Boko Haram continues bloody path to dominance

(Photos courtesy CBN)

Nigeria (MNN) ― Suspected Boko Haram militants in northern Nigeria have killed at least 34 people since Christmas--including 27 Christians attending church services. 

So far, the body count tops more than 2,800, roughly a third of them Christians, according to Human Rights Watch. 

Frustration is growing with the ineffective government response, although President Goodluck Jonathan celebrated the arrest of significant number of terrorism suspects accused in the bombings of the Nigeria Police Headquarters and the United Nations building in Abuja. These terrorists are also believed responsible for a church bombing in Madala which killed scores.

The name Boko Haram means "Western education is sacrilege." In the past, they have attacked other Muslims they felt were on an immoral path but have increasingly killed Christians. Greg Musselman, a spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, explains, "They want to turn the northern part of Nigeria into an Islamic state. That is their goal, and those that would stand against that are seen as legitimate targets for the Boko Haram." 

Musselman goes on to note that even if they accomplish this goal, it won't likely stop the violence. "Eventually, they would want to take over the whole country. So again, those that would get in their way are seen as legitimate targets." 

The U.S. State Department has accused Boko Haram of attacking mosques and churches to incite tensions between the two religious groups, hoping to drive a wedge between them. That's one explanation for the spike in attacks. Another, says Musselman, is "because the Gospel is advancing into the North, and many are becoming Christians. We need be praying that the Church will not be bogged down in fear." 

That's especially true now. "What terrorism tries to do is to bring terror to people, to lock them up and prevent them from advancing the Gospel," says Musselman. The pressure is refining the Church, and the boldness of Christians is having a direct impact on the community. "Pray that there will still be boldness and wisdom in how they go about advancing God's kingdom. We need to also ask the Lord how we can  practically help through ministries like Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide." 

Under the current pressures, it is dangerous to convert and dangerous for churches to integrate new converts. However, Musselman says that won't stop the Gospel or the workers they support. "Be praying and then supporting the church the best that we can, helping them, encouraging them (i.e. with orphanages for the young victims who have lost parents because of the violence)." 

Some resignation, optimism in advance of Saturday's referendum

Egypt protests near Presidential Palace
(Photos courtesy of Moud Marthez)

Egypt (MNN) ― The Muslim Brotherhood hoped that an overwhelming approval to the draft constitution would quiet the restive opposition. 

However, that was not to be the case in either scenario. First, although the first round of voting has brought a 56% "yes" vote to the constitution, it isn't a done deal. Second, protestors have been packing the streets to show their discontent with the process. 

Despite Islamist claims that a win proves they have a mandate, the opposition says the whole process has been rushed, there have been irregularities at the polls, and turnout: low. There may be enough to the accusations that the Justice Ministry has launched a probe investigating the allegations. 

It's not over yet. Saturday's round covered 10 of Egypt's 27 provinces. The second round of voting is this Saturday.

Paul Estabrooks, a spokesperson for Open Doors, says a lot of Christians are doing what they can in the referendum. However, "They do have a sense of resignation, and we need to pray that God will overrule in the situation for them." 

Why the concerns? Estabrooks explains, "The draft referendum, they say, is poorly crafted, is too Islamist, and they're afraid that this is going to bring even more persecution against the Christian minority there." More specifically, he notes, "This new draft that Mohammed Morsi is proposing gives the Islamic clerics a say over legislation and over civil liberties. This is the area where believers are most concerned."

Estabrooks goes on to compare the possibilities of a Sharia state to what Chinese Christians have experienced. "It's very much like the old days in China. Believers there were saying, ‘It's not so much the policy that Beijing sends out; it's how the local authorities implement it.'" 

Concerns were heightened when President Mohammed Morsi awarded himself extra powers and an Islamist Parliament. Article 2 of the proposed constitution establishes Islam as the state religion. "Principles of Islamic Sharia are the principal source of legislation," it states. Article 219 spells out those principles as "general evidence, foundational rules, rules of jurisprudence, and credible sources accepted in Sunni doctrines and by the larger community." Article 44 outlaws blasphemy.

If it's approved in its current state, the constitution calls for a parliamentary election in early 2013. There are fears that the new parliament will consist of nothing but people who support the Sharia turn. 

