Translator Says Bible in All Languages Possible Soon

Bible translators are working to make it possible to not only “go ye into all the world with the Gospel,” but to “go ye” with a Bible penned in the country’s native language.

Bible translators like The Seed Company report great strides with translation efforts in 2010. The Seed Company’s strategy is to come alongside a country’s natives to help them with the work of accurately translating the Word of God.

“The Seed Company was privileged to participate in an amazing acceleration of Bible translation work around the world this past year,†says Larry Jones, senior vice president for Field programs for the company, told Mission Network News (MNN). “Ninety-three new people groups were engaged, and we got them started on the process of having Scripture in their own language.”

Nigeria Attacks, Church of Hate, Faith Mismatches and Bible Theme Parks

Christian news around the world and right here in the U.S. is horrifying in some cases and ridiculous in others. Here are some of the stories I came across as I was scouting for the most important Charisma news headlines:

An attack on a Christian village in central Nigeria early Tuesday morning left 13 people dead. CNN offers more details on the report of yet more violence, which is mostly blamed on Islamist extremists. Not surprising.

Florida College Accused of First Amendment Violation

Are our public colleges and universities a marketplace of ideas or a prison of censorship? ADF Senior Legal Counsel Casey Mattox is fighting to make sure educational facilities conform to the First Amendment and remain campuses of free thought.

Mattox’s latest case represents Young Americans for Freedom. Palm Beach State College banned two members of the group from distributing leaflets and talking with people on campus about their cause. The all-out literature distribution ban hindered the group from administering its “Get out the Vote” campaign before last November’s midterm elections.

In a small victory, Palm Beach State College has agreed to let Young Americans for Freedom distribute its Heritage Foundation literature several days a month while the lawsuit progresses. The college also agreed to revise its policies, including its restrictions on off-campus meetings of student groups, to ensure they comply with the First Amendment.


Convoy of Hope Plans Haiti Food Warehouse

Convoy of Hope is breaking ground on a 35,000-square-foot warehouse just outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti early this year. Once completed, the warehouse will have the capacity to hold up to 6 million meals.

“The site is prepared and I expect construction of the prefabricated steel building will progress quickly once begun,” says Kevin Rose, International Programs Director for Convoy of Hope. “I am optimistic we will be utilizing the building by early summer.”

Police, Islamists Put Up Obstacles to Worship in Indonesia

Government officials in West Java Province blocked one church from worshiping, and Islamic groups pressured authorities to seize the property of another during the Christmas season.

The Bogor Regency Administrative Leadership Council tried unsuccessfully to forbid the Gereja Kristen Indonesia (Indonesian Christian Church, or GKI) in Bogor’s Taman Yasmin area from holding a Dec. 25 Christmas service, but authorities did block it from its regular Sunday service on Dec. 26. In Rancaekek, Bandung, Islamic demonstrators on Dec. 19 got police to remove items from a Huria Kristan Batak Protestan (HKBP) church building that had already been sealed.

NRB Network Launches Christian Reality Series

Reality TV isn’t all about American idols and island castaways. The NRB Network is rolling out a new Christian reality TV show as part of its winter lineup.

Starting tonight, the NRB will begin airing new Christ-centered shows across a variety of genres, including devotional, talk, fitness and its own take on reality TV on DirecTV, SkyAngel and live on NRBNetwork.tv.

“We’ve added a number of quality programs this season we think our viewers will appreciate,” says NRB Network President and COO Troy Miller. “It’s important to us to introduce new content regularly that ministers to our viewers and meets their educational and entertainment needs.”

Christian Leaders Respond to Arizona Shootings

John F. Kennedy was assassinated. President Ronald Reagan was shot. But in a peaceful democracy the attempts on the lives of public officials seem few and far between—until this weekend.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords remains in critical condition after accused gunman Jared Lee Loughner allegedly opened fire at a community political event. Giffords took a bullet to the head. Gabe Zimmerman, 30, a Giffords staff member, was killed, along with Chief Judge Roll and four others.

ORU President Gets’Face to Face’ in New TV Series

oru_rutlandfacetofaceAs Christian reality TV shows start to emerge, Oral Roberts University (ORU) is taking a classic approach to broadcasting with its new “Face to Face” television series.

