Assisted suicide Bill rejected in Scotland.
MSP’s were given a free vote yesterday, allowing them to vote according to their consciences rather than along party lines. The End of Life Assistance Bill was crushed by 85-16. Gordon Macdonald, of the Care Not Killing alliance said it was a fantastic result and a ‘victory for the most vulnerable in our community’. In rejecting the controversial legislation, he said MSP’s recognised that legalising assisted suicide would ‘seriously endanger public safety’ and had instead given a ringing endorsement to palliative care. ‘The sheer magnitude of the Bill’s defeat should settle this issue in Scotland for a generation,’ he said. ‘The key argument that decided this vote and the similar votes in the House of Lords in 2006 and 2009 is a simple one. The right to die can so easily become the duty to die.’ (See Prayer Alert 4710) Praise: God for this answered prayer. (Mt.10:30-31) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/scottish.parliament.rejects.assisted.suicide.bill/27178.htm
World: 500 mark in audio Bible translations
This month marks an exciting landmark in the world of audio Bible translation. ‘We have got to our 500th language that we have recorded,’ explains Bill Lohr with Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH). ‘About 4.6 billion people speak those languages in the world today.’ Beyond the fact that now billions of people, literate or not, could potentially access the Scriptures, the 500 mark has special meaning for FCBH. ‘The reason that's significant for us is that it puts us a quarter way to our goal, which is in 2016, we want to have 2,000 languages recorded. That will effectively be about 97 percent of the world's population.’ That is truly FCBH's heartbeat and passion: to provide every person, regardless of literacy or location, with the opportunity to access Scripture in their heart language. FCBH now has over 50 recording teams in 27 countries working on new translations to meet their 2,000 language goal by 2016. Praise: God that faith comes from hearing the word. (Ro.10:17)
World: 500 mark in audio Bible translations
This month marks an exciting landmark in the world of audio Bible translation. ‘We have got to our 500th language that we have recorded,’ explains Bill Lohr with Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH). ‘About 4.6 billion people speak those languages in the world today.’ Beyond the fact that now billions of people, literate or not, could potentially access the Scriptures, the 500 mark has special meaning for FCBH. ‘The reason that's significant for us is that it puts us a quarter way to our goal, which is in 2016, we want to have 2,000 languages recorded. That will effectively be about 97 percent of the world's population.’ That is truly FCBH's heartbeat and passion: to provide every person, regardless of literacy or location, with the opportunity to access Scripture in their heart language. FCBH now has over 50 recording teams in 27 countries working on new translations to meet their 2,000 language goal by 2016. Praise: God that faith comes from hearing the word. (Ro.10:17)
Russia: New Baptist Churches being planted
The Baptists utilize effectively the freedom of worship in the country. Mass evangelism and distribution of tracts aren’t efficient any longer and new methods have to be implemented, reports the press centre of Russian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptists. Baptists in Russia trace their history to 1867. There are now about 80 000 Baptists who worship in 1,750 local churches. Revd Alexey Smirnov, the president of the Baptist Union in Russia says: ‘The number of Baptist churches in Russia is growing and the most important task of the Union is to train leaders as well as keep the unity. The work with youth and children is particularly vital as it had not been possible during the era of communist regime.’ Revd Ruvim Voloshin, the vice-president of Baptist Union responsible for missionary ministry stresses that about 200 new Baptist congregations are currently being planted all over the vast territory of Russia. Praise: God for the growth of His church and the planting of new congregations. (Ac.5:42)
Russia: New Baptist Churches being planted
The Baptists utilize effectively the freedom of worship in the country. Mass evangelism and distribution of tracts aren’t efficient any longer and new methods have to be implemented, reports the press centre of Russian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptists. Baptists in Russia trace their history to 1867. There are now about 80 000 Baptists who worship in 1,750 local churches. Revd Alexey Smirnov, the president of the Baptist Union in Russia says: ‘The number of Baptist churches in Russia is growing and the most important task of the Union is to train leaders as well as keep the unity. The work with youth and children is particularly vital as it had not been possible during the era of communist regime.’ Revd Ruvim Voloshin, the vice-president of Baptist Union responsible for missionary ministry stresses that about 200 new Baptist congregations are currently being planted all over the vast territory of Russia. Praise: God for the growth of His church and the planting of new congregations. (Ac.5:42)
Bangladesh: Rebel group prevents Christmas Worship
