Religion Today Summaries - Feb. 2, 2009

Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff | Crosswalk.com | Published: Jan 29, 2009

Religion Today Summaries - Feb. 2, 2009

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

  • Americans More Loyal to Charmin or Colgate than Church
  • Cambodia Group Helps Returning Refugees Earn Livelihood
  • Christians Launch Seven Days of Prayer for Revival in London
  • Disaster Training Conference Glimpses Day-to-Day Life in Hotspots


Americans More Loyal to Charmin or Colgate than Church

Religion News Service reports that Americans are more loyal to their toothpaste or toilet paper than to their religious denomination, making consumers more choosy about Charmin or Colgate than they are about church, according to a new survey. According to a Phoenix-based research firm, 16 percent of Protestants say they would consider only one denomination, while 22 percent of them would use only one brand of toothpaste and 19 percent would use just one brand of bathroom tissue. "When you have a whole bunch of different brands out there and not a lot of differentiation among some of them -- and not a lot of knowledge about them -- the denominational world is facing the same problem as many other brands," said Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research, which conducted the survey.

Cambodia Group Helps Returning Refugees Earn Livelihood

Mission News Network reports that FARMS International is continuing its work to help returning Cambodian refugees find independence through work. "[Cambodia] is probably one of the more difficult areas I've seen in the world: the skills, the background, and the history of most Cambodians revolves around being refugees. Now they're being relocated back into their own country without the history that's normally there with a people like this," says FARMS International's Joseph Richter. "I think one of the big challenges is the dependent mentality, which is just the result of living in a camp for 20 or 30 years." He continued, "The whole idea of self-help is new to people," but found Cambodia and its Christians learn so they may then help their communities.

Christians Launch Seven Days of Prayer for Revival in London

Christian Post reports that a group of London Christians marked last Wednesday's Global Day of Prayer London 2009 with prayers for revival in the British Isles. More than 100 Christians from varied denominations and traditions will continue to prayer together over the next week, as they plan six more nights of prayer for the country. “Great Britain that was once a powerhouse for mission has become a ship adrift from her moorings. She has lost her bearings and God is bringing people from all over the world to say that this nation belongs to Jesus and that the devil is not going to have this nation. It is time for us to say let God’s will be done, let His Kingdom come,” said Pastor Jonathan Oloyede, convener of Global Day of Prayer London. "We want to paint a picture of collaboration, of unity, of Kingdom, that has never been seen before in London,” said Oloyede.

Disaster Training Conference Glimpses Day-to-Day Life in Hotspots

ASSIST News Service reports that missionaries, journalists and other non-government workers will spend a week preparing for time in world hotspots. Strategic World Impact (SWI), a faith-based mission organization located in northeastern Oklahoma will hold its 10th Disaster Assistance Response Training (DART) Conference from June 14 to June 19, 2009 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The course topics such as Trauma Counseling, Land Mine Awareness, Anti-Terrorism & Hostage Survival, Intercultural Communication, Understanding Islam. “This event will provide one-of-a-kind training to missionaries, churches, NGOs, members of the military and anyone else planning to work in hostile or unstable regions of the world,” said Kevin Turner, president and founder of Strategic World Impact.

Religion Today Summaries - Feb. 2, 2009