Persecution Blog

A Testimony from the Ft. Lauderdale VOM Conference

I love testimonies don't you?  Well, last year when I had the opportunity to go to Oklahoma for the Persecution Conference, it was one of the most memorable experiences I've had.  So when I saw this blog entry today from a friend who attended a recent VOM Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, all I could do is smile and tell you about it.

Here's the beginning:

On Saturday, June 20, my son Julio D. Anta invited me to go to The Voice of the Martyrs Regional Conference http://www.persecution.com/ at Calvary Chapel of Ft Lauder dale. He will be going to China to teach English to middle school students with ELIC (English Language Institute of China) a Christian ministry. 

This was a life changing experience for me watching on video and hearing numerous speakers that risk their lives daily around the world spreading the gospel. I've been a Christian for 23 years, a honorably discharged USMCR Sergeant, retired Prison Guard, Kung Fu Master, Haganah Israeli Self Defense instructor yet I can not see myself enduring the horror's that these true hero's

endure daily for Christ.

Some of the speakers were missionary Gracia Burnham who with her husband spend a year captured by Filipino Muslims. The day she gain her freedom she was shot and her husband was killed. Getaneh Getaneh an Ethiopian Evangelist and Mujahid El Masih a Pakistani Christian. 
Mujahid was born Muslim in Pakistan a country that is 98% Muslim. For 14 years in school he studied the Koran and Islam. From Islamic teachers and in the military he was taught hate Christians, Israel and non-Muslims and he wanted to be a martyr. At 25 years old he got to know Jesus. He went to Bible College, began to preach the gospel and was able to plant 24 churches in Pakistan.

KEEP READING

July Cover of the VOM Newsletter: Where Are They Now?

I am so blessed to be able to share about the persecuted church every day and to work with such great people at The Voice of the Martyrs.

A few days ago Todd asked everyone on Facebook  to share what story they remembered about persecuted christians because the July 2009 issue of the newsletter is about where these precious saints are now.  This is a sneak peek at July's cover.

If you haven't joined the VOM Facebook group yet, please click here to become a fan.

Iran's Christian Revolution Gains Momentum

Todd Nettleton from The Voice of the Martyrs appeared on CBN to discuss the church in Iran.

UPDATE: Rock Church of Zhengzhou, Henan Banned; 7 Christians Still Detained

Please keep China in your prayers!!!

 

Photo: Rock House Church – abolished and sealed by authorities.

June 23, 2009

HENAN – ChinaAid received more details regarding the persecution of Rock (Panshi) Church, a house church in Zhengzhou City, Henan. On June 14, government officials forcibly abolished and sealed Rock Church’s building. Eight Christians have been detained, with one released.

The incident began at 9:15 a.m. on June 14. Members of Rock Church were having their Sunday worship service, when several dozen unidentified officials and police officers suddenly broke into the gathering sites on the third floor, sixth floor and seventh floor. It was later learned that the officials were from the Zhengzhou Municipal Bureau of Religion and Zhengzhou Municipal Bureau of State Security.

Authorities occupied all the rooms, and detained the Christians. One young woman was in the restroom when a male police officer kicked open the door. Police officers on the seventh floor took videos and photos of all the Christians. Several officials dragged Pastor Dou Shaowen to the pulpit and attempted to force him to announce that the Sunday service was finished, and to disperse the church members. Pastor Dou refused, saying, “Sunday service must go on! Everything else should be discussed after the worship service.” Two police officers forcibly dragged Pastor Dou from the pulpit and attempted to take him away. The church members denounced the officials’ behavior and demanded that they produce warrants for the arrests and for sealing the church building. The authorities did not have warrants, but read a public notice from the Jinshui District Bureau for Ethnic Religious Affairs of Zhengzhou Municipality, stating:

“This is to notify that it has been found through investigation that Dou Shaowen, Feng Lu and other individuals who call themselves missionaries, have established a site for religious activities without approval at 326, Nanyang Road where they engage in illegal religious activities. They have seriously violated Article 43 of the ‘Regulations on Religious Affairs’ which states: ‘Where a non-religious body or a site not for religious activities organizes or holds religious activities or accepts religious donations, the religious affairs department shall order it to discontinue such activities….’  Now Dou Shaowen, Feng Lu and others are hereby ordered to immediately stop all the illegal religious activities at this site. The site for illegal religious activities at 326, Nanyang Road is therefore abolished.”

After officials read the notice, they forcibly escorted Pastor Dou Shaowen, and another Christian, to Dashiqian Police Station of Jinshui District, Zhengzhou Municipality. In the meantime, officials escorted Feng Lu, the pastor’s wife, to her home where they searched the house and confiscated a computer and other personal property.

The Christians insisted on finishing the Sunday worship service, even though authorities cut off the electricity and continued to take videos and photos, demanding that the Christians leave. 

After the service, officials forced four Christians: Li Zhimin, Wei Jianhua, Zhang Julin, and Ma Jianbo to accompany them to Dashiqiao Police Station of Jinshui District of Zhengzhou Municipality for interrogation. Finally, the authorities posted sealing tape from the Bureau of Religion, sealing off all the worship sites of Rock Church.

