Stories from the suffering Church
Wednesday 25 September
On Wednesday at Lausanne 4, we heard stories from the “bleeding body of Christ” around the world. Many are too sensitive or dangerous to share publicly but here we share a few of the stories of what is happening and how God is working even in the midst of suffering and persecution.
Persecution Challenges in India
Dr Babu Verghese: Babu Verghese is a journalist, historian, linguist, and author of 27 books, living and working out of India.
Greetings, in the name of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. What a gathering of the ransomed, a piece of heaven on earth. I would like to share with you some of the persecution challenges we are facing today as Christians in India.
One person was a fervent follower of Jesus Christ. They were given threats to renounce their faith or be killed. They received an ultimatum to flee their village. They refused to surrender their home. Then in May 2024, hundreds of fanatics attacked him and murdered him. His wife was wounded and hospitalised. She refused to deny Jesus. The police refused to get justice.
On another occasion many were gathering, suddenly a group of armed people barged in attacking everyone including women and children.
Another person was distributing Bible tracts. Based on a complaint, they were arrested and put in prison.
A middle aged woman was a powerful witness for Christ in her village. She was regularly threatened to leave Christ and return to her traditional faith. She was told to stop ploughing her land. A group of militants attacked her and slit her throat. The attackers refused permission for her family to bury her body in her own village.
There are hundreds of stories like this.
Christianity was brought to India 2000 years ago by the apostle Thomas in AD52. Indian Christian globally celebrate St. Thomas’ day every year. India’s anti-conversion law was passed this August by the Utter Pradesh government. If you share about Jesus Christ to someone you can be accused, arrested and put in prison for 20 years and fined 1 million rupees. You can be detained for years without trial. This law puts the burden of guilt on the accused.
Lawyers are certain that this is against the Indian constitution which guarantees freedom of conscience to practice religion, etc. These anti conversion bills will destroy the very foundation of India as a democratic republic, which offers justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. The current move is to create a theocratic dictatorship with a mix of religion and politics.
Several concerned groups have been regularly reporting these crimes to the government of India but in vain. Daily violent attacks are taking place in 19 states. Some Christians are not allowed to draw water from public wells, they are not allowed to pray, they are denied the dignity of burial rights.
Since May 2023, 59,000 people have been left homeless. 15,000 houses set on fire and destroyed. Over 600 churches and Christian institutions have been destroyed. Numbers have no meaning. Every day atrocities are taking place. Arson, looting and burning of churches, houses, schools and hospitals continue unabated. Scores of people are beaten, raped and killed.
We are facing a battle against the Bible, against the Bible people, against the Bible belief. What is the response? We are producing books that show the data that the Bible people created modern India.
Learning to become locally self-sufficient. Persecution gives us an opportunity to participate in the suffering of our Lord. Allowing us to beautify ourselves and allowing us to propagate the person of Christ.
Hundreds of pastors are thrown into prisons but prison bars are not hindering the spread of the gospel.
How did persecution open the doors for the Gospel in Iran?
With Farshid Fathi, Iran
What a privilege to be here. I had the privilege to be in Lausanne in 2010. I came from inside Iran but 60 days later I was arrested and I had to spend five years in prison.
I was born in a Muslim family in Iran right after the Islamic revolution. My mother was a teacher of the Koran. I remember when I repented a great joy came over me. This joy was beyond my body.
I went to Elam Bible college in the UK. After I graduated in 2005, we started our church in my home with two families. We were multiplying and it was growing so fast. Today the Iranian church is one of the fastest growing churches in the world. Evangelism became a lifestyle for our church members.
Our churches are growing not only through the pastors but through our people. As long as we are excited about our salvation we cannot stay silent.
In 2010, we all got arrested. In one year, I spent 361 days in solitary confinement.
I did not see the sun but the Lord was my light and my salvation.
Finally by His goodness, and by the powerful prayers of people all around the world, I got released in December 2015.
Since then we have seen the churches growing even faster. Thousands have been persecuted, hundreds were arrested. But brothers and sisters I am standing here in 2024 to say that suffering and persecution is not the end of the story. God is writing a beautiful story.
Suffering and Persecution is not the end of the story.
God is writing a beautiful story.
When the Islamic revolution took place there were so few believers in Iran. Today there are at least one million Christians from a Muslim background in Iran. If nobody repents for us in one of our churches in one week, it is a big surprise. We are training more leaders and printing more Bibles and resources for discipleship.
Persecution is a part of the story. Since I got saved, I knew that one day persecution will come. The greatest manifestation of love is suffering. But we know the end of the story. Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not overcome.”
I was in prison and a serious Muslim man came to me. He had been accused of being a spy and arrested. He told me, “I am praying but it seems like ours is dead but it seems that yours is alive. I am not a spy.” So I laid my hands on him and prayed. The next day he came to me and said, “This morning my interrogator came and said I was not a spy.” This man was released. It took me four more years!
We are all part of the story. The whole body of Christ. I am talking from the bleeding part of the body. Now I want to introduce you to a brilliant, courageous sister.
With Sara Akhavan, Iran
What a privilege to be with you. Yes the church in Iran is suffering but I am a witness that the word of God continues to spread. Like many others, I have had the privilege of walking through the valley of the shadow of death but God always had the last word.
I was living in Tehran, actively giving out New Testaments and sharing about Jesus. People were so ready to hear the gospel. I fasted and prayed for two months asking for God to open the door for church planting in other cities.
For one year, I travelled from Tehran to another city to teach a little group (six hours every Sunday). I never felt tired because of the joy of being with these people. They were so hungry and thirsty for the Lord. They wanted to grow up in their faith. I decided I should move to the city to help them to grow.
When I went there, the Lord spoke to me that He wanted to give us seven churches. How is this possible? I know the answer was prayer. I formed seven evangelistic teams and we sent them out to the seven towns. For a few weeks, we were walking and praying
After time, God opened the doors. We were so busy. God was doing amazing things. Every day God was adding people to our churches. But at Christmas 2010 at 6.50am there was a knock on the door. My mum opened the door. Five police men came and arrested me. By nightfall I was in solitary confinement. I was so disappointed. For four days, it was quiet in my cell.
Then I heard His beautiful voice. “Look at yourself. You are acting like I am dead.” I stood up and with a loud voice, I started to sing. “In Jesus name we have victory because my God is a God of victory.”
After 37 days, God opened this door for me to be released. The Lord told me, “Daughter do not leave this land. I will be with you. Go back to the city. There is one more town to reach.” I went to the seventh town that the Lord promised me. Two of my old disciples took me to a family they had led to the Lord. I stayed that night and I shared my heart and I told them God opened the door for me to come and plant that seventh church.
Whatever opposition the church faces, the word of God continues to spread
Pray for North Korea
Dr Byung-Yeon Kim: Dr Kim is a distinguished professor of economics at Seoul National University in South Korea with expertise in the North Korean economy.
The population of North Korea is 25 million and it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Economic growth has been restricted. The North Korean economy has been in crisis. They have continued to test nuclear missiles. The situation has worsened since the pandemic. The median household income is estimated $37 per month. North Korean households are consuming 80% of the recommended daily calories. 40% of people are not able to access safe drinking water. Policies are being implemented to crack down on the marketplace, further hindering the economy.
Please pray:
For peace in the Korean peninsula
That the economic suffering of North Korean people will end and that they will live a free life
For political freedom
For reunification of Korean families.
