Persecution Blog

Crescent Project Building BRIDGES

I was in Indianapolis, IN this week on the way to a television interview, and had the great privilege of visiting the offices of Crescent Project.  This organization works to train Christians in how to reach out to Muslims and share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with them. And their focus isn’t necessarily on people who are going to barge into Mecca and hand out tracts, but on people RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA!  You can reach your neighbor…your doctor…the exchange student at the university in your town.  Crescent Project  reminds us that you don’t have to GO to be a missionary…God is bringing the mission field onto our own soil!

While I was there I got a sneak peak at CP’s latest project, a small-group curriculum called BRIDGES.  It is a six-week small-group study that trains American Christians how to start the discussion with a Muslim, how to find common ground and how to dispel some of the misinformation about Christianity that is commonly taught in Muslim households. The curriculum includes DVD teaching material and study guides, as well as a leader’s guide. There will also be an online component to get additional information and to share stories of what worked (and what didn’t).

The sneak peak got me VERY excited about this incredible tool!  CP’s goal is to train one million American Christians to reach out to Muslims with the gospel.  The curriculum is available for pre-order now (at a discount!), and you can get a sneak peak at the web site, www.bridgesstudy.com  (they have even posted some of the video segments). If you know people who care about reaching Muslims for Christ, CP and BRIDGES provide excellent, unique training resources (CP also has one-day and one-week training seminars held around the country).

My hope is that a million on-fire American Christians trained, equipped and passionate about sharing the gospel with Muslims is only the beginning!

Todd Nettleton is the Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs—USA.

Gillian "Teddy Bear Teacher" Gibbons Receives 15 Day Prison Sentence, No Lashes

The verdict is in for Gillian Gibbons, she has been sentenced to 15 days in prison and then will be deported from the Sudan according to Fox News sources.

Yesterday we posted about how Gillian was charged with "insulting Islam" and "blasphemy" because the children in her class named a teddy bear Mohammed.  Many of us feared that the sentence imposed upon Gibbons would include lashes that could potentially kill the 54 year old.

Fortunately today, the court handed down the sentence for Gibbons that did not include lashes.  This is an answer to prayer for many of us, and we rejoice that at this time, it appears that Gillian Gibbons had been delivered from such harsh and unjust punishment.  Please continue to pray for Gillian as she still will be serving time in jail.

CNN's Coverage on Gillian Gibbons Teddy Bear Offense

British Woman May Receive 40 Lashes for Insulting Islam

One of the news items I wanted to bring to your attention today is the story of Gillian Gibbons (Pictured: Courtesy of Reuters) who is a British teacher who is using her gift of teaching in the Sudan.

Recently she was teaching a class of youngsters (in a Christian school)  about Democracy and had asked her students to name a teddy bear.  After a vote, the children named the bear Mohammed.  As a result, some parents were angered and she was eventually charged with "insulting Islam" and "inciting religious hatred" because of the name the children chose.

The English Al Jazeera website is reporting that Ms. Gibbons could receive 40 lashes, up to six months in jail and a fine if she is convicted of this crime.

If you'd like to read a description of what a person will endure when they receive lashes, please click here to read the account of Gavin Sherard-Smith who was given 50 lashes in  1993 for breaking an alcohol ban.  He denied the charges.

Please keep Gillian Gibbons in your prayers and also please pray for the leaders who are going to be making the final decision about whether or not this woman should suffer such severe punishment.   Ms. Gibbons is 54 years old and she is being supported by the pupil who suggested the name of Mohammad for the bear, simply because it is his name.

In Islam naming anything after Mohammad is considered blasphemy.

God at Work in Iraq

What is Iraq like for Christians these days? Here are some excerpts from a believer there:

“Living in the atmosphere of Iraq, those who are controlled by the spirit of fear forced many churches to close their doors and told their members, ‘We will call you when the circumstances get better.’ When churches started to close their doors, people immigrated to Northern Iraq and some to Syria and Jordan. Many Christians did not find an open church to go to.

“One [church] was threatened [so] many times that they had to close their doors or the Muslims would attack them. After seeking the Lord in prayer and fasting, the pastor and some other workers VOM supports decided they would not close, and they would have their regular meetings. We decided to do as Nehemiah did when he resisted the spirit of fear and continued to build Jerusalem. We agreed to take turns spending nights in the church to watch for any attack. Other churches heard about this, and they started to open their doors and do the same. The brother visited other churches in Baghdad and encouraged them to keep their doors open also.

“The brothers also saw that division started to take place between the pastors in Iraq. The brothers invited most of the pastors in Baghdad to pray together for unity and encouragement. Now they have a weekly prayer meeting for their country and the different parts of the world.

“They also started an outreach ministry to Muslims. More than once, Muslims came to the church asking for someone who can talk to them about the peaceful religion, Christianity. The brothers are conducting a weekly Bible study for Muslims. Muslim converts started to tell each other about the meeting and the meeting keeps growing.”

