Sudan Christians to be mass evacuated

Christian children in Sudan live in a primitive tent community
 outside the capital. (Photo courtesy of The Barnabas Fund)

Sudan (MNN) ― The Barnabas Fund is on a mission to rescue 3,500 Christians from persecution in Sudan.

Their Exodus mission started last year. Since then, Barnabas has airlifted and bussed 5,000 Christians to safety in South Sudan.

Because of recent generous donations, Barnabas is initiating a second wave of rescues. Their organization is working with Africa Inland Church to transport 3,500 more Sudanese Christians to South Sudan.

Suzy, a young mother, was one of those rescued by the Barnabas Fund's Exodus mission. She says, "After many years of suffering and prayers, God opened the way for us."

Barnabas still needs $118,000 to complete the mission. A bus trip to South Sudan for just one person costs $169. Barnabas is prioritizing the rescue of needy children and women, two-thirds of whom are widows.

The clock is ticking. Rainy seasons are coming, and the Christian tent communities could quickly transform into bog-like conditions. At times, the mud is reported to be waist-high, according to Barnabas.

Sudan is 98% Muslim under Sharia law. President Omar al-Bashir’s goal is to create a "100% Islamic constitution." After their nation split in 2011, Christians in Sudan who could afford transportation escaped to South Sudan. These Christians are able to start a new life without the oppression and hostility they suffered in Sudan.

However, many Christians are still trapped living in tented camps outside Khartoum, Sudan’s capital. They have little access to food or safety. Christian leaders in Sudan have been kidnapped, arrested, threatened, and many of their churches destroyed.

Please pray for the evacuation mission and for the safety of Christians still living in Sudan.

Islamists driving Christians out of Iraq

Iraq (ODM/MNN) ― Iraq's Christian heritage can be compared to its wetland marshes.

(Images of Iraqi churches courtesy Open Doors Australia)

Christ followers in Iraq date back to the first century A.D., making it one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. But today, Christianity in Iraq is under serious threat. Similarly, the wetland marshes, once teeming with flora and fauna, were drained to desert over a decade ago.

What's more, it seems this attitude is part of a growing trend. Open Doors minister-at-large Paul Estabrooks explains, "The Christians are being told, ‘We want a Muslim-only nation. We do not want any Christians here.' This is similar to what is going on today in northern Sudan."

As a result, Christians in Iraq continue to be targets of violent attacks. "When the Iraq war began, Muslim extremists in Baghdad targeted one whole community called Dara, where the Christians lived in Baghdad." Estabrooks notes, "Today, just about every one of those Christian families has been driven out of the subdivision in which they lived."
While the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 may have been a victory for coalition forces, ongoing changes in leadership have been a disaster for Iraqi Christians. Estabrooks says, "As each attack against Christians occurs in recent weeks and days, there are more and more concerns that Christians will continue the exodus."
Reports from Open Doors field workers indicate anti-Christian sentiment is only growing. "From a city like Mosul, armed men shot a Christian right in front of his home. Another one had a bomb thrown in his yard." In 2003, there were more than one million Christians in Iraq. A decade later, only a third of this number remain.
The saddest part of this story, says Estabrooks, is the loss of history. Christians have been part of the fabric of Iraqi society since the beginning. During the 7th century, Islam took over and the Christians were hard-pressed, but they survived. That's what makes this modern day "religicide" a travesty. "Even though they were second class citizens at the time, they were able to survive through the challenges and the pressure of that era (7th century Islam). Now, even these denominations are saying, ‘If more and more Christians keep leaving or get killed, then there will be no Church left in this country.'"

However, there are some church leaders who are not content to sit quietly while the violence decimates their homes. Louis Raphael Sako, the newly-elected Chaldean Catholic patriarch of Iraq and Syria, urges Christians to stay. "We must stay. This is our history. This is our cultural heritage. When we leave, everything will leave with us." As he reads the field reports, Estabrooks echoes that sentiment. "There's a sense in which the Salt and Light Christians [bring] must remain there. This is the appeal Christians are making to us for our prayers on their behalf."

Does intercessory prayer make a difference? It must, says Estabrooks. "It is the only recourse we really have other than giving awareness to the international community of this kind of ‘religious cleansing' that seems to be going on."

According to the Open Doors 2013 World Watch List materials, there are only an estimated 330,000 to 350,000 Christians left in Iraq. There were more than 1.2 million Christians in the early 1990s. Many of the believers have fled to Jordan and Lebanon, or to the northern Kurdish region of Iraq. Iraq is ranked No. 4 on the list of the worst persecutors around the globe.

Despite the doom and gloom of this story, it does include a bright note. Dreams and visions of Christ are commonly reported throughout the Middle East and North Africa as the rise of Islam continues. Even as the reports of "religicide" pour in, there are people who are accepting Christ as Savior. Mentoring these new Christians falls on the shoulders of the few church leaders who are left.

The Open Doors ministry in Iraq is coming alongside this remnant and providing trauma counseling, biblical training for church leaders and Muslim-Background Believers, distribution of Bibles and Christian literature, community development projects, and working with Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) in Kurdistan.

Remember the comparison we made at the beginning of this story? Recently, an Iraqi civil engineer came back to the wetlands and organized a careful breech of the dams that diverted the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates. Within months, the desert landscape was teeming with life, seeds sprouting from a dry land nearly abandoned to war.

So it is with the seeds of the Church in Iraq.

