Persecution Blog

Police Keep Indonesian Church from Worship Site after Attack

Bekasi officials unable to persuade HKBP congregation to relocate to alternative venue.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, September 23 (CDN) — 

Following attacks on their church leaders on Sept. 12, a West Java congregation on Sunday (Sept. 19) faced a wall of security officers blocking them from worshipping on their property as authorities tried to coax them to meet at another venue.

Hundreds of security force officers sealed off the street leading to their open-air worship site in Ciketing, near Bekasi, a week after suspected Islamists stabbed Batak Christian Protestant Church (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan, or HKBP) elder Hasian Sihombing and struck Pastor Luspida Simanjuntak with a wooden block. At the Pondok Timur location where the church had gathered to walk three kilometers (less than two miles) to Ciketing on Sunday, an official in a police vehicle announced through a loudspeaker that the Bekasi government requested they worship at the former office of a community organization.  Read more at Compass Direct.

Church Construction Thwarted in Malaysia

The following news is courtesy of Mission Network News

Malaysia (MNN) ― Christians in a small village in Malaysia have been told they can't build a church. Reports coming out of Malaysia say Christians in the Temiar village of Pos Pasik, about 70 km northeast of Gua Musang Kelantan, have been told by the Department of Orang Asli Affairs (JHEOA) that they have no permission to build a church on their land.

On 20 May 2010, the village head wrote to the Director-General of the JHEOA to inform him of their plan to build the church in their village, half of whom have converted to Christianity in recent years.

In response, the Deputy Director-General writing on behalf of the D-G replied that their "application" to build the church had been rejected and the community was asked to stop work on the building immediately.

This is contrary to what Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said this week. He praised the work and mission of the Inter-faith Relations Working Committee. It's a group of Malaysia's religious leaders representing Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Muslims. In a 45-minute session he praised Malaysia's pluralism, saying, "It's the foundation of national unity, rather than a front of division."

Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs says, "While the prime minister is saying we celebrate religious diversity and we celebrate the freedom to worship, the reality on the ground for some of the Christians in Malaysia is a little different."

Nettleton says it appears that religious tolerance depends on your ethnicity. "It is not uncommon for an ethnic Chinese person to be a Christian. So that is thought to be acceptable. It is much less common for an ethnic Malay person to be a Christian. They are thought culturally to be Muslims. Typically you see a harsh response from that."

Nettleton says, "There is some type of revival movement that is going on there. The ethnic villagers are becoming Christians. They want to have a church building. What I'm not clear about--and I think it deserves a little bit more study--is why this government agency said you can't build this church building."

If the church is demolished or stopped, it will be the second Orang Asli church in the state of Kelantan (and no less than 5 in the peninsular altogether) that has been demolished by the authorities on the basis of various excuses, including that the Orang Asli do not have rights to the land concerned. But it is evident that the issue is religion-related as other structures, including suraus, have been built on such lands without any issue.

Nettleton says we need to pray. "Pray for the Christians who are there to stand strong in their faith and to be bold witnesses for Christ. We also need to pray for the government."

November 14: Churches Reminded to Pray for the Persecuted

Churches across the United States and around the world are preparing to “remember those in bonds” (Hebrews 13:3) on Nov. 14, the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP).

Begun in 1996, IDOP is a day for intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted Christian communities worldwide.

“As our staff meets with persecuted Christians around the world, their first request is that we pray for them,” says Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs — USA. “IDOP is a day when the collective Body of Christ joins together to answer their request.”

Some churches devote the entire day to persecuted Christians, while others hold a special prayer time during their regular service. It is estimated that more than 100,000 churches have taken part in IDOP activities since 1996, and churches in more than 130 countries have participated.

“Our persecuted family is not asking us to pray that the persecution will stop,” says Nettleton. “They’re asking us to pray they will remain faithful to Christ in spite of the persecution and pressure they face.”

The Voice of the Martyrs has developed a special IDOP Church Resource kit, including a four-minute video presentation, that encourages church congregations to pray and that provides ideas about practical ways to help persecuted Christians. Visit www.persecution.com/idop for more information on the resource kit, as well as downloadable resources to help your church pray effectively.

