Category: News Briefs

Source: 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World, April 28, 2023

Sudan has been plagued by conflict for decades. Then, in 2011 Sudan split into two countries when the southern region, predominantly Christian and animist, voted to secede from the north, which is predominantly Muslim. In 2013, a civil war broke out between the government and rebel forces, and millions of people were displaced from their homes.

Then, a few weeks ago, fighting erupted across Khartoum and at other sites between two powerful rival military factions. This has engulfed the capital in warfare, for the first time, and raises the chances of a spiraling nationwide civil conflict.

Unfortunately, the Sudanese church often finds itself the target of government harassment or extremism violence. There has been an increase in murders of pastors and church leaders and the destruction of Christian villages, as well as churches, hospitals, schools, and mission bases.

Despite both nationwide chaos and religious persecution, the church continues to grow. Recent reports suggest the church has grown tenfold over the past few decades. As we look to the future, let’s keep Sudan in our prayers and ask God for peace and long-lasting change in this influential and important nation.How to Pray

• Pray for an end to the violence. Pray that the fighting would stop and that peace would be restored to the country.
• Pray for servant-hearted leaders for Sudan. Pray that God would raise up leaders who have the nation’s best interests (instead of their own) at the center of their motivation.
• Pray for reconciliation. Pray that the people of Sudan would be able to forgive each other and come together to build a better future.
• Pray for the persecuted church. Pray for Christians who are being persecuted for their faith. Pray that they would be strengthened and encouraged.
• Pray for the needs of the people of Sudan. Pray for food, water, shelter, and medical care for those who are in need and affected by the current crisis.

See the full story with pictures.

Editor’s Note: Last week we learned of four believers who died in Darfur (Western Sudan) from the fighting that spread from the capital. When there are very very few to begin with, four in a day is an incalculably heavy blow. See also Khartoum Churches Damaged as Sudan Descends Closer to Civil War (Christianity Today) and A Prayer for Sudan (World Vision UK).

Source: Global Christian Relief, April 24, 2023

The African nation of Kenya is not known for religious persecution, unlike the border countries of Somalia and Ethiopia. Eighty-five percent of the population identifies as Christian—but there’s known persecution against believers in smaller villages among traditional tribes.

A village chief from Kenya’s Teso tribe, a people group half a million strong in the western part of the country, had a well-known history of persecuting Christians in Kenya, jailing local pastors and others for leading people away from traditional tribal customs.

The chief attended a local funeral where a Christian was officiating, [a man he] had often arrested. As the persecuted Kenyan gave the eulogy and addressed those in mourning, he spoke of hope in eternity with Christ and of salvation through Christ alone. The words the man gave spoke loudly to the chief’s heart. As the believer continued speaking, the chief rose, came forward, and declared he wanted to be born again.

Not only was the chief seeking salvation [but] he also wanted forgiveness from those he had persecuted. In addition, he openly declared that he would never arrest, jail, or harass Christians again. His life has been forever changed by the love of Jesus.

The chief was recently baptized and continues to testify daily of Christ’s love to his friends, family, and others in his tribe.

Read the full story.

We love to hear stories about people who use their influence for good, but that’s not always how it goes. Perhaps you read about a Kenyan pastor who urged his congregation to starve themselves to death. As the death toll mounts, local clergy wonders at the scale of indoctrination, Religion News Service reports. INcontext provides biblical insight on this tragedy in Deaths Linked to Kenyan “Pastor” Calls for Greater Discernment.

Source: International Christian Concern, April 25, 2023

Earlier this month, Eritrean police raided a group of Christian college students who had gathered to worship and record video clips for social media.

Release International reported that 103 Christians, mainly students, were arrested in the crackdown. The raid took place in the capital, Asmara, and those arrested were taken to Mai Serwa prison.

There are now more than 500 Christian prisoners detained indefinitely without trial in Eritrea. The prison where the students were taken, Mai Serwa, is notorious for its harsh conditions, overcrowding, and poor treatment of inmates.

Read the full story. Note that our efforts to confirm this story or find an update have not been successful, though other news sources have picked up the original story from Release or this version from ICC.

Religious tolerance can be difficult to maintain even in places where it is a stated value. Another story from ICC involves university students, this time in West Aceh, Indonesia, where four Muslim students were expelled from a student organization for a social media post wishing Christians a “Happy Good Friday.” This was considered apostasy and required the students to apologize to university leaders and be re-Islamized.

Also, on Monday, May 1, The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released an annual report describing worsening religious freedom conditions in a number of countries.

Source: Lausanne Movement, April 25, 2023

The Sahel, a large component of the western third of the 10/40 Window, stands today as one of the most spiritually needy areas of the world. The middle third of the 10/40 window covers the Middle East, and the eastern third, South and East Asia. The latter two are often in the news with reports of economic, political, and religious life, as well as many confrontations and wars. For the Sahel, there has been deafening silence.

The turmoil in the Sahel over the past decade has severely limited mission activity, and many areas are now closed to or dangerous for such outreach. How can we serve and disciple these many countries and peoples? Few secular or Christian agencies have plans to place workers among them; the current risks are too high. Yet the Great Commission is still valid and to be heeded by the church for all the peoples of this area, is it not?

The full story explores context and history as well as awakenings, revivals and other signs of hope for this challenging, semi-arid region, which sits just below the Sahara Desert. It’s the second article in a series about the area, all written by Patrick Johnstone.

By the way, Lausanne has a new look. Worth checking out, especially if you are a Lausanne fan or if mission marketing is your jam.

