PERSECUTION International Christian Concern | September 2014
A Very Dangerous Place Strategies Against The Local Church
A Spectrum of Persecution pg3
Catch 22 pg5
A Dangerous Place pg7
Your Bridge to the Persecuted Church
IN THIS ISSUE:
P9. A DANGEROUS PEOPLE
GROUPS AND MOBS ATTACK THE LOCAL CHURCH
P3. A SPECTRUM OF PERSECUTION
P11. A DANGEROUS MESSAGE
P5. CATCH-22
P13. A DANGEROUS PEACE
P7. A DANGEROUS PLACE
P15. YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK
PERSECUTION IS MORE THAN THE IMPRISONMENT OR MURDER OF PASTORS.
UNWINNABLE SITUATIONS ARE CREATED TO STRANGLE AND CLOSE CHURCHES.
GOVERNMENTS ATTACK CHURCHES.
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER.
THE PERSECUTED TEACH US HOW TO LIVE WITH PAIN.
READ HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE PERSECUTED.
A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Jeff King, President International Christian Concern
Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political figure and historian from the early to mid-1800s. In 1831, he went to America on a mission from the French monarchy to study America’s prison system, but instead used the time to study and understand what made America great. The product of this journey was the famous book, Democracy In America. In it, he said something that is quite extraordinary. I ascended (America’s) mountains and valleys. I visited (factories), markets, emporiums of trade. . .courts, and legislative halls. I sought everywhere in vain for the secret of America’s success, until I entered the church. It was there, as I listened to the soul-equalizing and soul-elevating principles of the Gospel of Christ, as they fell from Sabbath to Sabbath upon the masses of the people, that I learned why America was great and free, and why France was a slave. Empty Pews & Selections from Other Sermons on Timely Topics, Madison Clinton Peters; Zeising, 1886 Tocqueville’s insight into the power source of our mighty and ascending country that would rule the world for next 150 years was incredibly insightful, but is missed by almost all. . . .except for Satan!
Yet, why does Satan spend so much time attacking the local church (God’s outpost), and its soldiers (the called-out ones who man the fort). It is because the building and believer can become (and often are) a channel for God to invade Satan’s territory, deep behind the enemy’s lines. This works only if the believer is “all in” with God. In the persecuted world, this “all in” mentality is common as believers lose all to follow Him. When a believer is “all in” then the Holy Spirit, the real transforming power from heaven, is unleashed. The river of life (do a Bible study on this phrase) starts to flow into the land; the prisoners are released, the lame are healed, and the dead come to life. The book of Revelation uses the metaphor of a river of fresh water flowing from the throne of God and making salt waters fresh and bringing life to everything it touches. This is why Satan targets the local church. His focus should awaken you and I to a deep truth; we can only truly live with power and hope if we are “all in” with God and His power is flowing through us. If you have wandered away from The Source, then take time right now to turn back and ask for His river to flow through your heart! Then, join me as we support these outposts and soldiers behind enemy lines who have given up everything to follow the King of Life!
Satan knows that the humble local church can be a wellspring of life from heaven in the vast desert of despair, death, and decay, that he seeks to establish on earth. It is a very dangerous outpost of heaven, deep behind enemy lines that can produce hope, life, and growth. Now I know the idea of the local church being dangerous is counter-intuitive. The local church is not impressive by the world’s standards. The building is usually old and at best, modest, in terms of niceties and style. Its people are not usually the captains of industry, leaders of government, or the members of the intelligentsia.
Jeff King President, Persecution.org, International Christian Concern
A SPECTRUM OF
PERSECUTION By Ryan Morgan The car looked like it had been hit by a rocket. Twisted metal, broken glass and shrapnel were strewn everywhere. The owner and his wife looked up at me to see my reaction even as my friend, who was all too familiar with this type of incident, looked up and down the street nervously. We were standing in the middle of an Indonesian island that most of the world had never heard of, even though it had been the site of many untold massacres. Two days before, Islamic jihadists had tried to blow up this Christian couple, who faithfully served in the church next door, with a bomb full of metal fragments attached to their car. The radicals, I was told, were probably close to us and after delivering quick prayers and some a ssistance, my friend and I were whisked away. The story above is the closest I have come to witnessing violent persecution with my own eyes. The memory is seared into my consciousness, even though the lives of the targets were spared. A Spectrum of Persecution Yet if we only pay attention to the most violent and headline
making cases of persecution, we miss the fact that there is a whole spectrum of persecution that affects millions of Christians across the planet. According to the most comprehensive report yet on the subject conducted by the Pew Forum, an unbelievable 64% of the world’s population lives in nations where government restrictions are either “high or very high (see chart on next page).” Incredibly, 74% live in nations very high levels of social hostilities towards religion. According to the research, Christians face restrictions or hostility in a massive 151 nations, more than any other faith or religious group.
