Maryam Naghash-Zargaran has been returned to her prison cell from hospital – before medics were able to treat her properly for serious health problems. Please pray that God will heal and comfort our Iranian sister who’s now back behind bars in Tehran’s Evin Prison. Maryam had been on hunger strike in protest at the lack…
Month: June 2016
China: Family pressured to hire local lawyers
In an alleged attempt to prevent international reporting on the case of an incarcerated Christian family, government officials in China’s coastal Zhejiang province recently pressured their relatives to only hire local lawyers. On the night of April 25, uniformed and plainclothes police officers broke into the home of Wen Xiaowu, a church pastor who provided…
What the North Korean government understands about Christian martyrdom that we Christians sometimes forget
Posted by Rev. Eric Foley on 2016/06/22 English language media today are reporting what at first sounds like predictable comments from North Korea’s state media: North Korea is displeased that its former captive Kenneth Bae is talking publicly and negatively about his time in a North Korean prison camp, and unless he stops talking in…
Chance to scrap Egypt’s blasphemy law
Reformers are pushing for Egypt’s ‘blasphemy law’ to be scrapped – but government ministers are trying to block their efforts. Please pray that campaigners will be successful in their attempt to see this controversial law dropped. The law is almost always used to prosecute those who are seen to criticise Islam and is often misused…
RYAN STEPS UP TO ABSEIL CHALLENGE
Hi, My name is Ryan Spence, I’m 19 years old and on July 2, I will be taking part in the Release Abseil Challenge to raise funds for persecuted Christians, specifically for prisoners of faith and their families. Prisoners like Alimjan Yimit, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for his Christian activities in China,…
SUDAN: IMPRISONED PASTORS BRING MEN ON DEATH ROW TO CHRIST
Pastor Michael Yat and Pastor Peter Yen Reith, members of the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, were arrested in Sudan at the end of 2014, but released in August 2015 after thousands of people like you prayed and spoke out on their behalf. We were able to speak to them about their experiences of persecution,…
Vietnam: Persecuted Rights Advocates in Vietnam Seek Help from World’s Democracies
In 2006, the U.S. State Department removed Vietnam from its list of Countries of Particular Concern, citing the release of religious prisoners and the easing of religious restrictions. Two months later, the United States granted Vietnam permanent normal trade status, paving the way for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organization in January 2007. As…
Sudan: Pastor Re-Arrested Could Face Capital Crime Charges
Pastor Kuwa Shamal of the Sudan Church of Christ was re-arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Tuesday 24 May, Middle East Concern reports. He was first detained on 18 December and held for three days. He was then released but required to report to the NISS on a daily basis. In…
Alister McGrath’s Theology of Suffering
About Alister McGrath Alister Edgar McGrath is a theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He is an Anglican priest, ordained within the…
IRAN: MOHAMMEDREZA OMIDI RELEASED ON BAIL
Iranian Christians are pleased to report that the third Iranian Christian arrested in Rasht on 13th May has also been released. Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Saheb Fadaie had both been released at the end of May, but the third Christian, Mohammedreza Omidi, remained in detention. On 7th June Mohammedreza was also released on posting bail. The…
George Whitefield’s Theology of Persecution
George Whitefield is well-known as an evangelist who was part of the Evangelical Revival in England in the 18th century along with John and Charles Wesley. Whitefield’s theology of persecution is explained in his famous sermon, “Persecution Every Christian’s Lot.” Whitefield was not persecuted or martyred although there were some who ardently opposed Whitefield’s message….
IRAN: EXORBITANT BAIL SET FOR THREE IMPRISONED CHRISTIANS
Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Saheb Fadaie and Mohammadreza Omidi (Youhan), who were arrested on 13 May in Rasht, Iran, remain in custody after exorbitant bail amounts were set for them. The three Christians from the Church of Iran denomination are being held pending payment of 100,000,000 Toman each (approx. £23,000). The men were arrested as part of…
