Displaying items by tag: Christians

Thursday, 05 March 2020 21:53

Russia: Christians and new laws

Security agencies are using ‘Yarovaya Law’ to impose harsh restrictions on evangelical Christians to tackle ‘extremist’ activities. The law demands permits to enable meeting outside registered religious buildings - outlawing house churches and prayer meetings. The law gives security agencies access to private phone conversations and text messages. There are few Protestants who have not been impacted by the law. A Moscow pastor with a congregation of 50 who are interrupted most Sundays by police said, ‘Authorities dressed as civilians knock on our door, asking to come in and “pray”. If we refuse they film us turning them away and use the footage against us. If we let them in they take pictures inside the church to identify ways that we are violating the law and must pay fines for “illegal missionary activity”’. Meanwhile President Putin’s revised constitution wants gay marriage to be forbidden. It will be put to a public vote. See

Published in Europe
Friday, 21 February 2020 07:28

China: brave cry for help

Please watch this short and agonising video from China, a woman's desperate cry for help in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic. It confirms reports of the government suppressing news and ignoring doctors' warnings. From last week’s international prayer call, including a Christian leader from Wuhan, we heard that Chinese Christians are taking communion daily as protection from death, as ancient Jews did in the first Passover, and standing against the spread of coronavirus in prayer. Let's continue to pray with our Chinese brethren for the end of what could become a pandemic and for people everywhere to be protected. We know that the Lord in His redemptive love and wisdom can utilise bad things to bring forth good outcomes. May He use the current health and related economic crisis to bring real reform to the communist government of China so that the people finally obtain the human rights and freedoms they have longed for, so poignantly expressed in this brave woman's cry.

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 14 February 2020 10:00

Iran: UN demands Iran give Christians fair trials

Four UN human experts on human rights, freedom of religion, minority issues and the right to health have issued a joint statement, urging Iran to ensure ‘a fair and transparent final hearing’ at the court for three Iranian Christians sentenced for ‘conducting evangelism’ and ‘illegal house church activities,’ among other charges. The experts have expressed concern over last year's sentencing of Pastor Tamraz, an Assyrian Pentecostal leader, and of Amin Afshar Naderi and Hadi Asgari, house-church Christians. They were given between 10 and 15 year prison sentences. In November the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, called on Christian leaders to intervene for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been held in an Iranian prison since 2016 (see). The Revolutionary Court was due to hold a hearing on 9 February; the outcome is not yet known.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 06 February 2020 22:53

Two new Christian MPs share their faith

Newly-elected Conservative MP Stuart Anderson explained in his first Commons speech how going to church and finding faith helped him ‘see light out of the darkness’. He said he considered taking his own life after he was left ‘broken’ by his time serving as a rifleman for the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Kosovo. He finished his compassionate speech by saying, ‘When I was trying to do something right by my family, I found faith. For the first time in many years, I could see hope and a future.’ Danny Kruger, in his maiden speech, told listeners, ‘Look to Britain’s Christian past to address future problems. We are children of God, fallen but redeemed, capable of great wrong but also of great virtue.’ See

Published in Praise Reports
Friday, 03 January 2020 10:15

Christians in New Year’s honours list

Mike Pilavachi, Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and four Irish priests were all awarded the MBE in the New Year’s honours list. Pilavachi, who founded the Soul Survivor movement, has been honoured for his services to young people. Bishop Rose, who is now bishop of Dover after serving as chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons for nine years, was recognised for services to young people and to the CofE. The award also went to Northern Ireland's singing priests (Frs Eugene O'Hagan. Martin O'Hagan, and David Delargy) for their music and charity work, and to Fr Stephen McBrearty in recognition of his prison chaplaincy work. In addition, Wynne Roberts, a hospital chaplain, received the British Empire Medal for charitable services after raising £250,000 for charity since he began his Elvis tribute act six years ago.

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 12 December 2019 23:26

India: intolerance increasing

Across India, there is a rising intolerance towards missionaries, pastors and priests. Violence against Christians has resulted in loss of lives, livelihoods and property. Rights-based organisations have documented over 250 incidents of violence and hate crimes against Christians between January and November. Open Doors states, ‘India continues its violence against Christians; Hindu radicals believe they can attack Christians with no consequences. The view of the nationalists is that to be Indian is to be Hindu, so Christianity is “non-Indian”. Additionally, in some regions of the country, converts to Christianity from Hinduism experience extreme persecution, discrimination and violence. Pray for Christian converts from Hinduism who are pressured forcefully to return to their national religion. Pray for Christians in India to know God’s provision and protection as they preach the gospel in places with anti-conversion laws.’ See also

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 07 November 2019 22:56

Syriac Christian community

In the northeast of Syria, in a number of cities and their surrounding villages, a renaissance is under way in the area’s beleaguered Syriac Christian community, which is attempting to revive the Syriac language and culture after decades of neglect and oppression. The Christian community as a whole has suffered immensely during the ongoing eight-year conflict, and this minority is no exception. The conflict has, however, also brought about social changes that previously would have been thought impossible, particularly in areas under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Escalating its threat to invade the area despite the presence of American, British, and French troops, Turkey could reverse these changes and even jeopardise the continued existence of the Christian community there. These Christians have preserved their unique languages and cultures in the face of decades of Arabisation. Syriac Christians will teach their children their ancestral language, derived from Aramaic, the native tongue of Jerusalem, where the church was born.

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 02 August 2019 00:01

Afghan Christians share Christ

Voice of the Martyrs recently reported, ‘Afghan believers are boldly sharing the gospel in their country like never before in its history. In a nation that is 99 percent Muslim, the risks of such ministry are incredible. But many of these courageous followers of Christ have decided their countrymen must hear that God loves them, that Jesus Christ has paid for their sins, and that there is a guaranteed future for them with God through Jesus. Their witness is producing fruit: today there are Christians throughout the country of Afghanistan. Over the years, Afghan believers have often hidden their faith, but there are men and women willing to share the gospel courageously throughout Afghanistan and other Asian nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith.’

Published in Praise Reports
Friday, 05 July 2019 10:28

Germany: Christian home-schooling

A court has granted a Christian couple custody of their children after six years of legal conflict over their right to home-school youngsters. The state kept legal custody of Dirk and Petra Wunderlich's two youngest children after it came to light that the couple were breaking German law by educating their four children at home. Over thirty police officers and social workers raided their home and forcefully removed all the children: only two were later returned, thus preventing the whole family from leaving the country. ‘The right of parents to direct the education of their children is a fundamental right, protected in international law’, said the family’s lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights. ‘We are pleased that the court respected this right.’

Published in Europe
Friday, 05 July 2019 10:15

Sudan: pray for democracy

Many observers are saying that the fresh wave of protests across Sudan could be pivotal. On 30 June at least seven were killed and 200 injured in clashes when thousands took to the streets demanding that the ruling military council hand over power to a civilian government. For Christians, the revolution initially brought hope of religious freedom, but now there is a keen sense of disappointment. A local Christian said, ‘If there is more of a democracy, hopefully, prayerfully there will be more freedom to be able to evangelise, and to share the message of Jesus’ love. What can we do? We need to be praying for the situation in Sudan.’ Pray for definitive peace and stability between the people and military commanders who continue to vie for power. Ask God for government leaders to rule with integrity and justice. Pray for the church to grow spiritually strong despite intense suffering and persecution.

Published in Worldwide