Catch-22
What does this spectrum look like? In Azerbaijan, the government passes a classic piece of Catch-22 legislation requiring legal churches to re-register with the government and then denies their registrations. The government shuts down the only church in an area of 40,000 residents. In Egypt, churches could not be built or even repaired without government approval. For decades, it was almost impossible to get approval to do either.
Government Restrictions
In China, anyone who chooses to pastor or worship outside of the government led “Three-Self” church can be arbitrarily arrested and it is against the law for anyone under 18 to be brought to a church. In Kyrgyzstan, Christians are kept from burying their dead by Islamic groups unless they convert to Islam. In Laos, Christians are charged with murder after praying for a sick villager who later dies.
Mob Violence
In Sri Lanka, mobs of Buddhist monks whip up hatred towards Christians and lead attacks on pastors, church services, and church buildings. A car owned by church workers bombed by Islamic jihadists in Indonesia. ICC trip, October 2012
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A Spectrum of Persecution
As you pull back and study persecution you realize that persecution is much more than the imprisonment or murder of pastors. There is in fact a spectrum of persecution that makes it devilishly tough to combat.
Hope at the End of the Spectrum
While we focus on and will always rush to aid those who are suffering from the brutal end of the persecution spectrum (bombings, shootings, rape, torture, and murder), we must not forget our brothers and sisters who must daily persevere, often for their entire lives, under discrimination, government restrictions, and mob attacks. We must also never forget that the spectrum of persecution always begins and ends with hope. Time and again in the persecuted Church we see where God “bestows on us a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning” (Isaiah 61:3) and as Joseph said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish. . .the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). Today, from the ashes of decades of appalling persecution in China, a beautiful church the size of which the world has never seen before is arising. Across the world where Christians have chosen to remain faithful and endure, we see the seeds of revival beginning to spring forth.
KYRGYZSTAN AZERBAIJAN
CHINA
EGYPT SRI LANKA
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CATCH-22 A dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions. The phrase “Catch-22” comes from Joseph Heller’s satirical anti-war novel that was popularized in a 1970 film starring Alan Arkin. Arkin is the captain of a bomber in WWII who, after seeing too many other pilots die in mission, decides he has to escape the Air Force if he is to stay alive. To get relieved of his duties, he tells his superiors that he is crazy. The reply he receives is non-sensical and purposefully leaves him trapped without any option but to keep doing what the military wants him to do. “An airman would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he’d have to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t, he was sane and had to.” This maddening (non) logic is exactly what Christians experience in many countries as they face government restrictions on their activities. They constantly live in a Catch-22!
In many countries, you can only legally meet for worship if you register your church with the government. Problematically, these governments often never grant church registrations and in fact, the required forms for registration often don’t even exist! If you then choose to meet without the (non-existent) registration approval, the police will fine you an exorbitant amount, they may jail you, or sometimes you are only beaten. In this common scenario, Christians have a choice: they either worship illegally or stop meeting for worship. Catch-22! Governments hostile to Christianity often censor Christian religious material saying citizens can only own books on one particular “list” while refusing to publish a list of approved books (this would expose the government’s control of religion). In this case, Christians have a choice: smuggle books and hope they’re on “the list” (risking raids, prison and fines) or never own materials which will help you grow in your faith. Catch-22. 5
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The film Catch-22, released in 1970, was based on the book from Joseph Heller.
