Persecution Blog

I Beg You to Take Revenge

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-05T15:10:20-08:00

“I beg you to take revenge . . . ”

The readers of the letter from Spanish martyr, Bartolome Marquez, were shocked to see a call for revenge in his final letter. Then they saw that his call was not for human bloodshed to avenge him, but for more people to come under the blood of Jesus.

“I beg you to take Christian revenge by trying to do good to those who do me evil,” Marquez challenged other believers. “I hope to see you where I will be soon, in heaven.”

The Spanish Communists killed Marquez, along with many other pastors, in 1939. His final letter was an epistle of joy to his wife and Christian brothers and sisters.

“In a few hours, I will know the inexpressible joys of the blessed. How easy is the death of those persecuted for Christ’s sake! God gives me an undeserved privilege: to die enjoying his grace.

“As long as my heart still beats,” he wrote to his bride, “it will beat with love for you. When I was sentenced for defending the high ideals of religion, fatherland, and family, the doors of heaven were opened for me. In remembrance of our love, even more intense now, please consider the salvation of your soul as your supreme duty. Thus we will be united for eternity in heaven. There, nobody will separate us.”

Those who suffer for Christ must have the ability to see the bigger picture. The Bible is filled with stories that teach us about individual lives. Those lives, however, fit into a greater scheme—the battle between God and evil. The bigger picture enables us to see how Satan is behind oppression and suffering; therefore, we need not take revenge upon our oppressors. They are merely pawns in Satan’s plan. Christian martyrs like Marquez remind us that there is no greater revenge for Satan’s attacks on Christians than when the attackers are led to Christ. Pray for leaders of oppressive governments and regimes. Support those missionaries and others who are in a position to share the gospel with them.

Indonesian Students View Persecution as Training

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-04T14:22:38-08:00

OneNewsNow has a great article today that highlights VOM's Todd Nettleton. Click here to read the full article.

According to Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), students at the school in Jakarta began facing persecution when it was violently attacked by radical Muslims in July 2008. Neighbors complained, asking government authorities to evict the students due to supposed safety concerns. Now students at the Arastamar Bible School face eviction from a west Jakarta mayor's office building, where they were living temporarily.

Todd Nettleton of VOM says persecution is commonplace in Muslim nations.

"It's interesting to also note the response of the students," notes Nettleton. "These are theology students. They're future pastors and mission workers in Indonesia, and they see this very much as a part of their training. As they look ahead to their ministry life, they know that they'll face persecution. They know that they'll face hardships, and so they simply say, 'Hey, this is great preparation because when we go out and begin to minister, we're going to face situations like this all the time.'"

4 Days Until the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-04T14:17:07-08:00

In honor of the upcoming International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church that is taking place this Sunday, November 8th, in churches all over the world I wanted to remind you of our great resource page, that has information for this year (it is still not too late) and then I also wanted to encourage you with another article on prayer.

Not Ashamed to Pray

print article download (PDF)

By Cheryl Odden

Perhaps one of the biggest stumbling blocks in our prayer life and our relationship with Christ is disappointment. We are disappointed in our spiritual life, job, country, church, and perhaps even our family.

If we get to the heart of the issue, our disappointment is directed not at these areas of our lives but at God. We may ask: How could he allow this (circumstance) to happen? Why isn’t he helping me overcome these sin issues in my life? Why isn’t he rewarding me for my hard work? Why isn’t he bringing about revival in our nation? Why isn’t he working in our children’s hearts?

The apostle Paul had every "right" to be disappointed in God. Paul was given a dramatic salvation experience and was launched into ministry. People were coming to Christ; religious and government officials were being convicted. It couldn’t get any better than that, could it? It did. Paul was thrown in jail. There he wrote several letters, which today are cornerstones of the Christian faith.

Yet Paul saw his chains not as a disappointment or a setback, but as an opportunity. He wrote to Timothy, advising him not to be ashamed of him, and used Onesiphorus as an example of one who was "not ashamed" of his chains." He invited Timothy to share in his sufferings through God’s power. Then earlier in his letter to the Philippians, he tells them that his imprisonment has furthered the gospel not frustrated it (1:12-14). And more so, his bonds have emboldened believers to preach without fear.

As we pray for the persecuted church, let us first evaluate our relationship with Christ. Spend some time alone with God, asking him to reveal any areas of your life where you are disappointed in him. If we allow ourselves to be honest, have we accused him of being indifferent toward our trials? Are we viewing our current sufferings as an obstacle for the gospel or an opportunity? Agree with him that your disappointment ultimately is sin. Thank him that he uses all things for his good purposes, and then stand on what’s true about him: Jesus is the chief cornerstone (Matthew 21:42); the earth is his and all it contains (Psalm 24:1); and he is the "ruler over the kings of the earth" (Revelation 1:5).

Then start praying for your persecuted family who is inviting you to fellowship in their sufferings according to God’s power.

Court Impedes Effort to Rescue Kidnapped Girl in Bangladesh

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-03T12:26:58-08:00

This story is so troubling on so many levels. Please take a moment to pray for this dear girl and those involved in trying to locate her.

