Persecution Blog

Christians Threated to Convert to Islam or Suffer the Consequences

What if you received a letter at your church and your home that told you to convert to Islam within the next ten days or else suffer the consequences?  What would you do?

Well, this happened recently to Christians in Pakistan, according to an email from The Barnabas Fund.  Read what the Christians did, I think it will bless you.

On  May 7th anonymous letters were delivered to churches and Christian homes in the towns of Charsadda and Mardan, Pakistan. The letters demanded that the Christians close their churches and convert to Islam within the next ten days. While some of the letters did not specify what would happen if the Christians refused, others threatened bombings or execution of all Christians.

Christians throughout Pakistan responded to the threats by observing ten days of fasting and prayer, beginning on 17th May, the date that the ultimatum ended. At the time of writing there have been no reports of coming from Pakistan that any of the threats have been realised. The authorities have condemned the threats and called for the protection of the Christians.

At the same time as the letters were being received, other Pakistan Christians had also received threats. In Peshawar two Taliban-style militants put a gun to the head of a junior staff member at the Pakistan Bible Institute. They threatened him, saying “We hear you are converting Muslims”. Thankfully they were disturbed and fled before they carried out their threat.

Pray with Pakistani Christians that God will protect them from harm. Pray that their faith in God to protect them will be a witness to those who wish them harm, that the one who is with us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Three Jailed Indonesia Sunday School Teachers to Be Released Early

In all my time writing about Christian persecution the story of Rebekka, Ratna, and Eti who were imprisoned back in May 2005 for converting Muslim children to Christianity is one story that stands out above many others.

I'm happy to report that today CBN did an update on these three precious saints and not only are they being used in jail to lead others to Jesus, but our prayers have been answered because they will be released early next month!  Praise the Lord!

CBN has a short 3 minute video that I'd like you to click on over and watch.  This is great news and we need to rejoice.

Turkey: Arrests In Plot Against Pastor

The following is being reported from Stratfor concerning some new arrests against a Protestant pastor.

Police in Diyarbakir, Turkey, have arrested six people suspected of plotting an attack against a Protestant pastor, according to a May 30 Turkish news agency report. Some of the detainees are thought to have had contacts with suspects involved in the April killing of three Christians in Malatya, Turkey. The pastor had said earlier that he was being threatened.

4,000 Protestors Rise Up Against Christian Persecution in India

Christian Today has a great article about how protesters are rising up against Christian persecution in India.  As you know, the persecution in India is rampant and so it's good to see people taking some action.  Keep India in your prayers.

Holocaust Survivors in Israel

When I went to Israel last week one of the things that I was looking forward to was meeting the people of the land.  I didn't go on a full  biblical tour of Israel like many Christians.  Instead I had the opportunity to meet the Jewish people of the land including a few holocaust survivors, a victim of a suicide bomber and a member of the Israeli military. 

I also learned much about the disconnect between Christians and Jews and have a greater understanding as to why these relationships are so important...and often strained today.

The picture in this post is my husband Randall and me, with a married couple who were both survivors of the holocaust under Hitler.  We sat with them on the grounds of the holocaust museum and listened as they shared how God delivered them from death.

The woman shared her testimony about how at one time she and her mother and many others were actually placed within a gas chamber and they were going to be killed, however, something happened and the persecutors couldn't get it to work.  She said that it was amazing because none of them knew it was a gas chamber until after the fact, and yet God delivered them.

She also shared how she was forced to walk around nude and was given basically a burlap bag to wear in freezing cold weather while they had to work in the camps.  It really is an amazing testimony and I'm very thankful that there are Christians in Israel reaching out to the few remaining holocaust survivors.  This is one way the Lord is repairing Jewish and Christian relations and we all need to pray for that to continue.

Obedience

I came across these excerpts in the book Heroic Faith, published by The Voice of the Martyrs. In my opinion, they show the power in obeying God, and challenge us to be obedient like our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

•God’s clarion call to His children is obedience. He wants us to understand what He wants; then He wants us to do it. It’s as simple as that. Those with heroic faith take God seriously and do what He says.

•Obedience is not a gift or a gift-inspired trait. It is a choice that we must make everyday. Obedience contains no “ifs” (“If this happens, then I will obey”). When obedience leads to trouble, a hero has the faith to know who will lead him or her safely through the trouble. Heroic Christians do not have to be brave or fearless; they have to believe God and then act on that belief with obedience, totally depending on Him.

•If we are determined to obey God, we must continually ask, “Do my actions express love for God and my neighbor?” and “What can I do to bring the Good News of Christ to others, to make disciples?”

