TWO CHRISTIAN HEALTH WORKERS MURDERED IN BANGLADESH

MILLIONS OF CHINESE EMBRACE CHRISTIANITY IN ‘SOCIAL REVOLUTION’

BOOK OF HOPE TESTS SPANISH VERSION OF ‘GODMAN’ FILM IN LATIN AMERICA

BELIEVERS IN INDIA FEAR NEW LAW COULD STIFLE FOREIGN CHURCH SUPPORT

CROSS-CARRYING COUPLE GOES ‘WHERE GOD LEADS’ IN MOBILE HOME

TWO CHRISTIAN HEALTH WORKERS MURDERED IN BANGLADESH

Local police are suspecting Islamic extremists of hacking two Christian health workers to death in Bangladesh Friday, July 29. The incident took place about 90 miles from the capital city of Dhaka. Tapan Kumar Roy, 30, and Liplal Marandi, 35, worked for Christian Life Bangladesh. Along with educational films on arsenic poisoning, mother-and-child healthcare and AIDS prevention, they often showed the “Jesus” film at the invitation of local villagers. A well-known Christian leader familiar with the two evangelists said an official at a local madrassa (Islamic school) had threatened the men verbally prior to the murders. Some villagers had also threatened to kill Roy and Marandi if they continued to show the “Jesus” film. Police arrested a man named Monir Hossain in connection with the murders, which they are still investigating. (Compass)

MILLIONS OF CHINESE EMBRACE CHRISTIANITY IN ‘SOCIAL REVOLUTION’

Chinese are embracing Christianity in a social revolution that is spreading through town and countryside to the point that Christians may already outnumber members of the Communist Party of China. Visits to villages in backward rural provinces or to urban churches in Beijing, where even on weekdays the young and middle-aged gather to proclaim their faith, confirm the ease with which conversions can be won. “City people have real problems, and mental pain, that they can’t resolve on their own. So it’s easy for us to convert these people to Christianity,” said Xun Jinzhen, who preaches to customers at a beauty salon in Beijing. “In the countryside, people are richer than before, but they still have problems with their health and family relationships. Then it’s also very easy to bring them to Christianity.” State-sanctioned Protestant and Catholic churches in China count up to 35 million followers, making Christianity the third most practiced religion in the country after Buddhism and Taoism. Islam ranks fourth. Even more significant is a steadily growing network of underground “house” churches which have up to 100 million members. That compares with an official total of 70 million members of the Communist Party, many of whom have lost faith as the party has moved away from strict ideological principles toward increasing acceptance of free markets. (WorldWide Religious News/Telegraph)

BOOK OF HOPE TESTS SPANISH VERSION OF ‘GODMAN’ FILM IN LATIN AMERICA

“Godman” is a state-of-the-art 3D animated film on the life of Christ developed by Book of Hope International. Released in English earlier this year, the Spanish version was launched in Argentina about a month ago and is being screened throughout Latin America, including three weeks of testing in Peru. “In the three-week period we were in a part of Lima called Chorillos. And then we were in Cuzco and we showed the film to about 2,000 children in small groups in schools, in churches and on public squares. In that situation as well there were several kids in each of the showings who had never heard the story before.” Book of Hope will continue testing the film in countries such as Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Honduras before releasing it to the general public. “We’ll essentially be testing in all these different places and seeing exactly how it works best, fine tuning the ministry with it, and then we’ll start rolling it out in large numbers.” (Mission Network News)

BELIEVERS IN INDIA FEAR NEW LAW COULD STIFLE FOREIGN CHURCH SUPPORT

The government of India has proposed a new law to stop the flow of foreign donations for “anti-national activities.” Christian leaders fear the new law would be used to stifle foreign support of churches in India. The new bill states that an organization applying for registration must not have “indulged in activities aimed at conversion through inducement or force.” It would give the Indian government more power to control foreign donations and to refuse or cancel the registration of non-profit organizations. (Compass)

CROSS-CARRYING COUPLE GOES ‘WHERE GOD LEADS’ IN MOBILE HOME

A couple from Illinois believes God has given them a mission and they are traveling across the U.S. to fulfill it. Bob and Fran Hanus “go where God leads” in their mobile home which has 280,000 miles on it, a rebuilt engine and three rebuilt transmissions. Bob carries a wooden cross throughout communities, witnessing to and praying for the people while handing out tracts. The Hanuses owned an ice cream parlor for 18 years and have been traveling for four years. They have no major financial supporters, trusting God to provide for their needs. “It’s a faith-based ministry,” Fran said. Bob added that he was set free of addiction to alcohol and pornography about 20 years ago. “Before, the Bible was like a dead book to me, but it came alive,” he said. “When you come to the end of yourself, you realize you need Jesus. He died for us on the cross — all we have to do is accept what He did.” The Hanuses have visited every state and traveled across Canada. (CharismaNow)