30-dAY prAYer... (continued from page 3)
and it’s hard not to have a certain love for them that
transcends the headlines,” he says.
For the third year, Mission Network News is making
the prayer guides available on the Mission Network
News Web site (www.MNNonline.org). For a gift of any
amount, we’ll send you a copy while supplies last.
“I believe whole-heartedly that the only way to reach ®
the Muslim world is through a concerted prayer effort,”
says Greg Yoder, MNN’s anchor and executive director.
“That’s why we’re getting behind this effort. So many
Christians won’t witness to Muslims because they don’t
know anything about them. This could be the first step
in gaining that understanding.”
ministries reel from GloBAl fuel Crisis
INT’l (MNN) – Ten years ago the price of a barrel of
Bulletin inserts Help Keep crude oil was only $10. Now, it’s about $140 per barrel
Your CHurCH informed — a new high. Gasoline prices are soaring and affecting
missions and relief work around the world.
Many church-goers want to be more involved in
missions outreach, but are limited by the lack of “The first to feel the skyrocketing prices are workers
available information. MNN has launched a church on the [mission] field,” says Bruce Smith of Wycliffe
bulletin insert service to provide this critically needed Associates. “As prices go up, typically their support
information. Each month’s insert features headline does not. They’ve been paying a lot more for gasoline
news and explains its impact on missions, providing than we have here in the U.S. for a long time already.”
information that will help concerned Christians pray According to Smith, that forces missionaries to make
more effectively and encourage them to get more changes. “In many cases, this just means they have to
involved. This great resource helps churches spread curtail travel. In other cases, it means that it digs into
the news about important events in the world of other ministry funds that would normally be available
missions. for other purposes.”
Zander of Food for the Hungry. “When those two
Call us or visit www.mnnonline.org Relief agencies are feeling it, too.
july 2008 to order. “We’re finding the price of food is going up due to
things are put together, the amount of money you had
available for food is strained even more. There’s just less
transportation costs and production costs,” says Gary available.” See GLOBAL FUEL CRISIS page 2
Mission Network News sent daily to your e-mail address:
mnn-news-subscribe@MNNonline.org
Support MNN here: ministries stYmied BY ZimBABWe eleCtion
www.MNNonline.org/support Food for the Hungry (210) 492-7501 ZIMbAbWe (MNN) – Zimbabwe’s president Robert He immediately attended an African Union (AU)
1224 E. Washington St. www.sammytippit.org Mugabe wasted no time being sworn into his sixth Summit to boost his regime’s legitimacy. The AU,
No permission needed Phoenix, AZ 85034
for reprints. Slavic Gospel Association term June 30. He took his oath of office following what meanwhile, is quietly moving forward, hoping to find a
(800) 2-HUNGERS
www.fh.org 6151 Commonwealth Drive the international community called a “sham” election. resolution to the situation without more bloodshed.
Loves Park, IL 61111
The political turmoil is affecting ministry.
Greg Yoder, Executive Director Global Aid Network (800) BIBLE-50
Mission Network News P.O. Box 139020 www.sga.org “Groups of youth were roaming the streets,” (following
1159 E Beltline Ave NE | Grand Rapids MI 49525 Dallas, TX 75313-9020 the vote) said Charles Debter with Global Aid Network
(972) 234-0800 The Mission Society
(800) 284-9361 | (616) 942-1500 6234 Crooked Creek Road (GAiN USA), who has a ministry partner in Zimbabwe.
www.gainusa.org
Fax: (616) 942-7328 | E-mail: gyoder@MNNonline.org Norcross, GA 30092 “If a person was stopped by them and couldn’t recite a
Web: www.MNNonline.org Operation Mobilization (800) 478-8963 particular political slogan or sing a political song, they
P.O. Box 444 www.themissionsociety.org
Tyrone, GA 30290-0444
may be put in jail.
Contributing Writers (800) 899-0432 Wycliffe Associates
“There have been ministry volunteers who have been
Greg Yoder, Anchor/Executive Director www.usa.om.org P.O. Box 2000
Orange, CA 92859 jailed because they were not able to recite those
Ruth Kramer, Producer/Writer
Kelly Miller, Staff Writer Sammy Tippit Ministries (800) THE-WORD slogans. So we really need to pray for those believers
Sharon Felten, Editor P.O. Box 781767 www.wycliffeassociates.org who were working there, who want to be lights of
San Antonio, TX 78278
See ZIMBABWE ELECTION page 2
70809-048/dm
GloBAl fuel Crisis... (continued from front page)
It’s impacting every area of ministry for the Slavic Gospel It’s especially hurting nationals, says Mock.
Association, says Eric Mock, vice president of ministry “Considering their salaries are a fraction of what we’re
vip CluBs leAd JApAnese to CHrist
operations for the organization. provided here, the fuel costs are almost insurmountable. jApAN (MNN) – Japan boasts the world’s second
“It has caused the operation costs of the seminaries and So when we as a partner organization are not able to assist most technologically-powerful economy and the
Bible institutes we support to go up,” he says. “It’s reduced them, it shuts down their ability to move forward.” third largest economy overall. In one year, however,
[our support for] church planters. They cannot travel to 33,000 Japanese businessmen committed suicide.
