NEWS COMINAD Unveils Adopt-A- Bible League and Adopt-a-People Village Project Clearinghouse Merge ORLANDO Reconciliation Ministries Aiming to enhance the unreached people groups with Over 50 members of the Network, Carver International goals of both ministries, The resources for “adopting” them Cooperative Missions Network Missions, South Africa Inland Bible League and the Adopt- through prayer, partnership, of the African Dispersion Missions, National Black A-People Clearinghouse have provision and personnel. (COMINAD) met on April 9- Evangelical Association and announced plans for a merger 12, 2001 at Wycliffe’s Bible Campus Crusade. They were to be completed by early 2002. Translators’ Center for a asked to take part in a “nuts “This merger will greatly Up and Coming conference that challenged all and bolts” type meeting to increase discipleship training COMING TOGETHER attendees to participate in the plot a workable way to make around the world by enabling FOR UNITY development process of the the vision reality. a greater number of un- In what has been de- Adopt-A-Village (AAV) “I feel like I got a peek reached people groups to be scribed as the most compre- project. Envisioned by Brian into a Kingdom Construction introduced to the Word,” said hensive meeting of mission Johnson, COMINAD’s planning meeting around the Dennis Mulder, President of workers in over 40 years, a national coordinator, AAV is all throne,” said one participant. The Bible League. broad spectrum of mission about “building relationships Some challenging issues that The Bible League was associations will join with between villages in Africa and were covered during this founded in 1938 and to make relief and development asso- the churches in the West, for development phase included Scripture available through ciations and others for a the purpose of furthering God’s coordinating a networking training and supplying local convention entitled Kingdom,” Johnson said. system, choosing a village to churches for evangelism and “Godsmission.commUNITY.” Participants included adopt, designing AAV to not discipleship. Meeting September 20-23 representatives from a range be a burden to mission agen- The Clearinghouse was in Haines City, Florida, the of ministries, including cies and avoiding inherent formed in 1989, (initially focus on unity will look for Wycliffe, SIM, USCWM, problems of exploitation, based at the U.S. Center for “new pathways for collabora- YWAM, Africa Christian paternalism, denominational- World Mission) and provides tive global ministry.” Fellowship-USA, the Center ism and sectarianism. resources on the world’s On the web: www.godsmission.com for Urban Theological Studies, COMINAD by e-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Obituary NEW TOOLS The International Society A Lost Voice for the Martyrs for Frontier Missiology Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the Romanian convinced him to leave and become a “voice” (ISFM) will hold its annual founder of The , died on for the underground church to the world. conference on September 19 February 17, 2001, in Glendale, , In October 1967 he published the first & 20 in Orlando, Florida. after a long illness. issue of “The Voice of the Martyrs” newsletter Patrick Johnstone (Operation Born March 24, 1909, in , , and began to establish the international offices World) and Todd Johnson Wurmbrand came to faith through the Anglican which would assist him in efforts to inform (World Christian Encyclope- Mission in Bucharest, eventually Christians everywhere about perse- dia) will join a number of pastoring the Norwegian Lutheran cuted Christians. By the mid-1980s other speakers to discuss Mission there. his work was established in 80 re- “New Tools in the Toolbox.” He was kidnapped by Romanian stricted nations with offices in 30 On the web: www.isfm.bigstep.com authorities in February 1948 and countries. E-mail: [email protected] imprisoned in Bucharest. He was An author of 18 books in English, AFRICANS FOR subjected to brainwashing attempts, he is widely recognized for Tortured MISSION physical and mental torture and threats for Christ, the recount of his experi- African Christian Fellow- to his family. His wife, Sabina, was ences in prison. He had returned to ship-USA will hold their Richard Wurmbrand Romania in 1990 and retired from imprisoned for three years as well. 1909-2001 biennial convention at Ohio After a release, Wurmbrand was day-to-day work at Voice of the State University in Columbus, rearrested in 1959 and sentenced to 25 addi- Martyrs in 1992. Tom White is the current Ohio on August 1-5, 2001. tional years. Pressure from Western countries director of VOM. Wurmbrand is survived by Over 1000 attendees are ex- led to his release in 1964. Although reluctant to his son, Michael Wurmbrand, and three grand- pected, largely first generation leave Romania, he then heeded the council of children. Africans in the . Romanian underground church leaders, who www.persecution.com On the web: www.acfusa.net www.missionfrontiers.org Mission Frontiers June 2001 39