Persecution Blog

Speaking Out Against Persecution Could Paint Target on Believers

Pakistan (MNN) ― Since the murders of two prominent government figures and a Qur'an burning in Florida, persecution has taken a turn for the worse in Pakistan.

A week ago Saturday, a bomb went off in Sarhadi Lutheran Church in Mardan, Khyberpakhtunkhwa province. No one was killed or injured, but the explosion caused significant damage to the building.

Christian Today reported that just one day before the bombing--apparently caused by Islamic radicals, a Muslim man walked into a church in Lahore and tore a Bible to retaliate for Florida pastor Terry Jones burning a Qur'an last month.

Joseph Francis, director of the Center for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) offers free legal support to Pakistani Christians and has strongly opposed the country's blasphemy law. Francis has recently been receiving a steady flow of death threats.

The life of Asia Bibi--a woman sentenced to death for allegedly blaspheming the Muslim prophet Muhammad while sharing her faith--is still at risk. She likely remains in prison, and many fear that she will be murdered while in custody, or even if released. There is a candlelight vigil being held on April 20 for Christians to pray and fast on Bibi's behalf.

Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada says Pakistan has always been a difficult place for believers to live, but as the blasphemy law (in which anyone can be sentenced to death for negatively portraying the prophet Muhammad or Islam) has come to international attention, tension has dramatically increased.

Bibi's case has created particular outrage among Muslim and Christian communities alike, albeit often for opposing reasons. Believers are so perturbed by the injustice that they are willing to hold a vigil, but Musselman says this could be asking for trouble. "You could be painting a target on yourself, and that could give the militant Islamists an opportunity--especially when they know that this event is coming."

It would seem that believers in Pakistan are in the midst of a catch-22. If no one speaks out against their persecution, attacks will continue unchecked. Musselman anticipates many more church bombings in the future. But if Pakistani believers do speak out against the injustice being done to them, they will also be persecuted further. This was the case for both Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti and Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who were assisinated for their positions on the blasphemy law.

As a result, some believers have already started to flee the country or go into hiding. Musselman says new converts live in extreme caution. "Those that come to Christ from Muslim backgrounds have to be very careful. They come late to the [church] service and leave early."

Pakistani Christians have always had to live under the radar, but now it seems as though "anybody that comes out against the blasphemy law or speaks out against Muslims and the treatment of Christians--they will find themselves in difficulty," explains Musselman.

Pray for our brothers and sisters in Pakistan. On an immediate basis, pray for the vigil taking place tomorrow, that it would not incite more violence but would be an effective time of prayer and peaceful protest. Long term, pray that the Lord would guide each believer as to whether he should stay in the country or flee, and as to when he should speak up or be silent. Pray that our fellow kingdom workers would courageously continue to live out Christ's love, reaching out even to those who persecute them the most.

READ MORE AT MISSION NETWORK NEWS

Global Day of Prayer for Turkey Day

Today is the Global Day of Prayer for Turkey and because I know you are all praying folks, I wanted to give you a few of the prayer points that we'd like you to join us in praying for our friends in Turkey.

 

1- Please pray for the blessing and peace of Turkey in general, as the Lord desires
us to bless and be a blessing to all.
“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted...” Proverbs 11:11

2- Pray the Lord will display His love and mercy to the people of Turkey by pouring
out His Holy Spirit upon our land, revealing His glory through healings, signs and
wonders.

3- Pray the Lord breaks down the lies and the endless disinformation about Christ, the
Bible and Christians that has blinded and hardened hearts in our land. Pray that God
redeems the negative memories of history.
“Of course, we are living in the flesh, but we do not fight in a fleshly way. For the weapons of our warfare
are not those of the flesh. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down
arguments and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought
captive in order to obey Christ.” 2 Co. 10:3-5

4- Pray that hearts and eyes are opened to see Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.

5- Pray the Turkish believers who are always on the frontline to walk close to the Lord.
Pray for refreshing, emboldening, strengthening, protection and encouragement.

6- Pray for more servant hearted leaders. For good role models. For faithful laborers.

7- Pray for the ongoing unity amongst the churches and for its increase and deepening.
"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in
accord with Christ Jesus that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ." Romans 15:5, 6

Thank you for your prayers. May the Lord’s hand be upon you always.

