DAWN Fridayfax 2000 #14

North Korea

Growing underground churches

"We need a Jesus Revolution"

Despite brutal oppression and the death of some 3 million people through starvation, around half a million of North Korea's 23 million inhabitants are Christians, according to a South Korean pastor speaking at a missions conference in Germany in early March 2000. North Korea has around 1 million political prisoners, in addition to over 100,000 Christians imprisoned in concentration camps, sometimes without shelter, food or medical aid. Anyone discovered with a Bible is considered to be a 'South Korean spy' and executed, according to the pastor's report. Despite these conditions, the number of underground churches is growing. Northern Korean Christians have formulated five principles which they recite together with the Lord's prayer in their secret meetings: 1: our persecution and suffering are our joy and honour; 2: we want to accept ridicule, scorn and disadvantages with joy in Jesus' name; 3: as Christians, we want to wipe others' tears away and comfort the suffering; 4: we want to be ready to risk our life because of our love for our neighbor, so that they also become Christians; 5: we want to live our lives according to the standards set in God's Word.
Source: a South Korean pastor, and idea Spektrum, Germany

Kenya

God in walking distance of the Giriama

The 14-year-old listened attentively as the Kenyan pastor Samuel Katana explained the Gospel to a man on the side of the country road. As the pastor explained that sin separates men from God, and that Jesus died for our sins, the youngster sank his head in shame and sat down next to the pastor. "I am a sinner and need forgiveness," he said, tearfully. "I believe. Now you must come and tell my mother!" He led Katana by the hand to his home. Excited, he explained everything before the pastor could say a thing. His mother decided to accept Jesus as her Lord on the spot. As Katana was leaving the village, the boy's father came running after him, shouting "I'm ready!". His wife had told him about Jesus, and he also wanted to follow Him. The family became the first members of the 'Bethany Baptist Church' which meets under a Mango tree outside Malindi, Kenya. Katana is only 33 years old, but has already planted 5 churches amongst the Giriama, his own tribe. "The Giriama are open for the Gospel now," he says. 30 years ago, 87% of the Giriama practised traditional African religions and black magic. Church planting seminars given by Baptist missionaries in 1984 encouraged 28 indigenous churches to plant more churches. That year, they planted 20. In the summer of 1999, they planted 120 new churches along Kenya's East coast.
Source: Baptist Press, 9 March 2000, fax (+1)-804-254-8980; e-mail resource.center@imb.org; website www.sbc.net,

USA

"Million Dollar Man" finds riches in Christ

Ted DiBiase, previously a well-known professional wrestler, has become a Christian. "No amount of money in the world can persuade me to return to that sport," says DiBiase, now a preacher. When his contract with World Championship Wrestling expired, he left the sport completely. Despite remaining one of the sport's best-known personalities, having won three Team World Championships, he says "Wrestling has changed. Today, it is vulgar, without morals or values, and the wrestlers are a cross between entertainer and athlete." 45-year-old DiBiase now travels with 'Heart of David Ministries', speaking in churches and schools. "Ego, pride and money were the center of my life," he says. Today, he warns teenagers about the dangers of alcohol and drugs, and encourages them to "remain in school, set attainable goals and pay the price to become as good as possible".
Source: 'Heart of David Ministries', www.milliondollarman.com,

Mozambique

Muslim woman encounters Jesus in a dream, becomes evangelist

"Mozambique is one of the world's poorest nations, and over 1 million people are homeless following the catastrophic floods. In the midst of this tragedy, God has a plan for the nation," writes Dr. Johan Combrinck from the mission strategy group AFNET/South Africa. Large numbers of people are becoming Christians, and need training. "My colleague Marty Wilhelm recently travelled to Montepuez, one of Mozambique's most remote areas," where 5 million Makua, one of the world's largest unreached people groups, live. They are traditionally Muslims, as are the Mwani, who also live in the region. "We know of less than 10 Christian Mwanis," says Marty. One Mwani, the wife of a Makua, heard Wycliffe missionary John Isminger explain the gospel to her husband, but neither of them were interested. The husband's father was mayor, and did everything in his power to make John's life difficult. Later, the husband was sentenced to jail, where he became open for the gospel, but his wife wanted to know nothing of the God of the Bible; she was convinced that Muslims had no need for Jesus. God had another plan for her life, though: one night, Jesus appeared to her in a dream, asking why she resisted him. He told her that he is the Son of God, and that she should follow him. Upon waking, she knew that she had encountered the living God, and became a Christian. Today, she is a living testimony to God among her own people, the Mwanis.
Source: Marty Wilhelm, Dr. Johan Combrinck, AFNET, fax (+27)-12-548-0183 e-mail 100076.2414@compuserve.com

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