Persecution Blog

"Let One Go, Take One In"- Teng Biao Released, Li Fangping Taken Away

The following information is courtesy of China Aid.  Click here to learn more.

Beijing – April 29, 2011) ChinaAid confirms that one day after the fruitless US-China human rights dialogue in Beijing, human rights attorney and legal scholar Dr. Teng Biao returned home at 3:30pm on April 29 after being missing for 70 days. One of Chen Guangcheng’s attorneys, Li Fangping, was taken away at about 5pm on the same day after stepping out of the office building of Yi Ren Ping, an AIDS victim’s rights organization in Beijing. He is now missing.

Both Teng and Li are active members of Christian Human Rights Lawyers of China. With ChinaAid's invitation, Dr. Teng and Attorney Li visited the US in 2005 and 2009 respectively and met with fellow American lawyers such as professor Jerome Cohen of NYU School of Law and US congressional leaders such as Congressmen Chris Smith, Frank Wolf and Randy Forbes, and officials from the White House and State Department.


"Releasing Dr. Teng is welcoming news, but China cannot continue to play this game of letting one go and taking another in if China wants to be seen as a responsible international partner," said Bob Fu. “We appeal to the highest authority in China to release all of the arbitrarily detained Chinese citizens including those courageous rule of law and civil society builders such as attorney Li Fangping."

On Sale: Richard Wurmbrand Gift Set

Just in time for Mother's Day and graduation and Father's Day, we have a great deal happening in our The Voice of the Martyrs bookstore on the Richard Wurmbrand Gift book set.

There are three books in this wonderful set.  Here's a description:

Proofs of God's Existence

The questions of God’s existence and
absolute truth are not new. But as our founder Richard Wurmbrand writes, they are critical to both the atheist as well as the Christian: will the atheist embrace or reject God, and will the Christian live a life that reflects our Creator? These questions are critical for those who want answers, who desire knowledge and who prefer the light of truth to the
darkness of ignorance.

The Oracles of God

Scripture says, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11).

Pastor Wurmbrand emerged from 14 years of prison in communist Romania not with a melancholy, defeated testimony, but with one that was victorious and overcoming, awakening the world to the plight of Christians in restricted nations.

During his imprisonment, he spent much time talking to the Lord and meditating on His Word. Oracles of God explores God’s wisdom about life, enabling you to become His mouthpiece.

Victorious Faith

We are victorious because the gospel always triumphs! VOM founder, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, shares the faith that sustained him in Romania’s communist prison through stories, anecdotes and insights.

Excited?  Of course you are, please click here to buy now!

VOM-USA Prayer Update for April 29, 2011

Every Friday we like to give you a few prayer requests that you can lift up before our Lord and King.  Please take a moment today to pray for these requests and share with your friends, family, and church.

Afghanistan--Imprisoned Afghan Believers Released
VOM Sources

Luke 4:18

Two Afghan Christians were released from prison recently. Shoaib Assadullah, who was arrested in October 2010 for giving a Bible to a friend, was released on March 31. While imprisoned in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, Shoaib was physically abused and threatened by fellow prisoners. He refused to recant his faith in exchange for his freedom. Another imprisoned Afghan Christian, Said Musa, was released from prison in February after serving nine months on apostasy charges. He was granted asylum in Europe. Thank the Lord for the release of Shoaib and Said! Pray that believers in Afghanistan will stand strong in their faith and reach out to their neighbors, despite their small numbers.

Vietnam--U.S. Evangelist Gives Historic Sermon at Christian Festival
Compass Direct News, Luis Palau Association, BosNewsLife, VOM Canada

Matthew 10:19

Evangelist Luis Palau made history on April 9 when he preached at the Protestant centennial celebration in Vietnam. Palau, who preached on two consecutive nights in Ho Chi Minh City, became the first U.S.-based evangelist to preach at a major event in Vietnam since the 1975 communist takeover. About 5,500 people came forward to receive Christ over the course of two nights, even though authorities forced event organizers to relocate from an open field to an enclosed stadium at the last minute. The Palau team had hoped to hold a similar event the following weekend in Hanoi, but organizers were unable to get permission to use their chosen venue. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese government has increased its oppression of minority Christians living in the central highlands — forcing hundreds to renounce their faith. Thank God for this evangelistic opportunity in Vietnam, and pray for the new believers. Pray that Christians in rural areas will face persecution bravely.