What's more, if the Islamists succeed in their gambit for power, believers expect even more harassment, oppression and outright persecution. "They hear the preaching every Friday from the mosques, where the local clerics sometimes can be far more strident in opposition to them than even the political leaders."

But will the opposition quit? That's unlikely. It's not Christians alone who oppose the shift to Islam, says Estabrooks. "There are a number of Muslim people who are also opposed to this constitutional draft because they see it as a negating of the whole Arab Spring initiation. It just transfers absolute power from one group to another."

However, some Christians believe that the recent wave of persecution has prompted many nominal Christians to turn to Christ for solace. It means hearts are united, and that, says Estabrooks, brings a sense of hope. "Believers are going to be in a situation where they have a wonderful opportunity to exhibit a Christ-like lifestyle and a response to what happens in their country. I think that's how we should pray, that first of all, we will be led and guided by the Holy Spirit in their responses, and that what they do will indeed reflect true Christian values."

Egypt is a nation in its birthing throes. Estabrooks says that Open Doors has had to adjust to changes almost as rapidly as the national believers do. He explains, "On the one hand, the way we were working before has been interrupted, of course, because of the instability. On the other hand, that has enabled us to distribute more Scriptures, more training materials, and more children's materials because of the spiritual growth that's occurring there."

Crisis tests Egyptian constitution

Tahrir Square, November 2012
(Cover photo by Moud Barthez. Story photo courtesy Open Doors USA.)

Egypt (MNN) ― Egypt has a new draft constitution, but it didn't come about the way people hoped. 

On Friday, in a 16-hour vote, Islamists approved the charter without the participation of liberal and Christian members. The move essentially pre-empted a court ruling that could dissolve the constituent assembly, but it also inflamed the conflict between the opposition and President Mohammed Morsi.

The draft still faces a national vote in the next 30 days. If it remains unchanged, human rights experts say Muslim clerics could bring restrictions on freedom of speech, women's rights, and other liberties. 

Secular and Christian leaders complained that hardline Islamists were determined to draft a constitution heavily influenced by Sharia law. In frustration, at least 20 members of the constitutional assembly had resigned in protest by early November. 

Without dissenting opinion, the Islamists included what they wanted. By the time the vote rolled around, television footage of Parliament's chamber showed that of the 85 members in attendance, not a single Christian was present and there were only four women, all Islamists. Many of the men wore beards, the hallmark of Muslim conservatives.

It is against this backdrop that the new Coptic Pope Anba Tawadros, takes up the leadership staff. 

His is a term where Christians have faced increasing pressured since the January 2011 revolution that deposed President Hosni Mubarak. There's been a corresponding rise in anti-Christian violence, and Christians now wonder what their role is. Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs USA, says, "Christians in Egypt are concerned because the government really seems to be moving against them, and there are not a lot of positive signs where they would feel protected or they would feel like there's going to be more freedom for Christians in Egypt; it seems like it's going in the other direction."

Pope Tawadros immediately made it clear that his focus was not the political arena. Nettleton explains, "He has talked about focusing on the Church and Christianity rather than focusing on what the government is doing. We'll see what that means to him over the coming weeks and months as we see how he responds." 

However, with no input from the Christian community in the country's constitution, people are looking to Pope Tawadros for guidance since he's the voice and face of the Coptic Church in Egypt. Given what's at stake, says Nettleton, expectations are high. "They hope that he will be a voice that says ‘Christians have a place in Egyptian society. Christians deserve protection.They deserve the freedom to worship without fear for their lives'." 

That begs another question: will the pope change his approach given the circumstances unfolding in Egypt over the last 10 days? What will be his level of representation on behalf of the Christians in front of the state? The pursuit of a secular state would benefit Christians more than a religious one, since that's the direction they're headed in now. 

Concerns over the lack of representation in the draft constitution surface as the reality of religious freedom issues emerges. Nettleton notes, across all age groups in the Egyptian Church, "The biggest concern is probably what the place of the Christians is going to be in Egyptian society under the new government. Are they going to be a protected minority that is allowed to exist and allowed to worship and allowed to meet together? Or are they going to be pressured to disappear?"

Pope Tawadros is expected to continue encouraging Christians to step by themselves into the political arena and take things in their own hands. To do that, he will need to stop doing it for them. This will be a time for growth amongst followers of Christ in Egypt. 

