Christian World News: March 9, 2012

Franklin Graham, Evangelist: I think for the first time many Japanese people are open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Heather Sells: Today on Christian World News – Japan one year after the devastation. How the hope of Jesus is transforming the lives of those devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, and the American evangelist who’s helping make it happen. Plus – Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani gets a powerful international ally. How the nation of Brazil is helping the imprisoned pastor at the urging of Brazilian Christians. And – Translating the truth. A Bible translation meant for Muslims causes an uproar. We’ll tell you how one ministry is working to find a solution. * * * Heather Sells: Welcome to Christian World News. I’m Heather Sells. George and Wendy are on assignment. Japan is still suffering from the devastating disasters that hit one year ago. Some 19,000 people died in the earthquake and the resulting tsunami, but hope is still alive in at least one community. That’s where George Thomas found Japanese Christians working non-stop to bring help to survivors. * * * George Thomas: Honda Tadakazu says if it hadn’t been for Christians he would have abandoned the seaweed factory that’s been in his family for three generations. Honda Tadakazu, Honda Shyoji Company: (Voice of Interpreter). If they had come a month after the tsunami I wouldn’t have made it but they came two weeks later and started helping me clean up. George Thomas: His company sits less than five hundred yards from the ocean. Thirty minutes after the earthquake, multiple tsunamis swept through his factory destroying everything. Thanks to the help from Christians like Kouji Oshima he’s only months away from reopening his company. Kouji Oshima, Christian Volunteer: (Voice of Interpreter). Since the earthquake, the Holy Spirit has been telling me to travel around the affected areas and help people get back on their feet. George Thomas: It’s a story that’s being played out across Japan’s tsunami-affected areas. Churches and individual Christians moved quickly in those early days and are still working to help the displaced and hurting. On March 11th last year, moments before the earthquake, Yokoyama Daisuke and a handful of Christians gathered in Tokyo for a prayer meeting. Yokoyama Daisuke, Evangelist and Song Writer: (Voice of Interpreter). A few young people met that afternoon to pray and cry out to God to bring a spirit of repentance and revival to our nation, and then the earthquake happened. George Thomas: Within minutes they started ministering to grief-stricken and frightened people…[TV playing in background]…who watched the drama unfold on television screens. Yokoyama Daisuke: (Voice of Interpreter). We went to the subway and train stations where thousands of people were stranded. We served coffee and tea and tried to share hope with the people. [Yokoyama Daisuke playing guitar and singing] George Thomas: In the twelve months since the disaster, Yokoyama left Tokyo and moved here some 25 miles from the Fukushima nuclear plant where he’s using worship to share the Gospel with non-believers. Yokoyama Daisuke: (Voice of Interpreter). People are coming to the Lord. They see love and compassion displayed by Christians and they are touched. George Thomas: Domae Shogo is one of them. A former gang member, he spent 22 years in prison for multiple infractions. Last November he got an invitation to attend Yokoyama’s church and he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Today you’ll find him making friends among the thousands displaced by the earthquake and tsunami. And while tremendous progress has been made the past twelve months, the reality is that tens of thousands are still homeless and so the government has set up temporary shelters like this one. But so many people are looking for a place to call home again. Domae Shogo Christian Volunteer: (Voice of Interpreter). I spend my time listening to their stories. These are very lonely people who have lost everything so I am here to show them the love of Christ and to tell them how he changed my life. George Thomas: A theme echoed this past weekend… Franklin Graham (preaching): Did you know that God has a plan for your life? George Thomas: ...as Japanese church leaders invited American evangelist Franklin Graham to hold a Celebration of Hope festival in Sendai. It featured a number of Christian artists like Kirk Franklin and others. Kirk Franklin: One year ago we had tragedy in this community now we are having celebration and hope because we are reminded that God is sovereign and he’s still on the throne. Franklin Graham (preaching): He wants to bring fulfillment to your life. George Thomas: Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, drew nearly 12,000 people over the three-day event. Franklin Graham: I think for the first time many Japanese people are open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. George Thomas: Something pastor Ikarashi Yoshitaka says he can testify has happened in the weeks and months since the tragedy. He co-leads a congregation not too far from the nuclear power plants. Ikarashi Yoshitaka, Global Mission Center: (Voice of Interpreter). This is going to be a sad and happy weekend - sad because we will remember all those who died last year, but also happy because we are seeing God move like never before. George Thomas: George Thomas, CBN News, Iwaki, Japan. * * * Heather Sells: Later in the broadcast we’ll have an exclusive interview with Franklin Graham about his hope for spiritual revival in Japan. And turning now to the ongoing case of imprisoned Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Help is coming from a surprising source: the government of Brazil. Brazil is one of the few nations that still has economic and diplomatic relations with Iran. Brazil’s vice president says since learning of the pastor’s situation the country has been pushing Iran for his release. And the effort is led by Brazil’s evangelical churches. Nadarkhani was imprisoned for his faith and sentenced to die for leaving Islam. But he says he was never a Muslim. Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice has been working on behalf of Nadarkhani in Brazil, meeting with church and government leaders. Charlene Israel asked him about that effort. * * * Charlene Israel: Jordan, you’ve met with the vice president and other high government officials about pastor Youcef. What are they doing for him? Jordan Sekulow, ACLJ: They said, you know, we took immediate action; we diplomatically engaged Iran to stop, at least put a halt to the execution. And now they’re working to have pastor Youcef released and doing that by taking the documents we’re providing, the information that we’re providing, and walk over to the Iranian embassy and demand a meeting with ambassador who told them a couple of days ago he’d issue a statement. And this is all happening while we’re on the ground. So I think the clear message here is that Brazil is diplomatically engaging Iran to save pastor Youcef. They’re going to do everything they can, you know, within reason to do so. And they’ve got a relationship. It’s a key ally diplomatically for Iran and that’s why they’re getting responses that western leaders couldn’t get. We were in the newspaper today, a picture of us with the vice president. The vice president said we have a duty is what he told us, a duty as Brazil, as a nation that has a diplomatic relationship with Iran to stand for human rights especially when we have a specific case like this where we know the name. Charlene Israel: You’re meeting with church leaders there in Brazil. Tell us about their passion about this case. Jordan Sekulow: Well, that’s where it started. The church leaders are very involved in politics here. They follow the Christian news coming out of the United States and Europe. So they know about the ACLJ, they know CBN obviously, they know about the situation and they are very connected to the government. They’ve got high profile contact so when they contacted us and we contacted them, because they saw that interview I did about Brazil being able to play a key role, they said, yes, we want to show the world that we are a world leader, that we’re not just a big population. They’ve kind of taken this opportunity to show us the power of the evangelical church here. I mean every church I walked into—and they only had a three-day notice for our trip down here—not only did we meet with the vice president organized by church leaders and political leaders here but we’re walking into churches where there are 3,000 pastors ready to hear from us, to take the message out to their churches. Two thousand people at a Saturday night church service to take the message out. Charlene Israel: Jordan Sekulow, thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate it. * * * Heather Sells: Coming up – Lost in translation. How would you explain the Trinity to someone who’s never heard of it? Why that very issue is causing an uproar. And later – Franklin Graham (preaching): Did you know that God has a plan for your life? Heather Sells: Franklin Graham’s mission to bring hope to Japan’s earthquake and tsunami survivors. Our one-on-one with the international evangelist. – Commercial Break – Heather Sells: A recent controversy over a scripture translation meant for Muslims has created an uproar. Wycliffe Bible Translators and other ministries are under fire for their role in the translation. Recently, Gary Lane spoke with Wycliffe USA president Bob Creson about this issue. But first he gives us some background on the debate. * * * Gary Lane: What’s the best way to reach Muslims who may be seeking to know more about Christ and Christianity? Many missionaries to Islamic countries say it’s important for Muslims to receive a Bible in their own language, one they can easily understand, one that is culturally sensitive. Rachid, Daring Questions: Any Bible translation should communicate within the culture, to the audience. We tried as Moroccan Christians to have the Bible relevant to our Moroccan brothers and sisters. Gary Lane: Former Muslim Rachid is host of the popular Arabic television talk show “Daring Questions.” He helped translate the Bible into his native Moroccan dialect. Rachid: For example, Moroccans, we don’t know what is synagogue for example. It doesn’t exist in Morocco, maybe in a few places but nobody knows about them. So we changed the synagogue, for example, but with the decision of the whole committee that it should be a place for prayer which is a true meaning of synagogue. Gary Lane: But what about more important matters, like the Trinity? Three Bible translators: Wycliffe, The Summer Institute of Linguistics, and Frontiers, are under fire from some Christian groups for their role in advancing controversial Arabic and Turkish Bible translations. For example, references to God the “Father” are replaced by the Arabic word for god, “allah.” References to Jesus as the “Son” of God are replaced with Messiah. Mathew 28:19…“baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” becomes, “cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.” Rachid says he thinks people are trying to present an inoffensive Gospel to Muslims. Rachid: If we are trying not to offend them, then what should we do about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? It’s very offending to Muslims. What should we do about the Gospel itself? They believe