In each 30-minute episode of “Face to Face,” ORU President Mark Rutland will interview prominent individuals—industry leaders, ministers, writers, and musicians—to ask about their lives, how they arrived at their current position, and what their thoughts are on leadership, faith, culture, and other questions of the day.

130 Young Preachers Gather In Louisville

How can the lost call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Enter 130 young preachers.

The young men and women of God are gathering together in Louisville this weekend for the second National Festival of Young Preachers. Hosted by the Academy of Preachers, the Lilly Endowment is underwriting the event, which is open to young preachers between the ages of 16 and 28.


Egyptian Muslims Serve as Christian ‘Body Shields’

We read plenty about Christian persecution in Islamic countries—Islamic countries dominated the Open Doors World Watch List this year—so when a headline emerges that reads “Egypt’s Muslims attend Coptic Christmas mass, serving as human shields”—it causes you to look twice, or even three times.

That’s the true story from Ahram Online by Yasmine El-Rashidi. El-Rashidi reports that Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word to protect Christians Thursday night:

Televangelists Pass Senate Probe, But New Commission Formed

Sen. Churck Grassley’s probe into high-profile television ministries may be over, but the ranking member of the Committee on Finance’s investigation has led to the formation of a new commission on accountability and policy issues for churches and other religious organizations.

Grassley reviewed the activities and practices of six media-based ministries’ “Joyce Meyer Ministries, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Creflo Dollar Ministries, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries, Benny Hinn Ministries, and Paula White Ministries” and found no wrongdoing.

Updated NIV Bible Ebook Hits Bestseller Lists

It’s official. Zondervan’s new NIV Bible e-book has made its way onto the USA Today bestsellers list. Released on Dec. 15, the digital release marks the first time that a new Bible translation has launched in a digital format prior to publication in a print format.

Here are some additional breakthroughs: The NIV Bible made its debut as the number one e-book in the Religion & Spirituality Category of Apple’s iBookstore and rose to number 7 for all books on Apple. It is also among the Top 100 in Amazon’s Kindle Store and a Top 25 e-book in Barnes & Noble’s Nookbook Store.

SBA List Calls on Congress to Repeal Pro-Abortion Health Care Law

As part of its Stop Abortion Funding campaign, the Susan B. Anthony List has mobilized its 280,000-member grassroots network to lobby members of Congress to vote for the repeal of the pro-abortion Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“Keeping abortion out of health care”as the antitheses to it “was the critical issue with enough votes to stop or pass healthcare. It was a dramatic caving in on abortion in health care by a group of now former Members of Congress that finally sealed the deal on the bill,” says SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser.

Short-Term Missions Impact At-Risk Youth

Could short-term missions be an answer to stemming the tide of lost youth? A new Barna Research study offers good news about the ministry model.

Barna took a look at Scripture Union’s SuperKids program. SuperKids offers one- and two-week outreach missions programs that aim to make an impact on youth at a time when many are leaving the church as soon as they get old enough to drive.

Lao Officials Arrest 11 Christians at Gunpoint

Following the arrest of 11 Christians at gunpoint on Tuesday (Jan. 4), three house church leaders remain behind bars for “holding a secret meeting,” according to advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF).

Lao authorities today released six of the house church Christians, including two children ages 4 and 8, from Khammouan Provincial Prison, central Laos. Two other men were released yesterday (Jan. 5).

The charge against the three church leaders is a political offense punishable by law, HRWLRF said. It identified the three men only by their given names as Pastor Wanna from Nakoon village church, Chanlai from Tonglar village church and Kan from nearby Nahin village church, all in Hinboun district, Khammouan Province.

Charisma Starts New Year With Focus on Forgiveness

“When the Vow (Almost) Breaks.” “Forgiveness That Transcends.” “The Devil in Pew No. 7.” Those are just a few of the impactful headlines in the January 2011 issue of Charisma magazine.

The new year is all about starting with a clean slate, says Charisma Editor Marcus Yoars. Beyond the resolutions that are likely to fade by the end of the month, he says, New Year’s represents a chance to start over again. That’s why the January 2011 issue of Charisma focuses on the theme of forgiveness and its power in giving people a second chance.

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