Azerbaijan Bans Church Leaders Without State Approval
Christians expressed concerns Thursday about new religious legislation in Azerbaijan that bars churches from naming leaders without state approval.
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Missionary Says Myanmar Regime Uses COVID To Kill Christians (Worthy News In-Depth)
A Christian native missionary in Myanmar says “more than 200 Christian ministers” have died of COVID-19 as the military government restricts medicines and oxygen supplies.
India persecution: Pastor arrested and tortured by police in Uttarakhand state
Police in India’s Uttarakhand state arrested and tortured Christian leader Pastor Sanjay Kumar Bharati last month, accusing him of having illegal conversations about religion, International Christian Concern reports. India ranks 10 on the US Open Doors 2021 Watch List of top 50 countries which persecute Christians.
Nigeria: Islamic terrorists release 32 students kidnapped from Christian school, “We thank God”
Islamic terrorists have released 32 of more than 100 students they kidnapped from Nigeria’s Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State on July 5, International Christian Concern reports. More than 1,000 students in Nigeria have been kidnapped this year alone.
China persecution: Government authorities raid online church service
As China’s Communist Party (CCP) regime continues its policy of “Sinicizing” the church, on July 11 government security officials raided a Guangdong province church as its leaders preached an online service through Zoom, International Christian Concern reports. China ranks 17 on the US Open Doors Watch List of top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
China Interrupts Christian Funeral Service Banning Prayer
Chinese government officials interrupted a Christian memorial service at a funeral home as part of a broader crackdown, Christians told Worthy News.
Algeria Closing Several Churches
An Algerian pastor says authorities have sealed three more church buildings amid a government campaign to close down Christian places of worship in the Muslim-majority nation.
Belarus Detains Christian Missionary Amid Crackdown
Belarus has detained a Christian missionary as part of a massive crackdown on those deemed dangerous to the government, Christians told Worthy News.
Nigeria Killing Fields for Christians: Over 3,000 Christians killed by Jihadist terrorists in 2021
The International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has published a report attesting that Fulani Jihadists and Boko Haram terrorists have already murdered some 3,462 Christians in Nigeria this year, International Christian Concern reports.
China persecution: Officials raid Christian funeral service
As China’s communist regime continues its campaign to suppress Christianity in the country, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials recently raided a funeral home during a Christian memorial service in Guiyang City, Guizhou province, International Christian Concern reports.
Around 1.2 million Christians live in Saudi Arabia
It is estimated that there are around 1.2 million Christians living in Saudi Arabia, although citizens’ conversion from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death, Christian Headlines reports. Most believers in Saudi Arabia are Filipino expatriates who are allowed to work in the country, but are not citizens.
10 Killed As Militants Raid Nigeria’s Christian Areas
Ten people, including an infant, have died after armed Islamic Fulani militants continued attacks in areas of Nigeria’s Christian-majority southern Kaduna State, aid workers said.
Virginia judge rules harm to Christian ministries from LGBTQ law is only “speculative”
A Virginia judge ruled at a hearing on Friday that Christian ministries must do more than make “speculative claims” about the harm they would suffer from a new state law prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity if they want to prosecute a case against it, Just the News reports. The hearing took place in Loudoun County Court before Circuit Judge James Plowman.
UK Survey shows significant increase in church attendances after services moved online for pandemic
A new UK survey has shown that 43% of pastors reported an increase in attendance after their church services went online during the pandemic, Christian Today reports. Carried out by the Bible Society on behalf of the UK’s Ecclesiastical Insurance company, the poll surveyed 1,000 church leaders in May this year.
Algeria Christian Appeals Sentence For Abandoning Islam And Spreading Christianity
An Algerian man jailed for abandoning Islam and accepting donations to spread Christianity plans to appeal the sentence, Worthy News learned Friday.
Wife Detained Cuban Pastor Worried About Whereabouts
The wife of a Cuban pastor detained amid unprecedented protests against Cuba’s ruling Communists has expressed concerns about his whereabouts.
Chinese Pastors told to preach on Xi Jinping’s anniversary speech saying “only socialism can save China”
China’s government-controlled Protestant Church (known as the Three-Self Patriotic Movement) has told its pastors they must now preach sermons that include a July 1 speech given by President Xi Jinping in which he glorified the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and said “only socialism can save China”, Bitter Winter reports.
Uzbekistan’s New Religion Law Adds Pressure on Christians
Christian rights activists say Uzbekistan’s new Religion Law maintains restrictions despite state media claims that it extend freedoms.
Nigeria: Kaduna state closes 13 mostly Christian schools as abductions spiral
Amid a catastrophic situation of relentless kidnappings in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, the local Schools Quality Assurance Authority (SQAA) has ordered the closure of 13, mostly Christian, schools which it identified as being “vulnerable” to attacks by Islamic militants who abduct students, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports. Following the kidnapping of 140 pupils from Bethel Baptist High School on July 5th, CSW said Kaduna has become an “epicenter for kidnapping.”
Church of England confirms it will apologize for centuries of supporting anti-semitism in England
The Church of England has confirmed it will officially apologize for the church’s involvement in the expulsion of Jews from medieval England, the Telegraph reports. Jewish groups have welcomed the move.