For more information this wonderful day of prayer for Turkey, please visit http://www.prayforturkey.com

Chinese Underground Christian Church Leaders Detained Again

On Friday we had the blessing to share with you that the Chinese who were taken into custody on April 10th earlier this month, were released.  We shared this report from CBN News. 

Unfortunately, over the weekend Fox News reported that at least two pastors were detained.  This is just a reminder that we all need to keep our Chinese family in Christ in prayers daily.  Here's more from Fox News...

BEIJING -- At least two pastors from an underground Beijing church were in police custody and numerous other leaders remained under house arrest Sunday as part of a crackdown on the unregistered Shouwang congregation, a U.S.-based rights group said.

The two pastors were taken from their homes by Beijing Public Security Bureau officers Saturday night, Bob Fu, president of the China Aid Association, a Christian rights group, said in an email.
Fu said all other Shouwang leaders were under house arrest, though he didn't give an exact number. Some church members have lost their homes or jobs amid an official campaign to shut down the church, he said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/04/17/chinese-underground-christian-church-leaders-detained/#ixzz1Ju7A6OLq

Vietnam: Palau Speaks at Festival

Evangelist Luis Palau made history on April 9 when he preached at the Protestant centennial celebration in Vietnam, becoming the first U.S.-based evangelist to preach at a major event there since the 1975 communist takeover. The 76-year-old evangelist preached on two consecutive nights at the Thanh Long Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, which was not the venue the event organizers had originally sought. Event organizers had planned to hold the event in an open field, but government officials allowed the event only on the condition that it be held in the soccer stadium.

Organizers requested permission to hold the event months in advance, but the government granted approval just three hours before it was to begin. These delay tactics seem to have become standard procedure for the Vietnamese government. For the past two years, the central government’s Bureau of Religious Affairs has waited until the last minute to approve Christmas events held by house church groups.

It was an “absolute miracle” that the event was held, said the leader of Vietnam’s Evangelical Fellowship of house churches. Hundreds of volunteers and technicians worked heroically to move equipment from an open field in one part of the city to the soccer stadium in another part of the city. Organizers had to notify thousands of people of the venue change. They used word of mouth, website announcements, Twitter, Facebook and text-messaging to get the word out. The evening began at 9 p.m., just two hours late.

Luis Palau began his message at 11 p.m., delivering a clear evangelistic sermon. When the service ended, after midnight, about 800 people came forward to receive Christ. On the following day, Sunday, April 10, more than 12,000 people filled the stadium, and more than 1,000 came forward at the call to follow Christ.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Duc, president of the Vietnam World Christian Fellowship, told Compass Direct News that he was very encouraged about the future of the church in Vietnam. “These are watershed days for Protestantism in Vietnam,” he said. “There is no fear, but rather wonderful spontaneity and irrepressible joy. Events like this happen in spite of the government and without the blessing of some overly conservative church leaders. What we see is young, vibrant, lay-led, internationally connected and very media-savvy.”

The Palau team traveled north to Hanoi, where they planned to host a similar event the weekend of April 16–17. At the time of this writing, government officials had not approved the event.

“Again they said today, ‘Of course you have the permission, but not in a large open field,’ said Palau in a statement to BosNewsLife. “It will be held in a covered coliseum, which means smaller crowds, and less visible,” he added.

Source: Compass Direct News, BosNewsLife

More Love to Christ

Every Monday I like to begin the week with a portion of the book Extreme Devotion.  Today's devotion is very poignant because it challenges me to consider how much love I really have to Christ.  Sometimes I read these stories and I think, "I have no faith at all".  Other times, I think, "Maybe God will give me the grace if I was ever in this situation." 

I'm not sure if it's the way church in America is run, or if it's just that here in America we have "everything" and so we don't really know what it is to sacrifice.  What do you think?  Tell us your thoughts as you read this wonderful devotion from Extreme Devotion.

 

The young, brown-eyed girl looked up at her mother. What would her mom decide?

    Earlier that morning, the young girl’s mother, their pastor, and twenty-six others in her North Korean village of GokSan were bound and taken before a screaming crowd of Communists.
    

One of the guards ordered Pastor Kim and the other Christians, “Deny Christ, or you will die.” The words chilled her. How could they ask her to deny Jesus? She knew in her heart he was real. They all quietly refused.

