Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Jesus Wells Bring 'Living Water' to Thousands in India and South Asia
- Poll Finds More Americans Believe in Devil than Darwin
- State in Northern Nigeria to Demolish Four Churches
- Israeli Says Elusive Biblical Wall Found
Jesus Wells Bring 'Living Water' to Thousands in India and South Asia
According to ASSIST News Service, projects known as Jesus Wells are changing many lives—forever. The Jesus Wells are located near Gospel for Asia-churches or Bible colleges. They provide water for thousands of local people and many opportunities for GFA missionaries to share the love of Jesus with non-Christian villagers who come for clean water. Jesus Wells are provided for the Dalit people by caring people who support the ministry of Gospel for Asia, and they can make a difference today by providing a Jesus Well for an entire community—-with water free to high-caste and low-caste villagers alike—-for only $1,000.
Poll Finds More Americans Believe in Devil than Darwin
Reuters reports that more Americans believe in a literal hell and the devil than Darwin's theory of evolution. The information is from a new Harris poll released last week, and is just another confirmation of America's deep level of religiosity. Other countries in the developing world use studies like this to understand American political battles, such as efforts to have "Intelligent Design" theory taught in schools alongside evolution. The latest poll, which surveyed 2,455 U.S. adults, found that 82 percent believed in God, 79 percent believed in miracles, 75 percent in heaven, 72 percent that Jesus is God or the Son of God, and 62 percent in hell and the devil. However, Darwin's theory of evolution received only a 42 percent belief rating.
State in Northern Nigeria to Demolish Four Churches
Without discussion or compensation, the Kano state government has unilaterally decided to demolish four churches to make way for roads and a hospital. Two Pentecostal churches and two churches belonging to the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) will be demolished under this northern Nigerian city’s plan. The Rev. Murtala Marti Dangora, secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Kano state chapter, said the road and hospital construction are a guise for demolishing the churches, Compass Direct News reports. “The government has refused to discuss with us about the fate of these churches,” Dangora said. He added that during re-election campaigning earlier this year, Kano Gov. Malam Ibrahim Shekarau promised the Muslim community of Ginginya area that he would demolish an ECWA church there in order to build a hospital.
Israeli Archaeologist Says Elusive Biblical Wall Found
According to an Associated Press story, a wall mentioned in the Bible's Book of Nehemiah and long sought by archaeologists apparently has been found. Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar, head of the Institute of Archaeology at the Shalem Center, heads the team that discovered the wall in Jerusalem's ancient City of David during a rescue attempt on a tower that was in danger of collapse. Artifacts including pottery shards and arrowheads found under the tower suggested that both the tower and the nearby wall are from the 5th century B.C., the time of Nehemiah. Scholars previously thought the wall dated to the Hasmonean period from about 142 B.C. to 37 B.C. The findings suggest that the structure was actually part of the same city wall the Bible says Nehemiah rebuilt, Mazar said.