Voice of the Martyrs gives pastor new dignity

(Image courtesy of VOM)

India (MNN) ― In a northern region of India, Pastor Khanna spent 40 days in jail last November for baptizing seven Muslims. While the new believers insisted they weren't offered money to convert, this didn't stop local media from destroying Khanna's reputation in the community.

"You would hang your head in shame at what was written about [the pastor's] family," said a Voice of the Martyrs, USA partner.

The ordeal took a serious toll on Khanna's family and the church's view of his leadership. His wife became sick, as well as deeply disappointed by the church's lack of support. Meanwhile, church leaders hinted that Khanna shouldn't have baptized the converts from Islam.

Although his case was eventually dropped because of a lack of evidence, Khanna was dismissed from church leadership without pension.

But VOM has given the pastor new dignity. When lawyers in Kashmir refused to represent Khanna during his ordeal, VOM's partner in India helped him out. They recently came to the rescue again by offering the former pastor a job in Bangalore.

Pastor Khanna now speaks on behalf of persecuted Christians in churches throughout India. The move has improved both Khanna's confidence and his wife's health. Pray that her health continues to improve.

"I am not bothered by what happened to me, but I glorify the Lord," declared Pastor Khanna.

While Hinduism is India's majority religion, India has the world's third-largest Muslim community. Most people in Kashmir are Muslim. They surround churches during worship services and circulate hate literature with a racial undertone against Christians. Pig blood is highly offensive to Muslims, and the Kashmir media portrays believers as people who use it in their religious practices.

Pastor Khanna held many community-wide events in Kashmir, trying to reconcile Muslims and Christians. The controversial baptism that triggered Pastor Khanna's arrest was recorded at one of these events, and the video was later posted to YouTube.

VOM supports persecuted pastors in restricted nations throughout the world. Click here to learn more about their work. 

You can sponsor Pastor Khanna and write him a letter by contacting VOM directly. Click here to fill out the form and type "Pastor Khanna" in the comments field.

French publication fuels Muslim anger

(Story Photo by Rae Burnett)

Egypt (MNN) ― The last day or two have been without blaring headlines describing Muslim rioting, but that could all change. 

A French magazine this week published vulgar caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, despite government entreaties not to publish the images. In response, the French government ordered embassies and schools to close Friday in about 20 countries.

The incident is likely to raise tensions that were already dangerously high. It follows days of violent protests from Asia to Africa against the U.S.-produced film "Innocence of Muslims" and turned France into a potential target of Muslim rage

But don't be fooled, says Rae Burnett with Christian Aid Mission. "The film was just a pretext for the violence." She goes on to explain that the event gave a cover story for lashing out at intended targets--a theory that's been substantiated by the Libyan government. Further, says Burnett, "Since the violence has subsided, nothing has gotten better because these believers are in grave danger. They're afraid of being slaughtered because everything is intensifying."

That concern is magnified by the feeling of isolation. "They [extremists] are overtly burning churches and persecuting Christians and kidnapping their children...just terrible things far surpassing what they used to experience, and the world is silent." 

Burnett says the real story is the uncertainty. Christian Aid supports indigenous ministries who seek to engage the lost people of Egypt through holding house meetings, setting up Bible training, and doing evangelistic outreach. She explains that "one of these guys called me the first day of the rioting in Egypt and said, ‘They're burning Bibles in front of the U.S. embassy.' They were doing those kinds of things just to show their hostility, and they were burning churches and things that weren't reported."

The threat plays out on the political stage, but Burnett says, "This is all spiritual warfare. We're seeing it in a political environment because that's the environment through which this takes place. But the point is to destroy the work of the Lord and to destroy those who might come into the Kingdom, to keep people in darkness."

Given that understanding, the workers supported by Christian Aid Mission haven't fled. "It hasn't diminished any of their efforts. The main group that we help just had a conference of their workers, training their workers and praying together to ask the Lord for direction. So they are going forward in the work, but they are really discouraged about the political situation and the future of Christianity in Egypt." 

They're careful, but they won't be intimidated. Burnett says the Coptic Church is targeted because they have a noticeable presence in Egypt. However, "The people that we're helping generally meet in homes. They might have an office somewhere if they can afford that, so they're less of a target. Of course, because of their evangelistic efforts, people know who they are."

The Gospel, as she's said multiple times, is still going forward. It's about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the worn out believers of Egypt and advancing together. Burnett says, "We have to understand that and pray accordingly and act accordingly to be lights in the darkness." Pray for creative and effective approaches to spread God's Word in Egypt. Pray for open hearts. Pray for change in the chaos.

Turmoil in the Middle East spreads

(File photos courtesy SAT-7)

Middle East (MNN/SAT7) ―Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has called for a nationwide peaceful demonstration today to condemn insults to Prophet Mohammad from an amateurish film.

The announcement followed the attacks against U.S. Embassies in Libya and Egypt. Demonstrators also attacked the U.S. embassies in Yemen and Egypt (again) on Thursday. The spreading turmoil was a response to a film they consider blasphemous to Islam.

An investigation has begun into the events surrounding Tuesday's attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya, which resulted in the death of the U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Eight Libyans were injured in that violence.

Protests also erupted in Iraq and Iran, as students in Tehran protested outside the Swiss embassy. In Bangladesh, Islamists tried to march on the U.S. embassy in Dhaka but were turned back by police. There were also reported protests at U.S. missions in Tunisia, Sudan, and Morocco.

The film may have been the vehicle used to stir up tensions, especially in light of the September 11 anniversary. SAT-7 CEOTerry Ascott says, "That reaction is inflamed by people who have a vested interest, like Al Qaeda, in exploiting people's anger at the West. It's a bit of a coincidence, one might say, that this flared up all within hours in Egypt, in Yemen, in Libya, in other places. It seems somewhat orchestrated."

