Category: Persecution

I was reading the Persecution Blog last night and came across this article talking about a Chineese house church leader who visited President Bush. I haven't gotten to watch the videos of him yet, but I plan to.

Cyndi and I have been reading the book Voices of the Faithful. For those who don't know, this is a daily devotional book written by International Mission Board missionaries. Each month focuses on a different area. January was God's Character, February was God's Word, etc…. June's theme is Persecution. Anyway, last night's devotion dealt with persecution in the Middle East. I tried to scan the page so everyone could read it, but it didn't work. The scripture was 1 Peter 4:13: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Here are some quotes from the devotion: While in Europe, he [a Muslim living and working in Europe] became a Christian. Before he returned to his home country in the Middle East, he told his family of his decision to follow Christ. Consequently, the family waited for him at the airport upon hsi return, bringing law officers to have him imprisioned. He is now out of prison and working as an electrician, but he has been disinherited by his family and experiences discrimination in his profession. In spite of all this, he is a joyful witness to others.

The devotion goes on to tell the story of another former Muslim names Mohammed:

[He] became a believer and dynamic witness. He visited another country in the Middle East and distributed the Word. The group that he was with became so effective at spreading the Word that militant Islamic groups decided to put a stop to their work. They murdered Mohammed by placing a bomb in his apartment. He was buried in that country, because his family had disowned him and refused to accept his body.

How about us? Would we as believers share our new-found faith with our family and choose to return to the country knowing what was going to happen? Once released from prision, would be able to be a "joyful witness?" Would we be willing to leave our home country and go somewhere different to spread the Good News? Would we be willing to go to that other country knowing we could get killed for our faith?

Why do we in America shy away from sharing our faith? Currently, we aren't going to get killed or thrown in jail for sharing, but we don't stand up like we ought. Why aren't we salt and light as we are called to be?

I read and hear stories about great revivals in the world and in our own country and wonder why God doesn't do that today. Is it because the church has become like the church of Laodecia in Revelation? We think we are "a bag of chips and all that" and have everything together, but in reality we are really dead.

Would we come under more persecution in America if we were to actually stand up for God and what He says is right?

I'll readily admit that I don't witness like I ought. I don't always stand up for Christ like I ought. I don't pray like I ought. I don't study the Bible like I ought. The desire is there….I just don't always know how to balance American Life and what "ought." I wrote this post for the Persecution Blog Canival tomorrow because the devotion jumped at me so. Hopefully it will be posted. If you read this, pray that God will reveal to Cyndi and myself how we can do the right thing and live like we ought. Pray that we would honor Christ and don't let down our fellow brothers and sisters in chains around the world.

This evening, I received an alert from Voice of the Martyrs about a Christian brother in Vietnam who is under persecution. His name is Mua Say So and he needs our prayers.

Continue reading “Mua Say So — Under Persecution”

As I was updating the site this morning, I happened to glance at the IMBNews block. (This shows the stories that are active on the International Mission Board's homepage, BTW.) As I was doing that, I noticed this story about stopping persecution, is it always right.

Continue reading “Stopping Persecution…Is it Right?”

Baptist Press is reporting that Christian Persecution is mounting in Afghanistan and Iraq. I think this is just amazing….we "spend" the blood of US Soldiers…

Continue reading “Persecution Mounts in Iraq and Afghanistan”

A few days ago, I received my normal VOM newsletter. In it was a notice of The 2006 VOM Mission Conference. I want to go, and have a place to stay (I have an uncle who lives in Caney, KS). But I'd have to get there. If you haven't heard of Voice of the Martyrs, I would definantly point you to their site to learn more.

Radicals threaten to burn Christians to death

Warn of consequences if they don't reconvert to Hinduism by Sunday
Posted: November 17, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

More than 60 Christian converts in northern India will be burned to death if they refuse to return to Hinduism by Sunday, a group of extremists has warned. To my Indian Brothers and Sisters: I'm praying for you. Let your light shine and allow others to see God in your life

WND is reporting that a group of 60 Christians will be burnt to death unless they "reconvert" to Hinduism.

  WND FAITH UNDER FIRE

Christian girls shot near church
Posted: November 9, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Two 17-year-old Christian girls were shot yesterday in the second recent attack of its kind in Indonesia.

Washington, D.C.-based International Christian Concern said two armed men shot the girls – Siti Nuraini and another identified only as Ivon – at close range with pistols near a Pentecostal church in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

Both girls are in critical condition, in a coma.

The attacks followed the beheadings of three Christian high school students in the area late last month.

ICC said the new attack took place as 10 national police officials of the Muslim-majority nation were in Central Sulawesi probing the beheadings.

According to some reports, the perpetrators of the beheadings are in custody but have not been formally charged.

The Poso area, which has a relatively large Christian population, has seen at least 40 attacks recently against the Christian community, including shootings, killings and major bombings.

ICC says there have been no convictions or arrests in any of these attacks.

WND reported the story above today at http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47301. We need to remember to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who have to endure persecution like this.

 Although China allows "belief" in a religion, the Chinese constitution does not guarantee the right to practice that religion. Adults often face severe consequences for religious actions but generally are not required to deny their faith. However, officials attempt to weaken children's faith by encouraging them to deny Jesus altogether. According to Open Doors, Public Security Bureau officers recently burst into a Sunday school room and herded 30 children into a van. Despite the scary situation, one child started singing. The van soon was filled with song. Upon arrival at the police station, the children marched bravely into the interrogation room still singing to the Lord. Threatened with having to write "I do not believe in Jesus" 100 times before they would be released, the children instead wrote: "I believe in Jesus today. I will believe in Jesus tomorrow. I will believe in Jesus forever!" Exasperated, officials called the children's parents, some of whom denied Christ. When a widowed believer came to pick up her twin sons, she refused to deny Jesus. The officers threatened her: "If you do not deny Jesus, we will not release your sons!" The widow replied, "Well, I guess you will just have to keep them, because without Jesus, there would be no way for me to take care of them!" With no avenues left open to them, the officials said, "Take your sons and go!"

Give thanks and praise to God for the faithful witness of these children. Pray the light of their faith will brighten the spiritual darkness around them. Pray God will continue to strengthen them as they face the pressures of adulthood.

That was one of many things in the VOM Prayer Alert this week. Think about this brothers and sisters in America: what would you have done? What would your kida have done? Why? Christians in America need to get a backbone. We have a big God (well, we have the only true God) and we need to start acting like it!

For those who couldn't tell, I'm extremely interested in the persecuted church. That's why, when Persecution Blog announced their blogroll program, I jumped at the chance. Well, an update has been sent out stating that traffic to Persecution Blog is up and Voice of the Martyrs is seeing an increase in their newsletter subscriptions. Here is the update:

Thanks to you traffic to the Persecution blog (www.persecutionblog.com) is up over 50%. As a result, letters written to believers imprisoned for their faith via the Prisoner Alert website (www.prisoneralert.com) is up as are signups for the VOM newsletter. 

Your participation in the blogosphere program is vital to the blog's success in educating Christians to the plight of fellow believers across the globe. Again, I want to express my thanks for your involvement.

If you would like more information on the PersecutionBlog Blogoshpere Program, follow the link.