Be encouraged that amidst all the pain the Iraqi people are suffering that we hear about on the new, some are turning to Jesus Christ as a result. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers.

Pastor Threated with Violence Flees to U.S.

House church leader still alert for danger following Palestinian militiaman’s demands.

LOS ANGELES, November 21 (Compass Direct News) – A West Bank pastor who fled to the United States this week following threats of violence from a Palestinian security official said he feels he is in as much danger stateside as he was in Ramallah. “We know they do have contacts here in the states, so I’m taking it as serious as I would if I were still in Ramallah,” U.S.-born Isa Bajalia, who has ministered in Ramallah since 1991, told Compass. Bajalia, 47, said that a Fatah security official from the Tanzim militia, Nader Dahoud Abu Dahoud, demanded $30,000 and registration in his name of property the pastor had inherited. Bajalia said Dahoud had raised objections to a team of Christian visitors, which he had brought from the United States, praying for Muslims in Ramallah. In a telephone interview, Dahoud denied making the threats and said he was seeking only repayment of money he had given Bajalia for property the pastor had failed to sign over to him. Bajalia, however, told Compass that when the Islamic security official began harassing him in August, he made reference to the ministry project by the Christian visitors in May. “It’s not unusual for the Palestinian Authority to plant people in Christian projects so that they’ll see if you’re trying to convert Muslims to Christianity or if there’s any political agenda involved,” Bajalia said.

For more on this story, please visit Compass Direct for the full article.

Egypt Jails Christian Woman for Her Father's Conversion

I saw this story last week, written by Ethan Cole on the Christian Post website, and I wanted to share it with you because it's just another example of how hard it is to "officially" leave Islam and embrace Christianity publicly.

An Egyptian Christian woman has been jailed for her father’s brief conversion to Islam over 40 years ago which made her legally a Muslim despite her official papers stating that she is a Christian, her lawyer said Thursday.

Related
• Egypt Arrests Three Christian Rights Activists
• Egyptian Christian Convert Vows Not  to Give Up
• Egypt in Uproar Over Christian Convert Case
• Christian Convert Sues Egypt Over Legal Status
• Egypt's Top Islamic Scholar Clears Up Muslim Conversion Controversy

Shadia Nagui Ibrahim, 47, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in jail on the charge of fraud for stating she is a Christian on her marriage certificate, according to Agence France-Presse.

Under Egyptian law, a person’s official religion is based on the father’s religion. 

Nagui Ibrahim’s father converted to Islam in 1962 after leaving home when she was two years old. Three years later he reconciled with her mother and returned home, re-converting back to Christianity. He had someone forge his document to say he was Christian. (MORE)

There Is No Such Thing As Unanswered Prayer

“Why do you continue these meetings?” the secret policeman asked the Christian. “Do you think your neighbors wouldn’t report you to us?”

    The young man was a new Christian, but already he had led twenty others to Christ. They were praying that God would provide them a place to gather and worship together.

    For three weeks, the North African Christians met in an apartment—an illegal gathering that could lead to their arrest. Their praise and singing alerted the neighbors, who reported them to the secret police. Three times the young Christian had been hauled in for questioning.

    “Do you speak against Islam?” demanded the officer during the third interrogation.     “No,” the Christian answered. “We have nothing to do with Islam. We worship Jesus.”     “Do you speak against our leaders?”

    “No, sir. We pray for our leaders, just as Jesus told us to.”

    “Why don’t you find another place to meet? Then your neighbors will stop reporting you.”     “How can we, sir? We don’t have the proper permission.”

    The officer reached into his desk and took out a form. He wrote for several minutes and handed the form to the Christian. It granted the Christians the right to meet together in a church building that was no longer being used. A beautiful building and government permission to meet there—it was an answer to their prayers.

There is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. God always answers each of our prayers. Yet he may not answer in the way we prayed he would. Sometimes the answer is, “Wait.” We must wait on his timing in order to move ahead. Sometimes his answer is for us to “grow.” Our request is right on target, but we still have some growing to do in order to move ahead. Still, sometimes we are disappointed to hear his answer is, “No.” Our request is not in line with his will, or the timing is not right. And sometimes, the answer is, “Go.” Our request is on target. We are spiritually prepared, and the timing is right. What is God’s answer to your prayer right now?

Chain Reaction

 

Coming Soon - Chain Reaction!

If you are a lover of the persecuted church then you will want to mark your calendars today so that you can attend The Voice of the Martyrs National Mission Conference that is taking place next year on June 20-22 and June 27-29th!

There will also be Kid and Youth events happening at the same time.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND TO REGISTER TODAY!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello Friends!

I hope that you all had a very nice Thanksgiving Day yesterday and I hope you all remembered to pray for those who are suffering hardship for their faith.