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Christian World and Messianic News: Global news from Christian World and Messianic News
Nigeria Muslim-Christian clash kills over 40 people
by Ethan Cole | Christian Post - More than 40 people were killed in a Muslim-Christian clash this past weekend in a central Nigerian city with a history of volatile relations between the two faith communities.
In Jos city, Plateau state, about 200 Muslim youths attacked Christians near St Michael’s Catholic Church, according to local sources of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The human rights organization reported that Muslim youths congregated to renovate a house next to St. Michael’s Catholic Church, owned by a man who allegedly killed three Christians in the November 2008 sectarian violence in Jos.
But instead of renovating, the youths reportedly assaulted a female passerby before attacking St Michael’s Church. They also set fire to several churches, including a Christ Apostolic Church and two Evangelical Church of West Africa churches, as well as local houses and businesses.
In retaliation, Christian youths launched a counter-attack, including lighting mosques on fire, and soon violence spread to other areas of Jos.
Evangelical body makes urgent appeal for prayer after Haiti earthquake
by Brian Hutt | Christian Today - The World Evangelical Alliance is calling on Christians to pray for Haiti as aid agencies race to bring food, clean water and medical care to the thousands of survivors of Tuesday's earthquake.
International Director, Dr Geoff Tunnicliffe, said: "Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti as they face the impact of this huge disaster. We are calling upon our entire WEA family to pray for the people of Haiti as they come to grips with the magnitude of this situation. We know there has been a huge loss of life as well as property."
It is feared 100,000 people may have died in the 7.0 magnitude quake. They include the Catholic Archbishop of Port-au-Prince Joseph Serge Miot.
With little in the way of emergency services, many people are still trapped under the collapsed buildings. The US is sending 2,000 Marines to help in the rescue effort, while the UK has reportedly sent in 71 rescue specialists with sniffer dogs and heavy equipment.
4 more churches attacked in Malaysia in Allah feud
By EILEEN NG | Christian Post Reporter - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Firebombs were thrown at three more churches in Malaysia on Sunday and another was splashed with black paint, the latest in a series of assaults on Christian houses of worship following a court decision allowing non-Muslims to use "Allah" to refer to God.
Despite the attacks, thousands of Christians nationwide attended Sunday services and prayed for national unity and an end to the violence.
The unprecedented attacks have set off a wave of disquiet among Malaysia's minority Christians and strained their ties with the majority Malay Muslims. About 9 percent of Malaysia's 28 million people are Christian, most of whom are ethnic Chinese or Indian. Muslims make up 60 percent of the population and most of them are ethnic Malays.
Religious minorities have often complained about what they say is institutionalized religious discrimination here.
Passion 2010 Brings in Over $1M
By Lillian Kwon | Christian Post Reporter - After four days of intense worship and compassionate giving, students at Passion 2010 ended up over-funding 12 global causes.
More than $668,000 was collected during the Jan. 2-5 conference in Atlanta, Ga., exceeding Passion's initial goal of $500,000. A couple attending matched the gathered amount, bringing the total to more than $1.3 million.
"Crazy. Thank you so much,” Passion Conference founder/director Louie Giglio told the more than 21,000 college students. "What a beautiful day, what a beautiful time. We love you guys, we believe in you, and we believe even more in God. Let’s go live it out on our campuses."
Passion 2010 was the first four-day domestic gathering since 2007. This year's conference continued the 2007 campaign "Do Something Now" which weds worship and justice and has funneled close to two million dollars to those in greatest need throughout the world.
Report Finds Over 1,200 Crimes Against Churches in 2010
By Ethan Cole | Christian Post Reporter - There were at least 1,237 crimes committed against Christian churches and ministries in the United States this past year, according to a report released Monday.
Included among the crimes are 12 homicides and 38 other violent incidents – including three sexual assaults and three kidnappings – 98 arsons and over 700 burglaries, according to the 2010 “Crimes Against Christian Organizations in the United States” report published by the Christian Security Network.
The network said the church burglaries resulted in an estimated $24 million in property loss.
"It is disheartening to see all these incidents and loss of life in churches in 2010 and even sadder because we know 2010 isn't going to be any different unless the status-quo changes," said Jeff Hawkins, executive director of the Christian Security Network, in announcing the release of the report.
Persecution in North Korea set to worsen in 2010
::by Jenna Lyle|ChristianToday :: A charity supporting oppressed believers around the world has warned that persecution against Christians is set to worsen in North Korea in 2010.
