Iran (MNN) ? Yesterday marked the third day of an Iranian local court demanding a pastor repent of Christianity and return to Islam on penalty of death.

Five days before the beginning of fall semester at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, while many college students were moving into their dorms, 18-year-old Christina Kuo stood in front of a video camera.

Many of us love China and pray for Christians in China on a regular basis. Right now I have two friends from my home church who just left California a few weeks ago, and are now in China ministering as missionaries where the Lord is leading them in China. China is near to my heart and her Christian population is also, which is why I'd like to share with you this white paper which will help you understand the state of the church in China.

As many of you know, we've been following the story of Christian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani for quite some time. We've invited you to write him via our Prisoner Alert program, and many of you have. We thank you and please ask again that you take time to pray for him and his family right now, today.

Muslim extremists carried out new attacks on villages in Nigeria’s Plateau state in September, killing more than 100 Christians, including entire families, according to Compass Direct News.

Agents of Iran’s intelligence ministry recently took a Christian couple’s adopted child, demanding that the couple file a complaint against other Christians being held in prison, according to Mohabat News. The couple was taken to the hospital because of emotional stress caused by the loss of their child. “This is the first time I have ever seen this tactic — taking a child hostage,” said a VOM contact. “In the past, it is always the parents.”

Normally on Monday I share with you a devotion from the book Extreme Devotion, but today I wanted to share with you a few thoughts that I have had recently about persecution instead.