Please pray for Christians in Brunei – World Watch List #27

BRUNEI (Wikipedia) – World Watch List #27 (Open Doors, UK)

Population: 413,000 (41,300 Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Government: Constitutional Sultanate
Source of Persecution: Islamic extremism /tribal antagonism

Contact with Christians in other countries, the import of Bibles and the public celebration of Christmas are all banned in this Islamic nation. The monarchy is seen as the defender of the faith and Islamic law has been fully implemented since 2011. There is a programme of Islamisation for natives. Muslim-background believers can face hostility from family and community. The government recognises only three Catholic and three Anglican churches; unregistered churches are considered ‘illegal sects’ and are monitored by government officials.

PLEASE PRAY:

The level of fear among Christians is very high. Pray for courage to stand firm in the faith
Christian bookshops are not allowed. Pray that believers and seekers will gain access to God’s Word
The Sultan has announced that from 2013, Islamic religious studies will become a compulsory subject in schools. Pray that children will have the opportunity to hear the gospel.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS:

Brunei is an Islamic nation, based on an ideology called Malay Muslim Monarchy. Islam governs all aspects of life here. By decree, contact with Christians in other countries, the import of Bibles and the public celebration of Christmas are all banned. There is a programme of Islamisation for locals, and those entering a tribal village are monitored by government spies and police. Family, friends and neighbours can become sources of hostility for Muslim-background believers.

The church is not able to function freely and churches are ‘spied on’ by government officials. Providing theological training is difficult and Christian bookshops are not allowed. The level of fear among Christians is very high. There are six Christian schools but they face pressure to remove Bible studies from the curriculum. Recently, the Sultan announced that from 2013 Islamic religious studies will become a compulsory subject in schools. As long as the ruling monarch perceives himself as defender of the faith and the governing authorities execute his will, the Christian minority will be neglected and discriminated against.

MORE BACKGROUND:

The Sultan of Brunei, (also known as Hassanai Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah) has an estimated net worth of $20 billion. — The Sultan of Brunei, (also known as Hassanai Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah) has an estimated net worth of $20 billion.

Brunei Darussalam, what means “Brunei, house of peace”, is a very small country on the Island of Borneo, bordering the much larger Malaysia. It is a young country as well, as it became fully independent from British rule in 1984, though its constitution was agreed on in 1959. Due to large oil and gas findings dating back as far as 1924, it is among the wealthiest nations on earth. In terms of GDP per capita, it ranks fifth worldwide and reportedly is one of only two nations without public debts.

Though Brunei is an ethnically mixed society with a large Chinese minority, approximately 2/3 of the population is Malay. The legislative council meets once a year in a strict advisory capacity, which means that politics are done largely by the Sultan and by the addresses he gives. As head of religion, the Sultan is called to protect the official religion of the country, Islam. All adherents of other religions may practice their faiths in peace and harmony, according to the constitution, but the country discourages practicing other faiths, and promotes Islam in all spheres of life. The recent announcements of the Sultan point to a stricter conservatism, as he introduced obligatory Islamic religious studies for all schools.

Urgent call for prayer: Christians in Egypt – World Watch List #25

EGYPT (Wikipedia) – World Watch List#25 (Open Doors UK)
Leader: President Mohammed Morsi
Population: 82.84 million (10 million Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Government: Republic
Source of Persecution: Islamic extremism

The 2011 revolution that ousted President Mubarak initially brought Muslims and Christians together, but improved relations were short-lived. The Muslim Brotherhood won parliamentary elections in November 2011 and a new Islamist-backed constitution was signed into law in December 2012. Support for both the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Islam is growing. The government has been unable to impose necessary law and order, to the detriment of the protection of Christians. Persecution is on the rise and massive emigration of Christians is a concern. But the church continues to grow.

AN URGENT CALL FOR PRAYER
+ For Muslims and Christians, that no lives would be lost
+ For the witness of Christians to remain a clear light in the middle of such darkness
+ For divine love to fill the hearts of Christians for their persecutors and for the joy of the Lord to be their strength in these coming tough days.
+ For an end to violent unrest and for true freedom and democracy to be established
+ That the new Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, will continue to unite the denominations in Egypt so that the church is united in sharing the gospel

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS:

In response to the call for nationwide protests against President Morsi, planned to take place at the end of June, Egyptian Christians are making an impassioned plea for worldwide prayer.

