Iran Detains House Church Christians
Iranian security forces have raided a house church and detained 10 members who gathered for a prayer service as part of a winder crackdown, Iranian Christians told Worthy News.
house church
Iran: Christian Convert Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
A Christian convert has been sentenced to two years in prison by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
Iran Security Forces Raid Christmas Celebrations; Pastor, Wife Detained
A senior evangelical pastor and his wife are spending Christmas behind bars in southern Iran after security forces raided their Assemblies of God-affiliated church, detaining everyone in the building, including children attending Sunday School, a friend of the couple told Worthy News.
Iran Jails Pastor Extra Year Before Feared Execution
Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has to serve at least one more year in prison before he may be executed for refusing to abandon his faith in Christ and return to Islam, an official assisting him told Worthy News Thursday, December 14.
Iran Orders Pastors to Serve Prison Terms
Iran has ordered three evangelical house church pastors to report to prison within a month and serve lengthy jail terms on charges linked to their Christian activities, a well-informed source told Worthy News late Tuesday, November 29.
Evangelicals in Belarus and Kazakhstan Detained, Beaten, Fined
Evangelical Christians in Belarus and Kazakhstan faced increased pressure Friday, October 21, to halt unauthorized worship services after pastors were fined and churches raided in the former Soviet republics.
Iran Pastor’s Execution Verdict Expected Monday; Ruling Delayed
Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani learns early next week whether he will be executed for refusing to recant his faith in Jesus Christ and return to Islam, as the court needs more time to consult with the country’s leadership, trial observers told Worthy News Thursday, October 6.
Iran Threatens To Kill Evangelical Christians Unless They “Repent”, Christians say
Militants with suspected ties to Iranian security forces have threatened to kill nearly a dozen evangelical Christians who fled Iran unless they “repent” and return to Islam, well-informed sources told Worthy News early Sunday, October 2.
Iran Pastor Refuses To ‘Abandon’ Christ; Execution Perhaps “Thursday”
A young pastor of Iran’s largest house church movement has told an Iranian court he will not “recant” his faith in Christ despite facing execution as early as Thursday, September 29, for abandoning Islam, church sources said.
Iran Court Tells Pastor ‘Recant Faith Or Face Execution’
An Iranian court has asked the pastor of one of Iran’s largest house church movements to abandon his faith in Christ and return to Islam if he wants to avoid execution, a church official told Worthy News Sunday, September 25.
China Frees Prominent House Church Leader; Others Detained
China has unexpectedly released a prominent house church leader from prison amid international concerns about his health, his family and rights activists confirmed Monday, September 19.
Kazakhstan Lawmakers Adopt “Repressive” Religion Law
Lawmakers in Kazakhstan have voted for controversial legislation that Christians and rights activists say will further limit religious freedom in the mainly Muslim Central Asian state.
Chinese Christians Suffer Supporting Shouwang Church
Last Sunday five members of a house church in Fangshan tried to worship with members of the embattled Beijing Shouwang house church in a public square in Beijing.
Iran Orders 5 Christians To Report To Prison, Group Says
Iran on Tuesday, September 6, ordered five Iranian Christians, including a heavily pregnant woman, to report to prison on charges linked to their Christian activities, a mission group working in the region said.
Iran Detains Evangelical Pastor; Whereabouts Unknown
The whereabouts of an evangelical pastor in Iran remained unknown Saturday, August 27, some 10 days after he was detained by Iranian security forces as part of a reported government crackdown on Christian converts, Worthy News established.
Chinese House Church Leaders Criminally Detained
Fifteen house church leaders from remote regions of China are being detained while local police attempt to extort money from their families for their release.
Christian Deaths Climb in Eritrean Prisons
Three Christians imprisoned for the testimony of Christ have died during the past months in Eritrea, including a 42-year-old man in solitary confinement Friday, according to a Christian support organization.
Iran Pastor On Death Row Urges Faith In Christ
An evangelical pastor who faces execution in Iran for refusing to abandon his Christian faith has urged fellow believers to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and the “Word of God” despite persecution, according to a letter obtained by Worthy News.
Two Indonesian Churches Torched
Two house churches in Riau were burned down Tuesday, the latest of a series of attacks on minority religious groups in Indonesia.
House Church Pastor In China Detained
Pastor Shi Enhao, deputy chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, has been sentenced to two years of “re-education through labor,” an extra-judicial punishment handed out by police that requires no trial or conviction of a crime, Worthy News has learned.