Persecution Blog

Dearborn Michigan Won't Allow Distribution of the Gospel in Public Areas

Earlier this week we shared with you the story of four Christians who were arrested in Dearborn Michigan for simply handing out gospel literature. You have to take six minutes to watch this video so you can see the number of police who swarmed these Christians and then violated their right to hand out the gospel of John, on public property in Dearborn Michigan. This is happening in America.

The Hands of Persecution Tighten in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan (MNN) ― Mission Network News has discussed the possibility that Christian refugees fleeing to Uzbekistan from chaotic Kyrgyzstan may be running into disaster. This appears to be the case.

Although there have not been reports of refugees receiving increased persecution in Uzbekistan, if they plan to stay in the country, they should probably expect it. According to Slavic Gospel Association, the Uzbek government has cracked down on Christians again.

An Uzbek member of the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (UECB) was recently fined nearly $2,000 under charges of "teaching religious beliefs without specialized religious education and without permission from a central religious organization" and "teaching religious beliefs privately." The victim, Valery Konovalov, was not even given a chance to defend himself.

In the meantime, Uzbek state television has been broadcasting attacks on protestant believers, focusing especially on Pastor Pavel Peichev. Peichev, also a member of the UECB, was convicted along with two others last year for charges regarding the UECB's children's camp ministry.

Pray that despite increased accounts of persecution, Uzbek believers would not back down in spreading the Gospel. Pray, too, that God would specifically protect those who have fled to Uzbekistan to find solace from upturned Kyrgyzstan.

Upcoming Events from The Voice of the Martyrs

Did you know that VOM has a speakers that can come to your church or meetings?  If not, I'm happy to share with you again today that we have many upcoming events coming up in the next few days.  For full descriptions on all of the events I'm going to highlight, click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunland Foursquare Church - June 24 at 7:00 PM

This is a special meeting to bring awareness of the plight of persecuted Christians around the world. Robert will be sharing a multi-media presentation that will inform, challenge, and inspire your walk with the Lord. He will be sharing stories of overcoming faith of those he has met in his travels.  More here.

Smokey Mountain Home Educators Association - June 25 at 10 AM

We will be hosting a booth at the annual Home School Resource Fair providing information about Voice of the Martyrs Ministry, highlighting "Kids of Courage" resources.  More here.

Calvary Chapel North Shore  - June 25 at 7 PM

Darcie is going to share the testimonies of the persecuted Christians she has been with in the hostile and restricted nations where VOM brings encouragement and help. These true stories will both edify and challenge you in your daily walk with Christ.  More here.

St. Peter St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church - June 25 at 8:30 PM

Robert will be sharing a multi-media presentation of the persecuted church around the world at this youth meeting. The courage and faith of those he has met will challenge and inspire your walk with the Lord.  More here.

Evangelical Congregational Church of Atlantic Pray - June 26 at 10 AM

Darcie will be sharing some of the testimonies of persecuted brothers and sisters she has been with recently. She will also share some of the scriptural principles they walk in daily. Come and be both blessed & challenged by their faithful lives.  More here.

VOM-USA Prayer Update for June 25, 2010

Every week we highlight some of our prayer requests that we are diligently praying for here at The Voice of the Martyrs.  Please join us this week in praying for these specific needs, and why not print them up and share them with your friends, Sunday school or bible study and your pastor.

INDIA — Christian Forcibly “Reconverted” to Hinduism — VOM Canada / Asia News

On June 8, 19-year-old Bhakta Bivar was beaten, tortured and forced to participate in a ceremony “reconverting” him to Hinduism, according to VOM Canada and Asia News. Six Hindu extremists reportedly stormed Bhakta’s home in Nuapada district, Orissa state, India, intending to kill him and his parents. When the attackers realized Bhakta’s parents were not home, they beat him and dragged him to the local Hindu temple, where he was forcibly “reconverted” to Hinduism. The next day, police arrested five of the assailants, who were charged and then released. Pray that Bhakta will not be fearful but will turn to the Lord for his daily strength. Pray that the persecution he has faced will embolden him to witness to his Hindu neighbors. Ask God to bring peace to India’s Orissa state. 

Matthew 5:13–16

CHINA — Pastor Released on Bail — China Aid Association

On June 13, Pastor Wang Dao was released on bail after being held for more than a month on charges of “gathering a mob to disrupt the public order,” according to China Aid Association. Pastor Wang was arrested in China’s Guangdong Province in early May. Pastor Wang, a leader of the Liangren Church, has reportedly been threatened with exile and denied the right to meet with his lawyers. He now faces new charges of “hindering the administration of credit cards.” Pastor Wang insists the criminal charges were brought against him because of his Christian faith. Pastor Wang’s house church has also faced unjust treatment from authorities, according to China Aid. Church members have reportedly been locked out of their rented building, ordered to disband from a peaceful meeting in a park and evicted from another rented building. Upon his release, Pastor Wang expressed thanks to all those in his Christian family who have prayed for and supported him. Pray that the charges against Pastor Wang will be dropped and that he and members of his church will stand firm in their faith in Christ. 

Psalm 23:1–5

SOMALIA: CONVERT ABUSED BY FAMILY

A 17-year-old girl in the Gedo Region of Somalia was severely beaten by her family recently after they discovered she had converted to Christianity, according to Compass Direct News. Nurta Mohamed Farah, 17, was later taken to a doctor, who prescribed medication for a “mental illness.” When she refused to abandon her Christian faith, her family forced her to take the medication.

Nurta’s family has read Islamic scripture to her twice a week since May 10, when they learned of her conversion. Somalis traditionally believe that the Quran cures the sick — especially the mentally ill.