Security was being increased at U.S. diplomatic stations around the globe, but what about ministries? "There have been specific threats against, for example, Egyptian Christians in Yemen and churches and Christians, in general...anyone who is a ‘cross worshipper,' as they say in the street."

Ascott goes on to say, "It's not the people that are making the movies or the cartoons in the Western world that pay the price for their enjoyment of free speech. It is the Christians in the Middle East that bear the brunt of the reaction that inevitably comes."

Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, it's a common belief that Christianity is a Western religion. Therefore, when trouble occurs similar to what's happened this week, entities with Western connections are targeted, and that includes ministries.

SAT-7 has an office in Cairo. When asked if there was a contingency plan for the staff, Ascott first said, "We do have heavy fences and cameras and security people around our building, but it certainly would not be enough if a mob decided to attack the building."

However, Ascott went on to explain that they're also being vigilant. "If there are signs of trouble, we would try to evacuate our staff from the premises before that got out of hand. But we don't have armed guards on the building to protect it from a riot."

Still, the staff is putting together programs that will address much of what has happened this week in the region.

Interestingly, the SAT-7 ARABIC team had already begun a series of programs called Forbidden, which address issues relevant to North Africa. Presenter Emad D. is a Tunisian poet and pastor. The inspiration for the program comes from John 11:35, "Jesus wept." Emad wants to show the Arab world that Jesus cares about them and weeps over them.

Emad hopes to use testimonies to demonstrate that the Church is spreading all over the world, and longs to see equality between people of all religions--with more respect for new believers. Ascott states that the program aims to overcome negative perceptions of the Church.

Another team is doing a live show on Saturday. Ascott says, "In the situation with the Middle East where there are so many agendas, so many tensions between so many different groups, we're trying to bring reconciliation through better understanding, advocacy of forgiveness, and so on--some of the things that are unique in the Christian Gospel."

Pray wisdom for the production teams. Pray for safety for the staff. Pray for peace to return. Pray for open hearts.

Pastor Nadarkhani to face charges Iran

Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani has been in prison for more than 1,000 days.

Iran (MNN/ACLJ) ― The Iranian pastor who has spent more than 1,000 days in prison will be headed by to court. Iranian authorities are demanding Youcef Nadarkhani be back into court in Iran September 8, 2012 at 9:00 AM to answer for "charges brought against him."

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, it's unclear if the charges are new or are connected to his apostasy conviction. Nadarkhani was convicted and sentenced to death for apostasy: becoming a Christian. When Iranian officials demanded that he recant his faith in Jesus Christ or die, he responded, "I cannot." He has been illegally imprisoned and separated from his wife and two boys since 2009.

The ACLJ has obtained a copy of the official Iranian court summons demanding his appearance.

What is clear is that his new court date will come after more 1,060 days spent in prison for nothing but his faith in Jesus Christ--an imprisonment that violates Iran's own constitution.

The ACLJ is continuing to work with contacts in Iran, the State Department, and foreign diplomats to pressure Iran for the release of this persecuted pastor. The Tweet for Youcef campaign continues to grow, now reaching more than 2.8 million Twitter accounts around the world with daily information and updates about Pastor Youcef.

Continue to pray for Nadarkhani and other Christians who are being persecuted for their faith. The church is growing in Iran, which is why the government is taking action against Christians.

Christian legislator's post on the line

Pakistan (MNN) ― A Pakistan Christian legislator almost lost his political seat--but not because he’s a Christian.

According to Compass Direct News, Rana Asif Mahmood’s opponents said he wasn’t qualified for the minorities’ seat in the Punjab Provincial Assembly because his Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) labels him as a Muslim. But Mahmood qualifies for the seat as a minority Christian.

Mahmood said that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) made an error on his CNIC because his name sounds Muslim, but they refuse to fix the mistake.

Opponents seeking to disqualify Mahmood accepted his statement after he strongly declared on the floor that he was born as a Christian. He asked them not to create propaganda that would falsely lead Muslim extremists to believe he is trying to leave the Islamic faith and thus seek to kill him.

While his Muslim identity didn’t cost Mahmood the seat in the Punjab Provincial Assembly, he did lose a cabinet position and his part in the provincial budget proposal for 2012-2013.

Mahmood stated, “The situation was revealed to me when my son applied for a CNIC a few months ago. He was told that he could not put down Christianity as his religion because the records showed his father to be a Muslim.”

When he learned of the problem, Mahmood said, “[I] reported it to NADRA. After some days, I received my CNIC, and it did not mention religion, so I assumed that NADRA had changed its records.”

NADRA’s system doesn’t let Muslims change their identity in the religion column of their CNIC. However, non-Muslims can make changes to their religious affiliation. Converting to Islam is an especially welcomed change.

Mahmood’s passport identifies him as a Christian, and because NADRA mistakenly identified him as a Muslim, he’s also had to correct his passport twice.

An anonymous NADRA official who spoke with Compass Direct said those applying for a new CNIC are sent a form with their personal information where they are given the chance to identify any mistakes. If someone gave evidence of religious identity and proved the clerical error, the mistake would be fixed.

The official went on to say, “But a clerical error is highly unlikely. Data is cross-checked several times in cases of identity card entries.”

Apparently, Mahmood didn’t see improved results even after following those steps.

Please pray for Mahmood’s safety and perseverance, that he might be a light for Christ in Pakistan’s political arena.

