Should Christians Convert Muslims?
This weeks edition of Time Magazine examines the question of evangelism efforts directed at Muslims, this is a must read for your TF: Not for a century has the idea of evangelizing Islam awakened such fervor in conservative Christians. Touched by Muslims' material and spiritual needs, convinced that they are one of the great "unreached megapeoples" who must hear the Gospel before Christ's eventual return, Evangelicals have been rushing to what has become the latest hot missions field. Figures from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, suggest that the number of missionaries to Islamic countries nearly doubled between 1982 and 2001—from more than 15,000 to somewhere in excess of 27,000.

Palm Sunday?
Lend a hand and put the gospel in your palm, your Palm Pilot that is. Bible+ bible reading software for Palm OS PDAs, announces the immediate availability of The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language for Bible+. "I'm honored to receive rights to distribute The Message," said Yih-Chun Hu. "Peterson's lucid translation is very readable, and makes you want to read on and on." This is exactly what Eugene Peterson was aiming for when he wrote this contemporary translation: "I hope that when readers find the poetry, the stories, the prayers, the songs in this Book in their language---the sort of language in which it was written---they will read it from cover to cover, nonstop," says Peterson. The Message for Bible+ is licensed through PalmGear for only $15, a $25 print value. You are encourged to try before you buy: the translation can be browsed on BibleGateway, and Bible+ is freely available on PalmGear.

Students flock to cyber cafes
This Express India report is a reminder that even in countries with a small Christian population, the Internet can still be a powerful means of reaching and teaching.

Software simplifies e-mail encryption — somewhat
So, let's say your trib force sends a lot of e-mail. How do you know that your communication is secure? Could hostile GC agents be intercepting your e-mail? This USA Today report suggests that one simple way to secure your e-mail is to use a program like PGP. If you are not doing this already, it's time to start.

Writing a PDA Friendly Web Site
This About.Com report suggests that with the Palm VII wireless Internet, cell phones that offer Web access, and other pocket sized computers, it is getting more and more important to think about how your Web site displays on the palm sized computers and internet devices.

Alarm at Pentagon's Email Snooping
This report from The Guardian suggests that the age if Big Brother is here and about to get a lot more intrusive. It makes me wonder how well a trib force could really evade GC forces in the modern world of 21st Century government surveillance?

A Question for All Bloggers
Jim at Right Thoughts blog has an idea for protective web hosting. He explains it better than I can, but the idea is simple enough, if you are the type that might run afoul of the PC police and their lawyers, he promises not to cave. In his words, "My pledge will be simple: I will not shut you down on any threat of a lawsuit. I will not regulate your content. If the lawyers come a'knockin, I will "accidentally" lose all your personal information with one click of the delete key. In short, I will be a human digital shield, only I won't run away when they start shooting." He is looking for input from the blogosphere on this idea. Ever wonder who Tsion's ISP was? How come the GC couldn't just force the ISP to shut him down? Maybe he had protective web hosting.

Can my PDA go on-line via a mobile phone?
The PC User Help Page answers this question. Can't you just see Buck using his PDA to access the net via his cell phone in a crisis? Cool tech toys for your Trib Force.

Christian Evangelist Stabbed to Death in Bangladesh by Muslim Extremists
Barnabas Fund and Religion Today report that a Christian evangelist became Bangladesh’s first martyr in modern times following attack by at least seven Muslim extremists armed with knives. Just after midnight, early in the morning of April 24, Hridoy Roy was returning home after showing a film version of Luke’s Gospel. As he approached his house seven or eight people attacked him, stabbing him seven times. He died instantly. Hridoy Roy was a Bangladeshi evangelist and regularly used to put on the film, known as the Jesus Film. He is believed to be the first martyr in Bangladesh in modern times, if not ever; local believers feel that he will not be the last. They are in a state of deep shock, mourning and great fear following this tragic attack. In Islamic law (Shari’ah) conversion from Islam to another faith (apostasy) is punishable by death. This is a deep-seated tradition among Muslims and those who do convert, if not killed, are often subject to beatings and having their possessions and family taken away from them. This is the fundamental reason for the antipathy that most Muslims hold towards those who try to proselytize in their communities. It goes a long way towards explaining why they are sometimes willing to take such draconian measures to make sure that none of their community will be corrupted.

