‘Church Destroyed In Cuba, Christians Detained’
A group of Pentecostal Christians in Cuba’s second-largest city is without a place of worship after security forces reportedly destroyed their church and detained believers.
Christian Persecution – Americas
Cuban government authorities demolish Assemblies of God church building and block other churches from opening
Government officials in Cuba have demolished an Assemblies of God church building and are preventing other churches from opening again after COVID-19 measures were lifted, Morning Star News reported Sunday. The Cuban government claimed the building was demolished to lay piping for a cement plant, but such infrastructure would have required the destruction of local homes and the relocation of residents: none of this has happened.
Florida-based missionary couple murdered in Haiti
A Haitian pastor and his wife who had immigrated to the US were found murdered upon returning to their island as missionaries, the Christian Post reported Sunday. Pastor Jean Phillippe-Quetant (57) and his wife Erna Plancher-Quetant (54) were shot dead in their home during the course of an armed robbery. The couple are survived by five children.
Judge orders John MacAruthur’s California church to stop indoor services in defiance of COVID-19 regulations
A California Superior Court has ordered Pastor John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church to stop holding indoor services in defiance of county COVID-19 health regulations, Courthouse News reports. Giving his ruling on Thursday, LA County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff said he was making the order because “there is an immediate threat to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Planned Parenthood sues church for making too much noise
The Planned Parenthood abortion provider has filed suit against The Church at Planned Parenthood (TCAPP) in Spokane, Wash. for being too loud and harming their clients, Fox News reports. Its website explains that TCAPP is not a protest but “a gathering of Christians for the worship of God… and repentance of our blood guiltiness in this abortion holocaust.” TCAPP holds a service once a month, including worship songs and prayer, after Planned Parenthood has closed for the business day.
U.S. Pentecostal Church Destroyed In Arson Attack
A Pentecostal church in the U.S. state of Mississippi, which challenges coronavirus restrictions, has been destroyed by a suspected arson fire.
Group of Pastors in Cuba share Gospel through face masks
A group of pastors in Cuba is sharing the gospel message during the coronavirus pandemic by having Scriptures written on face masks to wear and give out as they minister. Fox News learned of this outreach from Vernon Brewer, the CEO and founder of the World Help Christian humanitarian aid organization.
Cuban Christian journalist interrogated for reporting the news
A Cuban journalist reporting on abuses against Christianity in Cuba was recently taken in for questioning by authorities, who accused him of being a CIA agent and threatened his mother and two-year-old son.
Gunman opens fire in White Settlement, Texas church, leaving 2 dead
Two people were killed and one person critically injured in a Texas church shooting Sunday morning, with one person having died on the way to the hospital and been revived.
Protestants face persecution in Mexico as government denies they are being singled out by communities for their faith
Eight Protestant families were denied access to drinking water by community leaders in Mexico in January for not signing a document renouncing their faith, and 4 more Protestants expelled from their village for refusing to participate in local Roman Catholic festivals in July, as the government denies that any religious persecution is taking place.
Pastor persecuted for questioning police support of Drag Queen Story Hour
Charges against a pastor who protested ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ were dropped Thursday, with his defense claiming police unfairly biased supporters of the pageantry.
Little Has Changed’: Pastor in Colombia Murdered Despite Peace Agreement
A pastor in Colombia was murdered in his home in Bajo Cauca Antioquia, following a protest for peace by Protestants and Catholics the pastor was thought to be a part of.
Celebrating New Religious Freedom Law, Bolivian Evangelicals Push for More
After 183 years as a Roman Catholic nation, Bolivia officially became a secular country in 2009, when a new constitution, promulgated by the administration of its first indigenous leader, President Evo Morales, dropped any mention of the historic faith of its Spanish colonial rulers, bolstering the position of its pre-colonial religions.
Man on Motorcycle Appears From Nowhere to Rescue Missionaries from Gun-Toting Crowd
A group of missionaries was spared from a gun-wielding mob of protesters in Haiti following a visitation by a man on a motorcycle who told them “it’s going to be okay.”
Cuba Cancels Jail Sentence for Homeschooling Dad
A Cuban appeals court has surprised the homeschooling world by reversing a one-year prison sentence imposed on pastor Ramon Rigal for taking his children out of government schools and homeschooling them.
Cuban Pastor Sentenced to One Year of Heavy Labor and House Arrest for Homeschooling Children
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on July 7, Pastor Ramon Rigal, leader of Iglesia de Dios en Cristo, was sentenced to one year of heavy labor and house arrest for choosing to homeschool his children. Rigal has openly stated that his decision to homeschool was largely attributed to his Christian faith.
Church Demolitions in Cuba Intensifying
The first half of 2016 has seen church demolitions in Cuba gather pace as the government crackdown on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) on the island continues. The authorities have also begun to confiscate 1,400 Assemblies of God (AOG) churches that were earmarked for seizure in 2015, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Chile: Christian churches set ablaze
Last month two churches in Chile were set ablaze by supporters of the Mapuche — a Chilean movement that seeks to rid the region of religions contrary to their own indigenous beliefs.
Mexico: Utilities restored to evangelicals
Twenty-seven evangelical Protestant families in Chiapas state, Mexico, will finally have their access to water and electricity returned after local authorities had agreed two years ago to respect their minority religious freedoms in the village of Union Juarez, Trinitaria Municipality.
On Morning of Pope’s Arrival, Christian Church Set Ablaze in Chiapas, Mexico
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that in the early morning hours of February 15, the day Pope Francis arrived in the state of Chiapas, a minority Christian church located in Zincacantan, in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, was set ablaze, leaving hundreds without a place of worship. Although too early to definitively report on the identity of the perpetrators, the state government has been notified of the crime.