Voice of the Martyrs, November 9^th, 2023

On Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, hundreds of Christians gathered at a church in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to end a weeklong series of prayer meetings. The gathering was so large that chairs and tarps were placed outside to provide overflow seating. Those in attendance did not know that radical Islamic group ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) had buried a bomb in the outdoor seating area.

Just after a children’s choir finished performing, the bomb exploded, killing 15 people, and seriously injuring roughly 70 more. “Now some people are saying that we planted the bomb!” said one assistant pastor, explaining, “Those people think we are trying to gain sympathy and funding.”

The pastor asked that Christians pray for those who are grieving and struggling to recover from their injuries. He also asked for prayers that the church will be vindicated, that Christ will be glorified, and that peace will come to the DRC.

While the DRC is one of Africa’s largest countries geographically with a Christian-majority population, Islamist groups severely persecute Christians along the DRC’s eastern border.

One of the principal persecutors is the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The ADF is active in the Rwenzori Mountain area and seeks to establish Islamic law throughout the region.

When rebels capture groups of people, they often release Muslims while killing Christians who refuse to convert. There are more than 100 other armed groups operating in the DRC who also target Christians.

Joshua Project, November 13^th, 2023

The Bangka live on the island of Bangka in the South China Sea, off the east coast of Sumatra Island in Bangka-Belitung Province. Other Indonesians often visit this island because it has beautiful beaches. Inhabitants of the island are composed of two groups: those descended from the Malay and those descended from the Chinese.

The Bangka Malay are Muslims, so their faith is in the teachings of the Koran rather than the blood of Jesus Christ.  However, they are not particularly orthodox in their beliefs.  Mosques have few visitors during the sunset ritual prayers.

There has been an economic downturn in tin mining, the main industry among the Bangka. This presents an opportunity for Christ followers to minister to the Bangka by helping them build new businesses and explore new industries.

Pray that the Spirit leads this people group to hope in Christ and that He becomes the trustworthy anchor of their souls.

Pray that there would be economic prosperity in the Bangka community, and that the Lord would be faithful in providing financial resources to struggling families. Pray that the small group of Christ followers among the Bangka would rise up in courage and share the love of Christ with their unbelieving neighbours. Pray for spiritual hunger among the Bangka, leading them to the cross.

October 30, 2003 (excerpts)

Family Update

Good news in our family this month is that Ema is pregnant. According to the doctors the baby is around 7-8 weeks old. We are immensely thankful for this providence from the Lord and look forward to next year when our first child will be born. Rejoice with us.

We anticipate the financial burdens which are coming; however, we face them with joy, knowing that this is truly a blessing and that the Lord will provide through the generosity of His people.

Church

Things continue to move somewhat slowly with the church.  I have spent many hours on a one-to-one basis with the men who do not usually come to gatherings. This has had a strong impact on them, and I hope they will see the value of meeting together.  Until then, it gives me an opportunity to be involved in their lives, build better trust, and help them in their spiritual lives. I will do my best to spend a little time (outside of official meetings) with each man in the church, at least once a month.

Evangelism

The homeless ministry is moving a little more slowly without much progress in finding the homeless in our church’s vicinity.  Advice from others who have done this ministry before gives me a better grounding for finding the homeless and building relationships with them.

Esther and Mary have finished their beginning level training in street evangelism, and we are now a team. There are five of us in the team and we will soon go out in groups together. I have two men whom I continue to train, plus another two in reserve who would like to be trained at a later date.

Church in Chains, October 19, 2023 (excerpts)

News has emerged that Deng Tianyong (52), was released from prison on 1 July after serving a 3-year sentence for selling audio Bible players.  He returned to his hometown of Shaxi in Guangdong province and is reported to be in good spirits although he has lost a lot of weight.

China Aid reports, “After his release, he did not seem to be free. He never answered phone calls from close friends.  Friends speculate that he, like other Christians released from prison, may have been instructed by police not to contact any Christians.”  Deng is an employee of Shenzhen Tree of Life Technology Company, which sells Bible players – small digital playback devices that store sermons and hymns as well as audio Bibles.

The players are convenient, simple to operate and have become very popular in China. The Chinese government has made the manufacture and sale of Bible players an “illegal business” offence.

The executive director and legal representative of the company was Deng’s wife Fu Xianjuan, who is serving a six-year prison sentence and is not due for release until July 2026.

Deng is a former drug addict, of whom China Aid writes: “It was the Christian faith that completely changed him, so that he not only successfully recovered from drugs, but also became a God-fearing man.”  His lawyer visited him during his imprisonment and reportedly led him in worship.

Voice of the Martyrs, October 26, 2023 

One day in May 2023, an Iraqi pastor answered his phone, not knowing it would be the last call he would receive from a young Christian friend. On the line was a university student who had recently converted from Islam.

Some of the student’s former friends had arrived at his home, saying, “We know about your new faith. We are going to give you a chance to come back.” The group told him he could claim not to believe in any god, but he could not remain a Christian. The assailants gave him 24 hours to recant, or they would kill him.

They allowed him one phone call, so he called his pastor, who prayed for him and told him the decision was his alone. The pastor also reminded him of the eternal hope and home awaiting all followers of Christ.

The young man said he would share the good news of Christ with his former friends and remain faithful. He was executed for his faith the next day.

Attacks by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) forced tens of thousands of Christians to flee the country, leaving a small but bold and faithful remnant.

For many of these Iraqi Christians, day-to-day life is focused on survival, and yet they faithfully work to advance the gospel. Many of Iraq’s Muslims have rejected Islam and become open to Christ because of the corruption and violence rampant among radical Muslims.

These circumstances provide a unique opportunity to share the gospel with Iraqis searching for hope and truth. The violence and instability have also led to a revival among traditional Christians.

Morning Star News, October 27, 2023 

A Christian doctor was killed in a machete attack on him and his motorcycle driver on Oct. 17 in Nasarawa state, Nigeria, sources said.

Terrorists attacked Dr. Stephen Angbas, head of Angbas Hospital in the town of Lafia, at about 4 p.m. as he was returning from his farm in Awe County, in the southern part of the state, said area resident Jackson Habila in a text message to Morning Star News.

Angbas was a member of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, Habila said.

Police spokesman Rahman Nansel of the Nasarawa State Police Command said in a press statement that Angbas’ commercial motorcycle driver, Mikailu Dahiru, was wounded in the attack along Jangargari-Awe Road.

Eyewitnesses told Punch news outlet that the assailants attacked them with machetes, and that Dahiru was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment of severe wounds.

It was unclear if the attack was religiously motivated, although the gruesome nature of the attack was similar to that of Nigerian terrorist attacks on Christians. 

Punch indicated robbery may have been the motive, though neither media nor police indicated any money was stolen.

Nasarawa state has suffered increasing attacks by Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists who have moved into the state. From April 24 to April 29, Fulani herdsmen killed 12 Christian farmers in Ajimaka, Doma County in an attack there and in 13 other villages.