Persecution & Prayer Alert

"The steadfast love of the
Lord never ceases; His mercies
never come to an end; they
are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness."
~ Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

Update: Baptist Conscript in Nagorno Karabakh Imprisoned

In July 2005, a Baptist man who refused to bear arms or swear the military oath because of his pacifistic beliefs was given a suspended sentence and allowed to return to his military unit (click here for more details). According to a September 5 report from Forum 18, military leaders successfully appealed the sentence and Gagik Mirzoyan has been sent to prison for one year. Nagorno-Karabakh has compulsory military service for all young men, with no provision for alternative service. The unrecognized republic is in conflict with Azerbaijan, as it seeks to establish its independence.

Pray for strength for Mirzoyan. Pray that he will be a testimony to those around him in the prison.

Update: New Life Church Building to Be Confiscated

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Since purchasing a former cow barn in 2002 with the intention of using the building for a church, the New Life Church on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus has faced constant opposition from city authorities. The church presently has more than 1000 members and has not been allowed a place to meet. According to the church's website, the land has now been confiscated by the city and the believers have been ordered to leave the building. However, as an act of protest, members of the church are staying in the building at all times, demonstrating that they will not give the building away by their own free will. Other protestant groups have given their support to the New Life Church, along with some Jewish organizations. The church has invited the Minsk city executive committee chairman Mikhail Pavlov to explain the reasons for the committee's decision.

Pray that this decision will be reversed and that the New Life Church will be able to worship freely. To learn more about the pressures facing the Church in Belarus, see our audio and video features on https://www.vomcanada.com/.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Belarus, click here.

Chinese Priest and Seminarian Arrested

The Vatican and the China flag Father Pang Yongxing and a recent seminary graduate, Ma Yongjiang, were arrested by security forces in Qing Yuan county, about 100 kilometres south of Beijing, on the afternoon of September 2, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation. In 2001, Father Pang had been sentenced to three years in a labour camp. He was released a year ago. Pang and Ma have been serving about 800 members of the underground Catholic Church in Qing Yuan county.

Pray for Pang, Ma and many other Christian leaders presently imprisoned for their faith in China. Pray for physical and emotional strength as they frequently face physical and psychological torture.

For more information on the suffering of China's Christians, click here.

Persecution & Prayer Alert

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