Muslim men abduct Christian eighth-grader, force her to convert and marry.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, November 3 (CDN) — A bail order in Bangladesh has impeded police from rescuing a young Christian girl who was abducted and forced to convert to Islam and marry one of her kidnappers, according to police.

Four Muslim men abducted eighth-grade student Silvia Merry Sarker on July 30 as she made her way home from school in west Sujankathi village, under Agoiljhara police jurisdiction, in Barisal district in southern Bangladesh, according to her father, Julian Sarker.

Sarker filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Act against Al-Amin Faria, 24, Shamim Faria, 22, Sahadat Faria, 20, and Sattar Faria, 50.

“My daughter was abducted by Faria with the help of his cousins and other relatives,” said Sarker.

Sarker filed a First Information Report (FIR) charging that the men abducted his daughter initially to “indulge Al-Amin Faria’s evil desire.” Later she was forced to convert to Islam and marry Al-Amin Faria, which Sarker said was part of an attempt to take over his land and property.

Local police inspector Ashok Kumar Nandi told Compass that police were continuing efforts to arrest the kidnappers but had yet to find them, as the unusually early bail order had blocked their efforts.

Nearly 1,000 Students Face Eviction from Temporary Residence

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-03T12:10:27-08:00

Special thanks to our good friends at Mission Network News. Click here to visit their great website.

Indonesia (MNN) ― Nearly 1,000 Arastamar Bible school students faced eviction last week on Oct. 27 from their temporary residence in a West Jarkata mayor's office building, Voice of the Martyrs reported.

Since July 2008, staff and students of the Bible school had to seek temporary shelters all around the city after Muslim extremists attacked their school. Hundreds shouted "Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is greater," and threw Molotov cocktails at the school's buildings. Then, as students ran out of the burning buildings, the extremists attacked them with acid and machetes.

While living in their temporary residence, the High Court of West Jarkata issued them an eviction notice. The day before it was to be served, the local government turned off the electricity and water to their building.

This led to the student demonstrations in the streets.

"That day ... a thousand students were demonstrating outside of the building and making [a barricade with their bodies] to prevent the police troops, local government security troops, and High Court officials from going into the building and destroying it," VOM said.

When police stepped in to evict the students, they blocked the road, and riots ensued. VOM sources said the riots started when police threw stones at the students, and the students retaliated with plastic chairs and more stones.

"We were pulled in among the police; then they beat us. We had said, 'Don't beat us!' but they didn't care," said one of the students arrested by the police.

Since their plight began, VOM has offered support to these students, which included a visit from Tom White, VOM's Executive Director. He encouraged them to continue to stay strong in their faith.

Pray for continued encouragement and protection for these students.

Click here to learn more about VOM or to receive updates on this story.

The Little Boy's Wisdom

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-03T11:50:29-08:00

When the boy in the hotel finally spotted the visiting “businessman,” he ran to him and grabbed his hand. The startled visitor tried to pull away but soon realized that the boy was making the sign of the cross on his palm silently with his finger. The man, a missionary who had prayed to make contact with the church, looked down into the face of the rail-thin boy and immediately understood the message: “The church is alive in North Korea!”

The next day, the missionary met secretly with the boy. He learned that his father was a Christian who had been imprisoned years before. The boy’s family had greatly suffered under the brutal government and had to beg for food just to survive. Now because of drought, people everywhere were dying from severe malnutrition.

When the missionary asked what he could do, he thought surely the boy would request food for his family. But the boy asked him for only four things: to take his tithe that he had saved over many years, to baptize him, to give him Holy Communion, and to give him a better Bible.

The man was moved to tears as he realized the boy’s wisdom. Physical help would only serve him for a day or two, and then he would be back in the same predicament. Spiritual help would prepare him for eternity.

Wanting something and needing something are two entirely different things for most people. What they want is not what they need. Yet what they need most is not what they want. This is why so many people are frustrated. The child in this story teaches us what happens when all our wants are lined up with all our needs. He got it right. He wanted the very thing he needed most: Jesus Christ. When all you want is all you need, you will find great satisfaction. You may say you want money, but you’ll soon find that money meets only so many needs. You may say you need money, but soon you’ll want other things as well. Only Jesus can satisfy your wants and needs at the same time.

If you've enjoyed this devotion it is from the book

Extreme Devotion. Click here to buy your copy today

Shouwang Church Members Forced to Sing in the Snow

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-02T12:30:40-08:00

The dedication of these saints is so inspiring to me. Do you think your church or you would do what these faithful servants of the Lord are doing? Read on and see the news from our friends at China Aid.

November 1, 2009

BEIJING--This frozen snowy Sunday morning, members of Shouwang Church huddled together outside the East Gate of Beijing Haidian Park for yet another outdoor worship service. Forced outdoors when they were intialliy evicted in April, the met in the park for over 12 weeks during this summer, until they were able to secure a new office space in Huajie Plaza in August. Under pressure from the Beijing authorities, Huajie Plaza managers refused to renew the Shouwang Church's rental contract on October 29, forcing them to meet outdoors once again.