Increased funding for these organizations is the only short-
remote villages where often they’re planting two, three or Japan’s economic downturn has caused great fear.
term answer.
four churches.” That’s why business people are the focus of an
evangelistic ministry in Japan. Through International
VIP Clubs, thousands in the Japanese business sector
AmeriCA’s reliGious tolerAnCe moves AWAY from sCripture are coming to Christ and reaching out to their peers.
Neal Hicks with The Mission Society is one of the
uSA (MNN) – More than half of evangelicals polled are in many outreach programs. Salvation is just the first leaders in the International VIP Clubs in Japan.
moving toward the belief that there are many ways to step, which is why much of Tippit’s work focuses on
heaven, according to a report released recently by the discipleship. “It is a ministry that goes into the marketplace and
Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. meets with Japanese businessmen in local hotel
“One of the great things that must happen for a great restaurants,” says Hicks. “And in the context of
Results reveal more than 70 percent of religious renewal in our culture is that we’ve got to come back to a business fellowship, we’re able to introduce Japanese
Americans agreed, and 68 percent said there is more than commitment to the Scripture and build a foundation for to Christ.”
one way to interpret the teachings of their own religion. our lives from the Word of God,” he says.
The clubs started small in the 90s, but Hicks says
International evangelist Sammy Tippit, based in San Pray that God will start a revival among churches around they’ve grown.
Antonio, Texas, isn’t surprised by the findings, but he the United States.
bristled at the notion of “tolerance” driving church “Presently we have 130 chapters meeting nationwide
doctrine. in Japan from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa “As we share Christ with these Japanese who have
in the south,” he says. “So it has just amazingly some stature and clout, they’re able to be more
“I think a lot of Christians have bought into it because expanded in a little more than 10 years or so.”
they feel like ‘If I’m not tolerant, I’m not loving,’” says visible and transparent about their relationship with
Tippit. “I think what we have to go back to is a biblical Evangelism is difficult in Japan, Hicks says. Christ, and it flows from the top down. To come in
definition of what Christianity is.” “The Japanese basically are not able to embrace the from the bottom and work your way up is almost
Gospel because there’s bondage from generations of impossible.”
What’s more, there’s a tendency to sanitize theological
truths to a point where there is no longer a sharp Buddhism and Shintoism,” he explains. “The Japanese Buddhist monks and politicians are also known to
distinction. basically believe that they can’t really be Christians attend and come to Christ, Hicks says.
because they would no longer be Japanese.” Pray that more business partnerships will be
“I think one of the things that has transpired in American
culture in the past several years has been a getting away That means it’s almost impossible to reach the lowest established and that God would break through and
from Scripture and going more toward an experience- in society and work their way up. So, Hicks says, release individuals from their spiritual bondage.
oriented Christianity,” says Tippit. they’re taking a top-down approach.
But experience alone is not a balanced approach to faith.
Tippit says this disturbing trend is a “wake-up call” for
American churches. The report reveals a great flaw
muslims Are foCus 0f 30-dAY prAYer event
INT’l (MNN) – The Muslim population is estimated to “The guide has 30 pages that introduce some aspect
be more than 1.3 billion around the world with many of Islam or the Islamic community around the world
who may never hear about the saving grace of Jesus to try to bring a focus and to educate readers about
ZimBABWe eleCtion... (continued from front page) Christ. youth with a Mission (YWAM) continues its some part of the Islamic world,” Filidis says. “Then it
Christ, but for whatever reasons might be stopped and currently training the Tonga church leadership and supplying efforts to change that with the 17th annual 30 Days ends up in several prayer points that are related to
harassed.” Scriptures. Most pastors in the country have almost no Muslim Prayer Focus. that day’s subject.”
The political instability means short-term mission trips are on training and many do not even have a Bible in the Tonga “The prayer focus always coincides with Ramadan, Each day allows readers to pray more effectively for
hold. language. which is one of the five pillars of Islam,” says Paul the Islamic world.
The OM team is hoping to strengthen the existing Tonga Filidis of YWAM who is coordinating the printing of Filidis says this is doing more than providing
The work of Operation Mobilization (OM) in Zimbabwe was the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Guide in North America.
also affected when it had to close a day-care center as well as church and plant new churches. While they are still able to education.
its mobile clinic. Food aid, which millions of people depend preach the Gospel and pray, they have been instructed by Ramadan, the annual month of fasting from sun up “The guide expands our ability to love. As you pray
on, has stopped. the government that they may not help any needy person or to sun down, will be held Sept. 1 through Sept. 30 this for people, you get God’s perspective, God’s heart,
meet in groups with more than 15 people. The team started year.
The OM Zimbabwe team has a long history in the country a 21-day Daniel fast. Join them in prayer as they ask God to See 30-DAY PRAYER page 4
with a training base in Harare, the capital city. They are intervene.