Sunday 29 September 2013

Prayer Request: Asia Bibi in Pakistan



Continue to lift up to the Lord, Asia Bibi, a Christian mother on death row in Pakistan over a false blasphemy accusation. She has been behind bars for over four years and is awaiting an appeal against her death sentence. This is not expected to take place until 2015 owing to a large backlog of cases. Pray that Asia will have patience and peace as she awaits justice. Give thanks that Rimsha Masih, a young Pakistani Christian girl falsely accused of blasphemy in a highly controversial case last year, is now safe in Canada. She left Pakistan with her parents and four siblings on 14 March. The family had received death threats from Islamic extremists.

Source: Barnabas Fund


Please view my previous posts for more information about her case.





Thursday 26 September 2013

AFGHANISTAN: Member of Parliament Suggests Execution of Christians


Bulletin Date: 25 September 2013



A member of Afghanistan's Parliament has suggested that anyone who converts from Islam to Christianity should be executed, according to Islamic law, in order to stop the rapid growth of Christianity within and outside the country.

An Afghan news service quoted Parliament Member Nazir Ahmad Hanafi as saying, "Afghan citizens continue to convert to Christianity in India. ... This is an offense to Islamic laws, and according to the Quran they need to be executed."

Islamic leaders in Afghanistan consider the growth of Christianity to be a threat. Some Islamic clerics have reportedly warned the government against the influence of Christianity in the country.

Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, Speaker of the Parliament, has a long history of anti-Christian activities. Condemning all evangelical activities in Afghanistan, he ordered the National Security Committee to follow up on the issue.

Source: Mohabat News

Please Pray!


Please pray that the growth of the Church in Afghanistan will not be hindered. Pray that the Lord will protect those who are actively sharing the gospel. Pray also for the salvation of Afghanistan's leaders (I have provided a link to each of the leaders mentioned in in the bulletin. Please pray for the salvation of each of these men).

"For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe." 1 Tim. 4:10

The Voice of the Martyrs supports Christians in Afghanistan by helping facilitate evangelistic outreach, discipleship training and related support for the indigenous church.









www.persecution.com


Tuesday 24 September 2013

KAZAKHSTAN: Pastor Arrested After Praying for Sick






Date of Bulletin: 18 September 2013

Kazakhstan Flag



Persecution has been steadily increasing in Kazakhstan since the introduction of a harsh religion law in 2011. The recent arrest of a pastor continues that trend.


According to both ASSIST News and Forum 18 News, 67-year-old Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev has been detained in a psychiatric center after praying for the sick. The pastor has been charged with "harming health," and authorities hope to have him declared insane. This recent arrest, combined with pending changes to Kazakhstan's criminal code that increase punishment for missionary activity, reflects the government's tightening control over religious rights.

Forum 18 News reports that a law proposed in March would allow authorities to imprison those who share their faith for up to four months. If passed, the law will be the first to rule faith-based actions a criminal offense since Kazakhstan gained independence in 1991.

Please Pray!





Pray that charges against Pastor Kashkumbayev will be dropped and he will be released. Pray for his family, who have not been allowed to see him since his arrest in May. Pray that they will all remain firm in the Lord and not lose hope. Pray that the proposed law allowing religious leaders to be imprisoned does not pass.

"The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe." Prov. 29:25

To learn more about the challenges facing Christians in Kazakhstan, visit the VOM Restricted Nations map.







Monday 23 September 2013

Christian Weekly News 030

  from Christian Concern



This week CWN features, Phil Keaggy, Lindz West of LZ7 and Dr Patrick Sookhdeo highlighting the persecution of Christians in Syria and how Barnabas Fund is responding as well as the work of Christian Medical Fellowship.






Thursday 19 September 2013

How Can They Hear Without Someone Preaching to Them?


No Eye Has Seen, Nor Ear Has Heard


Barnabas launches urgent petition on behalf of Christians in Syria

 

Barnabas launches urgent petition

on behalf of Christians in Syria

Syria

 


Barnabas Fund is today launching an urgent petition calling on Western governments to take action on behalf of Syria’s endangered Christian minority. We need your help to get as many signatures as soon as possible as the conflict escalates and their plight deepens.


