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A few weeks ago we shared with you that Christ in Youth along with The Voice of the Martyrs is presenting a film called Love Costs Every Thing on March 7th and March 11th. It's only a few days from the first simulcast and we wanted to remind you that there is still time to sign up, if you haven't yet
The movie will be simulcast to churches everywhere.
For more information, please visit http://www.ciy.com/lovecostseverything
Please also take a minute to view this short promotional video.
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Today I would like to take the opportunity to encourage you to get involved with one of my favorite ministries of The Voice of the Martyrs - the Bibles Unbound program.
I just checked my personal Bibles Unbound account and noticed that I've been a member of this program for six years. I also noticed that my husband and I have sponsored bibles in North Korea, China, Indonesia, Colombia, Egypt and India. I'm actually quite amazed at this because it's been quite some time since I've looked to see how many bibles we've had the blessing of sponsoring.
What I find even more amazing though, is how easy it is to be able to make a difference in the lives of those, all over the world, in nations that are restricted or hard to get bibles into, for only $30 a month.
If you have a heart and a passion for God's word and you'd like to join me and thousands of others in sponsoring bibles for those who can't just get them through their local Christian bookstore, please consider joining Bibles Unbound.
Here's how Bibles Unbound works...
1. Visit www.biblesunbound.com
2. Choose an Operation to support. An Operation is a specific list of people in need of a Bible. More than one operation may be associated with one country/region. To choose the Featured Operation, click the "View Now" button. Alternately you can search for Operations by clicking on a Country/Region Name under Operations Search.
3. From the Operations page, learn more about the area and a description of the specific operation. Select how many New Testaments you wish to give each month (multiples of five.) The cost is $6.00 each, which covers the cost of the New Testaments and the cost of shipping to the restricted nation.
4. After placing your order you will receive a confirmation message by email. Shortly after the payment date you have chosen, your order will be processed and you will receive an email notification.
See What's Happening
At any time you can return to the BiblesUnbound.com Website and logon to view the Operations Map. The Crosses will show where your New Testaments have been sent.
Once on the site, you can also learn about other Countries/Regions in need of the Word and other opportunities to participate.
Pretty cool isn't it? I hope you think so.
Right now we have 47,670 bibles waiting to be sponsored. Please join us today and make a difference. Click here now to join Bibles Unbound.
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Iran (MNN) ― Reports of the imminent execution of Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani are now being countered by news of delay.
Spokesman with the Voice of the Martyrs USA Todd Nettleton says the latest information he's heard is still being confirmed. "There is a report from an Israeli media outlet saying that the execution has been postponed. It's unclear when it will happen. The other part of this report that has new information to me is that it was scheduled to take place today (February 28), but it was postponed indefinitely."
There are other stories indicating there was actually no execution order and that Nadarkhani was being held for rape and "other crimes," not apostasy. (Article 225 of the Iranian penal code states, "Punishment for an Innate Apostate is death," and "Punishment for a Parental Apostate is death.") Naturally, the changing details beg the question, "Is this a campaign of misinformation?"
"There are so many different pieces of information coming from different directions, that it's hard to know what is real and what is not real," Nettleton notes. It could discredit future reports coming out of Iran. Who benefits from discrediting the stories? The bigger question, says Nettleton, is: "What role does the Iranian government play in this? They have a history of not being transparent with the rest of the world as far as what's going on inside Iran. So it is interesting to wonder if they are perhaps playing with this information as a way to try to gauge: 'How is the world going to respond if we do this?'"
However, delay could be a response to the international scrutiny, too. "When it comes to some of the European countries, those countries can have sway on Iranian public policy. The Iranian government does tend to pay attention to what they're saying. In this case, many of them are also sounding the chorus that a person should not be executed for their religious beliefs."
The American Center for Law and Justice added their voice the chorus of concern. "If a human being becomes a bargaining chip for the ayatollah, that's not a situation that will lead to anything positive," says ACLJ's executive director, Jordan Sekulow.
Nettleton says the lack of movement could also signal an acknowledgement of the conundrum Iran's judiciary faces. If the court releases the pastor, it denies Sharia law, risking the wrath of Muslims in Iran. If they execute him, they face the displeasure of the international community, which includes dozens of human rights groups, the White House, members of Congress, leaders from the European Union, France, Great Britain, Mexico and Germany.
Trying to find a way out of the dilemma, the court gave Nadarkhani a chance to recant and return to Islam, but he refused. His story reveals a distress the government can't ignore. Nettleton explains, "The government is responding with lethal force in this particular situation because the church is growing in a way that the government can't understand and can't control. They see putting someone to death as saying, 'This will put a stop to Muslims leaving Islam to follow Christ.'"
The paradox of persecution, says Nettleton, is met by prayer. "There is an incredible hunger for the Gospel. There is an incredible openness to hear about Jesus Christ. We need to pray that there will be ministries and people and workers who will work in those harvest fields."