•That’s how heroic believers live, in every nation. In fact, those who are persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith are attacked because of how they live, because they obey God, regardless of the consequences.

Pages 102-103

When You See A Christian You Don't See A Bad Thing

When I was going through my mail, after getting home from Israel, I found my most recent VOM magazine from June 2007 and the following line really caught my attention.

"When you see a Christian you don't see a bad thing." - A statement that should be self evident if everyone believed Christians are good and loving people, however, that unfortunately isn't the case.

Dr. Tom White, the Director for The Voice of the Martyrs, wrote a great piece in the VOM June edition of the VOM magazine called "Vietnam - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear". In this article, he tells a story about a police officer who came to faith in Christ because he saw the love of Christians. He testified that he is now an evangelist and that he now tells the police that Christians are not a bad thing. And he goes on to say that "he defends the church."

This sounds a lot like St. Paul after his conversion and my prayer is that all of us who have a steadfast faith in Christ Jesus would pursue the spirit of unity and let the world know that when people see Christians they are indeed seeing a good thing and also a group who will love and defend her own.

God's Grace is Sufficient

“Hurry, get into the closet. Do not make a sound unless you hear my voice. Do you understand?” Rose heard the two small voices of her preschool children say, “Yes, Mommy,” then she bolted out the door and headed toward her daughter’s school, praying that it was not too late.

At the proclamation of Sharia, or Islamic law, by the Nigerian government, pockets of violence broke out against Christian groups because they had opposed the laws. Rose’s oldest daughter was still at school during the rioting, and Rose was sure she would not be safe there. When she arrived at the school, her daughter had been taken to a military base for safety. Eventually, Rose found her, and they returned home where the two younger children were waiting safely.

The following day, when her husband left for a Christian gathering, it was the last time she saw him alive. Roughly 260 churches were destroyed during these riots, and more than 460 Christians were killed.
In the months since her husband’s murder, Rose has drawn comfort from the book of Acts. She said, “The same God that allowed Stephen to be stoned also allowed Peter to escape from prison. God has been faithful, and his grace has been sufficient.” Today Rose continues to work in the church where her martyred husband pastored, and she busily raises her three children.

It has been said God will never lead us where his grace cannot keep us. We must realize that sometimes his plan does not include a miraculous deliverance from illness, death, or oppression. Yet his grace is sufficient, and he has not abandoned us. We must trust that God would not lead us to a place of ministry or work without an adequate measure of his grace to make it. Sometimes his plan involves simply seeing us through an ordeal instead of delivering us from it. Have you come to a point where you are willing to entirely rely on him? You’ll likely never say that God’s grace is all you need until his grace is all you have.

Thank You

This week I took time to evaluate how the year 2007 has been going for me, so I can see God’s hand on my life and the continual blessings in my life. I have been associated with The Voice of the Martyrs for six months. Learning about and sharing in the suffering of persecuted believers around the world has been a life-changing experience for me. Prior to my involvement with VOM, I had no in-depth knowledge of the magnitude of suffering that believer’s experience. Learning from VOM is priceless.

I know that usually November is the month when most people openly share what they are thankful for, but God has been so good to me. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the persecuted church. My life has been impacted by the lives of countless persecuted believers who are a great model of Christ’s love. Their godly example and attitude, despite the risks and challenges, move me to prayer. I am thankful for the information VOM provides. I now know I have persecuted brother and sisters who covet my prayers and support. Even though I still have a whole lot more to learn, I am so thankful for this awesome opportunity. Be thankful for all God has done in your life and the lives of persecuted believers around the world.

Jesus is More Precious

I read a testimony from a persecuted believer who has lost everything because of his faith. His livelihood and family have been taken from him, but in all this, his faith is firm. In his testimony he declares it does not matter what is done to him, but he will not leave Christ. He says that Jesus Christ has become more precious to him during persecution than before. When I read this, I was moved by this believer’s dedication and love to his savior Jesus Christ. While reading his testimony, there is no doubt this believer is 100 percent sold out for God.

Reading testimonies like his help and challenge me to appreciate my relationship with Christ more. As a believer who can freely worship without any risk of persecution, the testimonies of courage from around the world re-energize me to do and be all God wants me to be. Since reading his testimony I have been asking myself whether Jesus is more precious to me than anything else. I have realized that I have to constantly realign what I do to ensure that He is Lord over everything in my life. I encourage you to consciously and consistently make Jesus more precious than anything else in your life. Remember and pray for persecuted believers who face many challenges because of their faith. Pray that God encourages them as they live for Him and sometimes lose everything because of their faith.