1,000 Churches Closed Since Passage of Indonesia’s ‘Religious Harmony’ Law

1,000 Churches Closed Since Passage of Indonesia’s ‘Religious Harmony’ Law

(Christianity Today) — In 2006, Indonesia passed a law requiring minority religious groups to collect signatures from the local majority group before building houses of worship. For instance, when Indonesia’s largest Protestant organization decided to build in a suburb of Jakarta, it was required to secure signatures of approval from 60 Christians and 90 people […]

Young Woman in Uganda Beaten, Disowned for Putting Faith in Christ

Young Woman in Uganda Beaten, Disowned for Putting Faith in Christ

NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – The father of a young Muslim woman in east Uganda on Thursday (Nov. 12) tried to beat her to death after she became a Christian, but community leaders intervened and limited him to disowning her, sources said. Kibida Muyemba learned that his 21-year-old daughter, Namusisi Birye, had put her faith […]

Chinese House Church Raided by Communist Officials

Chinese House Church Raided by Communist Officials

ZUNYI, Guizhou (China Aid) — Guizhou officials from various organizations, including Communist Party Secretaries from 14 villages, raided a training held by a house church on Oct. 28. Members of the Tongzi County police, the local religious affairs bureau, and the public security bureau interrupted the morning training session in an attempt to disperse the […]

Christian Writer Detained for Questioning in China

Christian Writer Detained for Questioning in China

(South China Morning Post) — A Chinese dissident writer who wrote extensively about the mass demolition of crosses atop churches in Zhejiang province was questioned on Tuesday on suspicion of “inciting subversion of the state”, a friend confirmed. Zan Aizong was on Tuesday taken away briefly and his house raided, according to Zan’s friend, who […]

Kyrgyzstan Couple Forced to Leave Village After Sharing Gospel

Kyrgyzstan Couple Forced to Leave Village After Sharing Gospel

Kyrgyzstan (Mission Network News) — Pray for a situation which took place in a village in the southern part of Kyrgyzstan, a Muslim-dominated country in Central Asia. Recently a group of Protestant believers from different parts of Kyrgyzstan visited a Christian family in their village. *Janysh and *Laura (real names protected for security reasons) are […]

Prison Worker Barred from Participating in Chapel Services for Quoting Scripture About Homosexuality

Prison Worker Barred from Participating in Chapel Services for Quoting Scripture About Homosexuality

CAMBRIDGESHIRE, U.K. — A Christian prison worker who was barred from participating in chapel services after quoting a Scripture that references homosexuality will have his case heard by an employment tribunal today. Barry Trayhorn has been employed as a gardener at HMP Littlehey since 2011, and since 2012 he has volunteered to help with the chapel […]

Chinese Christians’ Detentions Upgraded to ‘Black Jail’

Chinese Christians’ Detentions Upgraded to ‘Black Jail’

Wenzhou, Zhejiang (China Aid) — Authorities placed at least 20 Christians under residential surveillance in China’s coastal Zhejiang province over the past two months. In China, “residential surveillance in a designated location,” also known as holding in “black jails,” is a more severe form of holding than “criminal detention.” Individuals under residential surveillance are held […]

Christians Worldwide to Observe International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Christians Worldwide to Observe International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Christians worldwide will be observing the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church today by joining together to intercede for those who daily suffer for their faith in Jesus Christ. “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right,” states a video produced by the World Evangelical Alliance. “In spite of this, religious freedom is fast […]

Nigeria’s Slain Indigenous Missionaries Leave Legacy of Faith

Nigeria’s Slain Indigenous Missionaries Leave Legacy of Faith

JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Amid ongoing dangers, Christian leaders in Nigeria this month recalled the exemplary faith of indigenous missionaries who gave their lives in areas overrun by Islamic extremist militants. While President Muhammadu Buhari told an India-African summit this week that Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has been contained to “sporadic” attacks in […]

Muslims Suspected in Burning of Sudanese Church Building

Muslims Suspected in Burning of Sudanese Church Building

JUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News) – On top of recent government demolitions of church buildings, suspected Muslim extremists in Sudan’s eastern city of Al Qadarif this month set fire to one used by a 500-member congregation, sources said. Leaders from the Lutheran Church of Sudan said they suspect a radical Muslim set the blaze that […]