This story is a few days old, but I think it's worth mentioning because even though it is not about Christian persecution like we read about in countries all around the world. It is interesting in light of how some companies are now coming under fire (pun intended) for the use of simply citing a scripture reference.

Unfortunately, due to some complaints and the controversy surrounding Trijicon's gun sights, they have decided to remove the scripture passages after having had them on the guns for over twenty years.

What do you think of this story? Compromise? Persecution? Share your thoughts.

'Biblical' references to be removed from guns

 Half of those arrested in recent months could face apostasy charges.

ISTANBUL, January 28 (CDN) — At least 14 Christians have been detained in Iranian prisons for weeks without legal counsel in the past few months as last year’s crackdown has continued, sources said. 

Three Christians remained in detention at Evin prison after authorities arrested them along with 12 others who had gathered for Christmas celebrations on Dec. 24 in a home 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Iran’s capital, Tehran, according to a source who requested anonymity. 

While the others were released on Jan. 4, remaining at Evin prison were Maryam Jalili, Mitra Zahmati and Farzan Matin, according to the source. Jalili is married and has two children. 

Matin sounded ill in a short phone conversation this week to his family, the source said. 

“Maybe he caught a cold, maybe it’s something else, but for sure they are under heavy pressure,” the source said. “They are not allowed visits from family. It doesn’t seem good.” 

Security forces went to the homes of all the detainees and confiscated their books, computers and other literature, according to Farsi Christian News Network. None of the Christians have had access to legal counsel or representation. 

“Normally they eventually release them,” said an Iranian source of the Dec. 24 arrests. “They never keep one person forever … but we don’t know when. We are used to living with this kind of government. Therefore we try our best and seek what God will do, and pray that they don’t keep them so long.” The source said authorities have promised the release of the three Christians arrested Dec. 24 but have yet to let them go. 

“They called their families, and they were told they would be released after bail … but then they didn’t [release them],” he said of the three Christians held in Evin.

Within days after the Dec. 24 arrest, Jalili’s sister, Mobina Jalili, and another Christian were arrested in Isfahan. The source said these two have had no contact with their families. The location and conditions of their detainment are unknown.    Finish reading at Compass Direct.

Just in case you didn't receive the recent email sharing about the lastest with Bibles Unbound, I wanted to share it with you.  This is very cool.

Homeschooled Girls Mail Bibles to China

At VOM we get many testimonies from Bibles Unbound mailers. Their stories inspire and encourage us with their faithfulness, and sometimes we just have to share them. Recently, Paul Gerardi shared how mailing New Testaments to China has blessed and enriched his family.

Seven-year-old Ann and 10-year-old Jana, Paul and Brenda’s adopted daughters from China, assist their parents in putting the packages together. Praise God, the Gerardi’s are a great example of the many faithful BU participants mailing God’s word into restricted nations. This family and others like them have now mailed more than one million New Testaments!

“Jana and Ann were each adopted from China while still infants. When we read about Hudson Taylor and his work in spread the Gospel in China, the girls became very excited and asked if they could help spread the Gospel to their home country, too… [They] decided they wanted to send Bibles to China so the Chinese people could hear the word of God and grow in their Faith.”

“Each month the girls look forward to getting their delivery of Bibles to mail out, and the names of those waiting for their copy, “ Paul added. “After the Bibles are packaged, prayed over, and sent, the girls put the recipient names into their prayer journals where they are lifted up to God regularly. We monitor the progress of the Bible deliveries on the Bibles Unbound Web site. We are truly grateful to The Voice of the Martyrs and Bibles Unbound for this program, which has become an essential component of the missions work part of our children’s education.”

We are grateful to faithful believers like the Gerardis’ in the United States who are receiving New Testaments monthly, praying over them and sending the Word of God to people who have never heard it before. These are seeds sown in good soil, and God promises a harvest. We are also thankful for our brothers and sisters inside restricted nations gathering names and addresses of people who need to read God’s Word.

Thank you for being a part of Bibles Unbound. Check www.BiblesUnbound.com often to see when new operations are added. Also, please forward this e-mail to Christian friends who care about persecuted believers around the world. Pray with us that God will open additional opportunities for mailing New Testaments into more nations in the coming months. 

Here's an interesting story coming from the website Crime Scene Kansas City.  Thank God no one was hurt.

Police are investigating a home robbery about 8:45 last night in the 1300 block of West 40th. Victims say two men showed up during their Bible study, ordered them to the floor and took off with a TV set and a wallet. It's not clear if the robbery is connected to two others last night at 8:04 p.m. in the 5000 block of Norledge and at 8:11 p.m. in the 3500 block of Windsor.

