Baptist Church in Bethlehem Declared Illegitimate By Palestinian Authority

Only a week after Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told a conference of evangelical Protestants that his government respected the rights of Christian minorities, his fellow Palestinian officials told Pastor Naim Khoury that his church could no longer operate as a religious institution under the Palestinian Authority.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan Crackdown On Evangelical Churches

Authorities in Azerbaijan continued preparations Tuesday, March 13, to close down an evangelical church in the first such reported incident since the former Soviet republic introduced harsh religious legislation in 2009, rights activists said.

Syria’s Christians caught between Iraq and a hard dictator

syriaAlthough President Bashar al-Assad’s counter-insurgency has already claimed the lives of at least 7,000 of his own people, his state represented a diverse society in which minorities and women enjoyed freedoms alien to other Arab nations.

Syria: Relief reaches Homs

syriaBarnabas Aid is sending emergency relief to Christians trapped in Homs after the withdrawal of anti-government forces from the Baba Amr district.

Another Christian Convert arrested in Esfahan

iran-christianYet another convert and member of a house church was arrested along with many other Christians in Esfahan, according to the Iranian Christian news agency, Mohabat News.

Jailed Iranian Pastor’s Health Deteriorating

iran-christianThe health of a jailed pastor of one of Iran’s largest evangelical house church movements is deteriorating and there were fears Monday he may die, a well-informed representative told Worthy News.

Baptist Church Raided in Uzbekistan

Secret police officers and other officials raided the Sunday worship service of an unregistered ethnic Korean Baptist Church in the town of Chirchik in Tashkent Region on Feb. 5.

Iran Detains House Church Christians

iran flagIranian security forces have raided a house church and detained 10 members who gathered for a prayer service as part of a winder crackdown, Iranian Christians told Worthy News.

What People Experienced in Church

The Barna Group recently surveyed Americans who attended church and reported on their worship experiences.

‘Santa Claus’ Kills Christian Leader in Israel

A leader of Israel’s Christian minority has been stabbed to death by a man dressed as Santa Claus, prompting the arrest of six locals in connection with the murder, church and police officials said Saturday, January 7.

Iran Frees Jailed Christian Executive After 287 Days

iran mapA Christian woman who was detained as part of Iran’s crackdown on devoted Christian converts has been released after more than nine months imprisonment, but concerns remain over other jailed believers, Worthy News learned January 1.

Worthy Christian News