Released Christian finds kids missing

Kids of wrongfully imprisoned
 Christian father are missing. (Photo
 courtesy of Colleen Taugher)

Ethiopia (MNN) ― Tamirat Woldegorgis, a Christian in southern Ethiopia falsely accused of desecrating a Qur’an, has just been released after serving two of his three sentenced years in prison.

However, Tamirat has lost more than just two years of his life in prison. Due to cramped and harsh conditions, one of his legs is now paralyzed.

Furthermore, when he returned home, Tamirat discovered that his two children, ages 6 and 15, are missing.

"I have been trying to locate my children, but all in vain," says Tamirat. "My life is ruined--I have lost my house, my children, my health. I am now homeless, and I am limping."

According to Voice of the Martyrs, Canada’s source Compass Direct News, Tamirat is staying with a friend in an undisclosed town. Tamirat believes Muslims from his area may have taken his kids to restrict his influence.

Tamirat used to work in a cloth-making business before his arrest. When Tamirat was arrested back in August 2010, it was because his co-worker found that Tamirat had written “Jesus is Lord” on a piece of cloth.

Tamirat’s co-worker further accused him of writing “Jesus is Lord” in the cover of a Qur’an, but with no evidence. But Tamirat was still sentenced to three years in prison on November 18, 2010 for desecration of a Qur’an, a serious offense according to Muslim Shariah law.

Ethiopia is nearly 35% Muslim. Jijiga, the town where Tamirat was imprisoned, is the capitol of Ethiopia’s Somali Region Zone Five, which follows Shariah principles.

Persecution of Christians in Ethiopia is only getting worse. Ethiopia moved up to #38 on the World Watch List of countries with the worst Christian persecution, where last year it was #43.

Pray for the safety and salvation of Tamirat’s children, and for reunion with their father. Pray for courage among persecuted Ethiopian Christians and for the spread of the Gospel there.

ISRAEL: CHRISTIAN CHURCH EVICTED

Persecution.com: "Pastor Steven Khoury from Holy Land Missions in Jerusalem has received a 30-day notice of eviction from the owner of the building where his church currently worships.

“The pressure from the Muslim community is so strong that the landlord is given no other choice but to do this,” Khoury wrote in a letter to The Voice of the Martyrs. “With just 30 days left to move a church community, another Band-Aid solution of renting a place is not a viable solution. Our church community needs permanent roots.”"

Read more...

Sharia law concerns ministry in Chechnya

Mission Network News: "Russia (MNN) ― The government in the autonomous region of Chechnya is openly approving Muslim honor killings. Over the last few years, dozens of bodies of young Chechen woman have been found.

President of Russian Ministries Sergey Rakhuba says Chechnya's president "approved publicly, saying the killings were okay because the lady that got shot by relatives publicly had loose morals. He went on to describe women as the property of their husbands and say their main role is to bear children.""

Read more...

Status of Iranian pastor is in question

Iran (MNN/ASN) ― A well-known publication recently wrote an article stating that Iranian authorities claim Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani will not be executed. Jason DeMars of Present Truth Ministries (www.presenttruthmn.com) which has been following Nadarkhani's case, says that "while this appears to be great news, we cannot trust it."

According to Assist News, DeMars says, "We have documented many instances that Iranian media and government authorities have lied about this case to the public. They have recently acknowledged that Nadarkhani is charged with Christian activities but [authorities] continue to deny that he has been convicted of apostasy."

"We have copies of his written verdict that can easily be found online stating that his only charge is apostasy. In addition, his attorney, Mr. Mohammed Dadkhah, has clearly stated that the only charges levied against his client are apostasy," DeMars said.

DeMars added that Iran wants Nadarkhani's case to disappear from the news so that they can do as they wish with him, but "we will not forget, and we will keep praying and working until he is released."

There also have been rumors circulating once again that Youcef was executed, says DeMars. "These rumors are completely false. We are thankful to be able to confirm that as of March 16, Youcef was still alive. Keep praying and spreading the word to everyone you know; ask your friends and your pastors to do the same."

Meanwhile, a Twitter campaign on behalf of Pastor Nadarkhani has reached one million people worldwide, according the Christian Post.

Pastor Nadarkhani preached to a congregation of 400 before he was arrested by authorities in Oct. 2009. Now the story of his standing for Christ against enormous odds reaches far and wide around the globe.

An online article by Katherine Weber for the Christian Post states that the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has been at the forefront of Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's court case, and the group's many endeavors--namely its "Tweet for Youcef" campaign and congressional petition--have seen substantial results.

The article says those who sign up for the "Tweet for Youcef" campaign allow the ACLJ to use their Twitter accounts to post a daily Nadarkhani update, which includes the number of days Nadarkhani has been imprisoned, facts about his court case, and a link back to the ACLJ's Nadarkhani information page.

Since the campaign began in mid-February, it has gained a substantial following, now reaching 1.1 million Twitter users per day in 89% of the world's nations, the Christian Post (CP) reported. Of those nations, 35 are mostly Muslim populated or governed by some form of Shariah law -- including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, and Libya, the ACLJ told CP via an e-mailed statement.

"The ability for people all over the world to express their support for Pastor Youcef is remarkable. We're delighted that the 'Tweet for Youcef' campaign expanded so quickly, reaching one million Twitter accounts daily -- truly an important milestone," Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the ACLJ, told CP. "But we're not stopping there. The number now exceeds 1.1 million -- a vital tool in providing information, support for Pastor Youcef, and pressure on Iran to release him without delay."

