PLATEAU, Nigeria (BP) – Terrorists killed more than 200 Christians in a series of Christmastime attacks on villages in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and the northeast, humanitarian and advocacy groups reported. The death toll continues to rise from attacks conducted by bandits – a term encompassing organized terror groups and other criminal groups – Dec. 23-28 in as many as 80 villages in Plateau State, Christian aid group Release International reported Dec. 30. Bodies continue to be discovered, … [Read more...]
Southern Baptists encouraged to pray for global persecuted church
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, Sunday, Nov. 5 RICHMOND, Va. (IMB) – In a world where someone is killed for their faith every two minutes, Southern Baptists are uniting in prayer on Sunday, Nov. 5, for the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Resources are available now from the International Mission Board to raise awareness of global persecution and the church’s role in praying for those suffering for their faith in Christ. The IMB is providing a range of downloadable … [Read more...]
Thirteen imprisoned Eritrean Christians released after global prayer campaign
ASMARA, Eritrea (BP) – Eritrea released 13 wrongfully imprisoned Christians after a global prayer campaign led by Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), the ministry to persecuted Christians said Aug. 9. VOM mass-emailed a call to prayer on July 22 for the release of wrongfully imprisoned pastors Haile Nayzgi and Kiflu Gebremeskel. With 10,000 prayer commitments a few days later, VOM confirmed the release of 13 Christians held for 10 years. Cause and effect can’t be confirmed, but VOM spokesman … [Read more...]
North Korean defector notes shocking developments in U.S.
HANNIBAL – A woman who escaped North Korea’s oppressive regime notes alarming trends in the United States, which she now calls home. Yeonmi Park has been in America since 2014, and she briefly shared her story of escape at Hannibal-LaGrange University. “In North Korea, you are divided into three classes. The first class I compare to a tomato, red inside and out. It is a complete commitment to communism. The second is an apple, red outside and white inside. There is government … [Read more...]
Sudan civil conflict destroying churches, displacing Christians
KHARTOUM, Sudan (BP) — At least four churches have been destroyed and a congregation directly assaulted in Sudan, signaling the earliest reports of religious suffering in the fight for governmental control that erupted April 15. While it’s not clear whether the damages are the result of targeted religious persecution in the country that has failed to find democracy through decades of civil war, religious liberty advocates have expressed concern. Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs … [Read more...]
Jerusalem pastors ask Israel for safety at Easter amid rising violence
JERUSALEM (BP) – Pastors of churches in Jerusalem appealed in their joint Easter message for freedom to worship safely in the Holy Land this Easter as violence has mounted against Christians. In their 2023 joint Easter message, the patriarchs and heads of the churches of Jerusalem noted violence that Christians have suffered at worship services, funerals and other public gatherings, as well as government intervention that limited access to holy sites during Holy Week of 2022. “For … [Read more...]
Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List shows persecution spiking in Sub-Saharan Africa
ORANGE, Calif. (BP) – Violence against Christians is spiking in Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by violence nurtured in Nigeria by Islamic and Fulani terrorists, Open Doors U.S. said Jan. 17 in its 2023 World Watch List tracking Christian persecution globally. Nearly 90 percent of the 5,621 Christians killed in the study period were in Nigeria, Open Doors U.S. said, verifying 5,014 such killings there. “Open Doors only records the events that we can verify. In reality much persecution, … [Read more...]
Pakistan eyeing more stringent blasphemy law despite growing outrage
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (BP) – Pakistan’s lower house of parliament has passed a bill strengthening punishment for blasphemy despite international outcry and security concerns among Christians and other religious minorities there. Blasphemy already carries punishment as severe as death in the majority-Muslim country, but the Criminal Laws Bill amendment passed Jan. 17 in the National Assembly would increase jail terms from three years to 10 years for insulting the prophet Mohammad’s … [Read more...]
FIRST-PERSON: 20 years ago in Yemen, lives given not taken
EDITOR'S NOTE: Leo Endel is the executive director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention. A small group of us met Friday night at Layton Avenue Baptist Church in Milwaukee to remember the life and ministry of Kathy Gariety. Along with two other International Mission Board (IMB) medical workers, William Koehn and Dr. Martha Myers, Kathy was killed 20 years ago when a Yemeni man slipped into the Baptist Hospital in Jibla, Yemen. He said he killed them “because they were preaching … [Read more...]
Report: Russia has attacked at least 270 religious sites in Ukraine
NASHVILLE (BP) – Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has included increased violence against religious leaders and widespread attacks on religious sites, according to a recently issued report. The Ukrainian-based Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF) reported at least 270 houses of worship, religious educational institutions and sacred sites such as cemeteries were either destroyed or damaged during the first five months after Russia began its assault in late February. The report … [Read more...]
Volunteer teams vital to reaching desert people group
By Rory Bennet “God will do what He says He will do, and I want to be a part of it,” Vera says with confidence. This confidence is forged from years of seeing victories from God’s faithful hands at work among people who are resistant to the truth of the gospel. Vera works in one of the most desolate places, deep in the desert, where nearly the entire population is Muslim. IMB missionary Vera must be strategic in how she works among the people, meeting practical needs to build … [Read more...]
Believers in Brazilian village endure persecution, church grows stronger
SBC Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church set for Nov. 6: Resources, including photos, videos, stories and a bulletin insert, available at imb.org/persecuted. By Mitchell Heinz BRAZIL – What would you do if you were summoned to a meeting where you were given an ultimatum — recant or lose your job? This is what happened to Leo and Annie, new Christians from an Indigenous tribe in northeastern Brazil. They worked as schoolteachers in their community for several years. But now the … [Read more...]
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