Gunman opens fire in White Settlement, Texas church, leaving 2 dead
Two people were killed and one person critically injured in a Texas church shooting Sunday morning, with one person having died on the way to the hospital and been revived.
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Pastor in Tajikistan charged with “inciting religious hatred” released
A Tajik Pastor imprisoned for over 2 years for possessing a Josh McDowell book was released recently, 3 months before the end of his sentence.
Despite Intense Persecution and Death Threats, National Bible Translators Remain Committed to Translating the Scriptures
Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that empowers mother-tongue Bible translators and partners with local churches in the advancement of Bible translation, continues to receive requests for help from Christians living in highly volatile regions who are committed to bringing the translated Scriptures to their language groups.
Christian mother banished from home by Muslim husband in Uganda
A Christian mother in Uganda had to flee her home when her Muslim husband discovered she had been taking their 7-year-old child to church services after her recent conversion in May.
Nigerian pastor kidnapped, yet no ransom demanded as officials continue to investigate
A pastor was kidnapped in Nigeria in Adamawa state last week, with no reason given by captors for the abduction, and no ransom demanded.
Wave of evangelical church closures in Russia belies Putin’s pledge to help Christians
At least 3 evangelical churches have been closed in Russia over the last 6 months, in spite of President Vladimir Putin’s pledge at a recent conference to “do everything” to protect Christians in the Middle East.
Rebels reopen half of closed Baptist churches in Burma
51 Baptist churches were allowed to reopen in Burma, where 100 were shut down in 2018 by armed ethnic Wa rebels.
Christians in Indonesia suffer wave of Islamic harassment
Indonesia has seen 40 anti-Christian attacks in the first 5 months of 2019, a two-thirds jump from last year, and a quadrupling of the rate from 10 years ago.
Christian families in India deprived of drinking water, afraid to celebrate Christmas in hometown
A Christian community in Karnataka state, India was prevented from building a church on December 4 and later deprived of drinking water when they went to police, with members now fearing to celebrate Christmas in their town.
Family finds imprisoned Chinese pastor in deep distress, ‘brainwashed’ by unknown medication regimen and parroting communist propaganda
A once-loving Chinese pastor and family man imprisoned 6 years ago by the Chinese Communist Party was found under severe psychological duress by his family members on their last visit to him December 13, and his daughter is seeking to expose the brutal methods by which the regime quells dissidence.
Boko Haram wreaks havoc on Christian community in Cameroon
A spate of attacks on Christian villagers in Cameroon by Boko Haram has left a community grieving beloved pioneer church planter David Mokoni and 7 others, as well as a bevy of sleepless victims in deep psychological distress.
Primitive Christian church burned in eastern India, Bibles set ablaze
Christians in a tribal village in India had their bamboo hut church burned down by animists on December 1st, 5 days after their Bibles were confiscated and set to a bonfire.
Chinese house churches continue to be targets, Bible banned in some regions
The Chinese government crackdown on unofficial Christianity continued late summer into early fall, with house churches in Yunnan province and Shandong province shut down in August and October.
Report releases extremely high death toll of Christians in Nigeria in the last 4 years
More than 1,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria in the last year and more than 6,000 since 2015 according to findings from ‘Your Land or Your Blood,’ a new report by Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust.
US Supreme Court Could Limit Job Bias Lawsuits Against Churches
The Supreme Court said Wednesday it will consider expanding protections for churches against job-discrimination claims.
Christian charity donates Christmas gifts to 19,000 children in Syria
Despite the ongoing hardship in wartorn Syria, there will be a little more cheer this Christmas for thousands of children receiving donated gifts.
2019 saw attacks on houses of worship with alarming frequency worldwide
On December 1, a band of assailants opened fire on worshipers at a small-town Protestant church in Burkina Faso, an impoverished West African country where the Christian minority is increasingly a target of attacks. The victims included the pastor and several teenage boys; regional authorities attributed the attack to ‘unidentified armed men’ who, according to witnesses, got away on motorcycles.
1,700 Cambodians come to Christ from Franklin Graham preaching
About 1,700 people made a decision for Christ in Cambodia over the weekend at an event hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, breaking decades of religious oppression.
More pictures of Xi Jinping replace church iconography in China
Officials in Jiangxi Province, China replaced a church’s sign with a communist party slogan and swapped out biblical paintings for a portrait of President Xi Jinping.
Canadian Church of Atheism denied charitable status after court finds it’s not a religion
A federal court in Canada has ruled that the self-titled ‘Church of Atheism’ isn’t a religion and can’t be treated like one for tax purposes.