Check our Featured Links Section for more about the work of the Voice of the Martyr with the persecuted church.
Source: Mission Network News
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A few weeks ago we shared with you our goal to write Gao Zhisheng 5000 letters and I'm very encouraged and happy to share with you that we are so close to reaching that goal. As of today, February 28th, we only need 251 more letters written. In the last few weeks you've written 165 more letters to Gao and I want to thank you so much for taking action. You're the best!
Now all we have to do is rally our friends, family and others to write Gao a letter of encouragement.
Please click here to write your letter. Please also share about Gao with your circle of influence on Facebook, Twitter and in your church and work environment. Let's show Gao we stand with him in 2012.
You can also learn more about Gao's past and the torture he has endured, and may still possibly be enduring, by visiting FREE GAO and sign the petition.
Click here to write you letter now! Thank you.
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Boko Haram terrorists bombed a large church in Jos on Sunday, killing a church member and a baby, along with themselves. Church security guards prevented the suicide bombers from reaching the church auditorium, where a service was in progress. Claiming responsibility for the attack, a Boko Haram spokesman said, “We have just started.”
The suicide bombers arrived at the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) compound shortly after the 7 a.m. Hausa language service began. A security guard suspected of collaborating with the terrorists opened the gate for their Volkswagen vehicle packed with explosives. But other security guards, who noticed the unusual activity, shot one of the car’s occupants and managed to stop the vehicle before it reached the main church building. The car bomb exploded in the parking area at about 7:20 a.m., killing church usher Grace Daniel, a baby that died later at the hospital and the two bombers. At least 38 others were injured in the bombing. Church services were canceled for the day throughout Jos.
Boko Haram is a terrorist group that seeks to impose Islamic law throughout Nigeria. The city of Jos, in north central Nigeria, is often described as the religious fault line between the north and the south. Boko Haram spokesman Abul Qaqa told The Sun News, “We did what we did as part of our resolve to avenge the killings and dehumanization of Muslims in Jos in the last 10 years.” Qaqa said the church was not chosen for a specific reason. “We attacked simply because it’s a church.”
The blast damaged most of the cars in the parking lot, along with the church’s fence and some nearby homes. The guard who opened the gate for the bombers’ vehicle was seized and beaten by the other guards. Police intervened to prevent them from killing him.
In reprisal attacks later in the day, a mob of non-Muslims lynched a water vendor and a commercial motorcyclist. Two other people were also killed in the attacks, and the mob burned down a motorcycle parts shop not far from the church.
The Jos state governor, Johan David Jang, typically attends the church, but that day he had planned to attend the 10 a.m. English language service. VOM staff members have often worshiped at the COCIN church when in Jos.
President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attack by Boko Haram as well as the reprisal attacks that followed. “Those who seek to divide us by fear and terror will not succeed,” he said.
Sources: The Sun News, VOM Contacts, The Nation, Compass Direct News
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Many of you have asked if we know of anything new about what is happening with Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, and right now the only thing we can share with you is that it is being reported by the Israel National News that the execution of Pastor Youcef has been temporarily put off. The Voice of the Martyrs has not yet confirmed this report. However, here is the most up to date information we have from the Israel National News article. Please keep praying for Pastor Youcef and his wife and children, as well as those who are making the decisions concerning his case.
Iran has put off the execution of Christian Pastor Yousof Nadarkhani -- probably in response to massive international pressure -- but it is not clear for how long.
Nadarkhani was due to be executed on Tuesday, after having lost the final appeal against a conviction on a charge of apostasy in Iran's Supreme Court.
The 33-year-old pastor converted to Christianity from being a Muslim at the age of 19, making him an apostate in the eyes of Islam.
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JOS, Nigeria, February 26 (CDN) — Two suicide bombers from the Boko Haram Islamist sect drove a car laden with bombs into the worship service of a Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) congregation here this morning, killing at least one Christian and injuring dozens of other church members, sources said.
A man claiming to be a spokesman for Boko Haram reportedly claimed responsibility for the blast. The two suicide bombers broke through a security barrier at the gate of the church building at 7:20 a.m., a church leader said.
“When the bombs went off, I saw the dead body of one girl and four other members of our church who were injured,” said Yakubu Dutse, director of finance at COCIN headquarters, which is located in the same building.
Dutse said one of the bombers was shot dead and one was injured by soldiers posted as security guards before the bombs went off, killing the second assailant as well.
“When they were stopped at the gate of the church, they refused to stop, hence the soldiers posted to the church shot at the car,” he said.
Church member Felix Apollos rushed to the scene of the attack minutes after the bombs went off; he told Compass that he saw the bodies of five people killed in the attack, but the identities of the dead were yet to be confirmed at press time. At least 38 people were reportedly injured in the blast.