This story is from Compass Direct.  As you read this, think of the 12 year old girls you know, and imagine not only the grief of her parents, but also the innocence of this child.  Then please pray for the parent's comfort and safety.

Proverbs 28:6

Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse. - Proverbs 28:6

Rare protest by family of tortured child puts spotlight on abuse of Christian working poor.

LAHORE, Pakistan, January 28 (CDN) — A daring protest and a high-profile funeral here on Monday (Jan. 25) for a 12-year-old Christian girl who died from torture and malnourishment has cast a rare spotlight on abuse of the Christian poor in Pakistan. 

In an uncommon challenge in the predominantly Muslim nation, the Christian parents of Shazia Bashir Masih protested police unresponsiveness to the alleged violence against their daughter by Muslim attorney Chaudhary Muhammad Naeem and his family and his attempt to buy their silence after her death. The house servant died on Friday (Jan. 22) after working eight months in Naeem’s house.

An initial medical report indicated she died gradually from blows from a blunt instrument, wounds from a sharp-edged weapon, misuse of medicines and malnourishment. Key media highlighted the case on Pakistan’s airwaves, and minority rights groups along with high-ranking Christian politicians have swooped in to help.

More than 100 Christians have been killed in Jos, Nigeria, since Jan. 17, when violent riots broke out between the Christian and Muslim communities, according to VOM contacts. 

The Voice of the Martyrs contacts reported that the violence was triggered by a Muslim attack on St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Nasarawa Gwong, in the Jos North Local Government Area. “It appears to the Christians here that elements inside the Nigerian Muslim community actually prepare for events like this and then look for an incident which they can then escalate into a crisis. The intent is to drive Christians out of this area down to the south,” VOM contacts reported. 

Church leaders said Muslim youths also attacked buildings belonging to the Christ Apostolic Church, Assemblies of God Church, three branches of the Church of Christ in Nigeria and the Evangelical Church of West Africa. On Jan. 18, authorities imposed a curfew, and the city is under the close control of Nigerian troops.

Hundreds of believers have reportedly been wounded. “We have been witnessing sporadic shootings in the last two days,” Rev. Chuwang Avou, secretary of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria told Compass Direct News a few days after the attacks began. “We see some residents shooting sporadically into the air. We have also seen individuals with machine guns on parade in the state.”  

The Voice of the Martyrs has people on the ground in Nigeria assisting believers. VOM is providing medical assistance and other resources to those affected by the attacks. VOM has supported persecuted believers in Nigeria for more than 20 years. VOM also helps widows through the Family of Martyrs Fund and provides their children with free education. Pray that VOM contacts will be able to provide the spiritual encouragement and resources that believers in Nigeria need. Pray for peace and for the protection of believers.

Photos courtesy of Rev. Hassan John

After a seven year struggle with cancer, Glenn Penner of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada went home to be with the Lord on the evening of January 26, 2010 at the age of 48.

Glenn first joined VOM-Canada in 1997. Klaas Brobbel, the Director of the mission at the time, recalls, "Looking back to August 1997 when we interviewed Glenn for the position of Development Director for The Voice of the Martyrs, I marvel at God's goodness and timing to send Glenn our way. The mission was floundering and we needed help. Little could we have known the great work that Glenn would be able to pack into the nearly 12½ years of service to the Persecuted Church."

Barely five years after joining VOM-Canada, Glenn was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. After undergoing chemotherapy, radiation treatment and a stem cell transplant, Glenn, his wife Denita, and their family decided not to pursue further treatment when the cancer returned. With confidence in God's provision, Glenn bravely continued to serve the Persecuted Church and strove to utilize the time God gave him to its fullest potential.

Merv Knight, Ambassador-at-Large with International Christian Association, of which VOM-Canada is an affiliate, reflected, "It is my privilege to have had a close association with VOM-Canada from its formative days. I have seen it move through various stages of change and growth. One of those positive changes came with the appointment in 2007 of Glenn Penner as C.E.O. Glenn was God's man for the time."

Glenn had a particular passion for helping suffering believers to understand the biblical basis for their trials. His book, In the Shadow of the Cross, is an intensive study of the theology of persecution and discipleship which continues to be an invaluable resource to Christians worldwide who are suffering for Christ's sake. A gifted teacher, Glenn was blessed to be able to share his study with Christian leaders in religiously restricted and hostile nations in South America, Africa and Asia, as well as in seminaries and colleges in Europe and North America.

