I'm not sure if it's me because of the fact that I am always reading about Christian persecution and harm against the Christian church, or if there has really been an increase in crime at church. In the almost 5 years I've been writing about persecution, I can't remember a time when I've seen so many American churches coming under fire - both literally and figuratively. We've been covering the recent church shootings in California, and then the rash of arsons in Texas, and now I'm seeing in the news almost daily, a series of burglaries. Here are just a few I dug out today.

The AP report goes on to say that both men who have been arrested could face up to life in prison and are currently being held on a $10 million bond.

Today I'd like to share with you this excerpt from the book Extreme Devotion, and in light of the fact that some of our great The Voice of the Martyrs staff are attending the National Religious Broadcasters Convention this week, I find it appropriate to share how this one sister heard the gospel through radio. Pray for all of those at NRB this week.

On Feb. 4, Moroccan military authorities raided a Christian meeting and arrested 18 people. The authorities also confiscated Bibles and personal belongings, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts.“We were surprised by more than 60 Moroccan Gendarmes attacking the house [where we had just started our Bible study],” a VOM contact said. “Eleven believers (including an American), two non-believers and five children… were [held] by the Moroccan government for 14 hours.”After 14 hours in detention, the American was deported and the others were released. Authorities kept the American’s laptop computer, along with Bibles, books, a laptop, a digital photo camera and a cell phone that belonged to the others arrested.“It’s the first time in our current Moroccan church history that the Moroccan government used this size of a legion to attack a small Christian meeting,” VOM contacts added. “All the time they kept repeating that this was ordered personally by the new Moroccan Justice Minister [Mohamed Naciri] and by the highest level General of the Gendarmerie [Housni Benslimane].”The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to pray for believers in Morocco. Pray that God will protect these believers and grant them peace as they face these new challenges. Also pray that the authorities will return their confiscated belongings. Ask God to draw the persecutors into fellowship with him. “Our Moroccan brothers and sisters have asked believers here in the US to speak out on their behalf,” said Todd Nettleton, VOM’s director of media development. “They believe international attention and pressure can make a difference in getting their possessions returned, and in protecting future Christian activities.”VOM encourages you to write to the Moroccan Embassy at the address below to protest this abuse of religious freedom:Moroccan Ambassador: H.E. Aziz Mekouar1601 21st St. NWWashington, DC 20009Fax: 202-265-0161

Here's the latest news from Compass Direct.

“O most merciful Christ,” John Huss wrote while awaiting his execution, “give us a courageous spirit, so that it may be ready. And if the flesh is weak, may your grace go before it, for without you we can do nothing, and above all, without you we cannot face a cruel death. Give us a bold courage and upright faith, a firm hope, and perfect charity, that we may give our life for you in all patience and all joy. Amen.”