Globalreach, New Site for Evangelism Debuts
Global University's Center for Evangelism and Discipleship presents Globalreach, a new Web site to provide free evangelism and discipleship materials worldwide. Globalreach will initially provide materials in English, Mandarin (simplified), French and Spanish, with Mandarin (traditional), Arabic and Bengali to be added shortly. These courses are currently being used in 178 countries, and have been translated into nearly 150 languages. A user may "Discover God," "Discover Christian Life" and "Discover Christian Service." Many courses are in audio, video or online interactive format; print courses are available in PDF format. Ministries and individuals may use the courses for any language group; all users are asked to provide feedback and let Globalreach know how the materials will be used. To link to a specific language page on the site, please contact the webmaster.

Zantaz Introduces E-Mail, Instant Message Monitoring Service
This TechWeb article on the latest in technology for monitoring employee communications, including e-mail, instant messages, and file attachments is a timely reminder that in today's world, big brother, or big boss, may be watching. So fire up your PGP and hit those keyboards.

Wireless Wares Take Center Stage At N+I
Interesting article here from TechWeb on new wireless products. Don't let your Trib Force team leave the safe house without the latest gadgets. Just be sure to check those security features, you never know who may be listening.

Blogging Phenom Goes Cellular
NewBay Software, a Dublin, Ireland-based startup, is offering FoneBlog, a software system for carriers that extends the practice of Weblogging, or "blogging," to cell phone users. With the software, consumers can create and maintain personal Web sites from any messaging-enabled phone. :: This News Factor report demonstrates that you will soon be able to update a web page from anywhere. Human rights workers witnessing state brutality can now report live from the field, missionaries can file real time reports of persecution, and civil libertarians can stay one step ahead of big brother, for a while at least.

China Blocks Internet 'Blog' Site
China has blocked an Internet site used by more than one million people worldwide to post on-line diaries, known as blogs, users and its developer said on Wednesday. :: This CNN report reminds us that even the freewheeling Internet can be tamed by a government bent on oppressing the people.

Secret Document Outlines Anti-Church Campaign in China
A confidential document entitled “Work Plan of the Baoding Municipal Public Security Bureau to Prohibit Christian Illegal Activities” calls for specific action against unregistered house church Christians in Hebei province in the months leading up to the Communist Party Congress in November last year. The document states the aim of the repressive campaign, “to protect legal [religious activities] and to prohibit illegal ones; to resist infiltration and to strike down criminal acts … and to ruthlessly strike down all cult activities masquerading under the banner of Christianity.”

Even 'Erased' Hard Drives Hold Info
So, you think you cleaned all your personal files from that old computer you got rid of? Two MIT graduate students suggest you think again. Over two years, Simson Garfinkel and Abhi Shelat bought 158 used hard drives at secondhand computer stores and on eBay. Of the 129 drives that functioned, 69 still had recoverable files on them and 49 contained "significant personal information" — medical correspondence, love letters, pornography and 5,000 credit card numbers. :: This AP report certainly gives missionaries operating in closed societies more reason than ever to take care in how they use computers.

Chinese Internet Dissident Put on Trial
Human Rights in China reported Wednesday that police in Shanghai have sentenced the leader of an underground Christian church to 18 months in a labor camp.

Christians Begin to Fight Terrorism on Knees
Prayer movements across the country are rallying support for a major prayer effort intended to keep the United States safe from terrorist attack. The Homeland Security Prayer Initiative urges Christians to unite in 91 days of concerted prayer, through April 1.

Defense Tech
I'd like to call your attention to a web page I recently discovered. It is a web log, or blog as they are called, that deals with the future of the military, law enforcement, and national security.

Indian Pastor and Missions Team Beaten by Mob in Goa
An Indian pastor and members of a team from Operation Mobilization (OM) India were savagely beaten by a mob on the evening of November 18 in a small town in the state of Goa, India, after showing a film about the life of Christ.