These Catch-22s even extend to death and the grave. Some Muslim towns only allow Muslims to be buried in certain cemetaries. Loved ones are told that they can’t bury their dead unless you sign papers saying you deny Christ. So the choice layed before them? Deny Christ or keep your dead loved one’s body in your home. Catch-22. Azerbaijan Despite tight government religious restrictions, Greater Grace Protestant Church (GGPC) in Baku,
Azerbaijan was a legal church approved by the government. In 2009, the State demanded that all religious organizations re-register with the government. Despite having correct paperwork, GGPC’s registration was rejected. Church members battled in court and the congregation continued to worship “illegally” often vacating the property upon receiving tips of impending police raids. Sadly, in January 2013, the church ran out of legal options and the church was ordered to be shuttered. For the 40,000 residents near the capital of Baku, there is now NO legal place of worship for the Christian faith. Sri Lanka This country, known for its beauty and “peaceful” Buddhist religion harbors an ugly not-so-secret, secret. Despite their loud declarations of religious freedom, in the last 20 years they have fallen from grace and may soon be on our government’s (USCIRF) list of countries with the worst religious freedom record (Countries of Particular Concern). Buddhist monks are continually leading violent mobs to tear down churches and beat up Christians in an effort to get them to leave their towns and villages. The police and government close down churches whenever they like. If pastors complain, they are told, “Your building is illegal. You don’t have the legal registration to meet for worship.” However, there is actually no legal document that a pastor can fill out and submit to the government to become a “legal” place of worship. Catch-22! China The government created the Three-Self Patriotic Church. The house churches refuse to be controlled by an atheist government that has arrested and killed their pastors, and shut out the Gospel for decades. The Chinese government doesn’t allow unregistered churches to have church buildings. Therefore, Christians will meet in someone’s house (a house church). The government can raid house churches in the excuse that they are not registered even though to do so would “gut” the house church and suppress the Gospel. Catch-22! Uzbekistan There is a list of banned Christian books in Uzbekistan. The government says these books are dangerous but won’t say why and won’t publically disclose the list. Therefore, at any time and without warning, the government can raid your home and if they find any of these books can jail, fine, or beat you.
This makes it nearly impossible for Christians to know what they can and cannot own and gives authorities carte blanche to consider any religious book as contraband. This has resulted in exorbitant fines (10 times the monthly wage) and jail time. Christians go to extraordinary lengths to smuggle in Bibles and books that will teach them about Jesus, but live in constant fear, wondering whether or not the books they own are on “the list” or not, and if they will be discovered and go to jail. Kyrgyzstan In Kyrgyzstan, a 73-year-old Christian woman who had converted from Islam, died in a village in Kyrgyzstan. She had asked her Christian family members to bury her according to local Muslim tradition because this was the only way she would be allowed to be buried in the village cemetery where her relatives and ancestors were buried. However, on their way to the funeral the family was stopped by the local Imam and other villagers. Her son said that, “at first the Imam demanded that three relatives write a statement that my mother was not a Christian and that she was a Muslim.” Under the pressure, and knowing how desperately their loved one wanted to be buried there, they obliged. However, then the Imam presented a new demand saying that her son and his two sisters, who were there for the burial, must “renounce our Christian faith. We did not do this.” The family was forced to leave their mother’s dead body in their home for four days before authorities barged in and forced them to bury her in another cemetery, away from the family plot.
SUMMARY
Many Christians live in the crazy-making non-reality of a Catch-22 existence when targeted by their governments. This can keep them (by design) in a state of constant anxiety. Keep them in prayer if you would, so that they would be wise to the devil’s schemes and understand his constant tricks designed to keep them off balance and focused on their struggles, rather than spreading the good news of the way to life.
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A DANGEROUS
PLACE
By Sooyoung Kim
Governments Are Threatened by the Church So They Control and Strangle the Church “My heart is bleeding as I see hundreds of church crosses fall one by one in Zhejiang Province,” Ye Wanjing, a Chinese believer wrote in a public letter as he stated that he is ready to die for his faith. ICC has discovered in an ongoing investigation that the Chinese government has declared war on the Church in China in the biggest church crackdown since the days of Mao. They have either removed crosses or outright destroyed 360 plus churches. China is not the only place where the government is trying to silence the Church because it is seen as a threat to China’s control. In Vietnam and Indonesia, churches face persecution actively carried out by a state determined to crack down on any perceived ideological threat.”
China’s Response to Christianity. “My father and I were house church pastors in China and in 2000, our church was raided by the police. Both of us were choked, handcuffed, and put in jail for a week because we preached the Gospel,” Pastor Titus, a former house church pastor, now a seminary student, told ICC during an interview. “The police beat me with a stick on my head and warned me to never ‘illegally’ teach the Bible. Even until now, the scar remains on the right side of my head.” As of 2012, Pastor Titus had been imprisoned three times by the government and his family had to move from one apartment to another two to four times a year due to the constant harassment from the police.
