Persecution update

Here are the most recent reports of persecution against Christians around the world, as compiled by one of the elders at our church:

Pakistan, Feb 25. Christian family's ancestral home was allegedly taken over by a Muslim lawyer who accused the homeowner of blasphemy. Churches have been attacked, homes burned by mobs, and individuals imprisoned or killed following accusations under Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

Ukraine, Feb 24. Protestant congregations in Ukraine have been particularly targeted with raids, closures, and intimidation, with Moscow aggressively seeking to reshape the religious landscape to serve its political and military objectives.

Iran, Feb 23. A sharp rise in arrests and mistreatment of Christians in Iran, particularly converts, accusing the Islamic Republic of increasingly using national security laws to suppress religious dissent.

Uganda, Feb 23. A 33-year-old man in eastern Uganda was allegedly killed by his Muslim father after converting to Christianity.

Mexico, Feb 8. Pastor Velasquez was allegedly bound with ropes and detained for five days. He was then brought before a community assembly, where he was formally expelled from the village, for not lighting candles and bowing before a Roman Catholic statue.

India, Feb 6. Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik was dragged out from a prayer service, beaten, mocked, and paraded through the streets of Kandarsinga village in India's eastern Odisha state. His Hindi aggressors claim he had led some Hindus to follow Christ. Such persecution continues to increase in India.

Congo, Jan 27. At least 25 people, many believers, were killed early Sunday in a brutal attack by an Islamic State-linked militant group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Nigeria, Jan 21. Muslim attackers came in large numbers, blocked the entrances of the churches, then kidnapped some 170 believers. A dozen have escaped. (Over 50,000 believers have been martyred, and millions displaces since the violence began.)

Turkey, Jan 20. The era of foreign missionaries in Turkey is drawing to a close as authorities increasingly detain, deport, or bar Christian workers from reentering the Muslim-majority nation.

China, Jan 11. Chinese authorities have detained Protestant church leaders and demolished church property as part of a widening crackdown on underground churches.

Laos, Jan 5. Villagers armed with hammers and knives destroyed Christian homes and local authorities tied a pastor to a pole for preaching the Gospel. Authorities did nothing.

Europe, Nov 20. Violence, and arson attacks targeting Christians in Europe grew significantly more severe over the last year, highlighting spread of radical Islam and anti-Christian sentiments across the continent.

Syria, Nov 17. Syria's Christians Face "Ethno-Religious Cleansing," since the installation of the new Islamic government.

"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:44-45 ESV)

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." (Hebrews 13:3 ESV)

clement quotes hebrews

Clement of Rome wrote to the church in Corinth around AD 90. This is perhaps the same Clement, companion of Paul, mentioned in Philippians 4:3. Many hold him to be the first bishop / pope in Rome, aka St. Clement I. Clement quotes from the letter to the Hebrews. Origin suggested that Clement was in fact the writer (as transcriber or amanuensis) of Hebrews. Perhaps this letter began as a "word of exhortation" given by Paul at the synagogue (Heb 13:22; cf Acts 13:15) which then became a circular letter for the churches. Other possible authors of Hebrews include Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos. The theology is Pauline, but the transcriber is obviously second-generation (Heb. 2:3-4). At any rate, this early church leader in Rome, is already quoting Hebrews in his letter in AD 90: CHAPTER 36 ALL BLESSINGS ARE GIVEN TO US THROUGH CHRIST This is the way, beloved, in which we find our Savior, even Jesus Christ, the High Prie...

a brief history of bcf

Blacksburg Christian Fellowship, or BCF as it is popularly known, was founded in November 1969. Prior to this time several families had been meeting for Bible study and prayer, with a particular concern that the Lord raise up an effective biblical ministry to the students of the Virginia Tech campus. Growing from these meetings, the Lord led them to begin a public ministry on Sunday mornings. The Wesley Foundation agreed to the rental of their facilities, and the first meeting was held in November 1969, with about 30 people in attendance. Since the first meeting BCF has been greatly blessed by the Lord and has seen a steady growth in ministry and in numbers. Two other local churches were formed in part from BCF. In 1974 the Lord led Houston Couch, who at that time was an Elder in BCF, to leave and start Dayspring Christian Fellowship. In 1980 Max Harris, who was a regular attender at BCF, was encouraged by the Elders and members to start a ministry which has now become Grace Cov...

evangelicalism over the next decade

I've been contemplating Michael Spencer's blogs on the future of evangelical churches in America ( iMonk blog ). His three articles on his predicted collapse of evangelicalism are found here . It is important, I believe, to read all three articles. I find myself in agreement with much he has to say. Here are a few quotes... The determination to follow in the methodological steps of numerically successful churches will be greater than ever. The result will be, in the main, a departure from doctrine to more and more emphasis on relevance, motivation and personal success….with the result being churches further compromised and weakened in their ability to pass on the faith. ... For some time, we’ve been at a point that the decision to visit a particular evangelical church contained a fairly high risk of not hearing the Biblical Gospel. That experience will be multiplied and expanded in the years to come. Core beliefs will become less and less normative and necessary in evangelic...

my burg

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