Police released one Christian at 10 p.m. the same evening, while the relatives of the other six arrested Christians received phone calls at around 11 a.m. the next day, June 15, notifying them to come to Jinshui District Detention Center to pay a fine of 800 to 900 yuan. They were also told that their family members had been given a 15-day detention. After the families paid the fines, they were not given receipts or shown detention notifications. At 10:30 p.m. on June 15, police summoned another church member, Li Cuiying, and, as of the time of this press release, Li, along with the six other Christians, is still being detained.

Please Contact the authorities at the Jing Ba Lu Branch PSB office in Zhengzhou City and ask for the immediate release of the seven Christians. The contact number for Jing Ba Lu Branch PSB office is +86-37163931313.

LAOS: Christians Released!

UPDATE: Praise God! On June 13, Christians arrested by plain clothes police, after visiting Christian villages in Laos, were released without incident, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts.

The believers were released without any problems, and they were not required to pay any fines. The police questioned them for hours and wanted to find out if they were resistance movement. When the police found out they were Christians, they were all released. Praise God!

The Christians were arrested on June 12, after visiting Christian villages. The visiting believers met the police when they were in the village for their routine daily work. The police questioned them about what they were doing in the village.

The Voice of the Martyrs rejoices with the families of these released believers. Praise God for His faithfulness. Pray believers in Laos will remain faithful in their faith in Jesus Christ.

VOM: Secret Christian Work

Ever wondered what to do when you are faced with a choice between breaking the law and following God? Didn’t Jesus tell us to “render unto Cesar” what is his? So whose law do we follow? 

At The Voice of the Martyrs, we have to think about these issues all the time. In many of the countries we work in, it is against the law to print, sell, import or distribute Bibles or Christian literature. So should we stop? Dr. Tom White talks about the rights and wrongs of this and other important work using Scripture and his own experience in a Cuban prison. 

Think about it, and see where you fit under the law of love. 

Read the brochure here.

Pakistan: Christian Woman Arrested

Asia Bibi, a 37-year-old Pakistani woman from the village of Ittanwali, was arrested by police on Friday, June 19, and faces possible blasphemy charges. Asia is the wife of 50-year-old Ashiq Masih, and their family is one of only three Christian families in a village of more than 1,500 families.

Many of the local women work on the farm of Muslim landowner Muhammad Idrees, including Asia. During their work many of the Muslim women have pressured Asia to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. Over the past week the pressure has been especially strong.

On Friday, June 19, there was an intense discussion among the women about their faith, with the Muslim women telling Asia about Islam. Asia responded by telling them about her faith in Christ.

READ MORE

China: House Church Leaders Arrested in Sichuan

On June 9, several dozen Chinese officials from the Domestic Security Protection Squad barged into Pastor Li Ming’s home in Langzhong city, Sichuan province, where more than 30 house church leaders were gathered, according China Aid Association.

Pastor Li's home was searched and all of the believers arrested. Thirteen of the leaders were sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention. Five other leaders, including Pastor Li, were placed under criminal detention and are likely to face formal criminal indictment or up to three years of "re-education through labor." The remaining leaders have been released.

The Voice of the Martyrs has supported persecuted Christians in China for more than 30 years. Ask God to give wisdom and guidance to the imprisoned leaders and their families. Pray for an end to crackdowns against believers in China.

Are You Ready to Die for Jesus?

“On hearing the death sentence, you will receive it as the invitation of the King of glory, who invited you to his wedding feast.”

    The instructions were difficult but clear. The French authors Franz Ravennas and Martin Guillabert wrote an instruction manual for Christians facing the threat of death. Their “publishing office” was their jail cell during the French Revolution. They saw their cell as the “ante-chamber to paradise.”

    “When they have finished reading your sentence,” the manual continues, “you will say with many martyrs who have gone before you, ‘Thank God.’ Sing joyful songs. When they bind your hands, say the words of St. Paul: ‘I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of Jesus Christ.’
  

 “On the way to being shot, speak to the guards from Scripture about the delight of suffering and dying for Christ. ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ (Romans 8:35)
   

“When you encounter the executioner, remember the words of the great martyr Ignatius: ‘When will the happy moment come when I will be slaughtered for my Savior? How long must I wait?’ Remember to also say a prayer for the persecutors.”
    Ravennas and Guillabert were beheaded. Their words are too much to imagine for most Christians in free nations, but they are followed, even today, in restricted nations.

Every day we live should come with a warning: Watch out! At any given moment, tragedy is a distinct possibility. Whether we are riding in a vehicle, crossing a street, or just going about our daily work, we are not safe from an accident, a disease, or a purposeful act of violence. While we can’t live protected from the evils of this world, we can live with the promise that God gives us: Nothing, absolutely nothing, can cut us off from the love we have in Jesus. Although you may never die for your faith, you may face rejection and other painful persecutions. God’s love will instruct you and help you face all that comes your way today.

Persecution Quotable