DON HINKLE/editor dhinkle@mobaptist.org A powerful book by two Iranian Christian women who spent 259 days in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, in 2009, gives outsiders a look at the harsh conditions and brutal persecution Christians face within the prison’s confines. Captive in Iran is the story of Maryam Rostampour and Maziyeh Amirizadeh who – over a three-year period – covertly put New Testaments in the hands of 20,000 of their countrymen, knowing that Islamic laws in Iran … [Read more...]
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Wife of imprisoned U.S. pastor in Iranto speak at Ministers’ Wives Luncheon
JEFFERSON CITY – Registration for the 2013 Ministry Wives Annual Luncheon is quickly filling. “Snapshots: Women Partnering in Gospel Advancement” is the selected theme for the 2013 Ministry Wives luncheon Oct. 29 in conjunction with the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) annual meeting. “Our desire is simply to encourage and remind our MBC ministry wives that they are part of a larger story, an army of women called to advance the gospel in our generation,” said Sandee Hedger, 2013 Task … [Read more...]
Obama urges Rouhani to release U.S. pastor as prayer vigils continue
BY STAFF WASHINGTON – American Pastor Saeed Abedini is now aware that President Obama urged Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to release him from wrongful imprisonment for his Christian faith in Iran. Early on the morning of Sept. 30 in Tehran, Abedini’s Iranian family was able to sit and visit with him – through a glass partition – during regular visitation hours at Evin Prison, said a spokesman for the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), which is representing the Abedini … [Read more...]
Pastor, family make return to Congo for mission work
KINSHASA, Congo – It is a dark, occult-like world, but a Missouri pastor and his family took the message of Jesus’ love to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo during a recent mission trip. First Baptist, LaBelle, Pastor James Renot and family took a two-week trip in June to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, a place where they served as International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries from 2005-07. Now, few missionaries are there, with even IMB pulling out. “The obstacles … [Read more...]
Praying for the persecuted church
Umar Mulinde grew up in a strict Muslim home in Uganda. His grandfather was an imam (religious leader), and Umar was trained in Islamic thought, which went unchallenged until he left home for college. One Sunday Umar visited a church for the first time and was so impressed with the gospel that he surrendered his life to Christ. Three Muslim friends saw him leave the church and attacked him. He assumed the beatings would stop. He was wrong. In time, Umar preached in a church that … [Read more...]
Naghmeh Abedini tells of persecution against her husband
VICKI STAMPS/contributing writer BOISE, Idaho – Naghmeh Abedini’s life has been turned upside down. Her husband, Saeed, an Iranian-born pastor who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, is imprisoned in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, known by human rights watchdog groups as one of the most brutal in all the world. Saeed was arrested a year ago at his parents’ home in Iran by five Revolutionary Guards who charged the house. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for threatening “national … [Read more...]
Ethnic ministry tracks popular at Send gathering
PLANO, Texas – More than 35 percent of the registrants at the 2013 Send North America Conference signed up for one of five ethnic ministry tracks. The final tally of registrants included 1,526 participants for the ethnic tracks, which included Hispanic Leadership and Mission, Black Church Discipleship and Development, Reaching People from a Muslim Background, Korean Leadership and Development and Leadership Development for Kingdom Development in Chinese Churches. Registrants from other … [Read more...]
Macedonia Project speeds missionaries to field
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) — You’ve recently finished college — or maybe you’re a mid-career professional -- and you sense an urgent call to follow Christ into long-term mission service. You have the practical skills to make an impact. You have the motivation. You’re ready to respond to the Lord’s call in obedience -- right now, as the Apostle Paul responded when he dreamed of the man pleading, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). But you need the theological training required for … [Read more...]
New name for World Hunger Fund
EDITOR’S NOTE: Southern Baptists will observe World Hunger Sunday Oct. 13, and Southern Baptist congregations across North America will receive offerings for Global Hunger Relief (formerly the World Hunger Fund). NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – When it comes to people in need, big numbers can hide the human faces they represent. Statistics tell us that more than 1 billion people around the world are hungry more often than not, and about 24,000 people – over half of them young children – die every … [Read more...]
Because you give … the gospel goes to Japan
At the close of World War II, Gen. Douglas MacArthur appealed to Western Christians to mobilize 10,000 missionaries to Japan, which he described as a “spiritual vacuum.” The Lord used MacArthur’s appeal to awaken hearts in America to the spiritual condition of this small, densely populated nation. Today, Southern Baptist missionaries like Missouri’s Liz Welsch devote their lives to sharing the love of Christ with people steeped in Shinto, Buddhism and other Eastern religions. For Welsch, … [Read more...]
From Missouri to Africa and back again: Freshwater answers call to plant churches
BOLIVAR – In 2009, Joshua and Tish Hedger moved to Bolivar to plant a church. They were hired by Second Baptist Church of Springfield to do so. When Hedger asked the leadership of Second Baptist what they desired this church to look like, they gave one simple requirement: to be a church plant that plants churches. Hedger and Freshwater have taken this seriously. In their first three-and-a-half years of existence Freshwater has planted or is in the process of planting 12 churches in … [Read more...]
Islam’s doctrine of deception
Like Christianity, Islam is monotheistic, yet it denies basic Christian doctrines like the Trinity, the deity of Christ, Jesus’ death and resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith. Muhammad’s encounters with heretical Christian sects, and the lack of a Bible in Arabic in his lifetime, no doubt contributed to his faulty understanding of the Christian faith. But two lesser-known teachings based on the Qur’an are equally disturbing. Christians should understand them in order to more … [Read more...]