The Pneuma Foundation is pleased to add content to our website as a resource to our members and friends around the world. We also add links to content that we are not able to republish ourselves, but may be of interest. Here are some examples of links added recently to "Links to Articles & Books" www.pneumafoundation.org/links_articles.jsp and from "Links to Study Resources" www.pneumafoundation.org/links_study.jsp
The largest list of Pentecostal/charismatic Bible Schools available online anywhere. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/links_schools.jsp
Add your school: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/links.jsp#link
Christian History: Henry Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies (1911). "[A] comprehensive compilation of over 800 important Christian characters, challengers, and literature. It features a complete overview of the major players of Christianity from its beginnings to the sixth century." http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wace/biodict.html
Robert C. Crosby, "A New Kind of Pentecostal: It's no longer just about raising a hand to God. It's also about reaching out a hand to the needy" Christianity Today (August 2011). www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/august/newkindpentecostal.html
Robert Crosby interviews Matthew Barnett. "A Dream of a Center: 'A Model for Faith-based Organizations': An interview with the head of one of the most effective Pentecostal social missions in America" Christianity Today (August 2011). www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/august/dreamcenter.html
Editorial: C. Peter Wagner, "The New Apostolic Reformation Is Not a Cult" (CharismaNews). www.charismanews.com/opinion/31851-the-new-apostolic-reformation-is-not-a-cult
Editorial: J. Lee Grady, "It's (Past) Time for a Charismatic Reformation" "I've grown increasingly aware that the so-called 'Spirit-filled' church of today struggles with many of the same things the Catholic church faced in the 1500s. We don't have 'indulgences' - we have telethons. We don't have popes - we have super-apostles." www.charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/32051-its-past-time-for-a-charismatic-reformation
Linda Falter, "A Beautiful Anger: The same holy hands that punish the wicked pull the righteous to safety" "Should a God who commands his people to wage war be worshiped?" (Christianity Today, April 2011). http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/april/beautifulanger.html

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Reports from Around the World

The Exponential Growth of Christian Believers Worldwide
As Christians, we are living in exciting times. The Gospel is going into places of the world never before reached. God's Word is penetrating the hearts of those who have never had Scripture in their own heart language. And, more progress has been made in seeing the Great Commission completed than ever before. The JESUS Film Project has produced an informational video to tell you about this growth and how the story of Jesus is transforming the world.
If you live in the West, you may not see the full scope, the advance of the Gospel that has taken place, especially in the Global South and developing nations. It has accelerated so much in the past 30 years that many feel fulfillment of the Great Commission is indeed in sight.
This progress is the result of tens of thousands of missionaries, workers, partnerships, churches, prayer, sacrifice and miraculous movements of the Holy Spirit. Over the centuries, those who loved Christ obeyed Him. They went on missionary journeys. They translated Scripture so the average plowman could understand it. They took His story to places and to people, whatever the cost.
By 1900, one person out of 40 in the world was a follower of Jesus Christ. However, only one-third of the world's population had ever heard Christ's name. Worse yet, less than one-sixth of the world had even a single verse of the Bible in their own language.
By 1980, one person out of every 17 people in the world was a follower of Christ.
In the last 30 years, the speed of evangelism has increased even more. Today, Scripture has been translated into more than 2,500 languages. That has allowed the JESUS Film to be dubbed into more than 1,100 languages. The majority of today's mission force is now made up of non-western missionaries, allowing the JESUS Film to reach previously unreached people groups. Today, one person in eight is a practicing Christian.
We are members of the first generation in history to see the story of Jesus spread farther and faster than the entire previous 1900 years combined. Some are calling this explosion of evangelism the Fifth Great Awakening. See: www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1451860
So, at a time when so many are filled with fear and uncertainty, rejoice in the certainty of God's Kingdom. His Kingdom is not in doubt.
To watch the video from the JESUS Film Project, point your browser to: www.jesusfilm.org/updates/110927
Source: Adapted from Mission Network News, 28 September, 2011. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/16286

Iran: Man imprisoned for Christianity outlasts persecution
www.charismanews.com/world/31934-iranian-prisoners-faith-outlasts-persecution.