Sanjiang Church before and during the recent Chinese government-ordered demolition
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Sadly, Pastor Titus’s case is not isolated in China, a country that perceives religion as among four primary threats to national security (National Security Research Report, 2014). China sees religion as ideological infiltration from “foreign forces.” House church pastors and co-workers run the risk of imprisonment or detention due to “illegal gathering” if the congregation of a house church goes over 35. Crackdown. In Zhejiang Province, the coastal province in eastern China, Christian churches had enjoyed a friendly relationship with local governments for at least a decade. But in early 2014, an anti-church campaign aimed at curbing the visibility of churches began. As of July, over 360 churches have been affected by the campaign under the guise of “removing or modifying illegal constructions.” The government of Zhejiang Province says it is removing or modifying illegal buildings for urban development. However, ICC has discovered, and the New York Times corroborated, that the real target is religious buildings at the exclusion of all others. The largest church demolished was the 80,000 square foot Sanjiang church (see left). Vietnam’s Approach. Vietnam’s Communist party (VCP) sees the retention of their monopoly political power as their highest priority. Vietnam has a genuine paranoia about outside threats to its power led by foreign governments and Christians are viewed as part of that outside threat to their power. Churches and Christian organizations are seen as having the potential to organize and mobilize the public to challenge the power of the VCP and are therefore targeted and victimized. The Montagnards (mountain people) of the Central Highlands are home to most of Vietnam’s Christian-majority and have been a special target of the Communists.
A church in Indonesia is shut down gious Christian persecution. Under pressure from Islamic hardliners, an average of 40 churches per year are forcibly closed.
The government uses the Catch-22 strategy where churches are closed for not having building permits but it is nearly impossible to get a buildpermit for anything but a “The police beat me with ing mosque. It’s not just governa stick on my head and ment restrictions that are closdown churches, but threats warned me to never ing and attacks by Islamists as well. The Communion of Churches in ‘illegally’ teach the Bible. Indonesia reported that since Even until now, the scar 2004, there have been attacks on more than 430 churches.
remains on the right side of my head.”
Islamists harass and close churches with impunity. One Islamic political party, FPI, “sees church closures as fundCHINESE HOUSE PASTOR raising events,” said a long-time missionary in Indonesia, “they extort money from churches by “The VCP allows state-sanctioned churchthreatening them.” Islamists within and without the goves to grow but clamps down on independent underground ernment are determined to strangle the church. churches” says Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, the president of an America-Vietnamese community organization (BPSOS). Something More than the Cross. Governments can put restrictions on buildings and tear down crosses, but these They appoint government officials as “pastors” of the state- are externals and only signs of what it truly means to be a sanctioned churches. This way the VCP can appear to the Christian. outside world as having religious freedom. As Ye Wanjing, the Chinese believer said as he stood ready However, the true Christian churches are seriously perse- to defend his church in China, “I am not going to die for the cuted. Their churches are confiscated, their members ha- physical cross on my church. However, faced with injustice, rassed, and their pastors are threatened, beaten, impris- my Christian conscious pressured me to do my responsibiloned and even killed. ity. I hope to learn more about Jesus Christ’s calling to ‘die Indonesia’s Rising Intolerance and Impunity toward to myself.’” Violence. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim- The government can do nothing to control those who have majority nation, had a long tradition of inter-religious chosen to follow Jesus like this. harmony, but since 1998, has experienced increasing reliYou can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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A DANGEROUS
PEOPLE
Groups and Mobs Attack the Local Church A church is more than bricks, mortar and a cross. It’s a public witness to the presence of Jesus, followers. It is the people of God, His body, and even the physical presence of God’s encroaching presence into enemy territory. The visible representation of that incursion – the church building – has incredible meaning.