it has changed, it is not the Word of God. It should include that Mohammed is a prophet of God. So should we put Mohammed there in order not to offend them? Gary Lane: Todd Nettleton of the mission group, The Voice of the Martyrs is less critical. He says the key to reaching Muslims is strong discipleship. Todd Nettleton, The Voice of the Martyrs: I think at the beginning you say one thing, and not in a bait and switch way, but in a way that here’s what you can understand right now because you’re doing this, you’re a Muslim, you’ve grown up this way, and now, maybe in a year after you’ve been following Christ, here’s what you can understand now and there’s more. The Apostle Paul talked about that, you know, spiritual milk and spiritual meat and there’s a time for both. Gary Lane: Wycliffe USA says it applauds a decision by SIL to put on hold approval of publication of quote, “translated scripture around which this criticism is focused for a season.” They’ve pledged to participate in conversation and a formal review led by theologians, Bible scholars, translators and others to guide their future translation efforts. * * * Gary Lane: Bob Creson is president of Wycliffe USA. He joins us to give us the ministry’s perspective on this topic. Bob, why did Wycliffe decide to change the language in the Arabic version? And please talk about the decision-making process behind that. Bob Creson, Wycliffe USA: I’m assuming that we’re referring to the Trinity of the Gospel of Christ that was done by another organization, Al Kalema (phonetic). As you know these are very important issues in relation to how the divine familial terms are being translated. At the very highest level for Wycliffe we’re interested in accuracy. So it all comes back to this eternal word of God that in the past from John 1:1 started “In the beginning” that goes right out into the eternity future where you see in Revelation 14:6 the angel that’s carrying the Good News to the nations of the earth so that every tongue, tribe and nation can be representative before the throne of worshiping God. So accuracy is the thing that we’re interested in and that’s what this debate is all about. Gary Lane: So, Bob, why make these changes now? Haven’t there been Arabic versions of the Bible for years? Bob Creson: You know there are a lot of Arabic versions. If you go out and you actually do a Google search you’ll see a number of them. So there’s a number of different kinds of Arabic. The issue again comes back to accuracy and how we communicate accurately these truths of the Gospel so that people understand the Gospel message in a way that they can relate to best. Gary Lane: Well, what has your experience been with some Muslims when you’re trying to witness to them and explain the Trinity, for example. Do you find that there’s confusion? Is that an obstacle? Bob Creson: What you’ve got is you want to make sure that these terms communicate accurately. And there are some people that when they hear this term “Son of God” they hear God the Father had sexual relations with Mary to produce a son Jesus. And so what we’re trying to do is accurately communicate what that relationship was all about. We know it’s a virgin birth, for example. And it’s a legitimate point of concern. You know, there are some people that argue for leaving the ambiguity in the text, which I understand that. There are different ways in which you can handle it. So what we’re trying to do now is we’re taking a pause right now, we’re taking a step back, and all these communities where we’re involved we’re inviting people into a process that help us figure out how to communicate accurately and translate these terms. Gary Lane: Well, I know you’ve had your critics so how do you respond to those who say: “Hey, touching the Trinity is just going too far to avoid offending Muslims”? Bob Creson: The issue for us isn’t about offending anyone. The issue for us is how do we communicate accurately. And if this accurate communication of the Good News offends people, and we know that the Gospel message is going to offend people, what we want to do is we want to take a step back, invite people into a process that will help inform the way in which all of us are translating some of these terms. Gary Lane: And now that it’s on hold—I understand you’re putting it on hold—what are you hoping to clarify now in order to go forward? Bob Creson: What we’re doing is, again I’m assuming we’re referring to the pause that we have announced this last week, and this pause is related to how we want to invite other people into a global consultation that will inform the way in which we translate, and others translate, divine familial terms. We want to make sure that that’s an independent group of people that includes believers from Muslim backgrounds—that’s extremely important—Bible scholars, theologians, so that we get a complete perspective of what it means to translate terms like the Son of God accurately. Gary Lane: What are Muslim background believers telling you about this? Bob Creson: Well, Muslim background believers have a huge stake in this, of course, because they too want to be able to communicate clearly the truths of the Gospel. So inviting them into a process where we talk about how to translate these terms for their communities is extremely important. So they would like to be a part of it and maybe some of them are skeptical at this point about our approach to it but as we go through this we really believe that we’re open-minded, others are open-minded, and this independent group will not only inform but help us contextualize how we want to translate these terms. Gary Lane: Well, Bob, we know you’ve come under fire from various groups and we really appreciate you for joining us today. Bob Creson: Well, thanks very much for having me on. I appreciate offering our perspective. * * * Heather Sells: We’d like to get your thoughts on the issue. You can post your comments at our Christian World News Facebook page. Up next – Our exclusive interview with evangelist Franklin Graham in Japan. Why he believes the country could be on the brink of a spiritual revival. – Commercial Break – Heather Sells: One year after the disaster in Japan, Franklin Graham’s ministries are working to meet the country’s physical and spiritual needs. George Thomas spoke with him in Japan. * * * George Thomas: A year has passed and now perhaps everyone knows all there is to know about the massive nine-point-zero magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan’s northeast coast on March 11th. And then occasionally there are those images that just will never, ever be the same again. The image of this car stuck in the middle of this ocean and on this beach 40 kilometers from the Dai-ichi nuclear plant serves as a reminder of what happened that horrible day. Sendai, the largest city in Japan’s Tohoku region, is back on its feet. The debris has gone, the roads are cleared, the shops, hotels and restaurants are open for business and tourists. It’s a story that’s being played out across Japan’s tsunami-affected areas. Franklin Graham, Evangelist We’ve seen a lot of improvements in the last year, a lot of changes, the city’s being cleaned up, they are beginning to rebuild. George Thomas: But there’s a dark side to the boom. Suicides are up. Illnesses are up. Unemployment is up. And a new survey just out shows that 20 percent of those living in the tsunami zone are suffering from insomnia and other psychiatric problems. Franklin Graham: There is a lot of pain and a lot of suffering here in Japan. You look out the window and you say wow everything looks great, it’s coming together, but there are tens of thousands of people that are out of work, have no hope for the future. George Thomas: To help change that, evangelist Franklin Graham held a Celebration of Hope event recently in one of Sendai’s main arenas called Ground 21. Franklin Graham: It just so happened that one year ago there were so many dead people in this city that there was not enough space in the morgue, and so they took this arena and it was the morgue for the entire area. George Thomas: For three days Graham and area church leaders redeemed the grounds by inviting people to listen to Christian music and messages of hope. Franklin Graham: Did you know that God has a plan for your life? [interpreter] He wants to give you peace. He wants to give you joy. [interpreter] He wants to bring fulfillment to your life. George Thomas: Event organizers say some 12,000 people turned out, with 400 people accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. Franklin Graham: Our hope and prayer is that the church will be added to, the church will grow, and we pray that there will be hundreds, maybe thousands of people who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. George Thomas: Meanwhile, Christians from around the world have been flocking to Japan since the tragedy. This team from Norway is partnering with a local Japanese church to share the Gospel with residents living near the Fukushima nuclear plant. There’s also greater awareness of the country’s spiritual needs. Less than one percent of the population is Christian and historically sharing with others about faith in Jesus has been extremely difficult. Franklin Graham: Churches from all over Japan are praying for Sendai. Churches not only in Japan but in Asia people have been praying for Japan. George Thomas: And not too long after the earthquake, Rev. Graham deployed enormous resources to the devastated areas and 12 months later hundreds of his volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse are still in the region helping to rebuild this place. Franklin Graham: There’s something about when a tragedy happens and your world is turned upside down. When everything is fine, your business is good, and your family is good, and life is good and all of a sudden people are asking why do I need God, look how good my life is, it couldn’t get any better. But when life turns upside down and everything that you’ve put your hope in, everything you’ve put your faith and trust in, is gone, it’s a time when I believe the Holy Spirit of God will speak to people’s hearts. George Thomas: Several pastors CBN News spoke with report an increase in church attendance and a greater curiosity about Christianity. The earthquake also created a spirit of unity among churches. Franklin Graham: The churches in this area of Japan did not cooperate together, they did not work together. Now they say the church in this part of Japan is one, and even though there are many denominations, they say we are one. George Thomas: Graham is planning to hold several more Celebration of Hope festivals in key cities across the country. George Thomas, CBN News, Sendai, Japan. – Commercial Break – Heather Sells: And finally today – A new video campaign aimed at bringing down an African warlord is sweeping across the internet. It is called “Kony 2012.” Kony is Joseph Kony. He’s the leader of a Ugandan cult called the Lord’s Resistance Army. But he is not a Christian. He is wanted for international war crimes, mostly against children. (Video clip): Voice Over: For 26 years Kony has been kidnapping children into his rebel group the LRA, turning the girls into sex slaves and the boys into child soldiers. Heather Sells: The video has more than 50 million hits. The group behind it is called the Invisible Children. It wants the international community to take action. And that’s all for this edition of Christian World News. See you next week.