    Then the Communist guard shouted directly at the adult Christians, “Deny Christ, or we will hang your children.” The young girl looked up at her mother. She gripped her hand knowing how much her mom loved her. Her mother then leaned down. With confidence and peace she whispered, “Today, my love, I will see you in heaven.”

    All of the children were hanged.

    The remaining believers were then brought out onto the pavement and forced to lie down in front of a large steamroller. The Communists gave them one last chance. “Deny this Jesus or you will be crushed.” The Christians had already given up their children; there was no turning back.

    As the driver started the heavy piece of equipment, the singing from the villagers started softly. “More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee.”

More. It’s what God gave when he sent his Son. More. It’s what Jesus gave when he was crucified. More. It’s what believers give simply out of love for Christ. They want to give more to the One who gave so much to them. In a worldly age that values giving only what one must to get by, believers set a new standard. “More love to thee” is more than just words in a traditional hymnal. It’s a lifestyle without limit. Each day is a path of discovering how to give more love to Jesus Christ. For some believers, this path has led to their death. For others, “more love to thee” has meant financial sacrifice. What does “more love to thee” mean to your everyday life?

Good News!! - Chinese Christians Released from Custody

CBN News is reporting the following about the Chinese Christians taken into custody recently.  Thank you Lord for answered prayer!

Chinese authorities have released more than 100 churchgoers arrested for worshipping in a public park.

As many as 169 members of Beijing's Shouwang Church were taken into custody April 10.

The church's pastor Jin Tianming and his wife remain under house arrest.

Undercover footage from the service showed congregants attempting to hold service outside as police surrounded them.

The church was evicted from its usual meeting place after the government put pressure on the landlord. Shouwang is one of China's largest unregistered churches.

Leaders of the church insist that no laws were broken and insist that the government give them permission to worship indoors.

 

Vietnam: Evangelism Thriving

Evangelist Luis Palau made history on April 9 when he preached at the Protestant centennial celebration in Vietnam, becoming the first U.S.-based evangelist to preach at a major event there since the 1975 communist takeover. The 76-year-old evangelist preached on two consecutive nights at the Thanh Long Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, which was not the venue the event organizers had originally sought. Event organizers had planned to hold the event in an open field, but government officials allowed the event only on the condition that it be held in the soccer stadium.

Organizers requested permission to hold the event months in advance, but the government granted approval just three hours before it was to begin. These delay tactics seem to have become standard procedure for the Vietnamese government. For the past two years, the central government’s Bureau of Religious Affairs has waited until the last minute to approve Christmas events held by house church groups.

It was an “absolute miracle” that the event was held, said the leader of Vietnam’s Evangelical Fellowship of house churches. Hundreds of volunteers and technicians worked heroically to move equipment from an open field in one part of the city to the soccer stadium in another part of the city. Organizers had to notify thousands of people of the venue change. They used word of mouth, website announcements, Twitter, Facebook and text-messaging to get the word out. The evening began at 9 p.m., just two hours late.

Luis Palau began his message at 11 p.m., delivering a clear evangelistic sermon. When the service ended, after midnight, about 800 people came forward to receive Christ. On the following day, Sunday, April 10, more than 12,000 people filled the stadium, and more than 1,000 came forward at the call to follow Christ.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Duc, president of the Vietnam World Christian Fellowship, told Compass Direct News that he was very encouraged about the future of the church in Vietnam. “These are watershed days for Protestantism in Vietnam,” he said. “There is no fear, but rather wonderful spontaneity and irrepressible joy. Events like this happen in spite of the government and without the blessing of some overly conservative church leaders. What we see is young, vibrant, lay-led, internationally connected and very media-savvy.”

The Palau team traveled north to Hanoi, where they planned to host a similar event the weekend of April 16–17. At the time of this writing, government officials had not approved the event.

“Again they said today, ‘Of course you have the permission, but not in a large open field,’ said Palau in a statement to BosNewsLife. “It will be held in a covered coliseum, which means smaller crowds, and less visible,” he added.

Source: Compass Direct News, BosNewsLife

VOM-USA Prayer Update for April 15, 2011

We have a wonderful God who answers our prayers.  Please join VOM in lifting up these needs for this week.

