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Needed:
Men Like John Knox
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Arrested: Chinese police officers take Pastor Li
Dexian into custody in 1999 while his congregation watches. Pastor
Dexian has been arrested some 18 times, according to Voice of the
Martyrs. “I’ve lost count,” he has said. |
International Day of
Prayer for the Persecuted Church, November 4
200 Million Believers Face
Persecution for Their Faith |
In
China, Pastor Li Dexian has been arrested some 18 times for
preaching the Gospel “The PSB [Public Security Bureau] has arrested
me so often,” he said, “I’ve lost count.” One arrest took place
while he stood preaching to 500 people in the rubble of a shelter
just demolished by police.
In Afghanistan, Americans Heather Mercer, 24, and Dayna Curry, 29, along
with six other Western Christians and 16 Afghans have been jailed
for preaching Christianity—a crime under Taliban rule that carries
the death penalty.
In Saudi Arabia, police whisked Prabhu Issac, a Christian hospital
worker, from his home in a late night raid, according to
International Christian Concern. Prabhu was taken away after Saudi
police interrogated both him and his wife separately for over 3
hours about a gathering in their honor at which 400 friends
attended. Saudi law prohibits any expression of Christian worship.
“Kill Every
Christian”
In Indonesia, the leader of the Laskar Jihad (holy warriors) has called
on Muslims to “kill every Christian.” Violence between Muslims and
Christians in Indonesia has led to the death of some 8,000 people
since 1999, according to International Christian Concern. An
estimated 500,000 have been displaced.
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While believers in
America struggle with school prayer and posting the Ten
Commandments, Christians in Muslim and Communist lands struggle for
their lives. Christianity is both the largest and the most
persecuted religion in the world.
Worldwide, some 2 billion people claim to be Christians and an estimated
200 million in some 60 countries face persecution that includes
rape, torture, mutilation, family division, harassment,
imprisonment, slavery, discrimination in education and employment,
and even death. More Christians lost their lives for the faith in
the 20th century than in the prior 1,900 years combined.
Since 1996 believers in democratic nations have begun to pay more
attention to the plight of their suffering brethren. Each November,
churches around the world—some 300,000 in 130 countries last
year—remember and pray for persecuted believers on the International
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
Global Event
This global event will be celebrated this year on November 4. The prayer
day gives believers worldwide an opportunity to stand with
persecuted Christians by intercession, increased awareness, and
appropriate advocacy on their behalf.
Please turn
to Persecution on page four |
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