“I saw some Red Cross personnel moving both the dead and the injured into ambulances,” Apollos said. “I saw five dead bodies and about seven injured Christians being moved into vehicles. But then the number of the injured may be higher than this, as there were already some injured that were taken to the hospital before I got here.”
Apollos said members of a security force manning the church gate tried to stop the assailants, but soldiers also guarding the church ordered them to allow the bombers onto the premises.
“Just when the bombers got onto the church premises, they crashed into the church building,” Apollos told Compass.
The COCIN church holds two worship services on Sunday mornings, one at 7 and one at 10. The second service was cancelled, as were most church services throughout Jos.
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Journalist and Christian activist Li Ying was released from prison in China on Dec. 25, 2011, just three years shy of completing a 15-year sentence she received because of her work on an underground Christian magazine. Li was arrested in April 2001 along with 16 others from the South China Church.
China Aid Association founder and president Bob Fu spoke with Li on Friday, Feb. 10. Li is very grateful for the support she received from around the world. She told Fu that she was aware of the many letters she had received but that authorities never let her see the letters. Li reiterated her thanks to her world-wide supporters.
“This is a great answer to prayer,” said Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs. “We thank the Lord that Li Ying is alive and out of prison.”
Li was condemned to death in Dec. 2001, but the judgment was revised to a 15-year prison sentence by the Hubei Provincial Supreme Court in October 2002. During her time in prison, she was reportedly forced to work 15 hours a day on products for export. Her visits with her family were also strictly limited, and she was not allowed to have a Bible.
Li Ying is the niece of Pastor Gong Shengliang, founder of the South China Church, one of the fastest growing house-church movements in China. She has been arrested several times and also spent a year in prison in 1996. Her story was featured on www.prisoneralert.com, which allows concerned Christians to write letters of encouragement to imprisoned Christians. Since 2004, more than 11,400 letters were written to Li through the website.
“Li Ying was one of the very first prisoners that we featured on PrisonerAlert,” said Nettleton. “And even though she was not allowed to see the letters, we know that prison officials and Chinese authorities knew that her case was being watched. They knew that the world had not forgotten her.”
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I love starting my week with you! I also love starting the week by sharing a devotion from the best selling book Extreme Devotion. As you read this wonderful devotional story today, consider how you can encourage someone like the Pastor did in this story. Click here to buy the book Extreme Devotion.
When Communists took over Vietnam, Pastor Nguyen Lap Ma refused to relinquish the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Can Tho. For this “crime,” he and his entire family were placed under house arrest in a tiny, rural village with no travel and with no mail for the first twelve years.
Finally, when authorities loosened the mail restrictions, Pastor Lap Ma was thrilled to see letters arrive at his home. The Voice of the Martyrs published Pastor Lap Ma’s story and his address. Students, housewives, pastors, and businessmen wrote letters of encouragement to the pastor and his family. Vietnamese police were shocked when Pastor Lap Ma received more than three thousand letters from all over the world.
“I read every letter with prayers and tears,” Pastor Lap Ma said. “I devour every letter and meditate on the Scriptures shared in them. I then share these words of encouragement and the Scriptures in Vietnamese with my family. We are glad and encouraged by the messages in them.”
“God has strengthened and helped us,” the pastor continued. “So we keep hoping in him and fixing our eyes on Jesus. We follow him to endure the cross, scorning its shame to the point of death. While we are living, God uses us to comfort the other suffering Christians.” The letters encourage them as they happily encourage other believers.
Encouragement is a necessary fuel for the Christian race. Without encouragement, as a runner without water, no one could endure the often grueling stretch for long. As we make our journey, we learn that encouragement is a two-way street. We give encouragement to others and so receive it ourselves from other believers and even from God himself. A little encouragement goes a long way in strengthening the weary and motivating those whose faith is languishing. We often find that the spiritual encouragement we receive from the prayers of those around us rejuvenates us for the second mile. In some cases, that is another twelve years in prison for our faith. In other cases, it is merely the ability to endure another day.
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The following is the statement from the White House concerning Pastor Youcef.
The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms reports that Iranian authorities’ reaffirmed a death sentence for Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani for the sole reason of his refusal to recant his Christian faith. This action is yet another shocking breach of Iran’s international obligations, its own constitution, and stated religious values. The United States stands in solidarity with Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and all those who seek to practice their religion without fear of persecution—a fundamental and universal human right. The trial and sentencing process for Pastor Nadarkhani demonstrates the Iranian government’s total disregard for religious freedom, and further demonstrates Iran's continuing violation of the universal rights of its citizens. The United States calls upon the Iranian authorities to immediately lift the sentence, release Pastor Nadarkhani, and demonstrate a commitment to basic, universal human rights, including freedom of religion. The United States renews its calls for people of conscience and governments around the world to reach out to Iranian authorities and demand Pastor Nadarkhani's immediate release.
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