Syrian Christians, who comprise around ten per cent of the country’s population, are increasingly vulnerable as the brutal civil war rages on. A siege over the last week at the Christian village of Maaloula – one of the most famous and historic centres of Christianity in the world – has magnified the stark threat to the minority community’s very survival in the country.

Al-Qaeda-linked rebels seized control of the village, where Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by Jesus, is still used; fighting against government forces is ongoing. The rebels have been attacking Christian homes and churches, destroying Christian symbols.
   
The bodies of Christians killed in the violent takeover have been left lying in the streets, and Christian residents have been threatened with beheading if they do not convert to Islam. Six young Christians have been taken captive.

Maaloula has been left a ghost town, as most of its population of around 3,000 has fled.

Many Christian communities in other parts of Syria have been ravaged in this horrific manner throughout the civil war. They are being deliberately targeted by Islamists among the opposition forces because of their faith.
The future of the Church in Syria, which dates back to New Testament times, is now hanging in the balance as Christians run out of safe havens. Around 600,000 have fled the country, and even more are internally displaced.

Barnabas Fund’s petition therefore calls on Western governments to take action to protect and help the vulnerable community.

Please sign the petition and forward it to others. You can download a copy to print and circulate in your church and community; paper copies can be obtained by contacting your nearest Barnabas Fund office. You are welcome to photocopy the sheet.

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:
When we see the distressing footage from Syria on our television screens, we want to do something to help but feel incredibly powerless. Signing and circulating our petition is something you can do to make a difference. We must work together to make the plight of Syria’s Christians known to those with the power to intervene and influence events.



Thursday 12 September 2013

Forgotten Christmas 2013

http://forgottenchristmas.org/





Watch the videos, become inspired, and find practical ways to impact a life this Christmas.

Share the videos, and encourage others to remember the most important part of Christmas: the gift of our Saviour.

Please visit  http://forgottenchristmas.org/ to find out more and to download and share this video!

SYRIA: Christians Growing Despondent in Aleppo


Date of Bulletin: 11 September 2013



Rebels have tightened the siege on Aleppo in retaliation for territory retaken by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the south and centre. Sources report that Christians in Aleppo are growing despondent as they rapidly lose weight, health and hope. Those whose homes have been totally destroyed are now squatting in empty office buildings without amenities or food. Many fear that a rebel invasion is imminent.

Last week five busloads of Armenian Christians left Aleppo for the coast. Subsequently, rebels linked to the Syrian Islamic Front took control of the road to Aleppo, cutting SAA supply lines. Nobody knows what has happened to the Armenians.

A Protestant pastor in Aleppo tells how his young son recently asked him when the rebels will come and kill them for being Christians. He says the men of the church are preparing for a rebel invasion and for death.

Source: Religious Liberty News Bulletin

Please Pray!


Please pray for Syrian Christians caught in the middle of the conflict, particularly those in Aleppo. Pray that God will sustain them through this difficult time and deliver them from the hands of the wicked.

"Show Your marvelous loving-kindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You; from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings." Ps. 17:7-8

Voice Of the Martyrs works with partners in Syria to bring Bibles into the country.




Wednesday 11 September 2013

CHINA: Linfen House Church Leader Abducted, Beaten



Bulletin Date: 4 September 2013

China



Li Shuangping, leader of Linfen house church, was abducted and beaten by agents of the local government on Aug. 13.

Li reported that he was driving home when a man pretending to be intoxicated staggered in front of his car, forcing Li to stop. Simultaneously, three men drove up near Li's vehicle. The men, along with the man pretending to be intoxicated, grabbed Li and yanked him from his vehicle. Li was forced into their vehicle, where he was blindfolded and bound with a rope.

According to Li, one of the men drove while the other three held him down in the backseat and punched and kicked his head, neck and torso. One of the men verbally threatened Li, asking him how he would like to die as a result of leading a house church. The man threatened to throw Li into a river and to make him drink sulfuric acid. The man also threated to kidnap and kill Li's family, including his children. The men eventually dumped Li in a cornfield.