The Christian Post goes on to report that celebrity icons have pledged their support for Nadarkhani using the ACLJ's "Tweet for Youcef" campaign. On March 1, Matt Hasselbeck, NFL quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, tweeted his support for the Iranian pastor.

Donald Trump, Megyn Kelly, Actress Julie Benz, Michelle Malkin, Rep. Michele Bachmann, and Ann Coulter have also tweeted their support for the ACLJ and Nadarkhani.

Actress Patricia Heaton from "Everybody Loves Raymond" has signed up for the "Tweet for Youcef" campaign, allowing the ACLJ to use her Twitter account to post Nadarkhani tweets, providing information on his imprisonment and how viewers can do more, the Christian Post article stated.

"We're grateful that a number of high-profile individuals -- including those in the business, media, sports and political worlds -- want to help spread the word about Pastor Youcef's plight," Sekulow told CP. "It's clear that this social media campaign transcends all boundaries -- geographic, political and ideological -- all joining together with one goal in mind: to stand up for human rights and religious freedom, and demand the release of Pastor Youcef immediately and unconditionally," Sekulow added.

The ACLJ also successfully issued a petition to free Nadarkhani, gaining 189,000 signatures in just two weeks. The petition called on Congress to pass House Resolution 556, which condemned Iran for its human rights violations and demanded Nadarkhani's immediate release. The Resolution was passed March 1.

Jordan Sekulow traveled to Brazil recently to raise awareness for Nadarkhani's plight. There, he spoke with Brazil's Vice President Michel Temer, who promised that the Brazilian government will continue to stand in solidarity with Nadarkhani.

Although the ACLJ has confirmed that Nadarkhani was alive as of March 3, there has been no further information on the state of his execution order, which is believed to have been issued in late February.

Muslim government leaders play their hand

Egypt (MNN) ― Egypt is on a difficult path to change. 

Parliament spent its first week trying to settle in with challenges and riots taking place just outside the main chambers. The Muslim Brotherhood is expected to reveal the names of a coalition government as soon as it's asked to form a new leadership.

That move alone is causing some Christians concern. While in Egypt, we spoke with a community development ministry leader who was involved with a meeting last week with the Ministers of the new government.

For security reasons, we'll call him "Khalid." What he witnessed changed his optimistic view of what the new Egypt will look like for Christians. He says, "The Minister himself is a very Muslim guy with a thick beard and a stamp on his face, and two or three men with the same beard, and four or five veiled ladies. He was holding in his hands a necklace counting the names of God while he is leading the conversation between us."

Not only that, but "the General Assembly of the Parliament [wears] full beards. The president of the Parliament stopped one of the audiences because this guy tried to read the Quran in the Parliament." Khalid went on to say that "there is a verse in the Quran that says, 'If someone reads the Quran, leave him until he finishes the verse.' So he has to leave him...and another guy asked for (Muslim) prayer for the whole [assembly]."   

Never before has a Muslim call to prayer been answered inside the Parliament building during a session. "For the first time in Egypt, we see this. Because of this, we know that lots of suffering will come from this--especially because the leadership says [they will begin using Sharia] to rule the country."

When asked when Sharia was likely to be implemented, Khalid wryly noted, "Now, there are lots of poor people [who steal to eat]. They can't cut the hands off of millions of people, so they said that when we [recover more economically], they will [implement Sharia]."

For community development groups that are noted for their open Gospel content, what will the future hold? It could become very difficult for their teams. With the government narrowing focus on Non-Government Organizations, it's possible they're already under scrutiny. However, that won't stop them. Khalid says, "The Bible said the Spirit inside us will lead us to pray. I think we will ask the Lord to give us wisdom and to give us [strength] and to help us."

Islamic countries dominate list of persecutors

(Photo by Quinn Dombrowski)

International (ODM/MNN) ―The Open Doors 2012 World Watch List has a familiar look to it.

North Korea tops the list for the 10th straight year as the country where Christians face the most severe persecution, while Islamic-majority countries represent 9 of the top 10, and 38 of the 50 countries on the annual ranking.

Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller said this year's report also reveals an interesting, but not surprising, reality. "Islamic extremism is on the rise. Nine out of the top ten countries on our list of the worst persecutors of Christians around the world are Islamic. 38 out of the top 50 that we've ranked are Islamic extremist situations."

Afghanistan (2), Saudi Arabia (3), Somalia (4), Iran (5) and the Maldives (6) form a bloc where indigenous Christians have almost no freedom to openly worship. For the first time, Pakistan (10) entered the top 10, after a tumultuous year during which the nation's highest-ranking Christian politician, Cabinet Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated for his attempts to change the blasphemy law.

Moeller says, "I was told by an Egyptian brother who was with me just last week: 'The situation for Christians in Egypt and all of North Africa is not an 'Arab Spring' at all, but a 'cold winter' of threat and increased persecution.'" He adds, "The pressure on the church is causing, literally, hundreds of thousands of Christians every year to flee these countries. That will devastate the Christian populations in the Middle East."

In 2011, remnant churches are becoming the norm in many countries where Islamic hardliners are in power. "There is a Muslim-background believer (MBB) church that is growing remarkably during these very chaotic times. We can attribute that to the work of the Holy Spirit. We can attribute that to the spiritual emptiness that is still present amidst the political and social upheaval."

There are significant moves on the World Watch List, including Sudan moving up 19 spots to No. 16 - the biggest leap of any country from 2011. Nigeria jumped 10 spots to No. 13. Egypt, wracked by violent protests and upheaval during the Arab Spring, rose four positions to No. 15. Increased Islamic extremism triggered the upward movement of Sudan, Nigeria and Egypt.

