Today’s Headlines:

100 PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS FLEE AFTER MAN IS CHARGED WITH BLASPHEMY

DELEGATION URGES PAKISTAN’S LEADERS TO REPEAL BLASPHEMY LAWS

MINISTRY PREPARES TO LAUNCH IRELAND’S FIRST CHRISTIAN FM STATION

EVANGELIST: EVERYDAY ILLUSTRATIONS BEST COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL

GOSPEL CONCERT AIDING HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS TO AIR ACROSS U.S.

Today’s Top Stories:

100 PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS FLEE AFTER MAN IS CHARGED WITH BLASPHEMY

More than 100 Christians were forced to flee mob violence in Lahore, Pakistan, earlier this month after a man was charged with blasphemy. The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance reported that the incident began when Younis Masih went to a neighbor’s house at midnight Friday, Sept. 9, and asked him to stop playing Qawali (Islamic religious songs) loudly, but he refused. When Younis asked about the meaning of the songs, the Muslims became abusive, and he returned home. The next day a group of 30 to 40 Muslims hunted down Younis and “thrashed him with sticks and beat him until he fell on the ground, unconscious. When his wife came to save him, she was also beaten and her clothes were torn to tatters.” The mob then left Younis for dead, and his wife and cousin took him home. When he regained consciousness, they went to the police to register a complaint. The Muslims accused Younis of making derogatory remarks about the prophet Mohammad and insulting the local imam — claims that the victim’s family “strongly denies.” (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

DELEGATION URGES PAKISTAN’S LEADERS TO REPEAL BLASPHEMY LAWS

A delegation led by British Member of Parliament David Drew and organized by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) recently returned from a fact-finding visit to Pakistan in which they met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other senior political leaders. The delegation urged the Pakistani government to repeal the discriminatory blasphemy laws and Hudood Ordinances that have been widely abused. During a meeting with Aziz in his residence on Saturday, Sept. 3, the group presented a letter signed by Drew and CSW representatives stating that the blasphemy laws “create a poor image” for his country and that “their repeal would send a strong signal to the international community that Pakistan is truly a place of ‘enlightened moderation’ and the rule of law.” The group also met with Religious and Minority Affairs Minister Muhammad Ijaz Ul Haq whose father, Gen. Zia Ul Haq, introduced the blasphemy laws. “This was a significant visit in which we were able to meet directly with the country’s leaders and appeal for change,” Drew said. “We need to redouble our efforts and work with reformists in Pakistan, and our own governments, to make that change a reality.” CSW is an international human rights organization specializing in religious freedom. It has been working in Pakistan for more than a decade. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

MINISTRY PREPARES TO LAUNCH IRELAND’S FIRST CHRISTIAN FM STATION

LifeFm, a Christian community radio project for Cork, Ireland, has been granted a five-year license by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and it will be the first Christian FM station in the country. Brian Daly, Chairman of the volunteer-run station, says he hopes that broadcasting can begin around Christmas 2006. A news release from the station said, “The main aim of LifeFm is to provide Cork’s Christian Community with its own unique radio station that reflects their lives and aspirations in a Christian ethos.” The station will have all the normal elements such as news and current affairs, but with a commitment to reflect a Christian audience’s value system. The release went on to say, “Musically, the station will have a mixture of contemporary and traditional Christian music not heard on other stations, along with a unique selection of secular music in line with a Christian value system.” LifeFm will be run primarily by a volunteer staff and will be mostly funded by voluntary donations. (Assist News Service)

EVANGELIST: EVERYDAY ILLUSTRATIONS BEST COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL

Many Christians want to be able to share their faith effectively, but most don’t know where to start. How do you bring up Jesus Christ in an everyday conversation? How do you explain biblical truths to someone who doesn’t know Christ yet? “All Christians have some idea of the basic beliefs of Christianity,” said Mike Silva, an internationally recognized evangelist. “We know that Jesus Christ is God’s Son who died on the cross, was buried, and rose on the third day to pay for our sins. We know the message, but how do we share it?” For years Silva has been presenting the gospel message in countries worldwide using everyday objects to explain many of the key ideas of Christianity. “To the people in some destitute countries where we minister, a chicken makes an incredible gift,” he explains. “As I hold one up, I say, ‘I have a gift I would like to give away — who would like it?’ They all raise their hands. I explain to them that they cannot purchase this chicken because it’s not for sale, or earn this chicken because it’s a free gift. Then I tell them that God’s gift of salvation operates in the very same way!” More than 100 everyday illustrations are available on his website, mikesilva.gospelcom.net. “When a person can visualize the message of the gospel, it makes more sense!” Silva said. (Assist News Service)

GOSPEL CONCERT AIDING HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS TO AIR ACROSS U.S.

Project Restore, the Gospel Music Association’s official crisis response initiative, will hold a concert at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta the evening of Thursday, Sept. 22, to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The event, co-sponsored with relief agency World Vision, will be broadcast nationally via the Gospel Music Channel and Independent TV (formerly PAX TV)

as well as on the Worship Network and XM Radio. The concert will be hosted by CeCe Winans and will feature artists such as Third Day, BarlowGirl, Blind Boys of Alabama, Natalie Grant, George Huff, Israel & New Breed, Nicole C. Mullen, NewSong, and Aaron Shust. Third Day’s song, “Cry Out To Jesus,” was released weeks early to radio stations early, then offered as a free download through the band’s website by its label, Essential Records. The band has pledged to donate $1 per download of the song (up to 50,000 downloads) for disaster relief. The band also has collected more than $82,000 from the crowds at concerts held since the disaster and pledged to match that amount as well as pledges of up to $50,000 through its website. For information on broadcast times, check your local listings or visit http://www.worldvision.org/GospelAngels. (Christian Etailing/Religion Today/World Vision)