In January 2010, Glenn stepped down from the position of C.E.O. to allow him to serve more in line with the limitations and challenges of his condition. Corey Odden, who served for 10 years with VOM-USA, assumed the role of C.E.O. while Glenn became VOMC's Scholar-in-Residence/Executive Advisor.

Glenn's faithful dedication has inspired many – his family, the staff and supporters of VOM-Canada, international partners, and the many suffering Christians worldwide who have been touched by his service to them. As the mission moves forward into a new chapter, the staff is profoundly thankful to God for Glenn's example.

Greg Musselman, VOM-Canada's Chief Communications Officer, said, "I've known Glenn for the past 10 years and we worked together at VOM-Canada for seven. We travelled together overseas several times and worked on many video projects and newsletter articles about the Persecuted Church. I learned so much from him in the area of theology and church history and for that I will always be grateful. The rest of the team and I at VOM-Canada will strive to carry on his legacy as we serve the Persecuted Church."

VOM-Canada's Chief Operations Officer, Floyd Brobbel, added, "Words can never completely convey what Glenn meant to me and over the years ahead I will cherish the memories of my time with Glenn.  The meetings, the travel, the laughter, the tears, the heated discussions, the planning, the practical jokes, and the list goes on to form a wonderful tapestry Glenn wove into my life. I would not change a thing because it all narrows to one word for me, and that is 'friend.'"

Friends and family of Glenn Penner are invited to celebrate his life and express condolences to his loved ones on Friday, January 29 at City Centre Baptist Church. The viewing will be held, the Lord willing, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with the funeral beginning at 1:00 p.m. City Centre Baptist Church is located at 1075 Eglinton Avenue West in Mississauga, Ontario. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, February 6 at 1:00 p.m. at the Zion Evangelical Missionary Church in Didsbury, Alberta. Directions are available at www.zemc.org. For more information, please phone 1.888.298.6423.

My friend, Glenn Penner, who was the former CEO of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada went home to eternity with the Lord last night. And today as I have been thinking about Glenn and his wife Denita and their children, a few things come to mind.

First, I would ask that you all please keep Denita and her children in your prayers. As we all know, the death of a loved one is a very hard journey and so please take a minute to write down this prayer request.

Second, I just wanted to share about my friendship with Glenn. I never had the opportunity to meet Glenn in person, but I did have numerous conversations with him on Skype and via email, and the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Glenn is his sense of humor. In fact, his sense of humor was sometimes a little morbid, but also just flat out funny. He made me laugh on more occasions that I can remember. If you want to see some of the things he felt were funny, just go to his blog and scroll through, you'll see what I mean.

Another thing about Glenn that I loved was that he was purely a gentle man and a gentle soul. I liked that he was direct when he had an issue he wanted to address, but he was also kind in addressing things. I remember one day I was having a bad day, and was just really mad about something and he shot me an email and I just vented to him, and he took the time to help me focus on what was the solution.

And of course, Glenn's love for the persecuted church and the church in general. I am blessed in that he sent me a copy of the book he authored about the theology of persecution, and it was from Glenn that I learned that the bible is really a book about persecuted believers. And I'm sure as only time and eternity will tell, that his work will be considered a classic for material that is a must read to learn about Christian persecution.

And lastly, when I think of Glenn and how today he is in the presence of the Lord, I am reminded and comforted by Psalm 116:15 - Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones. - Well done Glenn, well done.

  Compass Direct is reporting this sad story today.  Please keep his family and supporters also in your prayers.  We know that according to Romans 8:28, God will work this out for His purposes.  Please read this scripture and pray with me for the bishop.

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^[a] who^[b] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 ³¹What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written: 
   "For your sake we face death all day long; 
      we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."^[c] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[d]neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gunmen abduct Edo state chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria after service.

LAGOS, Nigeria, January 26 (CDN) — Gunmen are still holding the Anglican archbishop of Benin diocese in southern Nigeria’s Edo state after abducting him on Sunday (Jan. 24).

Peter Imasuen, who is also the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), was abducted in front of his official residence on his way back from a church service. The kidnappers are reportedly demanding $750,000 for his release. 

The armed kidnappers reportedly followed the archbishop from the St. Matthew Cathedral to his residence, where they dragged him out of his car and took him to an unknown location.

 

Here is part two of the interview with the Voice of the Martyrs Holland Director talking about bible smuggling during the Cold War. Please share with a few friends!