the church chanting insults and rocks, to the mobs that tear down the doors and destroy the church, or to an Islamist terror group that opens fire on hundreds of Christians gathered to worship on a Sunday morning; they are all sent by Satan as a strategy to erase any presence of Christ from the land. When you see Satan’s efforts to destroy the local church, you can see clearly For those who are hostile towards the Gospel, the local and incongruously, that the local church is a very church is often the target of their attacks. While far too dangerous place! often these violent attacks succeed in destroying church buildings, the real church will never be destroyed. While there are dozens of countries we could focus on, two countries in particular, Egypt and Nigeria, stand Across the world, local churches are relentlessly out as having endured intense attacks on churches. under attack. From the angry mob gathered outside Human Rights Watch investigates the burning of AlAnba Mousa Church in Minya
Egypt Mohammed Morsi and his radical Muslim Brotherhood ruled Egypt from June 2012 to July 2013. When he was deposed it set off a harshest level of persecution Egyptian Christians had seen in centuries. In just a few weeks, hundreds of Christians’ homes and shops were destroyed as well 40+ churches. Egyptian Christianity has suffered under Islam for 1400 years but the past twelve months were among the worst. The Virgin Mary Church in Delga was built in the fourth century. On August 14, 2013, Brotherhood supporters gathered in an adjacent mosque and attacked the church after hearing the following from the mosque’s speakers: “Your Muslim brothers were killed in Rabaa and Nahda, Jihad.” They poured out of the mosque chanting, “Jihad, Jihad!” as they made their way to the Virgin Mary Church and properties of the Anba Abraam Monestary, Father Abraam Taneissa told ICC. “They looted pews, fans, curtains, chandeliers, windows, doors, and more. After they had taken all they could, they set the monastery on fire. They also looted the contents of the Mar Girgis church and the archaeological church of Virgin Mary and burned both until they were demolished,” Fr. Taneissa said. They announced they would be
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converting the monastery into a mosque.” Fr. Abram recalled. Delga was under siege for over a month and thousands of Christians eventually fled the city; those who stayed behind were forced to pay jizya (protection money as ordered by their holy books). On September 18, the Egyptian military retook the city of Delga and the following Sunday, thousands of Christians gathered in the burned remains of the church to worship. Nigeria In Nigeria, the Islamic terror group Boko Haram has been waging a bloody war across Northern Nigeria for over a decade. If you read the news, you might be confused as to what they are doing. If you listen to their leader, Abubakar Shekau, it becomes very clear. Here is: “(the press) try to brainwash people that we are fighting an ethnic war, NO, we are fighting a religious war, we are fighting (Nigeria’s Christian President), we are fighting Christians.” (December, 2013) Their stated goal is to establish an Islamic state based on Sharia law and one of their foundational tactics is to wipe out any presence of a Christian community; the local church sits squarely in their crosshairs.
Unending Waves of Attacks Making good on Abubakar Shekau declaration, 2014 opened with attacks being carried out on churches every Sunday in villages across the country: three at a New Year’s service, eight at another, and then 22 more the following week. We were hard pressed to keep up with the killings and at a loss of how to get the secular press to pay attention to what was happening. Not only the worship services themselves that are targets, but in nearly every raid, the attackers make certain to torch the churches of the city. In an attack in late May that left 48 dead, including 11 police men and 14 soldiers, Boko Haram set six churches ablaze. In June, an attack on church services just miles from Chibok, where the schoolgirl abductions took place, left more than 30 dead as 4 more churches were destroyed. “There is a deliberate attempt to annihilate Christians at all cost,” Rev. Musa Asake of the Christian Association of Nigeria said in an interview following a June attack. A Dangerous Place The heartbreaking reality confronting the Church in Nigeria, in Egypt, and elsewhere remind us that the local church, against all appearances, is a very dangerous place. From the first century apostles, to the pastors today, Satan and his followers have attacked the Church and yet God remains faithful to his promise that he will build his Church!
