February 7 2000

ARTICLE TOOLS

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The latest on the Spanish Bible boom, evangelism in Macao, Macedonia's first evangelical president, and more.

In less than a year the Nueva Version Internacional, a Spanish-language Bible produced by the International Bible Society, has sold more than 1 million copies in the U.S. and Latin America. Spanish is the world's third most-spoken language after Chinese and English. "We had no idea that so many pastors, church members and evangelical organizations would embrace it so readily," says Dean Merrill, vice president of International Bible Society Publishing. "[Bible sales] have soared beyond our greatest expectations."

Evangelism opportunities are increasing for the church in Macao, although the territory became an official part of China on December 20, 1999. Many missions organizations were concerned that China's restrictive religious policies would be enforced in Hong Kong and Macao. But apart from increased difficulty in obtaining visas, Macao's Christians say they have been able to share their faith openly.

Boris Trajkovski, 43, a United Methodist pastor in Macedonia, has become the first evangelical president of the Balkan state. He was elected on November 14, 1999, and confirmed after a repeat vote in late December. Trajkovski is a graduate of Skopje University and has served as Macedonia's deputy foreign minister for the past nine years. He built his campaign platform by bridging diverse factions of the community, and intends to help Macedonia's large Albanian minority integrate more fully into the social and political life of the nation.

Werner Burklin Ministries, Inc., a missions organization with offices in Colorado, Germany, Hong Kong, and Canada, has changed its name to China Partner, Inc. A statement from the ...