The southern Indian state of Kerala was hit with severe rainstorms in August 2018, resulting in devastating floods. Thousands were driven from their homes. Hundreds lost their lives. Since the beginning, charities and NGOs have been at the forefront, running flood relief camps, donating resources, and raising money. The return to normalcy is still ongoing….
On October 26, 1978, the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy sponsored a conference in the Marriott Hotel at Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Over 300 distinguished evangelical Christian leaders representing 38 denominations gathered to draft a statement on the inerrancy of Scripture. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of that historic document. The statement…
Norbert Valley is an evangelical pastor in a small town in Switzerland. He and his congregation were stunned when their worship service was interrupted by two policemen in February. They escorted the pastor to the police station for questioning. His crime? Offering occasional food and shelter to a homeless man. The problem was that the…
Expert HHS Officials And Addiction Treatment Providers to Give Practical Training For Combating the Opioid CrisisForest, Va. — Featuring the participation of the Department of Health and Human Services, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is offering a FREE specialized training in opioid crisis response for mental health leaders, pastors, coaches, lay helpers, concerned…
SANAA, Yemen – In yet another of the seemingly endless reports of human suffering around the globe, Mark Lowcock, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the United Nations Yemen is in imminent danger of country-wide famine. Over 14 million Yemeni people who already have barely enough food to survive are about…
KOLKATA – The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) released a 138-page report on October 21, 2018, entitled, “Taking stock: A decade of drug policy.” The report used data supplied by the United Nations compiled to evaluate its progress of its 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on Drugs. The news on drugs is not…
MELBOURNE, FL — In celebration of 25 years of service, Christian Care Ministry, which offers the popular Medi-Share health care sharing program, held its first-ever Day of Sharing, a nationwide initiative to motivate and mobilize people to share their time, talent and treasure to serve others. The event, held Oct. 6, saw Christian Care Ministry…
Eugene Peterson, a man many pastors called their pastor, left his legacy here on earth and entered in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on October 22, 2018. Peterson was born in 1932 in Washington State and was raised in Montana. He attended Seattle Pacific University, New York Theological Seminary, and Johns…
Illinois megachurch Pastor James MacDonald recently disguised himself as a bearded homeless man and camped outside of two Harvest Bible Chapel campuses before Sunday services to see how congregants would react. MacDonald, the founder of the seven-campus Chicagoland area congregation whose “Walk in the Word” radio and television programs are seen by millions worldwide, posted…
One WEDEW unit can produce 2,000 liters of water per day Welcome to the first of a regular series of news articles to be published by Missions Box News (MBN) on the subject of clean, safe-to-drink water and clean water scarcity worldwide. It is part of a metamorphosis at Missions Box News to raise awareness on…
Is the Israel/ Hamas problem our problem?By and large, it is reasonable to say that many Americans – and, perhaps, many Christians – do not stay abreast of news in Israel. Whether that is a result of a preoccupation with our own personal concerns, the American political scene, or any other number or equally legitimate…
World Missionary Press: Free Scripture Booklets for the WorldMissions Box News was established by Gospel for Asia (GFA) to “highlight the good works of nonprofits from around the world.” Most often we do that by reporting news “that pertains to the hardships of living in this world” to show the needs of people burdened by poverty…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a nonprofit founded in 1979 committed to serving “the least of these” in Asia. GFA supports national field workers who in turn bring the love of Christ to those living in rural and under-served areas. Whether it’s providing the opportunity for a brighter future for a child in Asia…
ORLANDO – “When people encounter Jesus, everything changes” is a theme of The Jesus Film Project. The project began with the release of the two-hour movie in 1979 and the vision to reach everyone everywhere for Jesus Christ with the film and the Gospel message translated into their own heart languages. In the initial days…
TORONTO – If you are hospitalized in Toronto, where this writer once lived, calling for the MAID means something entirely different that summoning a woman with a mop and a bucket. MAID is the new euphemism for euthanasia. It stands for “Medical Assistance in Dying.” A working group at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children published…
FOREST, Va. — Since mid-April, Nicaragua has been embroiled in a civil conflict that has left hundreds dead, thousands wounded and countless missing. But the unrest hasn’t stopped World Help from launching relief efforts to help the people of Nicaragua. Working with local partners, the Christian humanitarian organization aims to provide food supplies and medical…