Nurta has been shackled to a tree during the day and held in a small, dark room at night, according to Compass. “There is little the community can do about her condition, which is very bad,” a Christian source told Compass. “I have advised our community leader to keep monitoring her condition but not to meddle for their own safety. … We need prayers and human advocacy for such inhuman acts, and for freedom of religion for the Somali people.”

The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to pray that Nurta will be encouraged and emboldened as she suffers for her faith. Pray that her steadfast commitment to Christ will soften the hearts of her parents so that they, too, will come to know him. Pray that God will grant wisdom and guidance to the Christian community in Somalia as they share the gospel with their neighbors.

Arrested for Being Christian Preachers at Dearborn Arab Festival 2010

Yesterday we shared with you a story about four Christians who were arrested in Michigan at an event where they were sharing the Lord with Muslims. WorldNetDaily has the full story, and below is a video of the four people who were arrested sharing part of their story.

Religious Freedom: Does it still exist for the USA?

In my previous post you may note that I mentioned that we are still free here in America to practice our faith. For the most part, this is true - however times are changing and more stories like this are coming to surface. This is from Mission Network News and Todd Nettleton from VOM is quoted in the article.

USA (MNN) ― Four Christians were arrested last Friday after having open discussions about their faith with Muslims at the Arab International Festival in Dearborn, Michigan.

The group of believers were from the group Acts 17 Apologetics and had apparently gone to the festival to begin conversations about Christ. Other mission groups, including volunteers from E3 Partners, Voice of the Martyrs, and Josh McDowell Ministries, were also at the 300,000-person convention, and several groups, including Acts 17, had been in the past.

Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs says the believers in question were video taping as they engaged in faith discussions with people at the convention. None of the Muslims involved in the conversations appear to have called for police; instead, a nearby convention volunteer pointed police in that direction.

"No one was screamed at. No one was accused. There was not a disrespectful tone toward Islam. There were not verbal attacks against Islam, there were not verbal attacks against Mohammad," says Nettleton. "It was simply a theological discussion, which, in the United States, we should be free to do."

Police arrested Nabeel Qureshi and David Wood, the leaders of Acts 17, along with Paul Rezkalla and a woman named Nageen under the charge of "disorderly conduct." Police also took the group's videotape recording--the would-be evidence of merely a peaceful conversation taking place. The believers have been released on bail, but police so far have refused to return the video recording.

Nettleton says the purpose of going to the convention was to show love to the many Muslims participating and to have friendly conversation about their beliefs.

"It's hard to see how that desire to show love, that desire to discuss faith, can be construed as 'disorderly conduct,'" says Nettleton. The discussions were clearly fruitful as one Muslim had prayed to accept Christ just minutes before the alleged arrests. There has been no evidence that this conversion had anything to do with the arrest, but the situation should raise concern regardless.

"It should be a concern to Christians that being on a public street, talking about Jesus, can be construed as 'disorderly conduct,'" notes Nettleton.

Perhaps the most striking factor of the arrests, though, is not what happened, but where it happened--the the United States. The U.S. has held religious freedom as a constitutional ideal since it was written in 1776. Now, however, the very definition of religious freedom seems to be threatened.

"If this were Pakistan, or China, and someone on the street spoke about his faith, we would say, ‘Oh yeah, that happens,'" says Nettleton, who has dealt with many international cases of persecution throughout his work with VOM. "But this was in the United States; this was a country where we say we have religious freedom."

How should American believers react? Nettleton says Christians should not respond with anger or disbelief, but with revitalized passion to go into the world and make disciples.

"I think this is a challenge to the American church to be more bold in sharing our faith," notes Nettleton, explaining that we should continue to share the truth in love. "This is obviously something we need to pray about."

Keep checking with Mission Network News for updates on the case. In the meantime, click here to read about how this mishap will affect future ministry. 

Child Abducted in Pakistan

Compass Direct has posted a story today that makes me want to cry.  Honestly, as I have sat here for about 20 minutes now I just have to say that I am amazed at the faith of other believers in Jesus Christ.  We really have it easy here in America, to be a Christian.  We have amazing freedom in this country and I think most of us have no clue how free we are.

Well, today I'd like you to click on over to Compass Direct and read this story.  Then leave me a comment and let me know how this story impacts you.  I can tell you that it really impacted me today.

One reason it touches me so much is because this young boy is truly being abused and yet he keeps going on.  He's being chained up, working for hours in severe weather, not getting any medical aid and he's eating barely any food.

His mother, as you may imagine, is devastated and his father and brother are doing what they can to pay off the debt to this Muslim landowner who isn't showing any mercy to this family because they will not convert to Islam.

And so let this be both an encouragement to you today and an exhortation. Let it be an encouragement because we see the faith of part of our family in Christ being worked out.  Let it be an exhortation to you to you to remain faithful in your prayers for the persecuted church.  When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer.

Please pray also for the Muslim landowner and ask the Lord to change his heart, so that he will come to faith in the one true living God and Savior Jesus Christ.

New Religious Freedom Ambassador

A number of weeks ago we told you that the Obama administration was looking for a new person to fill the Religious Freedom Ambassador's position. CBN News is now reporting that Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook will fill the position. And she is being called the Rev. Billy Graham and Oprah all rolled up into one. And as is typical with many of Obama's appointments, some people have concerns about Rev. Johnson's lack of experience in the religious freedom area. For more information, please watch video below.

State Dept. Quiet on Morocco Christian Expulsions

Here is some breaking news from our friends at The Christian Broadcasting Network.