China--Police Break Up Outdoor Worship in Beijing
China Aid Association / Los Angeles Times

Hebrews 5:7

Police detained and fingerprinted more than 100 members of an unregistered Beijing church on April 10 after the church gathered for worship at an outdoor location near the city's university neighborhood. The Shouwang Church, which has a congregation of about 1,000, was forced to meet outdoors after being repeatedly denied access to rented space. The church has faced difficulties with three separate spaces it has tried to use for worship since 2009. During that time, local authorities pressured the management of two hotels and one building developer to deny the Shouwang Church worship space, leaving them nowhere to meet. In March, the church made the difficult decision to meet outdoors. They understood that because of the public nature of their protest, they would likely suffer as a congregation and as individuals. Please pray for the Shouwang Church as they stand before man and God with clear consciences. "Pray for us in a loud voice, and raise up hands and pray vigilantly!"

Israel--Pressure Increasing on Messianic Jews
VOM Sources

Hosea 3:5

VOM sources say Messianic Jews in Israel are facing increased pressure from groups opposed to freedom of religion. One of these groups, Yad L'Achim, staged a demonstration against a Messianic congregation of 150 in Ashdod. "The speech against the believers was slanderous and vicious," said a VOM source. An Israeli television station that recently profiled Yad L'Achim described the organization as a militia that goes outside the law to carry out its agenda. Many Messianic Jews have had residency visas and even their citizenship revoked once their faith in Jesus was discovered. Others face constant harassment at their homes and businesses. "It is very important for you who pray for the Messianic body in Israel to ... understand the depth of the paranoia and the hatred for the name of the true Messiah of Israel," the VOM source said. Pray that Jesus will reveal himself to all those in Israel.

India--Eighteen Indian Christians Arrested
VOM Canada

Psalm 109:20–21

Eighteen Christians in Odisha state (formerly called Orissa), including two pastors, were arrested on March 28 for converting to Christianity without an official permit. The two pastors and 16 newly converted Christians were arrested after a police complaint was filed against them in Mayurbhanj district. The Christians were brought before the sub-divisional judicial magistrate at Baripada and charged under the "Orissa Freedom of Religion Act," which bans any conversion lacking a permit issued by authorities. All of the Christians were released on bail within three days. Pray that all charges against them will be dropped. Ask the Lord to minister to the new converts and deepen their faith through this persecution.

Human Remains Linked to Husband and Wife Saints Martyred Nearly Two Millennia Ago

I think it's always good to be a little skeptical of claims when it comes to finding archaeological remains. In this case, I am skeptical, however, I thought this news release was interesting because it's not everyday that you see a story about human remains linked to persecuted Christians.

Here is the link to the full Christian Newswire release.

REGGIO EMILIA, Italy, and WASHINGTON, April 14, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- A scientific investigation of human bones locked in a crypt in the northern Italian cathedral of Reggio Emilia since the 10th century supports an ancient tradition that the remains belong to a husband and wife said to have been martyred almost two millennia ago.

The investigation is the first comprehensive battery of scientific tests ever conducted on the remains of a pair of Catholic saints -- in this case, two virtually complete skeletons -- along with a burial cloth and reliquary box.  The team of scientists used a variety of advanced methods, including DNA analysis and carbon dating, to investigate the question, Are these the remains of the martyred Roman husband and wife Chrysanthus and Daria?  Legend says the two were buried alive in the third century A.D. after becoming Christians and converting thousands of Romans to their fledgling religion.  And can science work alongside religion to support the story of these iconic martyrs?

Now, in the week leading up to Easter, the National Geographic Channel world premiere documentary EXPLORER: Mystery of the Murdered Saints, premiering Tuesday, April 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, follows the investigation of the mystery surrounding the bones and the scientific studies.

"All of the evidence we have gathered points toward the relics having belonged to Chrysanthus and Daria," said investigation leader Ezio Fulcheri of the University of Genoa, who received funding from the National Geographic Society for the work.  "This has been a very rare opportunity to be able to study bones and other relics that relate directly back to a legend that has been passed on for almost 2,000 years.  The completeness of the skeletons is also rare for martyrs of this era, implying that these relics were protected and venerated in their entirety at a very early point in history."

...