Mexico: Religious minorities threatened
Traditionalist Catholics in the state of Puebla have threatened to "lynch and crucify" evangelical Protestants. Religious freedom advocates call on Mexican government to protect religious minorities.
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=1226&rnd=0.8498346

India: People turning to Christ in greater numbers than any time in history
Read the full article from Christianity Today July 2011 issue: Tim Stafford , "India's Grassroots Revival: With its people turning to Christ in waves, India hosts more believers now than at any time in its 4,000-year history."
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/indiagrassroots.html

Zimbabwe: Churches told to support ruling party or expect consequences
Zanzibar: Muslims Hold Christians Under Stronghold of Fear "On Tanzania's semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar, Christians live in a climate of fear. It's a place where a young man flees the island to escape death threats from his Muslim family, and a Christian who accidentally burned pages of the Quran opts for jail by entering a guilty plea rather than face certain death from a furious mob."
www.charismanews.com/world/31922-muslims-hold-christians-under-stronghold-of-fear-in-zanzibar

News and Headlines
Visit links.jsp for Current News and Links

China: Christians Suffer for Supporting Shouwang Church (CharismaNews). www.charismanews.com/world/31918-christians-in-china-suffer-for-supporting-shouwang-church
USA: Americans continue trend of self-tailored religion (USAToday). www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-14/america-religious-denominations/50376288/1
China: House church leaders leave labor camp after 2 years of "re-education" Arrested in the aftermath of an attack on a branch of the 50,000 member Linfen by a swarm of over 400 local police, government officials, and hired men (MNN). http://mnnonline.org/article/16218
Egypt: Muslims Blockade Christian Village, Demand Demolition of Church (ASSIST News Service). www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11090054.htm
China: Forced Abortion Policy Not Ending As Planned The communist government of China claims that over 400 million children have been "prevented" and the One-Child policy is expected to continue for decades (CharismaNews). http://charismanews.com/world/31964-chinas-forced-abortion-policy-not-ending-as-planned
USA: Home Bible Study Fined in California (CharismaNews). www.charismanews.com/culture/32016-home-bible-study-fined-in-california
China: Persecution by deprivation Turning off one family's water and electricity for three years, because they refuse to participate in idolatry, is another example of persecution that exists in rural China (ChinaAid). www.chinaaid.org/2011/09/christian-familys-hard-choice-between.html
Indonesia: Homicide bomber seriously injures 11 outside church Extremists see church as major resistance to their goal of implementing shariah law (MNN). www.mnnonline.org/article/16276
USA: Student punished after stating beliefs to classmate Teachers as thought police? Christian student suspended for saying homosexuality is wrong (OneNewsNow). www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=1442712
Nigeria: Christians being murdered Series of attacks have left over 100 believers dead in September (MNN). www.mnnonline.org/article/16283
Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood gains popularity Concerns about the future freedoms of religious minorities increase. Tom Doyle with E3Partners reports that "82% of all Egyptians believe that if a Muslim converts to Christianity, he should be killed" (MNN). www.mnnonline.org/article/16269
Pakistan: Muslim mob attempts to seize land, killing and injuring Christians One Christian killed and twenty-one injured during violent land-grab (Compass Direct). www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/article_121694.html
Egypt: Dozens Killed as Coptic Christians Protest Church Attacks (Video, The Telegraph). www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/8817385/Dozens-killed-in-Egypt-as-Coptic-Christians-protest-church-attacks.html
Sweden: Homeschool Parents to Lose Children Permanently "The government shouldn't abduct and imprison children simply because it doesn't like homeschooling", says Legal Counsel Roger Kiska of the Alliance Defense Fund (ChristianNewsWire). www.christiannewswire.com/news/3160318001.html
Cuba: Revival among house churches despite oppression (CharismaNews). www.charismanews.com/world/32151-cuba-sees-house-church-revival-despite-opression
Egypt: Peaceful Christian march ends in massacre; Christians flee Egypt by the hundreds of thousands (MNN). www.mnnonline.org/article/16353
Editorial: "AP Writer Tackles Apostles, Prophets and Politics (CharismaNews). www.charismanews.com/politics/32197-ap-writer-tackles-apostles-prophets-and-politics
USA: Did pro-abortion administration destroy evidence intentionally? Key evidence against Kansas Planned Parenthood criminal case destroyed. "'Not even we anticipated Sebelius and her administration could stoop this low to protect abortion industry criminality,' said Kansans for Life executive director Mary Kay Culp" (WORLD). www.worldoncampus.com/article/domestic_news/2011/10/shredded_evidence
Nigeria: Christian mother killed in her home by soldiers Christian leaders continue to say that Muslim extremists are killing peaceful Christians without consequences (CompassDirect). www.compassdirect.org/english/country/nigeria/article_122283.html

See other news to pray and praise God about in the Prayer Requests department below.

