Today’s Headlines:

AUTHORITIES DESTROY HOUSE CHURCH IN NORTHERN CHINA

CHRISTIAN FOOTBALLERS AT OHIO STATE DRAW BIG CROWDS

ARAB VISION TO LAUNCH TV PROGRAMMING PRODUCED BY IRAQIS

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS NAMES INTERIM PRESIDENT

NEARLY HALF OF U.S. RESIDENTS ‘UNSURE THAT GOD EXISTS’

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Today’s Top Stories:

AUTHORITIES DESTROY HOUSE CHURCH IN NORTHERN CHINA

On Thursday, Oct. 26, a house church building in northern China’s Jilin province was forcibly demolished by the local government. The building served as the meeting place of the local Nongda house church and also housed a market when church activities were not being held. At 4 a.m. the government sent 500 policemen and hundreds of peasant workers. After waking residents and driving them out of the building, the main part of the building and all the furniture inside were turned to piles of debris within an hour. Officials used the pretext of “urban appearance rearrangement” for the destruction. However, during the church’s 10-year history, members have been threatened, attacked and harassed while maintaining their desire to avoid affiliation with the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement. (China Aid Association)

CHRISTIAN FOOTBALLERS AT OHIO STATE DRAW BIG CROWDS

High-profile athletes and coaches from the No. 1-ranked Ohio State football team who shared about their relationship with Jesus drew overflow crowds of more than 13,000 to St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, defensive lineman Joel Penton and some of his fellow Buckeyes teamed up with Athletes in Action on Monday, Oct. 30, for an evangelistic outreach called the Main Event. More than 70 central Ohio churches and ministries got the word out and helped bus in Buckeye fans to the arena to hear the gospel. Tressel shared his testimony and asked the crowd, “If the game ended tonight, would you be a winner?” Penton echoed his coach’s comments saying, “We would feel so bad talking about our relationship with Christ tonight, without giving you an opportunity to enter into that very same relationship. When Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, died on that cross, He took on the penalty for our sin. Because He paid it, we can have a relationship with Him. We can know Him personally. We can have the promise of eternal life — living forever with God.” (Mission Network News)

ARAB VISION TO LAUNCH TV PROGRAMMING PRODUCED BY IRAQIS

Despite increasing violence toward Christians in Iraq, Arab Vision is drawing up plans to produce Iraqi Christian TV programs by early next year. These programs are to be made by Iraqi Christians in their own particular dialect while focusing on sharing the gospel message with their nation and encouraging Christians who deal with extreme dangers. The international director of Arab Vision said, “Iraq has had enough of bombs and wars. For many Iraqis, Islam has brought mostly violence and war, and more than ever before, they are turning to Christ. Now is the time to spread the gospel through TV in that land.” Although Arab Vision’s programs already generate good response in Iraq, experience shows that locally made programs attract more viewers. Arab Vision will begin production with Iraqis living in neighboring countries with hopes to eventually move production work into Iraq itself. Despite the security risks, a number of Iraqi Christians are ready to face those challenges, indicating the dangers posed by producing TV programs aren’t much greater than what is already present just for being a Christian. (Arab Vision)

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS NAMES INTERIM PRESIDENT

Dr. Leith Anderson has been named interim president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) following the scandal and resultant resignation of Dr. Ted Haggard. Anderson is the senior pastor of the Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., which has 5,000 regular attendees. He is also the author of several books on leadership, including Leadership That Works and Dying for Change. His most recent book is How to Act Like a Christian. Anderson was also credited with saving the NAE from financial ruin during his 2001-2003 leadership of the organization, also under the title of interim president for the complete term. Anderson’s education includes degrees from Moody Bible Institute, Bradley University, Denver Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of eight books and the radio voice of Faith Matters which is heard on Christian stations across the United States. The board of NAE has not set a time frame for choosing a permanent replacement for Haggard. (Assist News Service)

NEARLY HALF OF U.S. RESIDENTS ‘UNSURE THAT GOD EXISTS’

A recent poll published on the website Breitbart.com says nearly half of all Americans are not sure that God exists. The survey, conducted by Harris Poll, found that 42 percent of U.S. adults are not “absolutely certain” there is a God. When the same question was posed during a survey taken three years ago, only 34 percent of respondents felt the same way. Among the various religious groups, 76 percent of Protestants, 64 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Jews said they are “absolutely certain” there is a God while 93 percent of Christians who describe themselves as “born again” felt certain God exists. The poll also asked about gender perceptions of God. When questioned on whether God is male or female, 36 percent of respondents said they think God is male, 37 percent said neither male nor female, and 10 percent said “both male and female.” Only 1 percent viewed God as a female. (Religion Today)

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