China’s Communist regime has announced harsh new restrictions to online religious activities, effectively banning online church services for Chinese believers that are not part of the state-approved Three-Self church movement, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. The move follows China’s prior banning of in-person religious gatherings, supposedly due to the pandemic.
...continue reading this storyThe intensifying persecution of believers by Hindu nationalists in India has now even caught the attention of mainstream international media, with the Guardian UK joining Christian organizations in reporting on a spate of attacks against Christianity in the country over the Christmas period.
...continue reading this storyA British pastor who was fined over £16,000 for running her ministry to the homeless during a UK lockdown was told this month that the prosecution has withdrawn the case against her, Christian Legal Centre reports. Pastor Chizumie Dyer, who runs her ‘Church on the Streets’ ministry in Nottingham, England, was issued fines by police in February 2021.
...continue reading this storyThe pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas has extended forgiveness to a vandal who caused between $100,000 - $300,000 damage to the church building on Christmas Eve, CBN reports. Pastor Eric Borchers said the attack would not stop his congregation from enjoying Christmas services as parishioners rallied to clean up the damage.
...continue reading this storyA Somali-born Christian convert in northeastern Kenya is recovering after four ethnic Somali Muslims attempted to murder him for leaving Islam to follow Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. The population of Kenya is 80% Christian but converts from Islam remain vulnerable to attacks from radicalized Muslims.
...continue reading this storyThe international Save the Children aid organization reported Saturday that two of its members were missing in Myanmar after the Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) murdered 35 civilians on Friday and burned the bodies beyond recognition, the Washington Times reports. The slaughter on Christmas Eve was the latest atrocity committed by the Tatmadaw in seeking to control Myanmar and impose Buddhism as the national religion.
...continue reading this storyMyanmar’s Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) burned alive at least 35 civilians, including elderly people and children, in Karenni state on Christmas Eve, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports. The Tatmadaw rogue army has been slaughtering and displacing non-Buddhists since it overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in a February 1 coup.
...continue reading this storyFive people were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Christmas Day when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a hotel restaurant in North Kivu, an area where Christians are known to live, Christian Today (CT) reports.
...continue reading this storySeventeen U.S.-based missionaries kidnapped in Haiti could celebrate Christmas in freedom after most of them miraculously escaped the street gang 400 Mawozo, who held them for two months, a spokesman said.
...continue reading this storyChristians urged prayers for a grieving widow in northern Mozambique after her husband, a pastor, was beheaded by Islamic militants.
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