However, it's not only the Middle East and North Africa that are topping the list. The rest of the top 10 is composed of Uzbekistan (7), Yemen (8), and Iraq (9). Laos was the lone country to drop from the top 10 list, falling to No. 12 from No. 10.

"Persecution globally is increasing dramatically," says Moeller. "It's coming from a number of new sources. One of the megatrends that we noticed is that more and more countries, particularly in the Islamic world, are becoming unstable and close to becoming Failed States--or are indeed Failed States."

For example, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan could be considered Failed States. "That's producing untold hardship on the Christian communities in these places, because in a Failed State, there are no vehicles for Christians to address their concerns politically. They can only address them spiritually through prayer and through the encouragement of God's Word."

While persecution has worsened due to persecution by Muslim extremists, without question North Korea once again deserves its No. 1 ranking. Defiantly Communist, North Korea built a bizarre quasi-religion around the founder of the country, Kim Il-Sung. Anyone with "another god" is automatically persecuted. The estimated 200,000 to 400,000 Christians in this country must remain deeply underground. An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are held in ghastly prison camps.

"How the death of Kim Jong-Il last month and the coming to power of his son, Kim Jong-Un, will affect the status of Christians in North Korea is hard to determine at this early stage," Moeller said. "Certainly the situation for believers remains perilous. Please pray with me that the Lord will open up North Korea and there will be religious freedom to worship the One, true God, not the gods of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung."

In July 2011 southern Sudan, which is mostly Christian, seceded to become an independent country, called South Sudan, leaving the Christians of North Sudan much more isolated under President Omar al-Bashir. In response to the loss of the south, al-Bashir vowed to make constitutional changes to make his country even more Islamic. On the ground the military has attacked Christian communities in battles over resources with many being killed.

Nigeria remains the country with the worst atrocities in terms of lives lost. More than 300 Christians were martyred last year in Nigeria, though the actual number is believed to be double or triple that number. The total is probably greater in North Korea, but impossible to confirm due to its isolation. Since 2009 the extreme Islamic group Boko Haram has destroyed more than 50 churches and killed 10 pastors in Nigeria.

Egyptian Christians experienced a disastrous start to 2011 when a bombing at the Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint Mark and Pope Peter in Alexandria killed 21 Christians on New Year's Day. After the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in February, hopes soared for new freedoms for all Egyptians. But on Oct. 9, the military turned on its own citizens in the Maspero massacre in Cairo, killing 27 Coptic Christian demonstrators. At the close of 2011, Islamist parties flourished in the November elections, prompting some to speak of an Arab Winter instead of an Arab Spring for Christians.

China still has the world's largest persecuted church of 80 million, but it dropped out of the top 20 this year to No. 21. Last year China ranked No. 16. This is due in large part to the house church pastors learning how to play "cat and mouse" with the government.

The good news behind the bad news of rising persecution is an increase in church growth. "Muslims are turning to faith in Christ, so we see both things happening: the visible church being incredibly pressured and many Christians fleeing the region, and also the growth of Muslim-Background Believer churches and cell groups despite the persecution."

Through the upheaval, Moeller says, "Open Doors is committed to being on the ground, shoulder-to-shoulder with our brothers and sisters throughout North Africa, providing Bibles, providing spiritual encouragement, training."

The WWL is based on a questionnaire devised by Open Doors to measure the degree of persecution in over 60 countries. The questionnaires are filled out by Open Doors field personnel working in the countries and cross-checked with independent experts to arrive at a quantitative score per country. Countries are then ranked according to points received.   

Iranian Christian News Agency Exposes Unsubstantiated claim of Security Authorities Regarding Evangelical Activities by AOG Church

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- Exaggerating has become a habit of news providers for government-supported and regime-dependent media in Iran who introduce themselves as hidden soldiers, says Mohabat News (www.mohabatnews.com ) the Iranian Christian News Agency.

The inside of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran. (Photo courtesy Mohabat News).

The news agency says that an unsubstantiated report about evangelistic activities of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran “was obviously written by one of the hidden soldiers of the 12th Imam (Secret Security authorities) to motivate senior security authorities. It also appears that this shabby act was intended to spark anti-Christian feelings within Iran.”

MohabatNews says Iranian security services, through state-sponsored media outlets, “have claimed that the Markaz Church, an Assemblies of God church in Tehran, is extremely active in propagation and sending evangelical Christian groups throughout the country to attract Muslim youth to Christianity.”

The state-sponsored news media websites say: "The congregation of the Church of Markaz are Christian extremists who use various ways to bring members to their church and to convert Iranian Muslim youth. 

They try to destroy the image of the sacred regime of Iran in the world. They deceive young people who are financially in need by promising to grant them refugee status in other countries." Mohabat News says the websites also report that these evangelists, with the support of American mass media, want to show a negative image of the Islamic republic to the international community.

Mohabat News stated: “But making such repeated claims by the staff of government-sponsored media is more like a report to the security authorities and organizations rather than a piece of news. Such action seems to have an unstated purpose behind it.

“Presentations of this kind of biased news about Christianity and Iranian Christians has taken place at the same time as the Supreme Leader, scholars and Islamic clerics -- as well as senior authorities and staff of the Revolutionary Guards and other security and intelligence forces -- are making serious efforts to oppose Christianity in Iran.”