Report the News
We are looking for stories about what God is doing in the world, reports about the persecution of Christians, and information about significant trends and ministry opportunities. If you have a news item to report, please send an email to the PNEUMA INFORMER. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/contactus.jsp

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Resources You Can Use

Sermon starter: Friendship
Forbes 400 editorial talks about the difference between friends and "friending." "Successful people have real friends." Does this quote from Aristotle remind you of anything? "[W]ithout friends, no one would choose to live, even if he possessed all other goods."
www.forbes.com/sites/gyro/2011/09/26/forbes-400-got-there-with-friends-not-friending

Spanish Resources
Obrerofiel, with the permission of Libros Alianza, has released version 2.0 of the Presentation Hymnal for the Celebremos Su Gloria Spanish hymnal. You may view videos and download a free trial on www.tiendaobrerofiel.com
Obrerofiel is also offering Alan Hirsch's e-book, Caminos Olvidados, as a free download from the digital book section.
www.tiendaobrerofiel.com/epages/tiendaobrerofiel.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/cpcdb/Categories/%22Libros%20Digitales%22
Source: Brigada Today (2011/10/09 )

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Excerpts from THE PNEUMA REVIEW

THE PNEUMA REVIEW is a quarterly printed journal of ministry resources and theology for Pentecostal and charismatic ministries and leaders. For more information about THE PNEUMA REVIEW, and to learn how to subscribe, please visit: Introducing THE PNEUMA REVIEW. www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp

For a full index of the contents of all Pneuma Review issues, visit: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pr_archive.jsp.

In order to complete this issue of THE PNEUMA INFORMER while it is still October, no excerpts were able to be included.

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H. Murray Hohns, "The Ninth Decade of Life"

Read this encouraging article at PneumaReview.com: The Ninth Decade of Life

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H. Murray Hohns is on staff at the largest church in Hawaii and has served on his denomination's investment committee since 1999. Hohns has two degrees in Civil Engineering, an MA in Theology from Fuller Seminary, and served as an instructor at Foursquare?s New Hope Christian College (formerly Pacific Rim Christian College) in Honolulu. He has written six engineering books and hundreds of articles in every type of newspaper, magazine and journal.

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Prayer Requests

Somali Christian confirmed dead, decapitated. Open Doors, USA received confirmation that a Somali Christian convert from Islam was kidnapped and beheaded in early September 2011. Christian leaders in the area suspect al Shabaab as the murderers since decapitation is a mark of the terrorist group's hatred for Christian converts. Christians were afraid even to bury him for fear of also being attacked. Somalia is an extremely dangerous place for Christians right now. Pray for their safety and boldness.
Full story: www.mnnonline.org/article/16247

NATO pulls out of Libya; Christians dig in. NATO has decided to end its mandate in Libya on October 31. This, despite the transitional government's request to remain for security reasons until the end of the 2011. The government has already declared full Sharia law, and the hostility toward non-Muslims has Christians keeping the low-profile status which was adopted under Gaddafi. Open Doors workers who have been providing aid, Christian literature, and Bibles are urging prayer for strength and wisdom for believers there.
Source: Mission Network News, 31 October, 2011. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/16405

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Praise Reports

Mexico: After conflict, village agrees to promote religious freedom. In Puebla State, Protestant and Catholic leaders, along with the local government, have signed an agreement to promote religious freedom and tolerance in a village after the recent escalation of religious conflict. A group of traditionalist Catholics threatened to "lynch and crucify" about 70 Protestants. The Catholic church removed the local priest accused of instigating the conflict and Puebla State officials stepped in, helping negotiate an agreement between the Catholic and Protestant communities. Similar conflicts between Catholics and Protestants are common in many Mexican states, and Mexican law mandates that resolution should be sought through dialogue.
Source: ASSIST News Service http://www.assistnews.net/STORIES/2011/s11100012.htm

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Condolences

Dr. William W. Menzies, Assemblies of God pastor, educator, missionary, and author, went to be with the Lord shortly past noon on August 15, 2011. He was 80 years old.