Earlier today I came across a blog that mentioned doing a blog round up of the first post in every month for your blog.  Good idea....so without further adieu here are the first posts from every month we've been writing about persecution.

June 1 - The Five Purposes of Voice of the Martyrs

Not to long ago I was privileged to meet up with some people who worked for the Voice of the Martyrs booth at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Anaheim, California. The picture to the left is a picture of their booth and you can see that the words that stand out say, "Get Involved" - this is what the underlying purpose of VOM is all about.

July 5 - Muslims & America

Does America really hate the Muslim world?  Today in an article by the Media Monitors Network we see an article that discusses this issue and also talks about persecution. It's an interesting article.

August 1 - Voice of the Martyrs New Meeting Website

This weekend as I was loafing around reading my monthly Voice of the Martyrs magazine I noticed that they have just launched a new website for people who would like to get more involved with them.

The name of the website is called VOMMeetings.com and it can be found at, yes you guessed it, www.vommeetings.com  :)  Pretty clever address isn't it?

September 1 - Kay Arthur Talks About Persecution

Yesterday Janet Parshall interviewed Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries about a friend of hers who is in Uzbekistan suffering for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is one of the most touching interviews I have personally heard in a very long time, and I want to encourage you to listen to it.

The interview runs approximately 13 minutes.

Janet Parshall Interviewing Kay Arthur About A Persecuted Family

October 3 - The Voice of the Martyrs Enlists Support of Bloggers to Spread Information About Persecuted Christians

Christian non-profit group The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) today launched what it calls the VOM Blogosphere Program to enlist bloggers in helping spread its message about the plight of persecuted Christians around the world.

(PRWEB) October 3, 2005 -- VOM's mission is to aid Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ and educate the world about the ongoing persecution of Christians. Now, they are tapping into the power of the blogosphere to enlist bloggers to help spread the message of persecuted believers around the globe.

November 1 - More on the 3 Murdered Girls in Indonesia

Yesterday I wrote a piece about this tragedy for Newsbusters, here is the opening paragraph...

Last week four Christian Indonesian girls who were on their way to their Christian high school were attacked by hooded attackers who successfully beheaded three of the girls. However, what most people would consider an outrage, The Washington Post and the the LA Times doesn't even consider newsworthy.  Finish reading here and note the 98 comments.  This is a hot issue.

Today Christianity Today has a great recap called Christian Teens Beheaded in Indonesia . 

Please take some time to read these articles and then pray and act by telling the Indonesian Embassy your concerns.

December 1 - Nuns Shot By Armed Robbers

Nuns...who could rob from a Nun?  Seriously, did you ever see that great movie Sister Act and how the nuns helped everyone.  I especially loved how they sang all the hymns and praise songs, so who could be so mean as to rob nuns!

The story that had the most feedback and the most generation in comments and visitors to the site was the three girls who were beheaded and the pictures I posted.

It's the end of 2005 and one of the big stories that I followed this year was what is happening to our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ all throughout the world.  I have to say that it's been an eye-opening 7 months of writing almost daily about persecution.  At times I've literally dreaded coming to my computer and researching this topic because frankly, it can be depressing and overwhelming.  Other times, I've been more than excited to get the word out and to mention to you the importance and urgency of prayer.  I've also been challenged by the faith of the martyrs and joy that these believers have because of their Lord Jesus.

I've learned a  lot about my own faith during this time, and one thing for sure is that when you realize and consider the cost Christians in other countries are paying, being an American Christian is a blessing.  So thanks to those of you who have followed this blog since it began, and I pray that you will continue the journey with me into 2006.

I would be interested in knowing how reading this blog has impacted your spiritual life, and how it shapes how you see the persecuted.  Leave us some thoughts, we love hearing from you.

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time going through news items concerning a situation here in America that I find very disturbing.  The issue at hand - Navy Chaplains who are being told not to pray in the name of Jesus. I think this is a serious issue for freedom of speech and religion in the United States of America, and yet the mainstream media has not covered this story.

