Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
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CFI Urges Immediate Release of Indonesian Sunday School Teachers After They Lose Appeal
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New Policy: Southern Baptist Missionary Candidates Can't Speak in Tongues
CFI Urges Immediate Release of Indonesian Sunday School Teachers After They Lose Appeal
Michael Ireland, ASSIST News Service
International Christian human rights organization Christian Freedom International (CFI) is urging the immediate release of three wrongly-accused Indonesian Christian Sunday School teachers who have lost their appeal to overturn charges that mean a three-year prison-term. The women are currently serving their sentence in the Indramayu district of West Java, having been wrongly convicted of "attempting to coerce children to change their religion" under the Indonesian "Child Protection Act." A local Islamic group brought the charges against the three for violating the Act. The women have now lost their first two appeals and have one appeal left under
Methodist Bishops Repent Over
Baptist Press
Leaders of the
Christians Worldwide Mark First Day of Advent
The Christian Post
Christians worldwide observed the first day of the season of Advent on Sunday, Nov. 27, marking the time for reflection, introspection and preparation leading up to Christmas. Advent, the liturgical period preceding Christmas, begins in Western churches on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and in Eastern churches in mid-November. It is observed by many Christians as a season of prayer, fasting, and penitence. In recent years, many churches have started to treat the season of Advent as a December version of Lent, the 40 days of prayer and fasting leading up to Easter. Advent concerts, retreats, prayer services and penitential services have become common in many Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Episcopal churches, as well as some Presbyterian and Methodist churches. In Eastern Orthodox churches – where it is also called the Nativity Fast, Winter Lent, or the Christmas Lent – Advent lasts forty days. In Western churches, the earliest Advent can begin is Nov. 27 and the latest is Dec. 3. Very often Advent begins on the Sunday after the American day of Thanksgiving.
New Policy: Southern Baptist Missionary Candidates Can't Speak in Tongues
Beliefnet
The Southern Baptist Convention's (SBC’s) International Mission Board (IMB) has adopted a new policy that forbids missionary candidates from speaking in tongues. The policy, adopted Nov. 15 during the board's trustee meeting in