Between 800 and 1000 believers attended Sunday's worship service, singing hymns and offering prayers under a sea of umbrellas. Before the service started at 9 AM, a Beijing policeman showed up and posted a poster at the gate of the park stating "Today the Haidian Park is closed to the public ". In spite of being denied entry to the park, the church members rallied at the East Gate, with the service lasting more than two hours until a little after 11:00 AM.

Since the beginning of August, Beijing Huajie Plaza has received enormous pressure from both the Public Security Bureau and Religious Affairs Bureau of Beijing City, to terminate the rental contract with Shouwang House Church. ChinaAid and Beijing house church Christians learned a secret directive had been issued by the CPC that month, calling for the dismantling of six house churches in Beijing--one of them Shouwang Church. On August 19, Pastor Jin Tianming, along with three other leaders of the church, went to PSB and RAB to make inquiries about the contract, with no response. On August 20th and 26th, the church held a special prayer service for a new worship location. During the outdoor Sunday service on August 23rd, Pastor Jin reiterated that the church would have no choice but to worship outdoors, if no other location for worship could be availed. After Huajie Plaza declined to renew their contract and several other attempts at finding a meeting place failed, church notified believers on October 30 they would be worshipping outdoors on November 1st.

Congress Wolf and Smith, co-chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, attended a Shouwang Church service last year when they visited Beijing before the Olympics. It has long been a respected church in the community. This continued repression, and forced relocation of the church meeting place is a part of the major crackdown against the Chinese House Church enacted by the Chinese government, which has caused the detention of over 30 Christian house church leaders in the past 3 months, and resulted in termendous devastation, as in the case of the demolished Linfen-Fushan Church in Shanxi.

ChinaAid urges the international community to pray for the members of Shouwang Church and for the softening of authorities' hearts to allow them to worship freely indoors, especially with the freezing winter approaching. ChinaAid denounces the unnecessary and unjust intervention of the PSB and RAB in business affairs, and calls for equality for Shouwang Church under the law.

Party Secretary Invites Expelled Minor Back to School

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-02T12:26:01-08:00

A few days ago we shared with you that a student had been expelled in China for refusing to denounce his faith. Today, our friends at China Aid, are reporting that the student has now been invited back to the school. Click here to read the full article.

XINJIANG--One week after Chen Le's unceremonious expulsion from school for his faith, the Party Secretary of the High School Division and several other instructors and party members from the Huashan Middle School visited Chen Le in his home. In spite of "advising him to pursue his education somewhere else" in the document of expulsion they forced him to sign, they newly invited him to continue his education at Huashan School on Wednesday, October 28.

The Party Secretary was deeply concerned that pressure from the international community was "making trouble" for him, potentially jeopardizing his leading position in the party system. There was no mention of faith or religious affiliation in the entire discussion, but the school authorities did promise to fully investigate who leaked the information and copy of the document outside of the school. The Party Secretary and other leaders reportedly treated Chen Le very well, speaking kindly to him and his mother. The 17-year-old rejoined his fellow classmates the following day (October 29th. To catch up with the work he missed, Chen Le urged his instructors to offer supplementary training and tutorials outside of class hours to make up for the time lost. He plans to continue with his education and take the College Entrance Exam at the end of this academic year.

Two Thousand Bricks A Day Was A Labor of Love

Stacy L. Harp — 2009-11-02T11:58:21-08:00

Brother Da was a faithful Communist Party member in northern Vietnam when he first heard the Christian programs on his shortwave radio. At first he rejected the ideas as stupid superstition, but after two months of listening, he could no longer resist Christ. He was excited about his love for God, and it seemed to overwhelm his heart. He soon won many of his neighbors to Christ.

But his excitement was short-lived. On December 29, 1998, Vietnamese police, angered by Da’s evangelistic activities, raided his house and led him out at gunpoint. His wife and four children could only watch as he was taken away to a prison camp.

In the crudely constructed labor camp, Da was forced to work in the brick factory. Every day meant carrying another two thousand bricks. If Da did not meet his quota, he was brutally beaten. Just when he thought he could not take the labor anymore, he was released on October 15, 2000.

Still under house arrest, Da was again ordered to stop sharing his faith. He was told, “You have just returned from labor camp. Do you want to go back? Think carefully.”

But Da was committed to a “labor of love” for God, and he continued his work of sharing Christ with those around him. No physical labor—even carrying two thousand bricks a day—could deter him.

Few people would admit they love going to work every day. For some, work is a necessary evil. However, those who labor while being God’s witnesses have a completely different mind-set. God’s work is never drudgery. Yet we are always on the clock, constantly laboring to advance the gospel everywhere. He gives us energy for the task at hand and endurance when times get tough. Why do Christians labor so hard? Is it the paycheck? Is it the bonuses, perks, or other benefits? No, love motivates us to give our all in God’s service. If you love Christ, you will gladly work for him. What has he called you to do today in his service?

If you've enjoyed this devotion it is from the book

Extreme Devotion. Click here to buy your copy today.

Persecution Podcast Episode 31

Steve — 2009-10-30T12:52:33-07:00

This week Todd and Mark talk about Pakistan, Ukraine and China. Also, more audio from Mindanao, Philippines, as well as an update on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Listen Here.