Practising Christianity is currently illegal in the reclusive communist country and Christians can face imprisonment, torture and even execution for their faith.
Release International works through local Christian partners to support North Korean refugees fleeing to China or South Korea, by providing pastoral care, safe houses, and Christian literature and Bibles.
Partner Tim Peters said North Korea was one of the world’s worst trouble spots for Christians. In the latest edition of the Release magazine, he said he had received reports of worsening persecution against Christians as the North Korean economy continues to collapse.
“2010 is forecast to be a year of tremendous hardship and food shortages since the country’s harvest in 2010 was a poor one,” he said.
Muslims Attack Christian Town in North Iraq on Christmas
::By Ethan Cole|Christian Post Reporter :: A group of Shiite Muslims attacked an Assyrian Christian town in Northern Iraq on Christmas morning, according to reports over the weekend.
The assailants, a minority ethnic group called Shabak, took over the entry checkpoint into the Christian-dominated town of Bartilla, about 28 miles north of Mosul, and tore down Christmas decorations in the Assyrian market, reported Assyrian International News Agency (AINA).
Witnesses say they also harassed a Christian procession headed toward St. Mary Church, throwing rocks at participants.
Around 100 armed Shabaks later tried to enter St. Mary Church but church guards reportedly blocked them from entering, leading to a conflict and an exchange of gunfire that left four Christians wounded.
Assyrians in Bartilla, who are unarmed, fear more attacks against their community in the near future.
According to AINA, Christians in Bartilla say they did not provoke the attack and have in the past worked with Shabaks to advocate for the rights of ethnic minorities in Iraq.
Iraqi Christians face bomb threats in run-up to Christmas
::by Audrey Barrick || Christian Post :: Some churches in Iraq have cancelled Christmas services to protect themselves against the threats of bombings on churches.
Just a day before Christmas Eve, a bomb planted near Church of St Thomas in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul killed two men and wounded five others on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, a series of bombs left four people dead in Mosul. While Christians in the Western world prepare to gather in churches and homes to celebrate Christmas, believers in more religiously restrictive countries face more intense persecution during the holiday season.
The Iraqi government has stepped up security near churches and Christian neighborhoods, following warnings by Iraqi defense officials who said intelligence reports pointed to attacks during Christmas, as reported by The Associated Press.
Since the US-led Iraq war in 2003, more than 200 Christians have been killed, dozens of churches have been bombed, and more than half the Iraqi Christian population have left the country. Last year, more than 15,000 Iraqi Christians were reportedly driven out of Mosul after 40 local Iraqi Christians were killed.
Charismatic leader Oral Roberts dies at 91
::By Joshua A. Goldberg | Christian Post Reporter :: Charismatic Christian leader Dr. Oral Roberts died Tuesday at the age of 91 after slipping and falling in his house over the weekend.
After the fall on Saturday, Oral Roberts was transported to a local hospital in Newport Beach, Calif., where he was treated for broken bones and a “slight case of pneumonia,” according to a report by the ministry on Monday.
Oral Roberts’ PR agency, A. Larry Ross Communications, confirmed the next day that Oral Roberts died Tuesday due to complications from pneumonia and that arrangements for a public memorial service in Tulsa, Okla., are pending and will be announced soon.
"There will be a private family internment," the agency added.
In a public announcement by the president of Oral Roberts University, which Roberts founded in 1963, Dr. Mark Rutland informed the ORU family that Oral Roberts passed away Tuesday afternoon and asked everyone to join him in prayer for the Roberts family.
Historic Night Caps Week of Success for Joel Osteen
::By Eric Young|Christian Post Reporter :: Nearly 42,000 people filled the seats at the new Yankee stadium in New York this past weekend and they weren’t there to watch baseball.
They were there to listen to an uplifting message from the pastor of America’s largest church – Lakewood Church’s Joel Osteen.
During the first non-baseball event at the newly opened stadium, Osteen delivered the same message that has made him one of the most watched pastors in America and also the author of two bestselling books.
Throughout the evening, Osteen encouraged attendees to “magnify God” and not their problems, to live each day in faith and not discouragement, to give God praise first even when things are bad, and to get their hopes up.
“You can’t have faith ‘til you first have hope,” he exhorted.
Aside from marking a first for the new Yankee stadium, Saturday night marked a first for Osteen, who didn’t go searching for his biggest venue to date but was contacted by the Yankees baseball organization to preach there Saturday.