October 16, 1989 THE EVANGELICAL Nevvs Digest Compiled from reports of EP News Service, press releases and other sources. COLOMBIA CRUSADE SUCCESS Creation Research School Protests 'Harassment' DESPITE NATION'S VIOLENCE BOGOTA, Colombia (EP)-ln the midst of the EL CAJON, CA (EP)-The Institute for Creation visitation team and convinced one member to violent "war" that drug cartels have declared on Research (ICR) has protested what it calls a "pat­ change his vote, making the vote 3-2 against the the government of Colombia, evangelist Luis tern of governmental harassment" of the school school. ICR officials say that Honig called the Palau had record attendance, totaling 166,000, at for its stand on creation. New York Timesto report his "intent to deny" ap­ his evangelistic meetings in the capital city of ICR's state authorization as a degree granting proval for ICR, a decision ICR learned about only Bogota, which he described as "grim, tense, and institution is in jeopardy. In August, a verifica­ when a reporter for the Timescalled for comment. nervous." There were 10,000 "decisions for Christ." tion team from the state examined the school and ICR says the state has insisted that all crea­ Palau arrived in Bogota just a few hours after determined that it should not be allowed to con­ tion teaching be removed from science courses, the funeral of assassinated Colombian presiden­ tinue. That recommendation was the most recent and has refused all efforts at compromise. In ad­ tial candidate Luis Carlos Galan August 20. volley in an ongoing battle between ICR and dition, the school has accused the state of Galan was killed by hit men of drug cartels who Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig. "possible violations of California law" and of have declared "total and absolute war" on the Henry Morris, president of the school, has ac­ "dirty tricks." Colombian government in response to the cused Honig of "a strong anti-religious bias" that Morris asks, "If Honig is allowed to silence our government's efforts to halt the manufacture and is "contrary to all traditional American principles minority views on controversial scientific con­ distribution of cocaine. of academic and religious freedom, as well as cepts, what is to keep him from decreeing that Public events in Bogota scheduled at the same patently unfair and discriminatory." only certain political views can be taught in Cali­ time as the Palau meetings, including a parade, According to ICR, a review team that visited fornia, or a certain philosophy or economics, or were cancelled as a result of the violence. Palau the school in August of 1988 included a well­ religion, or psychology, or journalism?" Morris officials were unwilling to cancel the meetings known opponent of the school, but, despite his wrote to Honig Aug. 25, notifying the state offi­ at the city's request, however, and police provid· objections, the school still received a 3-2 vote for cial of the school's intention to "oppose and ed extra security for all the public meetings. reapproval. That fall, according to ICR, Honig appeal any decision of denial as strongly as Palau was guarded by members of the Colom­ called an unprecedented reconvening of the necessary." D bian Department for Administrative Security (DAS), the Colombian equivalent of the U.S. CONCERNED WOMEN FILE WORLD'S LARGEST CHURCH Secret Service. BRIEF IN OHIO CHILD PORN CASE NE ARING COMPLETION Everyone entering the coliseum was frisked WASHINGTON, D.C. (EP)-Concerned YOMAUSSOURKO, Ivory Coast (EP)-What and their bags checked. The added security Women for America (CWA) filed a friend of the will be the world's largest church is being com­ measures did not prevent a bomb scare, how­ court brief in a child pornography case the U.S. pleted. The $200 million structure was scheduled ever. At one meeting "the makings of a fire Supreme Court will hear during its next session. to be dedicated in September. A 30-foot cross bomb" were found in the coliseum, according The brief argues that a 1984 Ohio law outlaw­ towers at 489 feet, 37 feet higher than the cross to Palau officials. There was no violence during ing the possession of child pornography is on top of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. The any of the meetings, however, and many mem­ constitutional. The harm done to children by child Yomaussourko church is 623 feet long, just over bers of the police forcewho were there responded pornography is the fundamental reason such the length of two football fields. to Palau's invitation to receive Christ. D material should not enjoy First Amendment pro­ The church is a "gift to God," says Ivory Coast tection, argues the brief. President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who was born THAILAND CHURCH GROWTH Life Tr aining Cen­ "Child pornography, which is child sexual ex­ in the country 84 years ago and has been presi­ WHEATON, IL (EP)-New ters, a program of New Life 2000, an evangelistic ploitation in pictures, harms children by its pro­ dent since the country gained its independence global strategy being spearheaded by Campus duction, distribution and consumption, because in 1960. Crusade for Christ, is responsible for more than it is a permanent recording of their sexual abuse Some have criticized the president for building 2,300 new churches being planted in northeast and the seduction tool of choice for the child the huge church when the Ivory Coast has a Thailand in the last five years, according to Fuller molester," the brief states. foreign debt of more than $10 billion. Houphouet­ Seminary student Roy Rosedale. The brief cites evidence linking child por­ Boigny contends that the church is being paid Rosedale, a student of missiology, gathered nography with child molestation, and argues that for out of his own pocket, and the price he con­ the statistics for his doctoral dissertation. His find­ child pornography exists primarily for use and siders "a meager contribution." ings appear in a report in the October issue of consumption by pedophiles and child molesters. The Vatican hesitated when the church was EvangelicalMissions Quarterly, a publication of Child pornography is used to stimulate child offered as a gift, but finally agreed to accept it. the Evangelical Missions Information Service in molesters, to lower the inhibitions of their intended Upkeep costs will be paid by Houphouet-Boigny. Wheaton, Illinois. D victims, to blackmail their victims into silence, D and to teach children to imitate sexual behavior ELCA VOTES TO BECOME ASHQELON, Israel (EP)-On the eve of what they see in the pictures, argues the brief. D FULL NCC MEMBER promises to be the greatest influx of Soviet Jews CHICAGO, IL (EP)-The nation's largest into Israel since the country began several RUSSIAN FAITH HEALER Lutheran denomination voted Aug. 25 to become decades ago, social and political analysts are MOSCOW, U.S.S.R. (EP)-ln the tolerant era a full member of the National Council of Chur­ saying that Israel is ill-prepared to absorb those of glasnost, a former Soviet journalist has ches (NCC), a move many feel will make it a of differing religious practices into the country. emerged as that nation's leading faith healer. leading figure in Protestant ecumenism. Israeli government and Jewish agency officials While Allan Chumak does not claim to offer a The 5.2 million-member Evangelical Lutheran predict that 50,000 or more Soviet Jews could divine touch, the psychic healer says, "What I Church in America (ELCA) will be the second reach Israel in the next several years, as Sov:et provide has never been offered in this country. largest denomination in the NCC, which will now emigration laws relax. 0 I am in touch with another world, a kind of energy." represent denominations with a total of about 40 According to the Washington Post, followers of million members. LA PAZ, Bolivia (EP)-Drug lords in mar·; Chumak say they feel his "healing energy" even The ELCA, formed 18 months ago in a merger Latin American countries are using coercion to through videotape. The faithful place bottles of of the American Lutheran Church, Lutheran force farmers to grow drugs for them, according water and tubes of cold cream before his tele­ Church in America, and Association of Evangel­ to a recent report. Church leaders in Bolivia and vised presence, and later in the day drink the ical Lutheran Churches, has had to cut more Peru, two principal coca-growing nations, fear "charged" water and rub the "charged" cream than $20 million out of its national budget, reduc­ that a growing number of Christian farmers may on their bodies in search of healing. D ing it to $90 million. D be among them. D .,.-- .__./" '�GEL/CAL BEACON/10/16189 THE EVANGELICAL "Holding Forth the Word of Life... " October 16, 1989 1ssN0014.3332 Vol. 63, No. 1 FEATURES CHURCH MINISTRIES SPECIAL ISSUE 4-12 OPEN DOORS TO... MINISTRY by Milo D. Lundell ................................4 ..STUDENT MINISTRIES by Steve Hudson ....................s ..SENIOR ADULTS by R. Dean Smith .........................7 ..INTE RCULTURAL MINISTRIES by Lynn Garrett ..............a Inside this issue: ..EVANGEL ISM by Paul Berggren .............................10 Are your "doors open" to a wide Halloween: What Message Do We Give? variety of ministry opportunities? If by Terry Ann Modica so, you can gain valuable ideas and 12 inspiration from the articles in this Church Ministries Issue. Personal Testimony The articles explore some of the by Lorry Swanson 14 many "home missions" opportunities in which Church Ministries is involved, and which are open to the participation and support of churches DEPARTMENTS and individuals. News Digest 2&17 Stewardship 19 Far from "marking time" during this Editorial 15 TEDS 20 interim period while a new Church Overseas Missions 16 Trinity College 20 Ministries Director is being sought, the New Books 17 Trinity Western 21 CMD is marching aggressively forward Interesting Things 18 District News 22 into the 1990s under the leadership of FCLF 19 FCWM 30 Dr.