The box purportedly containing the two saints' remains was opened for the first time in centuries in 2008 and, to the surprise of scientists and church leaders, was found to contain nearly 150 bones, a rare assemblage to be associated with an ancient legend about saints.  The bones made up two nearly complete skeletons.

Scientific testing began soon after.  Among the first tests, conducted at the University of Salento, Italy, was carbon-14 dating to determine the age of the bones.  The result was a range of A.D. 80 to A.D. 340, which coincides with historical recording of the martyrdom of Chrysanthus and Daria around A.D. 283.

...

According to tradition, Chrysanthus was born the only son of a Roman senator from Alexandria, grew up in Rome and eventually converted to Christianity.  His father disapproved of his conversion and, to bring him back to the Roman faith, arranged a marriage between his son and a high priestess of Rome named Daria.  However, the plan backfired, as Daria embraced her new husband's religion and, according to the story, worked with Chrysanthus to convert thousands more to Christianity.

Ultimately the two were arrested by the Roman Empire for proselytizing, and around A.D. 283 the young adults were buried alive in a sand mine in Rome.  A wall was eventually erected around the grave for protection.  Historical sources record that the bones were moved numerous times between 757 and 914, when Pope John X conceded the relics to Italian King Berengario.  Finally, in 946 the king donated them back to the church, transferring their custody to the diocese of Reggio Emilia, where, according to the diocese, they have since been kept beneath the church's altar.

Upon completion of the study, the relics were preserved and secured in a new reliquary, to be placed once again under the altar at Reggio Emilia.

 

'Religicide' Exterminating Iraqi Christian

What if Christians were completely wiped out in Iraq? Don't think it can happen...Carl Moeller from Open Doors thinks it is a great possibility. Read on.

Iraq (MNN) ― More Christians have been fleeing Iraq in recent months than ever before.

Carl Moeller with Open Doors USA says extremists are calling for the complete extermination of believers in the country.

"We've been calling this a 'religicide'--which is the systematic destruction and elimination of a religious group simply for being that religious group. And we see this now unfolding in a very shocking way," says Moeller.

The number of Christians in Iraq has dropped dramatically in the last few decades, dropping from 850,000 believers in 1991, to 550,000 believers in 2003, to 345,000 believers in early 2010. Now perhaps less than 250,000 Christians call Iraq home, a number which includes those who have been permanently displaced from their homes.

The loss of so many believers in just a year can be attributed in part to one significant event: "Last October 31, 60 Christians were killed in a terrorist attack by al-Qaeda-linked groups at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad," Moeller reminds us. As a result, "We've now seen an additional perhaps up to 95,000 Christians leave the country since that attack."

At the current rate of the exodus, Iraq will not have any Christians left in three years, according to an Open Doors' field worker.

To some, it might seem outlandish to suggest that an entire religious population would be wiped out from a nation, but believers have reason to fear the threat of total extermination. "Their families are threatened. Even young children are being killed. Extremists want to eliminate Christians from Iraq," said Moeller in a recent Open Doors report.

More than that, Iraq has a history of "religicide," which most notably occurred with the country's Jewish population.

"The Jewish community in Iraq 60-70 years ago in the 1930s and 40s was thriving and vibrant," says Moeller. "Then, systematically, as our friends at the Simon Wiesenthal Center have pointed out to us, they were targeted by extremist Muslims in the region for extermination and for extinction from that community. Now I can say, categorically, there's no Jewish community that is of any size in Iraq."

If it happened with a "thriving and vibrant" religious group, fear is understandable for another consistently persecuted minority.

The absence of any Christian community in Iraq would undoubtedly throw a bit of a wrench in the spread of the Gospel in the country. However, even amid some of the worst persecution in decades, Iraqi Muslims are still coming to Christ. Moeller says the suffering of believers is a witness of the reality of the truth of the Gospel--just as it was for the Apostle Paul--and many are drawn to Jesus Christ as a result.

Nonetheless, Open Doors will not stand by as believers are hunted. Moeller says Christians everywhere have a responsibility to pray and help. "Especially as a Christian, we should be there because these are our brothers and sisters in Christ."

...

In the meantime, pray hard for our fellow brothers and sisters in Iraq. Pray for their safety but also for courage unknown to share the Gospel with those who are seeking. Pray that the government would put an end to this "religicide" and that ultimately the Lord's sovereign will would reign.