Somalia--Al-Shabab Murders Christian Convert
Compass Direct News

Exodus 14:14

Members of the militant Muslim group al-Shabab murdered a 21-year-old Christian in the Lower Shabele region on Monday, April 18, as part of its campaign to rid the country of Christianity. Two al-Shabab militants reportedly entered the home of Hassan Adawe Adan at 7:30 p.m. and dragged him outside. A source told Compass Direct that the militants then shot Adan and shouted, “Allahu Akbar” (God is great). Adan, who was single, lived with his Muslim family. He secretly converted to Christianity several months ago, and area Christians said they think someone informed al-Shabab of Adan’s new faith. “This incident is making other converts live in extreme fear, as the militants always keep an open eye to anyone professing the Christian faith,” a Compass Direct source said. Pray that this news will not discourage other secret believers in Somalia, but will instead reaffirm their commitment to Christ. Pray that the Lord will fight their battles for them even if they keep silent about their faith.

Nero in Beijing – The Communist Party Declares War on Christians

In an opinion piece written by Albert Mohler Jr, on the Christian Post website today, we see a good reminder of why we all need to keep the Chinese Christians in our prayers on a daily basis.

I have heard often from well meaning Christians that China is a relatively free country for Christians, because after all they have churches and famous evangelists can go and preach there.  The problem is, for the most part, all that is is for show.

The truth is that China is a communist country and communism is at war with Christianity.

Mohler comments on the recent attacks that have been taking place in China where the church has been arrested, detained and harrassed.  However, he also points to an editorial in the Wall Street Journal that is worth considering.

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board set the record straight. “Religious persecution is always abhorrent, but in this case it’s also a political blunder,” the paper stated.

Further:

The incident is a microcosm of the wider problems caused by China’s crackdown. Beijing insists it wants to promote a harmonious and stable society. Yet by arresting prominent activists for no apparent reason, the security forces are doing the opposite: Those who were once content to live quietly with the Party’s restrictions on free expression are now compelled to speak out.

For more on this story, click here.

Egypt's Christians: A Dying Population?

As you know, the Christians in Egypt are under persecution all of the time now. Since we've covered this subject frequently, I wanted to alert you to a video package that The Christian Broadcasting Network has put together that explains why many of the Christians are leaving Egypt and why some are asking, are Egypt's Christians a dying population?

American Student Kicked Out of Morocco

Right now we are featuring Morocco in our Kids of Courage Ministry and I wanted to tell you about the feature story we have right now because it is amazing and hopefully will spur you on to pray for the children in Morocco and everywhere else too.

This is the story about a child named David who was very bold.  In fact, today as I was reading in Proverbs 28, verse 1 leapt out...

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
         But the righteous are bold as a lion.

Young David was as bold as a lion.  Here's his story...

David, an American student, traveled to Morocco with some friends. He decided to give copies of the New Testament to people he met in a souk (market). Some people took the book eagerly and asked for another one. A woman covered from head to toe in Muslim robes tapped David on the shoulder, accepted a New Testament, and silently hid it in her clothing. But an angry Muslim man took a New Testament and tore it to pieces.

Policemen were watching, and they grabbed David. “How do we know you are really policemen?” asked one of David’s friends. A policeman showed him an ID badge. “I can’t read that,” said David’s friend. “It’s in Arabic.” The policeman pulled out a gun. “Can you read this?” he asked.

The officers took David to the police station and questioned him. David told the policemen about Jesus. The next day, they put him on a plane and sent him out of the country. David prays that some of the people he talked to are now followers of Christ.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE EXCITING STORIES AT KIDS OF COURAGE

Charges Fabricated against Six Christians in Bangladesh

Police unable to back accusation of “hurting religious feelings” against health care workers.

LOS ANGELES, April 26 (CDN) — A judge has dismissed a case against volunteer health care workers northwest of Bangladesh’s capital city of Dhaka who were charged in March with “hurting religious feelings” after area Muslims objected to distribution of Christian literature at a health camp.


The six Christians working at the health camp offering free treatment for poor villagers in Damurhuda, Chuadanga district, some 210 kilometers (126 miles) northwest of Dhaka, were arrested on March 24 and released on bail three days later.