Soap-and-Water Lessons Bring Health and Help to Some of Asia’s Struggling Poor WILLS POINT, Texas — A simple bar of soap is making a big difference in the lives of people in impoverished communities across Asia. Distributed by Gospel for Asia-supported (GFA) workers, it is the centerpiece of a hygiene awareness drive that improves the…
Widows now have decent roofing; Children can now learn with good school supplies WILLS POINT, Texas —Gospel for Asia-supported Sisters of Compassion delivered gifts to improve the lives of children and poor widows in a remote village in northeastern India. The Sisters of Compassion are specialized women workers trained to minister to the poor. The…
Global Focus Shines a Light on Group’s Efforts to Equip Girls for a Brighter Future WILLS POINT, Texas — This year’s focus of the United Nations’ annual International Day of the Girl Child, emphasizing the need for better educational opportunities for girls under the theme “With Her: A Skilled Girl Force,” brings a spotlight to…
CANBERRA – Can a Christian govern without compromise? The question has been asked many times and in many different circumstances. Perhaps the election of a Liberal majority in the Australian Parliament offers the best answer yet as Scott Morrison, an unabashed Pentecostal and the leader of the Liberal Party has become the country’s new prime…
IZMIR, Turkey (RNS) — A Turkish court has freed the Rev. Andrew Brunson, an American missionary who had been the subject of a diplomatic standoff between the United States and Turkey. Brunson had been under house arrest after being accused of terrorism and conspiring against the Turkish government. The Pastor, who denies all charges against…
ABKHAZIA – SOAR International Ministries is holding special camps for handicapped kids in Abkhazia. Raise your hand if you know where Abkhazia is? Anyone? Anyone? Okay. Let’s try this. Raise your hand if you have ever even heard of Abkhazia. Anyone? Anyone? Abkhazia is a small, independent state on the eastern shore of the Black…
IZMIR – Pastor Andrew Brunson is on his way home to North Carolina after more than two years either in prison or, more recently, under house arrest in Turkey. The Trump administration has been tightening the screws on the Turkish economy for its part in getting Pastor Brunson released. While the diplomatic efforts of the United…
![Dr. Dav id Jenkins, opened the training with sobering statistics and called the opioid crisis "a public health epidemic that is ravaging [America]."](https://missionsbox.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/40542895134_8923a0ca1f_o_d1-230x300.jpg)
DALLAS — The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), together with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives, provided a free specialized training in opioid crisis response Wednesday, called “The Opioid Crisis: Creating an Effective Church and Community Collaboration and Resolution Response,” before the official start of its…
Before plunging into a spiritual conversation, it is important to build a relationship, even if that means talking to them for a few minutes on topics they’re interested in before you turn the topic of Jesus. First introduce yourself, especially if it’s a total stranger, and then ask them if they would be willing to…
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” ― Samuel Zwemer, missionary to Muslims
Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Naitik organized a blood donation camp on April 12, 2018. The believers in his congregation were excited for this opportunity to bless those in need of blood and to show the love of Christ in a practical way. So when the Nepalese Red Cross heard that a pastor was trying…
FOREST, Va. — Christian humanitarian organization World Help has activated its crisis response program to provide relief to victims of Indonesia’s deadly earthquake and tsunami. This past weekend, the Southeast Asian island nation was rocked by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, which triggered a massive tsunami that swept over the city of Palu. The twin disaster has left at…
NEW YORK – Recep Erdogan is the President of Turkey, one of the most complex nations in the world at the moment. His economy is crumbling, he is responsible for holding a North Carolina pastor in jail on bogus charges of attempting to overthrow the Turkish government, and he has made it clear that he…
Saudi Arabia has made unprecedented strides toward religious tolerance just a year after its young new ruler pledged to bring more moderate Islam to the Sunni kingdom. After a visit to the capital city of Riyadh last week, US officials reported the country has reformed its religious police—once tasked with enforcing shari’ah law on the…
ALGIERS – Rachid Ouali appeared at a hearing in court on August 9, 2018, in the town of Bouira, about 60 miles south of Algiers. He was accused on charges of attempting to evangelism his wife. Rachid is a Christian. His wife is a Muslim. Islam is the official state religion of Algeria. Official estimates…
THAILAND – When Christians wait upon the Lord to open doors, unexpected things happen. When we follow where He leads, we end up in places far different – even stranger sometimes – than we would have had we followed our own plans. That was exactly what happened to Keith and Sarah Neigenfind while beginning a…
PALU, Indonesia – On Friday, September 28, 2018, Icose Mafella awakened with an unsettling feeling that would not go away. A devout follower of Jesus, he knew that he needed to stay calm so that he could hear the voice of God. 140 fewer people died in the Indonesia earthquake that day because he did….
