Rather than opportunities for evangelism, church growth, fundraising, or even as an individual's story, persecution is the missional activity of a faith community. The global Church needs a richer theology of persecution and suffering.
A Christian falsely charged with blasphemy in three cases was released on bail this week after prosecutors failed to produce evidence against him, his attorney said.
Much of the New Testament is written in the contexts of severe persecution. We too easily don't realize this when we read it. But when we do, we should quickly see that how remember and respond to the persecuted reveals our response to Jesus Christ.
This year’s International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the persecuted church comes as worldwide tensions have turned up pressure on Christians, challenging the global Body of Christ to keep pace in aid and supplication. As Christians are focused on IDOP prayer for the persecuted on both Sunday (Nov. 3) and Nov. 10, tensions that have spiked in the Middle East since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack on Israel have inflamed Islamic extremist sentiment against Christ followers, said an official with
A Christian jailed since June on blasphemy and terrorism charges in Pakistan was released on bail on Oct. 23 after a high court noted glaring loopholes in the police case against him, his attorney said.
Authorities in Pakistan have failed to curb a range of human rights violations, including a sharp increase in blasphemy-related violence, the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) noted last week.
A letter asking the Prime Minister to act to protect freedom of thought and silent prayer has been signed nearly 60,000 times. The letter was launched by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF UK) which is supporting army veteran Adam Smith-Connor who was convicted last week of praying silently within an abortion clinic buffer zone in Bournemouth. He was ordered to pay £9,000 in costs.
Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a pastor and his family to death after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the pastor’s brother said.
A court in Pakistan on Friday (Oct. 25) returned custody of a 16-year-old Christian girl to her parents after a Muslim had kidnapped and forcibly converted/married her, sources said.
A coalition of 17 international human rights organizations is demanding Pakistan be suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations due its blasphemy laws and other rights violations, but local activists said that could result in more hardship for religious minorities.
Russian officials have released a Ukrainian Orthodox priest jailed for 107 days following his conviction on drug charges and a suspended sentence that includes restrictions and monitoring.
A Muslim teacher at an Islamic school in eastern Uganda who became a Christian on Oct. 4 was killed on Oct. 21, area sources said.