Another Sunday, another church attacked in Nigeria
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A DANGEROUS
MESSAGE
By Ryan Morgan
The Gospel Threatens Earthly Power So When Countries Persecute, We Must Speak Truth To Power From the very first days of the early church, and before rulers and authorities had taken it upon themselves to attempt to control or crush the Christian faith, the Gospel was a very dangerous message because at the foundation, it clarifies that every Christian owes their first allegiance to God. Any earthly government that allows religious freedom is implicitly acknowledging that there is an authority greater than their own which some of their citizens may choose to serve. It is a freedom that has instilled fear into dictators for centuries, and still does today. Approximately 64% of the world’s population, or 4.5 billion souls, live under governments with either “high or very high” restrictions on religious freedom (Pew Forum data). This spectrum of persecution includes anything from restrictions on employment (Burma), only allowing worship in carefully monitored “official” churches (China), to completely outlawing churches (Saudi Arabia). These government restrictions are only growing progressively worse according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. So how do we fight this enormous problem? What can we do beyond prayer, beyond raising awareness and providing assistance to victims of persecution? The answer is advocacy. In its simplest form, advocacy is speaking truth to powChristians protest at the Saudi Embassy
er (a phrase most likely coined by the Quakers). Through advocacy, we take up the cause of the persecuted and plead their case before the leaders of the nations. Often we ask those leaders, to plead the case of the persecuted with their counterparts in other nations. Sometimes politely at first, but with the clear implication that to continue to persecute religious minorities will tarnish their relationship with the United States, should it continue. While many governments persecute, or turn a blind eye to the persecution of Christians in their countries, most are willing to address the issue if it is affecting their relationship with the United States or other Western powers. The potential eiplomatic and economic consequences of ignoring Western leaders are too painful to ignore polite requests from the U.S. to address particular persecution issues. Over the past few years ICC has seen case after case where governments agreed to end persecution after intervention by the U.S. While we cannot share all of the stories publically but three case studies are provided below. Saudi Arabia On December 15, 2011, 35 men and women were arrested at a private prayer service in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All 35 were Christians and Ethiopian citizens. During their interrogation, some of the men were physically beaten and the women were forced to undergo strip searches. Local authorities openly accused them of being infidels and spies for America and Israel. ICC broke the news of their arrest and imprisonment a few days later and in January held a conference call with the U.S. State Department, urging the U.S. to take action on the case. After four months and two ICC-sponsored protests outside of the Saudi embassy in D.C., we took an underground pastor who was familiar with the prisoners to Capitol Hill and held twenty-four meetings with Congressional offices in the House and Senate. This resulted in calls directly from our nation’s leaders to the Saudi ambassador as well as Saudi officials being called to House offices to explain the arrests in person. We soon heard from our sources in Jeddah that orders had “come from above” for the release
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of the prisoners. In early August, 2012, all 35 prisoners were released and sent back to Ethiopia after almost 8 months of detention. They reported that pressure from the outside had been instrumental in ending their stay in a Saudi jail. Indonesia In 2012, ICC sources estimated that at least 50 churches had been shut down by local authorities across Indonesia. The closures always came after radical Islamic groups protested the existence of the church and put pressure on local officials to seal off the building, usually under the guise of a badly misused permit law. In early 2013, ICC brought a pastor of one of those churches to Capitol Hill. We held dozens of meetings with key Congressional offices and asked them to write to the Indonesian ambassador, expressing their concern at the spate of church closures. Many did, including one key Senator on the Senate Armed Services Committee that controls much of the funding provided by the U.S. to Indonesia every year. For seven months after our “advocacy tour” church closures became almost non-existent. Our contacts only reported a single incident. It appeared that the Indonesian government got the message, and, for a time at least, kept local officials from shutting down churches.
ICC meeting with a congressman on Indonesia Sri Lanka In 2013, Christian groups in Sri Lanka documented 103 incidents of violence or harassment against Christians and their places of worship. Mobs, led by radical nationalist Buddhist monks, stormed churches and beat up pastors with the police often ignoring the attacks. Sometimes, they even helped the mobs destroy the church. When pastors complained, the authorities responded by saying that their churches weren’t “registered” and therefore had no right to exist. The fact that not a single law requiring places of worship to register exists in Sri Lanka, or that there is no actual way to register, didn’t see seem to bother the authorities. In May, 2014, ICC brought persecution in Sri Lanka to national attention, urging members of congress to call the Sri Lankan ambassador to the US and express their concern. Several offices in the Senate and the House agreed. At the time of writing, these calls are still ongoing, but already the Sri Lanka government is scrambling for a way to explain why they’ve allowed so many attacks on churches. The Impossible, Possible By speaking truth to power, we have seen the impossible become possible. Christians set free from prison, attacks on churches halted, and many more victories have been won when we find the courage to persistently advocate on behalf of the suffering church. With God’s help, we will continue to play our part in ensuring that far from being crushed, the Good News continues to go forth into the outer most parts of the earth.
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A DANGEROUS
PEACE
By Corey Bailey
“In This World You Will Have Trouble. But Take Heart! I Have Overcome the World.” John 16:33 (NIV) Persecution can be overwhelming. Sometimes your heart breaks as you hear another story of a woman who was set ablaze by her unbelieving husband, or of a child left orphaned when his parents were martyred.
Trust I am constantly moved to tears and conviction as I see the persecuted continue to trust the Lord in the face of heavy persecution.
Dealing with the persecuted can bring a barrage of sadness. The heaviness is banished though when you see the hope and the beauty of their faith lived in a way that is “pressed down, but not destroyed.”