Mohabat News went on to say: “These unsubstantiated and misleading claims about the activities of churches to attract Muslim youth to Christianity are being made at time when government, religious and security authorities have become particularly sensitive on such issues. The churches don't consider it necessary to take such actions to invite Muslim youth to Christianity!

“Meanwhile, as a result of the increasing awareness of Iranian citizens following the establishment of the pure Islamic government and in spite of threats, torture, beatings, imprisonments and executions, Iranian youth are turning from Islam in large numbers and seeking to base their lives and religious beliefs on their own investigation.”

From closure of churches to shutting down of worship services of Farsi-speaking Christians

Despite all the pressures and threats by the regime, the movement to Christianity in Iran has grown to the extent that some (generally Farsi-speaking) churches in some cities were closed and locked by the security forces, Mohabat News reports.

“In the other churches that were not closed, these forces prevented Farsi-speaking Christians (mainly Christian converts) from entering. The Assyrian church of Shahr-Ara in Tehran is an example of this. Farsi-speaking Christians formed a large number of its congregation before security forces with the cooperation of the representative of the Assyrians in the Islamic parliament (Majles-e-shoraye-eslami), dismissed the pastor of the church and cancelled the Farsi worship services there.”

In another case and prior to this incident, there were routine Farsi church services being held in the AOG church of Markaz in Tehran, but on Friday, October 30, 2009 security authorities threatened the church leaders and cancelled the Friday evening services which were being held in two services because of the huge number of attendees.

However, says Mohabat News, these restrictions have made every believer's house into a church and have caused the regime to be afraid of the house church movement and active churches. The authorities also seem to be afraid of historical churches which have become historical monuments and belong to the history of the country.

Mohabat News added: “The destruction of the historical church in the city of Kerman didn't cause an outcry from any Iranian authorities, not even the voice of the spineless representatives for religious minorities in the Islamic parliament of Iran. These are all examples of the attitude of the regime towards Iranian Christians and their places of worship.”

Spying on the activities of the churches
According to Mohabat News, “The dear person who writes such reports about the activities of the AOG church of Tehran and raises such claims, knows very well that all church activities, programs and services in Iran and, in this case the AOG church of Tehran, are under careful observation by security and intelligence agents.

“Though the writer of this article comes from the same church, it is well known that all the efforts and activities of the leadership of the AOG church of Tehran have always been according to the word of God which says: ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." (1 Peter 2:13-14).

A church is not like a mosque in receiving government funding
Mohabat News goes on to say: “It's been claimed that the AOG church in Iran is taking advantage of the poverty of jobless youth, especially those who lack sufficient funds to get married and deceives those who are weak in their Islamic faith.

“The purpose of this claim is not clear. However, the churches of Iran don't receive any kind of government support. All their funding comes from their congregations and believers who want to give to God and ministries in the form of tithes and offerings. In a situation where churches are facing financial challenges to even repair the church building, how could they support the youth in matters of marriage, employment and financial problems? Is it possible that such ideas come from the way mosques are managed since they receive huge amounts of money from government only to bring people to the prayer sessions? Allocation of a budget of $50 million USD to the mosque of Jamkaran only to develop its facilities to attract more people to the mosques, or huge funding of the Revolutionary Guards (Sepah-e-Pasdaran) to build mosques in Europe, are some of the examples of the major investment of the Iranian regime in propagating Islam.”

Mohabat News asks: “Isn't it true that all these attempts have failed to satisfy the spiritual needs of young people and to release them from their financial and social challenges?”

Seminary scholars complaining about the tendency of the youth toward Christianity
Despite three decades of effort and millions of dollars of investments to support the propagation of Islam, the regime feels it must use force, fear and threats to oppose Christianity, Mohabat News stated.

“It is interesting that all these attempts have been ineffective and the seminary scholars are complaining day and night about the drift of youth to Christianity. (Mohabat News has discussed this matter in detail in previous articles).

Mohabat News said: “The distaste of Iranian youth for Islam is a troubling reality that religious and government authorities are aware of and acknowledge. Their speeches and the actions of security authorities to crack down on Christians are also a clear confirmation of this fact.”

It adds: “The unsubstantiated report on the evangelistic activities of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran was obviously written by one of the hidden soldiers of the 12th Imam (Secret Security authorities) to motivate the security authorities. It appears that this shabby act was intended to spark anti-Christian feelings within Iran. Without any reasoning, it seems that the author of the report is trying to influence the authorities of the regime and to show his loyalty towards the regime.”

Mohabat News concludes: “Such claims have been published over and over in media supported by the regime. They also mentioned other subjects, including distribution of books and flyers, etc., but Mohabat News does not consider it necessary to mention them here in view of the length of the article.”

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Test case for religious tolerance in Indonesia

In a test case of religious intolerance in the world's largest Muslim-majority country, an Indonesian mayor is defying court rulings by pushing for a decree to block Christians from opening churches on streets with Islamic names - writes David Crampton.

Members of the Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church in the West Java town of Bogor are, after three years, still forced to worship on the sidewalk outside their building, protected by police.

The administration of Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto revoked the church's building permit and sealed the building as the street had an Islamic name. The mayor's office also alleged that church leaders had falsified signatures when obtaining the permit.

Local Muslim cleric Muhammad Mustofa, whose father is the street's namesake, has publicly stated that he has no objection to the church. "Islam in Indonesia ... has always interacted with Buddhism, and Christianity. We are ready to live side by side with anyone," he told the Al Jazeera news network.

