Today’s Headlines:

‘MARKET-FRIENDLY’ BIBLE STIRS CONTROVERSY IN HOLLAND

CHRISTIAN NIGERIAN TEACHER TRIED FOR PUNISHING MUSLIM STUDENT

NAVIGATORS MERGES WITH SMALL MISSION ORGANIZATION IN AFRICA

DISILLUSIONMENT, EVANGELISM SLOWS SPREAD OF ISLAM IN EUROPE

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Today’s Top Stories:

‘MARKET-FRIENDLY’ BIBLE STIRS CONTROVERSY IN HOLLAND

A new Bible translation produced in Holland is causing a stir after it cut out difficult parts to make it more attractive and market friendly. The new Bible version, released by the Western Bible Foundation in the Netherlands, cuts out difficult passages surrounding economic justice, possessions and money, leaving holes in passages from Isaiah, Proverbs, the Sermon on the Mount and others where original versions urge radical actions about money, justice and affluence. A media release from the group’s chairman, Mr. De Rijke, says the foundation is reacting to the growing wishes of many churches to be market-oriented and more attractive. “Jesus was very inspiring for our inner health, but we don’t need to take his na ¯ve remarks about money seriously. He didn’t study economics, obviously,” he said. Hundreds of the new Bible translations have been sold in its first few weeks on the shelves. (Assist News Service)

CHRISTIAN NIGERIAN TEACHER TRIED FOR PUNISHING MUSLIM STUDENT

A Christian high school teacher at a Nigerian Government College is on trial for “blasphemy” after disciplining a Muslim student. English and history teacher Joshua Lai is standing trial in Lafia, capital of northern Nigeria’s Nasarawa state, where he is accused of blasphemy against the Islamic prophet Mohammed and for “public incitement, rioting and mischief.” Following the June 12 incident, Muslim students attacked Christian students and teachers, burning four houses, including Lai’s home. Alerted by Christian students of Muslim plans to behead him, Lai and his son fled their home to nearby Abuja. He was placed in prison custody for eight days by order of the governor before being released on bail. (Religion Today/Compass Direct)

* HCJB World Radio, together with partners In Touch Ministries, SIM and the Evangelical Church of West Africa, began airing weekly half-hour programs to Nigeria in the Igbo language in 2000. In 2003 weekly broadcasts were added in two additional languages, Yoruba and Hausa. HCJB World Radio also has helped with radio ministries in six cities with more in the planning stages.

NAVIGATORS MERGES WITH SMALL MISSION ORGANIZATION IN AFRICA

The boards of directors of both The Navigators and the Christian developmental organization, Mission: Moving Mountains (M:MM), have voted unanimously to merge their ministries. The merger comes after years of mutual cooperation between the two groups. M:MM has a keen awareness of how whole-life transformation works in some of the poorest places in Africa with an emphasis on under-reached people groups. However, being a relatively small organization, its capacity to reach Africa is limited. Now more than 70 years old, The Navigators’ ministry of evangelism and discipleship has spread into more than 100 countries. “This merger will allow both organizations to have a greater impact on God’s kingdom much faster than we could ever do independently,” said Bob Brydges, chairman of the M:MM board of directors. This is especially true in Africa where The Navigators has limited development experience with the poor. “This will save years of hard learning,” said Navigators’ Africa Director Mutua Mahiaini. Rod Beidler, Navigators’ director of the U.S. International Ministries Group, agreed. “It would take us 25 years to learn to do what M:MM already knows how to do,” he said. “Together we can advance the gospel much more quickly throughout Africa than either of us could ever hope to do alone.” (The Navigators)

DISILLUSIONMENT, EVANGELISM SLOWS SPREAD OF ISLAM IN EUROPE

In countries like England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, a phenomenon dubbed the “Islamization of Europe” is taking place. For example, 40 years ago in England there were only a few thousand Muslims. Today there are more than 2 million, and mosques have increased in number from a few dozen to more than 2,000. Despite the growth, Roy Nagelkirk who works with the Muslim population in France with Greater Europe Mission, says some moderate Muslims are becoming disappointed with Islam. Jack Shiflet of the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism agrees. “When they see tragedy going on, or bombs going off because of protests for [political] cartoons and what have you, God is working,” he said. “The Muslim people [are realizing] that Islam is not what they thought it was.” Shift let added that changes are happening, although slowly. “The fastest growing (religious) group in France, by conversion . . . is Muslims who are becoming evangelicals,” he said. (Mission Network News)

* French programs produced by HCJB World Radio programmers air on a few FM Christian radio stations in France and in some French-speaking African countries.

Reports indicate authorities in Belarus may be preparing to reverse their stance on the beleaguered New Life Church in the capital city of Minsk. On Thursday, Oct. 5, church members began a high-profile hunger strike in protest of the government’s apparent opposition to the church and their new building, a former cowshed. As of Friday, Oct. 20, 156 participants in 16 locations throughout Belarus were continuing with the strike. A core of approximately 30 hunger-strikers are protesting within the church’s threatened building. Banners within the church state the congregation’s demands to the Minsk City Executive Committee and a Belarusian-language slogan: “Stop discrimination against evangelical Christians in Belarus!” A senior state official has stated that President Alexander Lukashenko is aware of the church’s situation and strongly recommended that the church try another appeal to the Higher Economic Court. The church’s lawyer has done this, but stressed that the public protest will continue until a legal settlement is reached, citing previously broken promises. New Life is holding nightly services in the disputed building with support coming from believers worldwide. (Forum 18 News Service)