One of the two main political parties of the indigenous people in Bangladesh’s south-eastern hill tracts prevented Christians from celebrating Christmas, sources said. The United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), which has demanded that Christian converts return to Buddhism, threatened tribal Christians of at least seven churches in Khagrachari district, some 300 kilometers (180 miles) southeast of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka. A source requesting anonymity said that a local leader of the UPDF, a regional party seeking autonomy, warned Christians not to hold a Christmas gathering. ‘Members of the Kalapani Bethlehem Church could not celebrate Christmas this year,’ the source said. ‘UPDF members threatened them, saying ‘You cannot play the harmonium, drums and sing here. You cannot even worship silently’. Christian elders told the UPDF leader by telephone that they had arranged food for around 100 people, and the UPDF members allowed them only to eat their rice and curry. Pray: as further attacks occur on Churches gathering, that God would protect His saints and open the doors for worship. (Ps.20:6) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/bangladesh/30238/
China: Police raid Christmas Eve service
Police raided a house church Christmas Eve service in the south-western city of Chengdu on Friday night, taking into custody 17 believers, including one pregnant woman, sources told ChinaAid. Wang Yi, an elder of the Autumn Rain Church in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was taken to the local Caoshi Road police station, while the other brothers and sisters, as well as one non-Christian ‘seeker,’ were interrogated inside a police vehicle belonging to the Jinjiang sub-bureau. ChinaAid Association condemns the Chengdu authorities for their illegal raid on the Autumn Rain Church and for the totally superfluous act of taking church members into custody. It expresses its great respect to Wang, the other believers and the non-Christian ‘seeker’. By suffering persecution for the sake of your faith on Christmas Eve, you have truly lived out the real meaning of Christmas. Pray: for the Church as it faces ongoing challenges against meeting together. (Heb.10:25) More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35091&PN=1&TPN=1
Pakistan: Cleric offers thousands for killing Christian
Muslims began protests on Friday, December 24, against plans to change Pakistan's blasphemy laws, after an Islamic leader offered nearly $6,000 for the killing of a Christian woman he accused of offending Islam. Tensions have risen over a government ministry's recommendation to release Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy. The case has sped up a government investigation whether to change the blasphemy laws, which has led to the sentencing of Christians throughout the country. Friday's protests were encouraged by Pakistani cleric Moulana Yousaf Qureshi who announced a financial award for anyone killing Bibi. ‘I will pay 500,000 rupees ($6,000) for the loyal follower of Muhammad who beheads Asia Bibi,’ he told a crowd of several hundred people earlier this month. The amount is more than six times the country's average annual wage. (See Prayer Alert 4910) Pray: that Asia Bibi would gain her full freedom in safety - and the proposed changes to the blasphemy laws would be successful. (1Pet.2:16) More: http://www.worthynews.com/9851-muslim-protests-as-cleric-offers-thousands-for-killing-christian
Algeria: Christians appeal against prison sentence
Four Christian men of a small Protestant church in Algeria are appealing against a court decision to hand them suspended prison sentences for worshiping without a state permission. News of the appeal comes after a court on December 12 reduced the sentences of Abdenour Raid, Nacer Mokrani and Idir Haoudj - to two months. The fourth man, Reverend Mahmoud Yahou, was sentenced to three months in jail and a 1,000-dinar fine (US$ 132). The prosecutor had asked for one-year prison sentences for each defendant. Defence lawyer Mohamed Benbelkacem said the men were found guilty of ‘clandestinely housing a pastor’ who was to hold a conference in their village of Ait Atteli. The Christians said they want to appeal against the sentence to avoid a government crackdown on other churches. The verdict was the latest in a series of cases targeting converted Christians in the country. Pray: that the authorities would reconsider and scrap these unjust sentences. (Is.10:1) More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/14856-algerian-christians-appeal-against-prison-sentence
Gaza: War 'only a question of time'
A senior Israeli army officer has told the BBC that as long as Hamas remains in control of the Gaza Strip, another war is ‘only a question of time’. He said the Palestinian Islamist group had re-armed so much since the Israeli offensive two years ago that it was now in a stronger position militarily. There has been an increase in rocket fire coming from Gaza in the past week. Earlier, Israeli defence officials said tanks fitted with a new missile defence system would be deployed near Gaza. The UN has condemned the firing of ‘indiscriminate’ rocket and mortar attacks by militants in Gaza in recent weeks. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also warned that tensions were escalating in the region, and that any Israeli attack on Gaza would only lead to further bloodshed. ‘Military solutions such as these won't achieve anything and will only complicate the situation,’ Mr Erekat said. Pray: for a speedy resolution to the Gaza situation and against any new conflict. (Pr.6:4)