“We, Christians of Egypt, who love our country and seek God’s redemption for every soul, are urging our dear brothers and sisters in the extended body of Christ all over the world, to lift our country up before the throne and to create together a shield of prayers to stand against the great evil that is threatening to fall on Egypt in the coming few days.

Nationwide protests

“In response to the call for nationwide protests against President Morsi, planned to take place on 30 June, multitudes of Egyptians are planning to go down to the streets in every city, town or village, one year after Morsi had sworn the oath into office on 30 June 2012.

“The opposition movement has managed, through an army of volunteers, to collect 15 million signed forms of Egyptians who proclaim their rebellion against, and rejection of, President Morsi and his regime, calling for early presidential elections.

“In return, the Muslim Brotherhood Party and its supporters have also claimed to have been collecting millions of signatures to support President Morsi. They have also called their followers to fill all major squares of Egypt on the 28June.

“Please stay by our side”

“No one in Egypt today speaks about anything but the expected scenarios of the very likely confrontation between the two sides of the split nation. There is a gloomy spirit of anticipating that the worst is most likely going to happen. Please stay by our side and join us in prayer.”

BACKGROUND:

Egypt is home to around 10 million Christians but Islam is the state religion and the population is predominantly Muslim. Massive emigration is a concern and persecution is on the rise. The country made headlines in October 2011 with the Maspero massacre in which 26 Coptic Christians were killed.

The Muslim Brotherhood won the parliamentary elections on 25 November 2011 and is now in control of the country’s legislative and executive power, making Islam more visible. No political answers have been given to the problems of poverty and unemployment faced by the country so the people seek refuge in religion and are vulnerable to radical expressions of Islam. Support for both the Muslim Brotherhood and strict Salafi Islam is growing. However, the church is also growing slowly.

Egypt’s future will largely be determined by politics. A new constitution could drastically reshape the country. However, a scenario in which the church is confined to a situation of dhimmitude is more likely in light of recent developments.

Please pray for Christians in Vietnam – World Watch List #21

Please pray for the Persecuted Church in Vietnam – World Watch List #21 (Open Doors USA)

VIETNAM (Wikipedia)

Population: 89.7 million (9.7 million Christians)
Main Religion: Buddhism
Government: Communist state
Source of Persecution: Communist oppression/dictatorial paranoia

Christians are perceived as Western agents and the state, with the help of tribal leaders, watches churches closely. The government requires permits for larger gatherings and issues them last minute – if at all – to deter people from attending. Converts from Buddhism come under pressure from family and community, and authorities in tribal areas often hire gangsters to harass pastors and new believers. The government has begun placing more restrictions on Christians in the wake of the Arab Spring.

PLEASE PRAY: More than a dozen believers were imprisoned in 2012.

Pray for strength and perseverance for Christians in prison.
Pray for Christians from ethnic minority groups, like the Hmong, who face great pressure to return to traditional beliefs.
Pray for safety for those distributing Open Doors’ Illustrated Children’s Bible. Importing Christian materials is prohibited.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS

Vietnam is one of the remaining countries in the world following a Communist ideology. The authorities still perceive Christianity as a foreign influence and Christians from a tribal background like the Hmong face pressure to return to traditional faith, especially in rural areas. Gatherings are suspected as meetings to plot against the government and are closely monitored.

Obtaining recognition for churches or permission to renovate a church building is a long process. In 2012, at least seven churches, all Catholic, were confiscated. Training of leaders has to be done secretly and integrating converts has to be done very cautiously. Importing Christian materials is prohibited. Christians face violence and are sent to prison, not officially because of their faith, but because of ‘anti-government’ propaganda. It is unlikely that the situation will change substantially in the coming years.

ANECDOTAL ACCOUNT – “Vietnamese Authorities Hire Gangsters to Harass Christians” (Open Doors)

“Kneel! Kneel!” shouted a village thug. Unfazed by the threats, Pastor Vinh* stood his ground. In Vinh’s culture, kneeling is seen as an admission of guilt. Although authorities prohibited planting of new churches, Vinh would not allow their threats to stop him from spreading the gospel message.

“He was one of the most promising students in the class,” explained by Vinh’s spiritual mentor. “He was very passionate to share God’s word and had a deep love for Jesus.”

