Source: International Christian Concern, August 15, 2019
A melody is slowly quieting in Turkey. For centuries, the soft chanting of psalms flowed across churches flooded with worshipers. They knelt in prayer, their petitions floating like the incense which enveloped them. Candles were lit as they exited, a reminder of Christ’s light to the world. This is the country where the New Testament church came to life.
But today, that light is slowly extinguishing. The gospel’s melody is softening. The Church in Turkey is suffering strangulation—the consequences of which are felt across the globe.
It is all because of one rule that Turkey has established, a rule which restricts Christians’ ability to choose their own leadership. Without leadership, the life of any church slowly fades.
“Because there are not enough local Protestant leaders, the spiritual leadership of some churches is provided by foreign pastors,” said Turkey Alliance of Protestant Churches (TEK).
But Turkey is slowly closing this door. TEK continued, “Some foreign church leaders were deported, were denied entry back into Turkey, and/or faced problems with getting their residence permits renewed. A foreign church leader in Izmir was incarcerated for a long period of time on the grounds of being a member of the FETÖ/PDY terror organization.”
This year, 18 foreign church leaders have had to leave the country. Local church leaders suffer their own challenges.
» Read full story. It includes links to a rather thorough summary of the recent religious liberty situation in Turkey (TEK).
» Check out a brief but interesting article from Mission Network News about a ministry encouraging persecuted Christians by sharing the stories of the early Church. History has a way of repeating itself, after all.