Indonesia Christians Urge Government To Halt Church Demolitions
Christians in Aceh, Indonesia’s only province governed by Islamic Sharia law, have urged the central government to help prevent the demolition of churches, Worthy News learned.
Christian Persecution
Thousands of Christians Fleeing Executions In Afghanistan
Many of thousands of Afghan Christians are fleeing through mountains and other challenging terrains to neighboring nations amid fears they will be killed by Afghanistan’s ruling Islamist Taliban group, according to multiple sources.
Australian church fined US $36,000 for COVID-19 breaches
The Christ Embassy at Blacktown congregation in Sydney, Australia has been fined nearly AUS $50,000 (USD $36,000) for breaching public COVID-19 orders on two occasions, ABC.Au reports.
Nigeria persecution Fulani jihadists murder 37 Christians in one night; “please continue to pray for our Nigerian brothers and sisters”
Fulani jihadist terrorists murdered 37 Christians on Tuesday night during a raid on a village in Nigeria’s Plateau state, Reuters reports. With little opposition from the government, Fulani jihadists have murdered thousands of Christians in Nigeria, triggering international rights groups to warn of a genocide.
China Businessmen Jailed After Selling Audio Bibles, Christian Symbols Removed
China’s communist authorities have jailed four Christian businessmen for selling audio Bibles amid a government crackdown on Christians engaged in “illegal” faith-related activities, trial observers told Worthy News.
Afghan Christian family evacuated safely to Italy
While thousands of Christians now live in grave danger of murder at the hands of the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan, an Afghan-believing family has managed to escape and arrive safely in Italy, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
China persecution: Heavily persecuted house church is raided again, members taken away
The heavily persecuted house church Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) in Chengdu, China was raided by government authorities again on August 22, and 28 members were taken away during a worship service, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Iraq Persecution: Christians wary of outsiders arriving their community
Traumatized by the invasion of ISIS in 2014, Christians in Iraq remain nervous of outsiders, International Christian Concern reports. Constituting one of the oldest believing communities in the world, the Christians of Bartella near Mosul are reportedly wary of the influx of new arrivals to their district.
Afghan Christians in grave danger, fleeing to the mountains; solemn call for continual prayer
Following the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban on August 15, Afghan Christians began fleeing to the mountains to escape the Islamist rulers, who reportedly have a hit-list of believers to kill and who are going door-to-door taking women and children, Fair Mission (FAI) reported.
Canada Pastor Facing Prison Warns Of Communist Dictatorship In US, West
A Polish-born Canadian pastor who faces a four-year prison term in Canada for leading church services despite coronavirus restrictions says the “tyranny” of formerly communist Poland has reached the West.
Afghan Christians calling for prayer and advocacy
Afghan Christians are calling for prayer and international advocacy as they are now targets for intense, violent persecution by the new Taliban rulers of Afghanistan, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported Monday. The most recent call for prayer came through Mission Network News.
India persecution: Mob of Sikhs and Hindus invade church and break pastor’s wife’s leg, “please pray for us, our lives are threatened”
A mob of Sikhs and Hindus armed with swords and wooden rods attacked a church meeting in India’s Punjab state last month, breaking the leg of a pastor’s wife and slashing the head of a teenaged congregant, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. India ranks 10 on the Open Doors USA World Watch List of top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
Somaliland Frees Jailed Christians After Prayers
A group of Christians in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland have been released from detention after charges related to alleged crimes against the state religion of Islam were dismissed following prayers, Christians said Monday.
UK court says Christian preacher has no case to answer
A UK court has dismissed the case against a female Christian street preacher who was charged with causing “harassment, alarm and distress” while preaching a message from the Bible outside a London subway station last year, Christian Concern (CC) reports. The Highbury Corner Magistrates Court ruled last month that preacher Hazel Lewis had “no case to answer.”
Afghanistan persecution: Taliban have a “hit-list” of Christians to murder
The leader of the underground church in Afghanistan has given a first-hand ground report, explaining that believers are in grave danger and that the Taliban have a “hit-list” of Christians they are searching for to murder, the Christian Post (CP) reports. Known as “Pastor X” for security reasons, the church leader gave his report to the Global Catalytic Ministries non-profit organization.
India persecution: Pastor’s family driven into hiding by Hindu nationalists, “please pray”
A pastor and his family in Malibhimdal, India have been driven into hiding following death threats by local Hindu nationalists enraged at their conversion from Hinduism to Christianity, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Persecution against Christians in India has intensified since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 2014.
Gunmen Kill Nuns In South Sudan
Pope Francis has offered condolences to victims’ families after two Catholic nuns were shot and killed along a highway in South Sudan.
Evangelist Graham Urges Prayers For Thousands Escaping Afghanistan
American evangelist Franklin Graham has urged believers to pray for the “thousands of people desperately trying to escape from Afghanistan,” including Afghan Christians and up to 15,000 Americans as well as their allies. Graham, son of the late legendary preacher Billy Graham, appealed “after the country’s fall to the Taliban” group, which he called Islamic extremists.
Iran’s Internet Restrictions Threaten Underground Church
Christians in Iran meeting mostly in secret house groups to avoid detection by police face new challenges as the Islamic government seeks more internet restrictions, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Christian rights group slams new Cuban law restricting freedom of speech
The international rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has publicly condemned a new law issued by the Cuban government which restricts freedom of speech online by criminalizing calls to peaceful protest and criticism of the government. Touted as a ‘cybersecurity law, Legal Decree 35 was published on August 17 in the wake of last month’s nationwide protests against the government.