Mannan Mridha, pastor in the Way of Peace movement of 490 house churches in northwest Bangladesh, which established the health care camp, said a Japanese volunteer doctor offered Christian leaflets and Bibles to patients; the doctor told patients they were under no obligation to take them, Mridha told Compass.


Some area Muslims stirred up area residents against the doctor, and the angry villagers had police arrest six Christian volunteers who worked with him under Section 54 of the penal code, a special power granted to police to arrest anyone on any suspicion. Later police prosecuted the six nationals, but not the foreign doctor, under section 295-A of the penal code for hurting religious sensibilities.

Read more at Compass Direct.

Update on Our New VOM Online Persecution Studies Workshops

 Yesterday we introduced to you to The Voice of the Martyrs brand new Online Persecution Studies Workshops and I posted a PDF of the brochure that described the class and I'm happy to let you know that today I have a brand new brochure with the most up to date information for you to see.

Click here to see the new updated PDF brochure.

I am happy to also let you know that we have a lot of people sign up for this workshop and we're excited to see more of you join us!

Here's a little bit more about the purpose of the class, to whet your appetite.

It was the dream of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the  founder of VOM, to offer an educational program that  would teach “sufferology,” as he called it. The Voice of  the Martyrs is now making his dream a reality through a series of online “Persecution Studies” workshops.

The program will put the true cost of discipleship into  perspective and will help Christians around the globe become united in the cause of witnessing for Christ, no matter the cost.  Moving beyond the level of mere information, the program seeks to raise participants’ level of understanding and comprehension of persecution’s place within Christianity. It also seeks to raise the level of competency of those involved in ministry so they can present themselves as credible voices for the persecuted church and bring the highest honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The course is 12 weeks in length and enrollment fee is $90

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TODAY  and we'll see you in class!

Bartlesville: New VOM iPhone App

The Voice of the Martyrs launched a new iPhone application on Friday, April 22, 2011. The app features daily prayers, country information for 53 hostile and restricted nations, and persecution news. It also includes access to the VOM website, www.persecution.com. The app can be set to give a daily reminder to users to pray for the featured prayer request.

The Voice of the Martyrs’ Prayer Calendar app was developed by 43rd Element, an application development company. VOM’s Web Content Coordinator, David Erwell, provided content and graphics for the app, which took five months to finesse. Their efforts produced a well-rounded application that users will find very useful. “The app is integrated so users can post prayers through the app onto their Facebook and Twitter accounts,” Erwell said.

The application is available for use on the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad, though iPad users will be using the iPhone interface. An Android version is planned soon.

“I like that this app targets a new demographic for VOM,” said Erwell. “I hope it will help us reach an audience that does not regularly visit our website and help us establish a greater online presence.”

Also new this year, VOM began offering several book titles for the Kindle reader on Amazon.com. Eight titles are currently available, with a ninth title set for release within a week. Many of these titles are works by VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand. VOM’s online presence includes a YouTube channel and weekly podcasts available on iTunes.

The Prayer Calendar app is available through the iTunes store.

VOM Introduces Online Persecution Studies Workshops Beginning May 9th

Have you ever wanted to take a class from experts in the field of persecution and understand persecution from a biblical worldview?

I hope so, because beginning May 9th, The Voice of the Martyrs is going to be starting our first online course developed so you can grow and learn more about Christian persecution.

These online courses are designed to inform, inspire and educate Christians worldwide about the reality of persecution.

In the very first course called "e-level" (meaning entry level) you'll have seven exciting modules to complete in only 12 weeks.

The seven modules are:

Module 1- Overview

Module 2 - The Meaning of the words "persecution" and "martyr"

Module 3 - Biblical Perspectives on Persecution

Module 4 - The History of Persecution

Module 5 - The Current Situation

Module 6 - How Shall We Respond to the Current Situation?

Module 7 - Assessment and Feedback

Our distinguished professor for the course is Roy Stults, PhD. who will facilatate the course and encourage you through this journey.  Dr. Stults has a Master's degree in theology, a Master's degree in divinity and a doctor's degree in missions and a PhD in theology from British University.

Dr. Stults full biography can be read here.

For more vital information on this great new program, please visit http://www.vomclassroom.com now and register so you can be apart of the first class.

Click here to download the brochure to learn more!!

See you in class!

 

Stacy