October is Persecuted Church Month

I came across a number of items of importance that you should know about:

October if Clergy Appreciation month. Hit the jump to find out more.

October is also Persecuted Church month. It is a time to remember our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. We need to pray for them. Find out more at Voice of the Martyrs. Teens need to know that Christians around the world face death and imprisonment for their faith. Check out the Underground Reality inside Vietnam. DC talk is still going strong at JesusFreaks.net. They've got a great interactive map right on the home page to see what's going on around the world.

Anti-blasphemy resolution impact brought to forefront

(Photos by Reuters/Eric Thayer)

International (MNN) ― The United Nations Anti-Blasphemy resolution is drawing the ire of mission groups.

Carl Moeller with Open Doors explains that in application, "This anti-blasphemy resolution is mostly seen to be putting a 'chilling effect' on Christian work and outreach around the world, and that is a very troubling development for us."

Free speech advocates say the non-binding resolution is being used to intimidate believers and spread Sharia law. Adopted in 2007, Resolution 62/145 reads in part: It "notes with deep concern the intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of 11 September 2001."

Despite the good intentions, Moeller says, "The reality is that wherever Christianity and Islam come into relationship with each other in the culture, the net effect has been for Christian evangelism to be silenced or to be intimidated through this act."

Though it has little teeth in law, the act has been reviewed and passed more than once. That gives it some kind of authority and often emboldens militant Islamists to use it as a club against Christians.

In effect, it is a shield for the fundamentalists who retaliate against perceived offenses. Moeller says the resolution passes under the guise of protecting religion, but it actually endangers religious minorities in Islamic countries.

That's why he's urging prayer. "The slope is so slippery because everything that purports to criticize Islam is considered 'blasphemy.' Anything that promotes another religious viewpoint, like Christianity, is considered 'blasphemy.' It really becomes the ultimate weapon against free religious speech around the world."

Open Doors is raising awareness, Moeller adds, because "people need to get involved with organizations that are standing up to draw attention to the anti-blasphemy laws...to make true religious freedom a hallmark of international religious liberty and not a sham of anti-blasphemy laws that the UN is passing."

If you're in New York or Pennsylvania this is for you (My apologies, if you're else where, it may be to far.):
Pastors' Conference with James MacDonald On October 28th.

Family Life invites you to attend a one-day Pastor’s conference with Dr. James MacDonald (Lunch will be served). The event is free and will be held at The Family Life Center in Bath, NY. Check-in begins at 8:30 am and the conference starts at 9:00 am. Registration is necessary. Please call 607-776-4151 or 800-927-9083 during regular business hours to pre-register for the event.

This years conference we are excited that the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, NC has offered a give away package for a Pastor and spouse to either the 2009 Pastor's Institute or Leadership Institute (dates TBD). The package would include one night's lodging as well as meals and materials.