Source: Mission Frontiers, May 1, 2023

“I read everything about Christ and I want to become a Christian.” That was Zahir’s Instagram message to one of our Arabic volunteers. Zahir was a Muslim living in Baghdad, Iraq.

Months earlier, he clicked on one of our Instagram ads and took an online course to learn about Jesus and the Christian faith. Afterward, he found a Christian and discussed the faith with him. He had a growing sense of urgency to accept Christ and finally messaged us through Instagram to take that step.

Zahir has begun walking with Jesus, watching our videos on YouTube for more encouragement, and is now meeting with other believers we connected him with in his city.

Over the past few years, Iraq has invested in and grown its digital infrastructure. Recently the government announced it was going to provide free internet for the entire country. Today, the “Search for Jesus” Facebook page has almost half a million followers from Iraq. Several hundred Muslims in this country have come to faith in Jesus Christ through our digital presence and team of volunteers, many with powerful testimonies of courageous faith.

Read We Are All Digital Missionaries. The author, Mark Appleton, is writing about his work with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. This story is one of many in a Mission Frontiers issue focused on digital outreach ministry. Check it out.

You might also enjoy The Fish That Jumped Into the Boat, about a prominent Muslim in Jordan who became a follower of Christ through online English lessons (OneWay Ministries).

Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, April 7, 2023

The former President of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), Reverend Dr. Hkalam Samson, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment by a court in Myanmar.

He was jailed on charges of unlawful association, defaming the State, and terrorism.

Reverend Dr. Samson, an outspoken and courageous voice for human rights for the Kachin people, was arrested at Mandalay International Airport on December 5, 2022 as he was attempting to travel to Bangkok. He has been held in Myitkyina prison since his arrest.

Reverend Samson served as President of the KBC from 2018-2022 and previously for two terms as General Secretary from 2010-2018. He is an internationally respected advocate for freedom of religion or belief and human rights in Myanmar. In 2019 he traveled to Washington, DC to participate in the International Religious Freedom Ministerial Conference, where he was among religious leaders from around the world who met with the United States President in the White House.

Read the full story. Also from this region, Human Rights Watch reports that Thai immigration officials forcibly returned three opposition activists to Myanmar.

Here’s some good news from a different part of the world. After being detained for nearly five months in Mozambique, American MAF missionary pilot Ryan Koher and two other men under suspicion of terrorism and supporting insurgents have been released and reunited with family, though they must remain in the country while their court case continues.

For your prayers: The Middle East Council of Churches reminds us that April 22 marks ten years since two Orthodox bishops were kidnapped in Syria. Their fate is unknown (Assyrian International News Agency).

Source: Global Christian Relief, April 5, 2023

Pastor Touwende was a pastor in the northern region of Burkina Faso, until recently—when he was forced to flee. In the past few years, Muslim extremists have surged through the northern region, attacking Christian communities and displacing millions. Believers have been abducted, beaten, and even killed for their faith.

[But then] the situation got even worse.

“I was afraid, because two days before, they killed someone in the village, thinking he was the pastor. Today they are looking for me! In my mind at that time, I thought I would be killed. I prayed, ‘Oh, Lord, if my work for You is finished and I will die, so be it. But if it is not yet finished, may Your will be done.’”

Then the attack came.

Read the full story. Evidently, Pastor Touwende was one of the only pastors in this region. Ask God to strengthen his people in the midst of these tensions and tragedies.

See also Jubilee Campaign’s recent Universal Periodic Review on Burkina Faso. Very detailed with much fuel for prayer.

Source: Religion News Service, April 6, 2023

Ministry organizations and church leaders from a broad segment of the global church are uniting around the 2033 Commitment: A Call to the Global Church for a Decade of Great Commission Effort. They are calling for Christians from around the world to recognize the need for Jesus Christ of the over 8 billion individuals on earth, including the 3.5 billion who have never had the chance to hear the gospel.

The 2033 Commitment will be a centerpiece of the Amsterdam2023 conference, to be held June 21-24 at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Center and Olympic Stadium. With over 150 speakers and thousands of Christian leaders from around the world, Amsterdam2023 will serve as a launch point for the decade of evangelism leading up to 2033.

Read the full story. To learn more or sign the commitment yourself, visit the 2033 website.

Source: International Mission Board, April 13, 2023

Ramadan has been different this year for one Southeast Asian family. Sela and her husband Sok live in an impoverished Muslim village tucked away in a rural corner of their country.

For every year of their lives until now, Ramadan has meant waking before the sun rises for prayer and a quick meal, then fasting all day until the sun sets again. Sela joined the other women to prepare food for the feast after sunset each day while Sok worshiped with the other men at the mosque.

This year, Sela and Sok no longer need to fast and pray to Allah during the Islamic holy month. They have both put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

They first heard of Jesus when Sela stumbled one morning and spilled a pot of boiling water over her baby. She had no one to call for help because her village is hours away from the nearest city with a hospital.

That same day, IMB worker Nancy Potter came to teach healthcare classes in the community, as she’d done for several years. Potter was able to rush Sela and her baby to a clinic where the burns could be treated. This clinic is run by Christian believers.

Sela and Sok were amazed that Christians would care for them. They continued talking with Nancy and her husband William in the months that followed. As they learned more about the gospel, they began having dreams about Jesus. Soon they both put their faith in Christ.

When they did, they became the first known believers in their whole province.

Read the full story and pray for new believers as they explore what it may look like to live as faithful followers of Christ even when they are the first ones in their communities.