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Today’s Headlines:

WORKERS IN CENTRAL ASIA AIM TO PLANT 2,000+ CHURCHES IN 2 YEARS 3 ERITREAN PASTORS REMAIN IN JAIL WITHOUT CHARGES AFTER 9 WEEKS LAOTIAN CHRISTIANS KEEP WITNESSING IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION PHILIPPINE MISSIONARIES LEAD BIBLE STUDIES IN LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS CALIFORNIA PASTOR CONTINUES HOMELESS MINISTRY DESPITE SCRUTINY CHRISTIAN FILMMAKER, MUSICIAN DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT IN JORDAN

Today’s News Stories:

WORKERS IN CENTRAL ASIA AIM TO PLANT 2,000+ CHURCHES IN 2 YEARS Church workers in Central Asia have set a goal to plant one church for every 25,000 believers — more than 2,000 churches — in the next two years. At the recent Central Asian Missionary Conference in Kazakhstan, 800 attendees chose the Bible League’s Scripture placement and training method as their primary resource to plant churches. Reaching the goal will present many challenges. Evangelism is notoriously difficult in this Muslim-dominated region of the world where less than 1 percent of the population knows Christ. In Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, public evangelism is illegal or severely restricted. Some workers serve in areas where their worldview is consistently challenged by their minority status, and they can face persecution for sharing their faith. The Bible League plans to train the church leaders on establishing small-group Bible studies and giving Scripture portions to all who complete the course. (Mission Network News/Operation World)

* HCJB World Radio is bringing words of hope and encouragement to people across Central Asia via radio. Together with partners, Christian broadcasts go out in languages such as Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek, Southern Uzbek and Urdu.

3 ERITREAN PASTORS REMAIN IN JAIL WITHOUT CHARGES AFTER 9 WEEKS Nine weeks after Eritrean police arrested three prominent Protestant pastors, the Asmara government continues to detain them and refuses families and church members any direct access to the prisoners. Rev. Haile Naizgi and Dr. Kiflu Gebremeske, leaders of the Full Gospel Church, have been imprisoned since May 23, and pastor Tesfatsion Hagos of the Rema Evangelical Church since May 26. No reason was given for their imprisonment, and they haven’t been charged with any legal offense. Meanwhile, evangelical pastor Mengse Tweldemedhane and popular Christian singer Yonas Haile managed to escape from the Sawa Military Center and flee together to Sudan in late June. Christian vocalist Helen Berhane remains under severe confinement in a shipping container at the Mai Serwa military camp just north of Asmara since her arrest on May 13. Although the Eritrean constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens, President Isaias Afewerki closed down the nation’s independent Protestant churches in May 2002, forbidding the 20,000 members of 12 banned denominations to worship even in their homes. (Religion Today/Compass)

LAOTIAN CHRISTIANS KEEP WITNESSING IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION Persecution of Christians in Laos is rampant, but God is still providing ways for His Word to go forward. Believers are going out to the villages to disciple others and reach people who haven’t yet heard the gospel. “The obstacle in the work of the Lord in my area has been persecution coming from the authorities,” reported one missionary. “But it seems that the more intense the persecution, the more people become Christians.” In some areas where churches were planted, prayers for the sick resulted in healing. At least two residents were delivered from demonic spirits after they came to Christ, angering authorities. When the police heard about their salvation, they summoned the new Christians, interrogated them, confiscated their Bibles and warned them to discontinue their worship. Laotian Christians are asking God for “boldness and power” as they continue to proclaim salvation in Jesus Christ in the midst of persecution and pressure from authorities. (Missions Insider)

PHILIPPINE MISSIONARIES LEAD BIBLE STUDIES IN LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS Native missionaries in the Philippines have received accreditation from some local high schools to serve as counselors and teach Bible studies on campus. A “Moral Values Program” is being taught by one missionary with eight classes averaging 80 students. Missionaries are also being invited as guest speakers in some areas where government officials, education supervisors and teachers hear God’s Word during the presentations. One pastor said, “Our passion is to lead people to a fresh understanding of their relationship with God, themselves and the world around them. And we’re able to bring them to transformation of heart and behavior through what they experience in our seminars and events.” (Missions Insider)

CALIFORNIA PASTOR CONTINUES HOMELESS MINISTRY DESPITE SCRUTINY A California pastor says he will keep opening his church doors to the homeless despite increased scrutiny from city officials. On any given night, 70 or 80 homeless people are allowed to sleep in the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park. But recently, pastor Wiley Drake says city officials have notified him they are reviewing his occupancy and land use permits and other paperwork. Drake says city officials are upset because his church is not far from Anaheim and Disneyland, touted as the “happiest place on earth.” He believes Buena Park officials are unhappy with having a ministry to the homeless in such close proximity to the amusement park and resort area, and that they are employing intimidation and harassment to try to stop the church from doing its outreach to this needy community in that location. But Drake notes that he has fought off previous efforts by city officials to evict the homeless from his church, and those who have a need will continue to receive help. “We just won’t turn anyone away,” he says. “If people are homeless and poor and they have a sincere desire to be helped, we’ll find a way to help them.” (Religion Today/Agape Press)

CHRISTIAN FILMMAKER, MUSICIAN DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT IN JORDAN Christian filmmaker and musician Irvin “Shorty” Yeaworth, 78, died Monday, July 12, when his car left the road and crashed while driving from Aqaba to Amman, Jordan. Yeaworth started Good News Productions and inspired many filmmakers and TV producers to begin their own Christian companies such as Lord and King Productions, Heartland Productions and Seven Star Productions. He also founded the Fellowship of Christians in the Arts, Media and Entertainment (FCAME) which grew into Media Fellowship. Similar groups are now active in Hollywood, New York and London and other cities worldwide. Yeaworth began his career in radio, singing at age 10 on KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pa. He later became a radio, TV and movie producer. He produced three science fiction films in the late 1950s and early 1960s before turning his attention to making religious movies. Yeaworth was also a music director at churches in Pennsylvania for more than 34 years and was known as an outstanding performer. (Assist News Service) * * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio U.S. Ministries Communications Director E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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