Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Ministry Reports 9M Conversion Since 'Jesus Film' Partnership
- ICC to Indict Sudan's President for War Crimes
- Two More Arrested in Malatya, Turkey Murders
- Movieguide Announces Film Winners at 17th Annual Gala
Ministry Reports 9M Conversion Since 'Jesus Film' Partnership
The Christian Post reports that since the first release of the "Jesus Film" project in 1997, 9,018,540 people have come to Christ through the film and ministry surrounding it. The film, based on the Gospel of Luke, is the most translated and widely distributed film in history. “Over the last 11 years, team members [of the Jesus Film Harvest Partners ministry] have shared thousands of stories of triumph from across the globe,” JFHP reported this month. “These stories tell of answers to decade-old prayers, freedom from witchcraft, understanding the love of Christ, salvation following persecution, release from addictions, and hope to the dying, among many others.” The project is the brainchild of Campus Crusade for Christ's partnership with the Church of the Nazarene's World Mission Department.
ICC to Indict Sudan's President for War Crimes
Reuters reports that Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir will be held accountable by the International Criminal Court for the genocide that killed as many as 300,000 people. U.N. officials has indicted Bashir for war crimes in Dargur and issued a warrant for his arrest, an announcement expected to become public in the next few weeks. Bashir's government at Khartoum says the U.N.'s numbers are exaggerated, saying 10,000 people died and that it was not genocide. Sudan's government is not likely to hand over Bashir any time soon. "We will face a very difficult situation after this indictment, and I just hope people of goodwill will go on trying to find ways forward," said Malloch Brown, Britain's Africa minister.
Two More Arrested in Malatya, Turkey Murders
Compass Direct News reports that a Turkish court has charged two more men for instigating the murder of three Christians in Malatya in 2007 – a former volunteer for the Christian publishing house where they were killed, and an ex-journalist suspected of ties to a group that tried to engineer a political coup. A judge ordered the arrest of former journalist Varol Bulent Aral, 32, on Feb. 4 on suspicion of instigating the murder. Aral has been connected to Ergenekon, an ultranationalist cabal of retired generals, politicians, journalists and mafia members under investigation for conspiracy in various murders. Two Turkish Christians, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, and a German, Tilmann Geske, were brutally tortured and murdered on April 18, 2007.
Movieguide Announces Film Winners at 17th Annual Gala
ASSIST News Service reports that the 17th Annual Movieguide® Faith and Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry announced the 2008's winners for "good and uplifting" film and television last night. Hosted by Dr. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission and publisher of Movieguide®, the event offered prizes up to $100,000. The film "Fireproof," which won Best Feature Film at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival in January, walked away with the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie of 2008. Other nominees included Disney's "Prince Caspian," "Gran Torino," and "Henry Poole Is Here."
