Persecution is normal for the Iranian Church

 

 

As we continue to live in a moderate world where religious tolerance is adhered, let us not forget that Christian persecution is an on-going phenomena in many other parts of the world – especially within some of the Islamic countries.

 

It is not uncommon to hear from reliable news portals that bring up the inhumane treatment of Christians or the severe persecution that transcend basic human interactions. (Like one brother said that “even animals do not treat their own kind like that”.)

 

An example is Al Golchin, an Iranian Christian who was placed under solitary imprisonment in Iran’s most treacherous Evin Prison. Others have been killed, murdered, hunted, raped, dis-membered, hanged or even burned out of religious fervor.

 

Such incidents reminds me of the persecution in the book of Acts, which eventually resulted in a greater glory to our Lord such as the conversion of Paul and the mass evangelism of neighboring countries:

Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

 

The President of Iran (formerly called Persia), President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad coaxed his government to introduce tough Islamic Laws making it a death penalty if ever any of their Muslim people were to convert out of Islam, practically silencing all forms of evangelism in the country.

Nonetheless, we give thanks to God for brave Iranian ministries that have made tremendous inroads to preaching the gospel either via digital media or personal witnessing. An example is the Persian Ministries International, founded by Rev. Donald Fareed, a former Shi’ite Muslim, who has a God given mission to reach his nation for Christ.

 

Let’s pray for Iran (or Persia):

How do we pray for an Islamic nation?

Below is a version reproduced from www.christiananswers.net

 

1. Every Muslim is someone whom God loves. Unfortunately, some Christians make the mistake of not praying for Muslims because of their own prejudices or fears.
2. Let us begin in prayer by asking God to give us a heart filled with love and compassion towards Muslims.
3. We also need to pray in faith and confidence that God will hear us and will move powerfully in answer to our prayers of love and compassion. (John 14:12-14)
4. Muslims believe in the uniqueness of an all powerful and supreme Allah. Similar to Christians and Jews, Muslims believe that Allah is creative and eternal. Muslims also believe that Allah is unknowable and that it is impossible to ever really know him or have a relationship with him as a personal Savior. According to Islam, Allah holds himself apart from mankind.
5. When praying for Muslims, pray that they will have a full revelation of the true God and His loving character. (Hebrews 8:8-9)
6. The Muslim worldview is strongly influenced by an awareness of the supernatural and the presence of good and evil spirits known as jinn. Jinn are greatly feared and are often thought to be responsible for illnesses and misfortune. Superstitions control many aspects of a Muslim's everyday life and often result in them living in constant fear. This fear reveals a heart cry and desperate need that can only be met in the person and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. Pray against the fear that influences many Muslims. (1 John 4:18)
8. Galatians 4:22-25 tells us that Ishmael was born as a result of works resulting in slavery. Islam means submission, and a Muslim understands that he is a servant of Allah. While this is also a Biblical aspect of our relationship with God, it is incomplete. As Christians, through Jesus, we know that we move from being servants to becoming sons and daughters.
9. Never underestimate the work of the Holy Spirit as you pray for Muslims. Allow God to teach you how to pray and to share His heart with you concerning them. Vast numbers of Muslims have come to Christ as a result of supernatural encounters. Many have dreams and visions of Jesus. It is only God who can open blind eyes and soften hearts. Only God can bring true conviction of sin and create new life. (Romans 8:26, John 16:8)

 

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Persecution in China

China's Christians suffer for their faith

By Kate McGeown BBC News

"They hung me up across an iron gate, then they yanked open the gate and my whole body lifted until my chest nearly split in two. I hung like that for four hours."

That is how Peter Xu Yongze, the founder of one of the largest religious movements in China, described his treatment during one of five jail sentences on account of his belief in Christianity.

Peter Xu Yongze was in jail for a total of eight years.
Mr Xu, 61, is not the only Chinese Christian to suffer for his faith. Both Catholics and Protestants have long complained of persecution by the Communist authorities, and human rights groups claim the problem is getting worse.

According to the Jubilee Campaign, an interdenominational lobby group, about 300 Christians are in detention in China at any one time, and that number is set to rise.

According to Mr Wong, the number of Christians in China has continued to rise, exacerbating this perceived threat and causing the authorities to clamp down still further on unregistered churches.

Christianity is not actually banned in China. In fact, according to the constitution, "citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief."

Beijing backed up that statement in 1997, saying that "In China, no one is to be punished due to their religious belief".

But human rights groups and Christians say that the reality is different.

A believer was praying, so a jailer made other prisoners lift him up to the ceiling and drop him to the ground many times until he died.

Peter Xu Yongze:
"They say you can believe, but you can't evangelise," Mr Xu said. "But that is a natural act for Christians. The bible commands us to preach the gospel."

According to Mr Xu, who has now left China and lives in the US, it is against regulations to worship in groups. He said that one of his arresting officers even told him he could only avoid breaking the law if he prayed under the covers in bed.

To an Evangelical Protestant like Mr Xu, joining one of China's state-sanctioned churches was simply not an option - and it seems many other Chinese Christians agree with him.

Christians are required to worship in state-approved churches.
Getting reliable numbers about the number of Christians in China is notoriously difficult. Estimates vary between 40m to 70m Protestants, only 10 million of whom are registered members of government churches.

The situation is similar for Catholics. Of the estimated 15 to 20 million Catholics in China, less than half belong to state-approved churches, which put authority to Beijing before authority to Rome.

Those Christians who want to avoid the state-controlled religious movements meet in unofficial buildings or even each others' homes - hence their description as "house churches" - risking fines, imprisonment, torture and even, in some cases, death.

Government crackdown:
Human rights groups have documented an increasing number of arrests of Chinese Christians since the beginning of 2004.

According to the charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide, persecution is becoming more systematic and targeted at large-scale Christian gatherings.

Since June the charity has documented three mass arrests of unregistered Christians. In each case more than 100 people were detained.

Amnesty International has reported many cases of detained church leaders in recent years, especially in the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Hebei. Despite all the persecution and suffering, God is calling more and more people in China

Pete Xu Yongze:
One of the most high-profile cases is that of Gong Shengliang, head of the South China Church, who was sentenced to death in 2001. His sentence was commuted to a prison term, but Amnesty has received reports that he has been severely tortured in jail.

In August three Christians were sentenced to jail terms for passing information to foreign governments, and in July state media reported that a woman had been beaten to death after being arrested for handing out bibles.

Peter Xu said that while he was in jail, he saw several people even being killed for their faith.

"A believer was praying, so a jailer made other prisoners lift him up to the ceiling and drop him to the ground many times until he died," Mr Xu said.

But government crackdowns - and even torture - may not make people like Peter Xu give up their faith.

"Despite all the persecution and suffering, God is calling more and more people in China," he said.

Persecution in Indonesia

Can this happen in Malaysia too?

Let's pray for the nation:

A face-to-face account of the devastating persecution against Christians in Indonesia. Destroyed homes and churches, disrupted lives, devastate families- these are the harrowing circumstances facing many in the Indonesia, a hovering darkness in stark contrast to the country's rich beauty of sunny beaches and blue-green seas, lush jungles and warm equatorial climate.

Christians here have experienced great suffering in recent years as a result of persecution from radical Muslims and Indonesia's own government. This documentary sheds light on the events of Jihad attacks against Christians in Indonesia during the years of 2000 and 2001. It also examines the shifting focus of Christian persecution since these attacks, a change in some cases resulting in their torture and unjust imprisonment.

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