Although a verdict from Indonesia's highest court in December, backed by the National Ombudsman Commission, favoured the church, Bogor has defied the order. Church spokesperson Bona Sigalingging said the mayor's defiance was dangerous and unlawful. "There are many churches built on streets with Islamic names, and mosques on streets with Christian names," he told Al Jazeera on 3 September. "This is dangerous for the unity of Indonesia ... The mayor promised that he would abide by whatever decision was handed down by the Supreme Court."

The United Nations has written to the Indonesian government expressing concern about increasing violence against religious minorities, specifically mentioning this case. Last year at least 30 churches were attacked or forced to close. Some were burned, and church members attacked.

Ombudsman Commission chairman Danang Girindrawardana reportedly instructed Budiarto to annul the decision to revoke the permit in two weeks, or President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may move to end the standoff.

However, Yudhoyono is said to be reluctant to challenge the issue of increasingly violent Islamic intolerance as he depends on Islamic support in Parliament. The Jakarta Post, in a 21 August editorial, said if Bogor was to prevail, Indonesia risks sliding into anarchy. "We pray that the mayor will soon obey the law for the good of the nation," the newspaper said.

Recent research by the Pew Research Centre found Indonesia was one of two countries that had recorded significant increases in religious restrictions, while the Associated Press reported 64 incidents of violence involving religious intolerance in Indonesia last year, up from 18 in 2009.

[With acknowledgements to ENInews. ENInews, formerly Ecumenical News International, is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches.]

[Ekk/3]

Christians remain in prison as Iranian Supreme Leader Pardons 100 'Security' Prisoners During Ramadan

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

IRAN (ANS) -- Iranian news sources are reporting that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered the release of 100 prisoners convicted of what are described as "security offenses."

According to www.Mohabatnews.com  , the report compiled from news agencies by RFE/RL, says some of those being released were among people who were detained during the unrest that erupted over the disputed 2009 reelection of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

Mohabat News says Tehran's Prosecutor-General, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, was quoted by the Fars news agency as saying the detainees were pardoned "after they repented."

The announced release comes near the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and as Iranian politicians are reportedly starting to prepare for parliamentary elections due next March, Mohabat News stated.
The news agency website says there are still some Iranian Christians held in the prisons of Iran with their fate being unclear.

"Their only accusation is to praise Jesus Christ as their Lord and to share their faith with others. None of the authorities care about their situation and their families who are under pressure and uncertainty," the website reported.

Farshid Fathi, the father of two, is being detained in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. He has spent more than 9 months in jail. The judge ordered that he be temporarily freed on bail, but due to the high amount of the bail, his family has not been able to provide the money and free their beloved.

Meanwhile, Vahik Abrahamian has been kept in prison in Hamadan for nearly a year and suffers from the lack of the medical help and bad health conditions.

Please pray for Vahik and Farshid and many others imprisoned in Iran who are jailed just because of their faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ.

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of th e National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

Libya advances on freedom

Libya (MNN) ― Now that rebels have stormed Tripoli, there are growing rumors hinting that Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi could flee to Venezuela or Cuba.

In the meantime, the European Union welcomed the advance and called for Gaddafi to step down. Whether or not the state of Libya will remain the same over the next 72 hours is yet to be seen.

What makes this advance particularly significant in the six months of civil war is the absence of key leaders who defected over the last few weeks, leaving Gaddafi increasingly isolated. Could another assault force a reset of the conflict? That's unknown.

However, says Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs, change is likely to favor those seeking freedom, specifically, the Christians. Libya is ranked 25th on the Open Doors World Watch List, a spot earned because "there was heavy persecution, particularly of Muslim converts. There were some churches in the city of Tripoli that were allowed to be open, allowed to operate, but primarily they dealt with foreigners."

Libya adheres to Islamic law, and all citizens are Sunni Muslims "by definition." Conversion to Christianity is forbidden, and there are few native Libyan believers. Nettleton explains that "where you run into persecution is where a Muslim changes [his or her] faith and comes to Jesus Christ. Those are the people who face really heavy persecution."

The National Transitional Council is urging Libya to start an "all-inclusive" dialogue leading to democratic elections.

Watchdog groups warn that the transition could bring more violence with it. Nettleton says, "There's just a lot of questions at this point, and we need to pray that Christians will be protected, that whoever ends up in government authority will provide protection, will recognize the rights of minority groups like Christians."
Currently, most Libyan Christians are forced to believe in secret and are afraid to meet with other believers. Small

Christian communities do exist, mostly consisting of sub-Saharan migrants and Western expatriate workers. They've remained active throughout the longest periods of oppression. Nettleton says because of this, "In some cases, Bibles have been able to be delivered into Libya because of some of the upheaval. Maybe the border is not being as tightly monitored as in previous years. "

That's nothing new. With Gaddafi's strict control of the country, evangelism has been difficult and any Christian literature that got into the country was smuggled in. At the crossroad of change, could there be more freedom? Nettleton indicates it's too early to know yet, but "we can pray about that as well, that Scriptures will go in and that Christian work can fill some of the voids."

Given the significance of the persecution and harassment in Libya, just 3% of the population is believers.  That begs the question: Is Libya home to a remnant church? Nettleton replies, "There is a vibrant group of believers that are there, that are sharing the Gospel. So while I would say a 'remnant' is a fair description, don't be confused into thinking that there aren't really bold, on-fire believers there, because there absolutely are."

As Libya looks forward to a new beginning, Christians are encouraged to "pray first, pray second, and pray third. I think at this point, because there's so much upheaval, I think prayer really is the frontline of the spiritual battle for the nation of Libya."