Operation Mobilization USA’s creative Scatter Global initiative recognized for opening doors for Christian professionals in countries closed to the gospel ATLANTA, Ga. – An innovative movement that is breaking new ground in world evangelization through its unique job-market approach for reaching unreached nations has been honored by missions leaders. Scatter Global inspires, equips and places Christian…
ISLAMABAD – The Interior Ministry of Pakistan has given 18 international foreign aid groups 60 days to shut down their operations and leave the country. All 18 agencies had filed appeals in response to an earlier notice from the IM. The first agency to report the news was ActionAid, a Johannesburg-based, international that aims to…
Supplies, encouragement and relief-camp-wedding meal remind flood victims that ‘God has not forgotten you’ WILLS POINT, Texas — With thousands still reeling from the impact of historic flooding, a second major crisis drying up wells and killing helpful earthworms has heightened the need for GFA’s (Gospel for Asia) ongoing relief help in India’s Kerala state….
WILLS POINT – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified in 1948, seventy years ago. Article 4 of the Declaration says, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” A large number of people in the United States – perhaps most…
MANIPUR – Manipur native, Binalakshmi Nepram is the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Anna Politkovskaya Award. The award is presented annually by the organization, Reach All Women in WAR (RAW in WAR) to a woman who has stood up to victims in areas of conflict and who have demonstrated “courage and truth-telling in the face…
INDIA – September 8th was International Literacy Day. With so many days set aside to draw attention to causes, we rarely take a look back to recognize what we have done to meet the needs of the cause beyond memorializing the day. Illiteracy is a significant issue in South Asia and other areas of the…
WASHINGTON DC – People need to be seriously aware that Jesus said more than “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” in Mark 12:17. He also said, “And to God the things that are God’s.” Christians and evangelical churches around the globe are feeling the oppression of officials whose desire is to bring the…
IRAN – Mojtaba Hosseini was arrested for being a threat to the national security of his home country of Iran. His crime was being a leader of a house church group. When he was originally arrested, he was placed on probation and warned to cease his church activities. I wonder what I would have done…
WASHINGTON DC – The International Monetary Fund has appointed India-born Gita Gopinath as its next chief economist, replacing Maurice Obstfeld who will be retiring at the end of 2018. Dr. Gopinath was born in Kolkata in 1971. She earned her BA at the University of Delhi, followed by a double Master’s degree in economics from…
SUDAN – Good news is getting hard to find. It just doesn’t seem to be sensational enough to make compelling headlines. Missions Box News is seeking to change that by reporting the good news that Christians should know. Some exceptionally good news has come out of Sudan over the last several days. Sudan is currently…
INDONESIA – People all over the world have heard the story of Aldi Novel Adilang. Most won’t remember his name. They will remember him only as the Indonesian teenager who was survived being stranded at sea for 49 days in a wooden fishing hut. Most mainstream media has told the story of how the 18-year-old…
SIKSA, Pakistan – The World Health Organization estimates that more than a third of the people in Pakistan lack access to safe drinking water. It is a problem all too common for countries in South Asia and the 10/40 window. The village of Siksa is an example of how things change when clean water becomes…
YANGON – Myanmar, formerly Burma, may best be described a line from Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I” in which the king exclaims, “It’s a puzzlement.” In a recent article, we related the story of a Christian pastor in a small village in the Chin state in northwest Myanmar. The gist of the story…
LONDON – The independent think tank, Overseas Development Institute (ODI) has released a shocking report that indicates that 25% of the world population – 40% of all urban dwellers – will live in slums by 2030. This is only one of the failures to achieve adequate progress on the UN’s list of 17 Sustainable Development…
RANGOON – Most Western people still know Myanmar as Burma – a country somewhere in South Asia. Situated east of the Bay of Bengal, Myanmar borders Bangladesh, India, China, and Thailand. Myanmar, then Burma, was evangelized in the early 1800s by Adoniram Judson who also completed the first Burmese language Bible. In 1950, there were…
Kerala, India, now faces continued tragedy as water wells across the state appear to be drying up. According to the latest news from the flood-affected state, reported by the Times of India “A series of issues including soaring mercury levels, unprecedented dip in water level of rivers, sudden drying up of wells, and depletion of…
ALLAHABAD – The monsoon and post-monsoon seasons are hard on the poor in India, particularly those who work in the fields. A consortium of over 400 humanitarian aid agencies has come together to help during these difficult times this year. The consortium has established grain banks in over 100 villages across northern India in expectation…