Although the news of the charter was dismaying, it's not even close to the final chapter. In fact, it may be the beginning of a new one. Hardship is a unique crucible for the Gospel. Nettleton sums it up this way: "They [Christians] can be an incredible witness for Christ because the ability to forgive and the ability to love those who are persecuting us: there is not a human explanation for that. It can only be a supernatural explanation that God and the Holy Spirit have empowered us to be able to live that way."

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...

Boko Haram strikes again in Nigeria

VOM Medical comes to the aid of
 persecuted believers.

Nigeria (MNN) ― A school, a police station, and banks are the latest targets of the Nigerian terrorist group Boco Haram. More than 300 people have been killed since the beginning of the year. These attacks have Christians fearing for their lives since the terrorist group declared war on Christians.

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs says, "The Boco Haram is basically attacking everything that they view as western, or everything they view as government controlling, and that includes police stations as well as churches, Christian schools, and other overtly-Christian places."

Why? Nettleton says, "Early this year, they made the announcement that they wanted Northern Nigeria to be completely free of Christians, basically telling the Christians there that you must leave, or you must convert to Islam, or you will die."

The Boco Haram attacks used to be sporadic, Nettleton says. "Now, it's almost coming day after day after day. There's a new target. There's a new attack. It really seems like the Nigerian government is incapable of bringing the situation under control."

Apart from Christ, there doesn't appear to be any answers. The Nigerian government says they want to negotiate with Boko Haram, however. Nettleton isn't thrilled with this decision. "The Boko Haram has really given no indication that they're willing to compromise. They want Sharia law. They want Northern Nigeria to be Islamic. They want everyone there to be Islam. They really have been uncompromising."

Christians have been the targets of many of the attacks, and The Voice of the Martyrs has a program specifically to help them. Nettleton says it's called VOM Medical. "It's basically a medical care project to go in immediately after persecution situations -- whether it be a church bombing, or an attack on a Christian -- to be able to provide medical help in the immediate aftermath."

VOM is raising money because of the increasing number of attacks on Christians worldwide. "The money is given so that we can act immediately when there's an event, when there's a case," Nettleton says.

While you may think that Christians are cowering in fear, that's just not the case. Nettleton observes, "There's a lot about the persecuted church that's just amazing, but that willingness to go back into harms way [is incredible]. The other thing that is amazing is the ability to forgive the people who attacked you."

VOM Medical not only meets physical needs, but they also help spiritually.

If you'd like to help VOM Medical, click here.

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."

Christians fear being kicked out of unreached areas

Africa Director Rae Burnett took this
 photo of a Kanuri woman who just
 heard the gospel for the first time
from indigenous missionaries. 

Nigeria (MNN) ― Five more people are dead as Boko Haram continues its spread of terror across northern Nigeria. Churches have been attacked, Christians murdered, and now even Muslims are being targeted. Mostly those who are trying to protect Christians, or are sympathetic to them.

The most recent attack came when the Boko Haram Islamic Sect on Monday night invaded the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, barracks as well as a police station in Maiduguri, Borno State, killing five people including a soldier, two policemen and two civilians.

It's a quest to force the region into Sharia law.

Africa Director for Christian Aid Mission Rae Burnett says missionaries they're supporting are reaching the unreached in these areas, but she's concerned that openness will end. "The fear is that the villagers will get word of this and be afraid to allow the Christian missionaries in. They've seen and appreciated the love of the Christians to be helpful to them. If Boko Haram gets word of it, they'll chase them out."

Up until just recently Boko Haram had been focusing on terror in major cities. But, that's changing, says Burnett. "Some of the villages in the north.

This would destroy the work Christian Aid Mission has been able to do. It's already affected some of their partners. 

"Several of the missionaries have had to leave their fields because of the threats. Of course, these Boko Haram people have relatives everywhere. And if one of them is in one of these villages, then it can cause these missionaries trouble."

Christian Aid Mission supports national Christians who are focused on reaching the unreached. Burnett says, "Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, and there are many, many areas that have not been reached with the Gospel. The ministry that we have, primarily, helped has been so successful."

Burnett says, "They came into being to reach one particular tribe, and they've grown. Now they're reaching 14 tribes. Most of them are in the north, which has been extremely closed to the Gospel."

Christian Aid Mission supports Nigerian believers who have a plan to reach the unreached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your financial support can help keep them work in these areas while the doors are still olpen. Click here to help Nigerian missionaries.