I will also admit right up front that this type of Christian persecution is not the same that we normally cover here at the Persecution Blog, but I believe with all of my heart that this is the beginning of what could easily become persecution in America like we see all over the world.

I was reminded of the story of Peter and John when they were called before the religious leaders of their day...

^{Acts 4:18}Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. ²⁰For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

This is telling isn't it?  In the days of the early church followers were told to not speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.  Today we have "leaders" telling Christian chaplains to not "pray in the name of Jesus."  The issue obviously is the name of Jesus.  Jesus is real.  Jesus lives.  Jesus died for our sins on the cross full of blood. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Jesus divides.  Jesus revives.  And most importantly, Jesus loves you.

So speak boldly the name of Jesus because He spoke boldly His love for you on that bloody cross.  Love and support our persecuted brothers in Christ, and please get involved in helping the persecuted church.

I just got home from doing some light grocery shopping and when I got home I decided to open up a can of mixed nuts I bought myself.  I bought them for a few reasons - first, it was on sale, and second, nuts are high in protein.  The label on the nuts told me that they were "lightly salted", but when I tried them I thought..."If these are lightly salted, I'm not sure I'd actually want the ones that are salted normally."

Believe it or not, that got me thinking about a New Years Resolution for the persecuted church and whether or not any of you have a desire to make one?  So I'm asking - do you have any new year's resolutions that include the persecuted church? 

And also this - are you a lightly salted Christian or one that is heavily salted?  And how do you know?

Pham Ngoc Thach (pictured) is the latest Voice of the Martyrs prisoner highlighted on the Prisoner Alert website.  Right now there have been 388 encouraging letters written to Pham.  I want to encourage you to take just a few minutes to add to that number.  The following is the complete information concerning his imprisonment.

An incident on March 2, 2004, near the Vietnam Mennonite church center in District 2, eventually resulted in the arrest of six church leaders, including evangelist Pham Ngoc Thach. It began when they attempted to report to local civil authorities they were being harassed by secret agents. After agents fled the scene, leaving a motorcycle behind, the church leaders insisted police conduct an official investigation. Many police arrived at the scene. There was scuffling, and Thach was knocked down, jumped on and kicked in the face. Police withdrew after arresting one man. Hearing this man was being beaten at the precinct police station, Thach and two others went to the police station to urge restraint. They, too, were arrested and imprisoned. Thach was kicked in the stomach, chest and groin by the police officers, leaving him unconscious. He suffered additional beatings during interrogation sessions in the following weeks. More than four months later, Thach's father was allowed his first visit with his son.

On November 15, 2004, at the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court, Thach was tried-along with the five others-on charges of interfering with persons carrying out their official duties. They all were convicted and sentenced to various prison terms with Thach receiving a two-year sentence.

An appeal filed on behalf of Quang and Thach was heard by the court April 12, 2005. The court upheld their convictions and sentences. A concerted international appeal for the release of these two men resulted in the government granting amnesty to Pastor Quang in late August 2005. Thach remains in prison, assigned to a unit breaking rocks into gravel and more recently digging graves when a prisoner dies.

Today one of my favorite columnists of all time, J. Grant Swank, presents an update on the terrible situation that happened a few months ago where four Christian girls on their way to school were mercilessly attacked, and three were beheaded.  The surviving girl said this recently...

"’All I could do was pray to Jesus for his help,’ said 16-year-old Noviana Malewa, who fled with a gaping head wound. ‘I was streaming with blood.’ A thick scar runs from the back of her neck to just under her right eye.

"Noviana's family, which fled the hamlet overlooking Poso, had recently returned, confident that tensions were subsiding. Still recovering from the attack, the girl now lives under police guard in the Christian town of Tentena.

"In her only interview since the killings, Noviana described how the girls in their school uniforms were taking a shortcut to school through jungle and plantations when they ran into at least five masked, black-clad men.