One persecuted pastor recently told his congregation, “God has a great purpose during the persecution. We must stand firm in the truth and never compromise. Facing persecution, we need courage and repentance before God, knowing He will (use it to) revive His Church.”
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Love Their example of responding in love is a tremendous example. One pastor who’s church is being threatened to be torn down told us, “We teach our kids at Sunday school to pray for the government. The secret police asked why we did this. I explained that the Bible teaches us to love those who persecute you.” This is called “moving in the opposite spirit” and is a way many of the persecuted are able to walk in love instead of hate. They give their hurt to the Lord, and instead of hating their persecutors, they love and pray for them. In the midst of their crisis, they choose trust, hope, and love instead of insecurity, despair, and feeling abandoned.
to Him. We are to “take heart” because He has overcome the world! Making All Things New When we, or the persecuted, face pain, we usually respond with a heart-cry: “God, why are our brothers and sisters beaten, tortured, raped, and killed? Where are You? Why is this happening to me? Where is the hope in this?”
This is I think, a natural reaction. We were not meant to live in a broken world. We were meant to live in the Garden with connection to God and without pain, sickness or suffering. But we were thrust into a world that is controlled by the evil one and where everything has been bent and broken; a place of suffering (read Genesis chapter 3). When we suffer, A Road Less Traveled or see others suffer, it’s as though we are fish out of water. In The Road Less Traveled, Robert Frost says that choosing the We feel like our souls are drowning. And I think that they road less traveled “made all the difference.” This road is not are. well worn, and you do not know what is around the bend. There could be rocks, thorns and glass, pain and suffering, The beautiful thing is that the instant we left the Garden, He or it may be blocked completely! began His great plan of redemption. He sent His Son to die for us, to take our sin as His own, to set our spirits free. In However, there could also be joy and blessing. Perhaps, even, the midst of our pain, He said He would never leave you and joy and suffering are mixed together in one cup. that He sees your suffering and has compassion on you. Courage He changes what the enemy meant for evil into something I am emboldened when I hear accounts of the spunk and good. He leaves a legacy of love to draw us to himself. He sets bravery of believers who routinely face persecution. out to rescue our family in the suffering Church. He even sets out to rescue those that don’t know Him. Take the Chinese pastor who told us, “When the police called me (and asked me to come into the station for an interroga- The Not–So-Secret Secret tion) without any legal orders, I simply told them that I am Do the persecuted have some sort of superpower? I don’t not available. I said, I am too busy pastoring the church and think so. They choose to trust what God has told you and I. taking seminary classes to” chat” with them several times a They know that Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought day.” What boldness and courage he displayed! to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16) They take to heart Philippians 3:8 (NIV), “I consider evA Promise erything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus did not promise that following Him was going to be Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I “pain and trouble free.” No, He actually said that we would consider them garbage that I may gain Christ.” face hard times. They let their pain drive them to Him. If the persecuted have In John 16:33 He says, “I have told you these things so that a superpower, this is it! They give up on the world and give in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. it all to God. His presence can then flow through them in a But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jn 16:33 powerful way. The peace and joy that come as a result in the very midst of their pain, is the great secret of suffering with Did you hear the promise there? There is, in a sense, a “cup God. of joy and suffering” offered to us by Jesus. When we follow Him, he promises that there will be trouble; there will They experience the peace of God that passes all understandbe persecution. Things are going to get hard. That is life. It ing. They do not demand a pain-free life. They expect that will look different to each person, but to some degree, you as they walk down this narrow road, less travelled, they will will see suffering of some sort. But Jesus promises that in suffer for their faith and their love for Jesus but they count the midst of the suffering He can give us peace, if we go it as joy!
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YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK UNDERGROUND PASTORS “It’s Worth It!!”
Our first ICC-sponsored underground pastor in Central Asia has only been pastoring in his village for about nine months. Since he arrived, he and his wife have seen 26 people saved! He is the only pastor for about 20,000 people! He asks for your prayers for strength in the midst of persecution saying, “Sometimes I get discouraged because of all of these difficulties, because I do not have an easy job, but it is a job that deepens my relationship with The Living God, so it is worth it.”