“This is an important day in the church calendar,” says Nettleton. “But we don’t want it to be something a church crosses off their list and doesn’t think about for 12 more months. Our hope is that this one day of prayer leads to 364 more days of prayer and action on behalf of our persecuted brothers and sisters.”

International Day of Prayer 2010: Salavat

Every year we have the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, and this year is no different. In fact, we wanted to get an early start this year and let you know about all the great resources we have so that you can get your church involved in this vital day of prayer.

This year the IDOP is November 14th and The Voice of the Martyrs has a special package for a donation of only $9 that will help you and your church become involved.

The package includes the following:

Salavat DVD

Postcards for a Prisoner

Prayer brochures

IDOP for Children

VOM Newsletter to share with friends

Please click here to learn more and order yours today.

Pastor's Suffering Strengthens Church

I saw this story today and wanted to share it, not because it has to do with Christian persecution, but because it has to do with suffering. 

One of the things we know is that persecuted Christians and the persecuted church are growing in leaps and bounds.  God blesses His church that is suffering, and this story represents that truth - that when Christians suffer, there is growth.

Pictured to your left is Dwayne Maxey, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Tennessee.  Dwayne has a deadly lung disease and has seen his congregation grow as he has served them while suffering.  Click here to read this inspiring story.

Continued Ban on Converting Others Proposed in Nepal

Christians fear parliament likely to accept measure in new constitution.

NEW DELHI, September 21 (CDN) — A legislative panel in Nepal has proposed retaining a ban on converting others in the country’s new constitution.
 
Parliament has yet to decide on the proposal, but Christian leaders said they fear it is likely to be approved given that Nepal’s largest political party, led by former Maoist rebels, sympathizes with the deposed king’s wishes for such a ban. The country is forging a new constitution as part of its transition from a Hindu monarchy to a democracy.
 
Bishop Narayan Sharma of the Believers Church said he expects approval of the ban as recommended by the Committee on Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles (CFRDP). A Sept. 13 report by the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance said a preliminary draft the CFRDP presented to Nepal’s Parliament penalizes activities aimed at encouraging others to convert, though it does not punish individuals for converting.
 
The CFRDP chairperson, Binda Pandey, told Compass her panel’s proposal was final.    More here at Compass Direct.

INDIA: CHURCH DESTROYED

 On Sept. 5, Hindu extremists in Andhra Pradesh, India, destroyed a church building in Patagunta village, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts.

The following day, the extremists filed charges against two pastors and three members of the church, alleging that the Christians had destroyed local temples and Hindu idols. Police arrested all five believers the same day. Pray that these five Christians will have the opportunity to share their faith, even in chains, and pray that they will be released soon. Pray that those behind this injustice will repent of their actions and come to embrace Christ as Lord and Savior.

ACLU Sues N.J. City Over Lord's Prayer

Here is a video report from The Christian Broadcasting Network regarding a former Jewish city employee who said she felt uncomfortable hearing the Christian prayer. The suit says the prayer unconstitutionally shows preference to a particular religion.

Christianity Gets Flayed at Home of Liberty Bell

WorldNetDaily has an interesting story about how apparently some of the tour guides at the Liberty Bell are discounting the Christian heritage of our country, including saying that George Washington didn't even go to church. Click here to read the full article.

Sudan: A Blanket & A Bible

Today I wanted to introduce you to another ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs.  This is a very easy way to help the persecuted in Sudan.

Taking Part in VOM's Blanket and a Bible Outreach is as Easy as 1-2-3

1. 1. Collect good quality, new or used blanket(s)
2. 2. Add $2 per blanket for handling, shipping into Sudan (VOM will add a He Lived Among Us illustrated Bible storybook.)
3. 3. Send blankets and collected funds to:

"Sudan: Blanket and a Bible"
The Voice of the Martyrs
510 W Adeline
Bartlesville, OK 74003

 For more inspiring stories from the Sudan, please click here.