BOISE, Idaho (BP) – Written in the wobbly penmanship of a 7-year-old who has said he misses his dad “a thousand lots,” Jacob’s card invites his father to his birthday party today, March 17. But his father, American pastor Saeed Abedini, imprisoned since Sept. 26, 2012, under harsh conditions in Iran because of his Christian faith, cannot attend at the family’s home in Boise, Idaho. Instead, Abedini wrote a letter offering his son the “gift of salvation.” “Even though I AM NOT there with … [Read more...]
SBC presidents send open letter to Obama
NASHVILLE (BP) – In an open letter, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, along with the support and signatures of 16 former SBC presidents, called on President Obama to "take the necessary actions now" against ISIS terrorists. "Since ISIS is a continuing threat to world peace in a way unknown to us since the Nazis of World War II, we humbly call upon you to use the influence and power of your distinguished office to take the necessary actions now in this urgent hour to … [Read more...]
1 in 3 worry about Sharia law
Bob Smietana/LifeWay NASHVILLE – As President Obama seeks to ramp up military action against the terrorist group known as ISIS, Americans remain uneasy over the place of Islam in the United States and in the world, a LifeWay Research survey shows. More than a third (37 percent) say they are worried about Sharia law – an Islamic legal and moral code – being applied in America. One in 4 (27 percent) believe the terrorist group ISIS reflects the true nature of Islam, while 4 in 10 (43 … [Read more...]
N. Korea remains atop persecution list
NASHVILLE (BP) – While North Korea held its spot for the 13th consecutive year as the most dangerous country for Christians to live, a new report noted other countries are experiencing unprecedented levels of persecution. Open Doors, which seeks to strengthen the persecuted church overseas, recently released its annual World Watch List. The list ranks the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian. Among the top 10 of the 2015 list were these countries: … [Read more...]
Gospel spreads despite Boko Haram
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (BP) – As Boko Haram militants continue to attack Nigeria and threaten neighboring countries, Christian workers there say the Gospel is going forth and impacting receptive hearts. Greg Dorsey*, a Christian worker in West Africa, said Nigerian Christians are effectively engaging many areas of the country. “The northeastern corner of Nigeria where Boko Haram has wielded most of its activities remains a difficult area for believers to freely worship and share their faith,” … [Read more...]
Sunday morning in America still segregated
NASHVILLE – Sunday morning remains one of the most segregated hours in American life, with more than 8 in 10 congregations made up of one predominant racial group. And most worshipers like it that way. Two-thirds of American churchgoers (67 percent) say their church has done enough to become racially diverse. And less than half think their church should become more diverse. Those are among the findings of a study of church segregation by Nashville-based LifeWay Research. Researchers … [Read more...]
Abedini meets with Obama
BOISE, Idaho (BP) – Seeking the release of Saeed Abedini remains a "top priority," President Obama told Naghmeh Abedini during a private 10-minute meeting with her and her children Jan. 21 at Boise State University. Obama pledged to seek his release with renewed energy. "He was holding my hand the whole time. I could see that he cared in his eyes and he kept getting that across, that he cares, and he's doing what he can [to gain Saeed's release]," she said during a radio interview with … [Read more...]
Hispanic Heritage Festival helps lead 12 to Christ
SPRINGFIELD – Casa de Oracion (House of Prayer), a 12-year-old Hispanic church here, saw 12 people accept Christ when they opened their doors as part of the city’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in September. They hosted events with different Latin America dance groups, a mariachi band from Mexico and concert by Chilean Christian singer Roberto Orellana, and of course various foods. In addition to the dozen that accepted Christ, the church personally invited more than 200 people and … [Read more...]
Persecution: Violence against Christians
Somali militants murder 36 Christians Somali Islamic militants recently massacred 36 Kenyan miners who professed to be Christians, according to The New York Times. “The Somali militants methodically separated the Christian workers from the Muslims and took the Christians to the side of a hill, near a gravel pit,” The Times reported. “ Then they ordered the disbelievers to lie face down. According to the Kenyan authorities, the militants killed 36 people, most of them young men. Many were … [Read more...]
Persecution: Wrong to ask to be spared?
ST. LOUIS – As Americans, we are unfamiliar with most kinds of persecution, especially religious persecution. One of the driving motivations in the founding of our nation was the flight from religious persecution in the Old World. And the fact that Americans took possession of an “uninhabited” continent (conveniently ignoring the American Indians already here) meant that any time a group ran into religious persecution they could always pack up and move into the wilderness where they could … [Read more...]
Obama’s actions unwise, counterproductive according to Russell Moore
WASHINGTON (BP) – President Obama’s new executive actions to change immigration policy imperil the growing, widespread agreement on reform, said the Southern Baptist Convention’s lead ethicist. Obama announced in prime time Thursday (Nov. 20) his orders, which include most controversially a plan to protect an estimated five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. The president’s actions came after years of his own contentions that he did not have the legal authority to make or … [Read more...]
Prayers for Abedini, persecuted church
JEFFERSON CITY – A small crowd of about 50 on the Missouri Capitol front lawn joined Christians across the U.S. and 32 foreign countries Sept. 26 in praying for and remembering American citizen and pastor Saeed Abedini and the persecuted church. It was the two-year anniversary of Abedini’s imprisonment in Iran on charges of threatening national security by planting house churches there years earlier. While in prison, he has received inadequate medical care and faced beatings and death … [Read more...]
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