"As she fled bleeding, the assailants collected her friends' heads, put them into black plastic bags and then dumped in Christian parts of Poso, one on a porch, the other two on the street.

Then the father of one of the beheaded girls, Hernius Morangki, reported,

"’They were killed as if they were chickens,’ said Hernius Morangki, showing a reporter the spot where his daughter was decapitated. ‘I keep asking myself, what were my daughter's sins?’

And then the United States is mentioned,

"The United States is closely watching Indonesia, where Jemaah Islamiyah militants are accused of carrying out a string of suicide bombings on Western targets since 2002, including attacks on the island of Bali that killed more than 220 people, most of them foreign tourists."

Yes, the US had better take note. No wonder the surveillance current in America. May US President George W. Bush not cower to the liberal press and other secularists who join in with Muslims in favor of Islam world rule.

Sleeper cells are rampant. Four thousand Muslim web sites are in cyberspace spewing hate. Mosques are often managed by clerics teaching murder and rape. The Koran’s killing passages are taken most seriously by Muslim murderers global.

Yet the liberal media will not use the "M" word when recounting Islamic killers’ atrocities. They are instead called "insurgents" or "terrorists." It’s time for politicians, lawmakers, judges, media and clergy to name Muslim murderers as Muslim murderers. It is time to use the "M" word daily in order to warn the planet of the Allah worshipers take over agenda.

The Muslim machete-carrying slayers leaped out from behind a wall of tall grass. Before the Christian girls could run for their lives, their heads were separated from their necks.

Preach it brother!  Amen! Please pray for these families...please.

You may be wondering from the title who are the Degar people...so I'm here to introduce you to them.  According to the Montagnard Foundation, Inc. website the Degar people are people who are in danger of being snuffed out because of religious persecution and repression.  They are our Christian brothers and sisters in Vietnam.

The Degar people have been severly treated for their faith in Christ, and even during the Christmas season, evil didn't take a break from torturing these precious saints.  Learn more about the Degar people and please add them to your prayer list. 

Watch video about the Degar

I'd like to thank Jeremy Reynalds for his story that led me to the information on these people.

Jeff Jacoby has written an interesting piece at Townhall.com about the history of Chanukah and the persecution and victory of the Jews.  This is how it ends...

The Jews fought to preserve a different view of the world -- one with God, not man, at its center. Had they failed, Judaism would have died. Because they triumphed, the Jewish religion survived. And from it, two centuries later, Christianity was born.

Go on over and read the rest.  It will make you think.  Then tell me what you thought.

Have you ever wondered why some people fall under the threat of persecution or actual persecution itself?  I was thinking about this today as I was reading in Mark 4, and I found the answer.  Check this out... Jesus explains to the disciples what the parable of the sower stands for. 

¹³Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

What kind of soil are you?  I am encouraged because when I consider the saints who are daily being persecuted it is obvious that their faith is real and grounded in His word.  This is just another reason why we need to be IN HIS word daily.

  Missionary couple murdered by Islamic terrorists.  Sorry but I had to report this today despite the Christmas season, which ironically was also surrounded by murders.  Never forget the enemy tried to kill Jesus before He was born.

Dick and Enid Eyeington (pictured)  were watching television at their home in Somaliland when a terrorist linked to al-Qaeda shot them.   Nice huh?

Here's a little bit from the article:

The couple were considered "infidels" by their attackers, who wrongly believed that they were trying to convert Africans to Christianity.

Four men were involved in the attack in which a gunman wielding an AK47 put the weapon through the living room window and opened fire on Oct 20, 2003.

Mr Eyeington, 62, was shot four times. He was still holding the television remote control when he was found, Westminster coroner's court heard. Mrs Eyeington, 60, died from a single shot to the head.

The aid workers, originally from Co Durham, where they were childhood sweethearts, had lived in Africa since marrying in 1963 and worked with poor children in Tanzania, Swaziland and Somaliland.

Please pray for the murderers and also for the families of those left behind.