The leader of the gang began battering Vinh’s knee with a lead pipe in an attempt to force the pastor to his knees. The tall and well-built, 24-year-old Bible school student endured the series of blows and still refused to kneel. Continue reading “Please pray for Christians in Vietnam – World Watch List #21” →

Please pray for Libyan Christians: Libya #17 World Watch List

Persecuted Church in LIBYA – World Watch List #17 (Open Doors UK)

LIBYA (Wikipedia) –
Population: 6.5 million (35,000 Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Government: Transitional government
Source of Persecution: Islamic extremism

During Gaddafi’s reign, the main source of persecution was the government and its secret services. Today opposition comes from the family, community and fanatical armed groups. But it is still forbidden to import Arabic Scriptures or to evangelise. There is no central government and the rule of law is absent, so Islamist extremist movements like the Salafists are able to perpetrate violence upon believers. Because of the civil unrest, 75 per cent of expat Christians have left the country.

PLEASE PRAY:

For strength for secret Christians; they are forbidden from meeting together
For a stable government that rules wisely and with justice
Give thanks that Christian programmes on TV, radio and the internet are generating growing interest in the Christian faith.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS

Under Gaddafi’s rule, conditions for Christians were extremely harsh and Libya did not even have a real constitution. The feared and omnipresent secret police made sure restrictions on church activities and distribution of literature were enforced and evangelism criminalised. Muslim background believers were always at risk from their families and most Libyan Christians were afraid to meet as any kind of religious gathering was forbidden. Expats were allowed churches but Libyans were not allowed to attend.

The Libyan revolution has not brought Christians protection and freedom

The revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia gave Libyans the courage to fight Gaddafi, but despite this leading to Gaddafi’s death, it is feared that the future will be worse. Because of the unrest, an estimated 75 per cent of expat Christians have left the country. The National Transitional Council, who took over after Gaddafi, have repeatedly announced their intent to implement a ‘democracy according to Sharia’ in Libya, in which all citizens are already considered Sunni Muslim by law.

The main sources of persecution today are family, community, fanatical armed groups and, to a lesser extent, the government. To import Arabic Scriptures remains strictly forbidden and proselytising and missionary activity is officially prohibited. Many Libyan Christians are fleeing their homeland. It is unlikely that the situation will change, even with a new constitution.

ANECDOTAL REPORT / REQUEST FOR PRAYER:

Sherif is Egyptian, running a bookshop in Benghazi, in the East of Libya. He was arrested on February 10th and has been detained since then. During his detainment he has been physically abused, while there is no official charge against him, nor has he appeared before court.

Recently, some Egyptians and three non-Arab workers have also been arrested. Continue reading “Please pray for Libyan Christians: Libya #17 World Watch List” →

Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan – World Watch List #16

Persecuted Church: UZBEKISTAN – #16 on World Watch List (Open Doors UK)

Uzbekistan Political Map of Central Asia — Uzbekistan
Political Map of Central Asia

UZBEKISTAN (Wikipedia)
Population: 28 million (208,500 Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Government: Authoritarian (republic)
Source of Persecution: Dictatorial paranoia/Organised corruption

The regime will do anything to stay in power, so no religious activities outside state-controlled institutions are allowed.

The Russian Orthodox Church has more freedoms, but evangelical Christianity is seen as a destabilising element that needs to be eradicated. Churches live in fear of raids, termination of services, confiscation of literature, and the imposition of heavy fines, which are frequent and increasing. Church members face harassment, detention and arrest for holding private prayer meetings or possessing illegal literature.

PLEASE PRAY:

That God will strengthen and encourage Christians under pressure on many fronts
That larger Christian groups will find ways to gather for worship or training
For Tohar Haydarov, imprisoned in 2010 for ten years, on trumped-up charges.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS:

Systemic corruption is rife in Uzbekistan and anyone opposing this, as Christians do, comes under pressure. Muslim-background believers face pressure from family, friends and community and are perceived as bringing shame to the community. The importation of Scripture is hindered, churches require compulsory registration and there are again frequent and increasingly heavy fines for conducting services or possessing material.

The future is unlikely to see improvement for believers, with an expected transition in leadership in coming years and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2014, which could lead to an influx of Islamic extremists. Uzbekistan also has the highest number of political prisoners among all former Soviet Union states (estimated between 5,000 to 10,000). If those prisoners – frequently imprisoned on true or alleged terrorist charges – are released, this could further fuel sentiment against the Christian minority.

ANECDOTAL REPORT:

Lena, Ayoub and Latife faced intense persecution when the police had found Christian materials in Ayoub’s father’s house. Police arrested him and Ayoub’s brother, and then took Lena to the police station, where they were all questioned. They were also looking for Ayoub to arrest him as well. Continue reading “Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan – World Watch List #16” →

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