SAVE OUR SISTERS
Sharing the Gospel with Great Boldness Since 2001, “Happiness” and family experienced harsh persecution, including being surrounded and beaten by their village, teachers allowing their children to be attacked in school, being knocked unconscious by her own brother, and gasoline being poured over her house and kids. Despite all, she continued to share the Gospel with her neighbors and other villagers with great boldness. The result has been that noone in the village will hire her or give her work. ICC has provided her with a herd of lambs to provide an income. “Sometimes because of all of this pain, I cry at night. But in spite of all of this persecution, God gives me joy in my heart, and I know it comes from Him.” 15
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UNDERGROUND PASTORS
“Come to God with Everything” ICC’s second underground pastor in Central Asia is no stranger to persecution. He became a Christian at a young age and the trials began right away. Now he and his wife share the love of Jesus in a village hostile to the Gospel. Persecution has taught him that only God can help and that we should come to God with everything we need, because He is our provider, and He is more than capable of taking care of us. “Because of all of this persecution I am very physically affected, but spiritually all of this persecution has only served to grow my faith.”
SAVE OUR SISTERS
Betty’s Story: “Joy In My Heart” “If you do not fire her, then we will not send our children to the school.” The villagers had Betty fired from her teaching position because she was a believer. After the meeting it was made very clear to everyone in the village who all the believers were, and they were ridiculed and called names. “We all met and prayed about the problem together, but decided that we wanted to stay in order to be used by God to be a light in this village, and to be good examples by the way that we live our lives.” ICC has given Betty and her family a small herd of sheep to provide a steady income. When they reproduce next year, half of their offspring will go to aid another family of persecuted believers. Despite persecution, she says, “I felt joy in my heart at the opportunity to suffer for Christ.”
PROJECT RESCUE An Update
Recently, Regional Manager William Stark traveled to Bangladesh to visit the 120 children of ICC’s Project Rescue. He was able to meet with all of our rescued children. The children were targeted and sold to Islamic training centers centers. William delivered gifts to all of the children and the children of the staff. During his visit he was also able to purchase new items to improve the living conditions of the children. These items included sleeping mats, mosquito nets and various board games. He was rewarded with bright smiles and a “cultural show” performed for him by the children, complete with singing and dancing! You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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SAVE OUR SISTERS
An autorickshaw like the one we provided to a blasphemy victim’s family.
Blasphemy Victims Update Recently, a blasphemy victim whose family received aid from ICC expressed his thanks from prison to ICC donors: “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to those who are taking care of my wife, children, and parents. May God bless them abundantly.” His brother, who has taken over the care of the victim’s wife and four children, said: “At our time of difficulty, ICC’s support is unforgettable. Caring for five extra people was too much for us. I am
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thankful for every token of love, solidarity and concern from your donors. I salute ICC for giving us [an auto rickshaw] for business and building our children’s future by taking care of their education expenses.” His wife expressed the longing of her heart, and something we can all pray for: “I am waiting for the day of rejoice, when Asif (my husband) will be among us. I want to see him chatting and playing with his children again.”
Biggest Need!! Below you can see the level of funding in each of ICC’s funds. By far, ICC’s biggest need presently is for funds to be donated to “Where Most Needed.” If you could provide an extra gift this month and direct it there, it would be of immense help.
WHERE MOST NEEDED
KIDS CARE
UNDERGROUND PASTORS
FUND BALANCE: LOW
FUND BALANCE: HIGH
FUND BALANCE: MEDIUM
SUFFERING WIVES & CHILDREN
COMMUNITY REBUILD
BIBLES TO THE PERSECUTED
FUND BALANCE: HIGH
FUND BALANCE: LOW
FUND BALANCE: MEDIUM
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YOU CAN HELP TODAY! SEND DONATIONS TO: ICC PO BOX 8056 SILVER SPRING, MD 20907 OR ONLINE AT WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG OR BY PHONE 800-ICC-5441
GIVING TO ICC VIA YOUR WILL Provide now for a future gift to ICC by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. If you would like more information on giving to ICC in this way, please give us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.
DONATE TO ICC VIA YOUR WORK
#10988 Federal employees can give to ICC through CFC. CFC allows you to donate to ICC by making a pledge during the campaign season from Sept. to Dec. Donations are taken through payroll donation.
Enter #10988 on the pledge form at your place of work.
International Christian Concern is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible). ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to gifts. Occasionally, situations arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC will then redirect those donated funds to the fund most similar to the donor’s original wishes. ICC uses 7% of each restricted donation to carry out the mission of it’s segregated funds. © Copyright 2014 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted provided attribution is given to ICC as the source.
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