Barnabas weekly newsletter 20 January 2011

Barnabas Fund is helping the worldwide Church to grow spiritually and numerically by supporting hundreds of pastors and evangelists in places where Christians are under pressure.

We are currently giving financial assistance to 205 pastors and 228 evangelists and church planters in 27 countries, enabling them to focus their time and energy on strengthening Christians and proclaiming the Gospel to unbelievers.

Victims of the vicious anti-Christian attacks by Hindu radicals in Orissa State, India, will never forget how their lives and communities were devastated by the violence.

They are still picking up the pieces more than two years on, and Barnabas Fund is continuing to support our brothers and sisters through a variety of home rebuilding, vocational training and business start-up projects.

Pakistan’s prime minister has told religious leaders that the government has no plans to amend the country’s controversial “blasphemy law”, amid further violence against Christians.

Yousuf Raza Gilani’s statement on Tuesday (18 January) followed a brutal attack on two Christian women, a mother and daughter, who were falsely accused by a Muslim relative of insulting Muhammad in a domestic dispute.

A prominent Christian doctor was shot at point blank range in the latest attack on Iraq's besieged Christian community.

Nuyia Youssif Nuyia was seriously injured in the shooting, which took place on Saturday (15 January) at the private Mosul hospital where he worked.

This new book by Rosemary Sookhdeo is a practical guide to understanding our Muslim friends and neighbours and how to share the Gospel effectively with them. It lifts the veil on Islamic culture, practices and faith to find the points of contact that will help Muslims to respond to the Christian message.

Breaking Through the Barriers is available now at a special offer price of £5 (plus £2 p&p), normal price £8.99.