AP

Christian Couples Disqualified for Views on LGBT

Two Christian couples are suing the US state of Vermont after they were allegedly denied the opportunity to be foster parents due to their stance on LGBT issues. Brian and Katy Wuoti, and Bryan and Rebecca Gantt said they were rejected as prospective foster parents despite the state having a shortage of safe homes for children to go to, for purely ideological reasons. Both couples were described as beings a “wonderful foster family” according to Court documents, having adopted children over the past years.
However, a policy introduced in 2021 states that parents would have to agree to take children to pride parades and respect a child’s preferred pronouns. Brian Wuoti is a pastor and felt unable to consent, as doing so would contradict the couple’s religious views. In April 2022, officials ruled the couple “ineligible” to foster. Similarly, the Gantts were preparing to adopt an infant boy, born to a homeless mother who also suffered from drug addiction. After saying that they could not follow state guidelines on pronouns and pride parades, their license was revoked.
Vermont’s deputy commissioner for children and families Aryka Radke defended the verdicts to the Daily Mail, saying: “It is our responsibility to ensure all children and youth will reside in a home with caregivers who are committed to fully embracing and holistically affirming and supporting them.” The lawsuit says the couples were rejected “solely due to their religiously inspired and widely held belief that girls cannot become boys or vice versa’, and that officials put ‘politics above people and gender ideology over children’s best interests'”. [Source: Premier Christian News]

North Korean Believers

According to the World Watch list, North Korea is always the world’s most difficult country for Christians. Despite their daily hardships and constant risk to their lives, North Korean believers remain positive in spirit and are grateful to all who stand with them in prayer. Here are extracts from their communications: “According to this Scripture, our Lord has poured grace upon grace on the North Korean underground church so that we can remain faithful. This is more precious than our life. We will move forward with responsibility and duty. Our future will be bright and abundant if we continue to be faithful and transfer our faith to the next generation.”  “We North Korean Christians must walk the narrow road. There are trials and other troubles, and some waiver. Only those who view themselves in the mirror of God’s Word and who train their heart can walk this way.”  “We run with strength to the beautiful future, which our Lord has promised us. He gave us the certainty of our salvation. We will get through the difficulties and help each other in unity. We are like a shining pearl buried in the ground, yet it will never lose its brightness.”  “Thank you that you are so concerned for us and that you love us. I am happy to report that we are doing well. All North Korean believers are re-dedicating themselves to support one another.” [Source: Open Doors]

Christians Prepare for Ministry in Indonesia’s Capital

Indonesia (MNN) — The $32 billion project to move Indonesia’s capital is facing some major hiccups. President Joko Widodo decided in 2019 to move the capital from overpopulated Jakarta to the largely forested area of Nusantara on the island of Borneo, over 1,200 km (750 miles) away. Bruce Allen with FMI** says of Jakarta, “It is sinking eight to 10 inches a year. The city is overpopulated. It was designed to only be home to a few million. It has 10 million [people], and 30 million in the surrounding areas. Traffic is a major headache, pollution, litter, and water issues.” The goal is for the new capital to be officially inaugurated in August for Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day. The question however is: “Is it really going to be ready?”
As construction continues, God has already established His Church for ministry in Nusantara.
Allen says, “FMI has been supporting church planters on Borneo for over a decade. But once it was announced that this new city was going to be developed, our leadership team for partnerships on the island said we need to start church planting in Nusantara now so that by the time this influx of civil servants from all these different islands come to be part of the government in Nusantara, there are Christian churches waiting for them.” [**FMI – Its initials stand for the distinctive strategy to Facilitate, Mobilize and Inspire. Today, FMI serves as the bridge between Western Christians and indigenous church workers in the world’s most populous Muslim-dominant regions: Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Kenya at the Horn of Africa.]

Bringing Hope to the Lebanese People

Lebanon (MNN) — Targeted Israeli airstrikes reach Syria’s capital and southern Lebanon as the Gaza war grinds on and threatens to expand. At least 83,000 people have fled inland from the Lebanese-Israeli border, and Lebanon’s caretaker government has yet to declare a state of emergency. “We’re trying to reach out as much as possible to people in a state of shock and instability, and not knowing what the future holds,” Nuna with Triumphant Mercy (TM) Lebanon says. “We’re trying to see how we can help them because they come to us with nothing. Their kids left school; they don’t have jobs anymore. It’s a difficult situation because you’re always finding people who are hopeless.”
Believers may not have the resources to meet every physical need, but they share what they do have – the hope of Christ. “We always bring in the Gospel because how [else] would we bring hope to people except by telling them to turn their eyes from their situation and trust that God is taking care of them, even in the midst of difficulty,” Nuna says. “My team needs joy,” Nuna says. “We need to be overcomers and bring joy over all this sadness and the despair around us, so just pray for a double portion of joy.”

– compiled by Guido Kettniss