Page 7 - Good News July 2019 paper

SIX DEAD AS RARE of the rain of fire coming from the continues to increase worldwide, The shift is part of the continuing
TORNADO DESTROYS CITY sky," Italian news agencies the CEO of Open Doors USA, secularization of the country,
AND INJURES 190 IN CHINA quoted local priest Giovanni David Curry, says American which has been happening since
A Chinese tornado has killed six Longo as saying. He said it was pastors are failing to educate their the 1880's. As recently as 2016,
people as it devastated a city in not known if there were any hikers congregations on the “theology two-thirds of Dutch people said
the northeast of China on on the volcano at the time of the of persecution.” Asked by The they have no religious faith
Wednesday 3 July 2019. The eruption. Christian Post why he thinks whatsoever. Of the 6 900 church
powerful tornado ripped through American believers seem so buildings in the country, one-fifth
the city of Kaiyuan City as it laid Italian media reported that disconnected from the perse- of those built before 1800, which
waste to the area. Moreover, tourists had fled the island's cution facing the global church, classifies them as national
reports have stated that on top of coastal area after the eruption. Curry said it's ultimately “a failure monuments, have been trans-
the six fatalities, a further 190 Italy's National Institute of of leadership.” formed into secular spaces,
people were injured. The fero- Geophysics and Volcanology according to The Tablet.
cious disaster hit the city at (INGV) said there were two huge “This is a bit of an indictment,” he
around 17:15 local time. Although explosions on the central- said, “but I think pastors are not SIBERIA STRUCK BY
it only lasted for 15 minutes, the southern side of the volcano's teaching their church[es] about it, WORST FLOODING IN
disaster wreaked havoc to crater at around 14:46 GMT. The they're not teaching a Biblical 100 YEARS, 14 PEOPLE KILLED,
buildings and turned over cars. explosions were preceded by lava standard, they're not teaching a 13 REMAIN MISSING
spills "from all the active mouths theology of persecution.” Curry Siberian authorities declared a
STROMBOLI VOLCANO of the crater terrace," the INGV pointed out that the New Testa- state of emergency for the Irkutsk
ENTERS INTO VIOLENT said, prompting a two-kilometre ment was written by persecuted region where heavy rainfall
ERUPTION OFF SICILY high plume of smoke. A fire- Christians. caused widespread flooding in
A volcano on the Italian island of fighting plane could not put out which dozens of villages were
Stromboli erupted dramatically fires in the area because of the FALLING AWAY: ONE FIFTH destroyed. As of 2 July 2019, 14
on Wednesday 3 July 2019, amount of smoke, Italian media OF ALL DUTCH CHURCHES people have been killed and 13
sparking fears among inhabitants reported. CONVERTED TO remain missing since heavy rains
and tourists. The volcano is SECULAR SPACES began last week. Floods affected
known to be active, but on OPEN DOORS CEO SAYS As faith continues to falter, more 33 000 people in 83 villages; 40
Wednesday there was a particu- AMERICAN PASTORS ARE 'NOT than one-fifth of all churches in villages are still under water.
larly powerful eruption. TEACHING A THEOLOGY OF the Netherlands have been con- Emergency service said 1 200
PERSECUTION' verted into libraries, apartments, people are in need of medical aid.
"It was like being in hell because As violence against Christians offices, and other secular spaces. Continued on p. 8
Continued on p. 8