complex radio station,” Petersen says. “It covers all 11 official languages of South Africa.” These include English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Siswati, Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Xhosa, Zulu and Venda. Petersen explained that Radio Pulpit uses approximately 153 announcers, but only a few are in full-time employment with the organization. The rest are involved on a freelance capacity. “We see it as our mission to broadcast the gospel to all the peoples of South Africa,” he said. (Assist News Service)

CHRISTIAN LEADERS WORLDWIDE RESPOND TO LONDON BOMBING

Four blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday, July 7, killing more than 50 people and injuring as many as 700. Here are some sample responses from Christian leaders in England and elsewhere:

Dr. Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the British Church of England: “The appalling events in London have shocked us all. So I want first and foremost to extend my personal sympathy and condolences to everyone who is suffering and grieving at this time. All those caught up in this tragedy — and that includes of course the emergency services whose selfless dedication and commitment is so vital at times like this — all are in my own prayers and in the prayers of a great many people.”

Peter Kerridge, chief executive officer, Premier Christian Radio, U.K.: “Like many, I am shocked by the scenes of violence and destruction we have witnessed today in London. We are calling for our listeners to pray for the victims of today’s terrorist attack as well as their families and the paramedics, police and hospital staff.”

David Coffee, general secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain: “The events that took place in London fill us with horror, and our prayers go out to the bereaved and the injured, together with all those who are seeking to offer help and comfort, including the emergency services, security forces and chaplains. In a world of violence where there is too little respect for life, we want to stand alongside all those who are the victims of such brutality, sharing their pain and anger, and embracing them with compassion.”

Joel Edwards, general director, The Evangelical Alliance UK: “We need to pray earnestly for those who have suffered loss or injury and call on God to bind up the broken hearted. I have found Psalm 46 a great comfort at this time.”

Dr. Samuel Thomas, president, Hopegivers International, India: “Our prayers go out to the victims of the London terror attacks and their families. We understand their pain because we face terrorist attacks almost daily from religious fanatics in India. Whenever there is hope for peace and freedom from hunger and suffering there will always be evil people who want to interject despair. Who can believe that there is not dark, satanic forces behind these kinds of attacks?”

Philip Roberts, president, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, U.S.: “How can people who claim to follow the one God demonstrate their devotion to him through slaughter and death? . . . This incident should increase afresh the passion and zeal of Christians, and Baptists especially, to share the good news of God’s love as revealed in John 3:16. How thankful all believers in the true God of the Bible should be that God’s Word was enfleshed, crucified and risen so that no one else’s blood needs to be shed to insure a home in heaven for all who believe.”

Bishop John Wilson, vicar general of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia: “Violence and terrorism are not just issues for England, for the Middle East, for Indonesia, for the U.S. or other individual nations. These are issues in which all of humanity have a common interest, and which we must address through constructive means. While it is tempting to withdraw into a defensive position in times of great fear and grief, I urge all those who have been shocked by this violent act to embrace the great hope that comes from the many expressions of faith and goodwill that inevitably follow such tragedy.”

Denny Weaver, Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, U.S.: “I don’t have a concern for us being targeted. I’m just concerned about the reaction of the English people. I don’t think that there’s a concern for the missionaries as much as there is for the Muslim people. That’s the concern of one of our missionaries that’s there working amongst them, what’s going to be their response.”

Sources: Assist News Service, Evangelical Alliance, Baptist Press, Anglican Media Melbourne, Mission Network News