Source/Photo: China Aid

Please Pray!


Please pray for the safety of Li Shuangping and his family. Pray that he will heal quickly from this attack, both emotionally and physically. Pray that the perpetrators of this attack will come under conviction of the Holy Spirit and repent of their actions.

"Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life; let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in His salvation." Ps. 35:4, 9

Voice Of the Martyrs assists Christians in China by providing Bibles, Christian literature, scholarships for training and emergency aid to families of prisoners.



The Lord & I by Xiao Min.







Friday 6 September 2013

INDONESIA: Evangelists Sentenced to Three-Year Prison Term



Indonesia




Kahfi Rosyid and Jalaludin, Christian brothers from West Java, were sentenced on Aug. 2 to three years in prison in accordance with Indonesia's blasphemy laws. Though the men insisted they were Christians, the court ruled that they were still Muslims because of their religious background.

Kahfi Rosyid and Jalaludin were detained in March after local Muslims learned that they were leading Muslims to Christ. An angry mob of about 200 Muslims attacked their home before police intervened and took the men into custody. Five other families associated with the brothers' ministry were forced to flee the area. Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is providing assistance to help them resettle elsewhere.

Lawyers for Kahfi Rosyid and Jalaludin plan to appeal to a higher court. The brothers request prayer for their protection in jail.

VOM Sources

Please Pray!





Please pray that God will protect the brothers in prison. Pray that they will continue their ministry in the prison and that many will come to know Christ through their witness. Pray for the protection of the displaced families, and that they will adjust to their new surroundings and continue to share the gospel.

"Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood. But the LORD has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge." Ps. 94:20-22

VOM provides a variety of assistance to Christians in Indonesia, including discipleship training and transportation for pastors.

Thursday 5 September 2013

The Gospel in 6 Minutes - John Piper

"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him."
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 ESV







Tuesday 3 September 2013

Prayer Request: Zafar Bhatti - Pakistan








Prisoner Profile


Prisoner Name: Zafar Bhatti


Location: Pakistan
Arrested: July 2012
Revised: 27 August 2013


Zafar Bhatti is accused of blasphemy under Pakistan's 295C blasphemy law. He was charged in July 2012, based on rumors that he insulted Muhammad's mother in text messages. Zafar worked selling medicines, and he often went door-to-door with his presentation. He also used those opportunities to share Christ in the various homes, reading the Bible and praying with families. He also established a small NGO called "Jesus World Mission" whose purpose was to assist the poor.

On July 11, 2012, he was accused by a fellow NGO worker of sending blasphemous text messages from a mobile phone that she had given him. Zafar and his wife left the village to avoid a massive riot. Police arrested him on July 26, charging him under 295c of the legal code, which are informally called the "blasphemy laws."

In jail, Zafar has been beaten several times. Someone also tried to poison his food. Several of the Muslim prisoners pressure him, saying if he accepts Islam he will be forgiven. Zafar's sister and wife are quite concerned for his well-being in prison as his case moves through the legal system.

"Pray that God will help my brother stay strong in his faith," said his sister.



Zafar Bhatti has been imprisoned under Pakistan's controversial 295C "Blasphemy Law".

Monday 2 September 2013

Christians Targeted for Destruction!





"Barnabas is using this black X as a symbol of solidarity with Christians who are being targeted for their faith in Egypt and Syria. The sign has been daubed on Christian properties by Islamists in Egypt to mark them out for attack.

We're encouraging people to adopt it as their profile image on Facebook to show their support for persecuted Christians.

Download it here: http://bit.ly/16SPqxS
Barnabas is using this black X as a symbol of solidarity with Christians who are being targeted for their faith in Egypt and Syria. The sign has been daubed on Christian properties by Islamists in Egypt to mark them out for attack.

We're encouraging people to adopt it as their profile image on Facebook to show their support for persecuted Christians."

Download it here: http://bit.ly/16SPqxS