NEWPORT BEACH, CA — In an effort to bring joy and Christmas to the displaced suffering Armenian children, For The Martyrs, a 501c3 organization will bring Operation Christmas to Armenia. Operation Christmas will provide wrapped Christmas boxes that are full of gifts such as toys, dolls, clothing, and more for children so they can have…
NIGERIA — Christian charity Open Doors is calling for people to urgently pray for the release and safety of 300 kidnapped schoolboys still missing following a raid by gunman on their school last weekend in Western Katsina State, Nigeria. Boko Haram reportedly carried out the kidnappings. Many Christians have also been targeted in this region…
COLOMBIA — Timóteo’s family found Jesus, and converted from the beliefs of their tribe in Colombia. That made them targets for persecution – and made Timóteo a target for guerrilla gangs. You’re 11 years old, and you’re walking home from school. A man carrying a gun calls you over to him. What do you do?…
COLOMBIA — Believers and worshipers from Colombia face persecution if members of their indigenous community find out that they are Christians. It’s Sunday morning in the village of San Pedro de la Victoria, Colombia. Gabriel – an indigenous Christian whose name has been changed to protect his identity – wakes up to prepare a service…
COLOMBIA — Christmas is likely to look different for all of us this year. Some of us will be celebrating the birth of Jesus without our friends and family closest to us. You may have even lost somebody you love this year, and this will be your first Christmas without them. Daniela from Colombia is…
EASTON, MD — Iran’s “underground” house church movement — the fastest growing evangelical church in the world — is being fueled by explosive social media use and satellite television viewership, according to new findings. Middle East satellite broadcaster SAT-7 (www.sat7usa.org) reveals thousands of Iranians regularly tune into Christian programs on its SAT-7 PARS channel that…
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC — The Voice of the Martyrs is encouraging believers across the world to join them in a global prayer event taking place November 1, with a particular focus on standing with the many displaced Christians in the Central African Republic. The charity has been providing much needed aid and Bibles to help…
NIGERIA — Following the death of her husband in an attack by militant Fulani herdsmen in April – during which most of the family’s belongings were burnt – Abigail* not only faced the grief of losing a loved one but the anguish of not knowing if there was enough food the next day to feed…
CANADA — In spite of persecution Iran has the fastest growing church in the world. It’s often the Muslim converts who face the worst persecution. Greg Musselman interviews Dr. Hormoz Shariat, founder of Iran Alive Ministries, which has seen an amazing response to the Gospel during COVID-19. Hundreds are calling in each week to accept…
IRAN – Iran is one of the world’s most dangerous places for Christians. Yet this Muslim nation is seeing an unprecedented explosion of Christianity. Muslims fed up with Islam are becoming followers of Jesus Christ in record numbers. George Thomas of CBN News follows a group of converts that secretly left Iran to be baptized….
QARAQOSH, IRAQ — When the so-called Islamic State (IS) took over their town, Qaraqosh in northern Iraq, Mathi and his family had no choice but to flee. He, his wife Nazik and their six children fled to safety – they knew that their Christian faith made them extremely vulnerable. Five years later, thanks to support…
NORTH KOREA — North Korea is on the verge of a catastrophic meltdown according to reports reaching Open Doors from North Korean Christians. “North Korea faces a major crisis with multiple causes,” says Timothy Cho, North Korean escapee. “Covid-19 lockdown, catastrophic flooding, and international sanctions.” Although the North Korean Government has claimed that they have…
GREENVILLE, SC – PAK7 is a brand-new faith-based organization that is preparing for Christian ministry in Pakistan, the fifth largest country in the world by population. More than 90% of the population, of which 70% are under age 35, are Muslim. Pakistan is also ranked as the 5th most dangerous nation for the persecution of…
IRAQ — Dalia is a woman of remarkable spiritual strength and fortitude. Her life was threatened by so-called Islamic State and her home in the Ninevah plains was ransacked, but with support from Open Doors she has overcome these difficulties to become a leading figure in her local church. In 2014 the so-called Islamic State…
ORLANDO, FL — Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that empowers mother-tongue Bible translators and partners with local churches in the advancement of Bible translation, is providing computer tablets and virtual tools to help mother-tongue translators continue their work in spite of COVID-19 and oppression from anti-Christian authorities. “Several Christians traveled from a dangerous country to…
WASHINGTON — The International Committee on Nigeria (ICON), a nonprofit working to secure a future for all Nigerians, launched a new Data Tome (“report”) today proving the religious persecution and genocide that has been occurring in Nigeria over the last 20 years. The report includes recent testimonies of some of the more than 60,000 victims…
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today mourns the death of Tahir Ahmad Naseem, a U.S. citizen who was shot in a courtroom in Peshawar, Pakistan on July 29, 2020. The assailant claimed to have shot Naseem because he had belonged to the Ahmadiyya faith. “Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are…
WASHINGTON, DC – The USCIRF (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom) released the following statement urging the Administration to immediately enforce the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, which was signed by President Donald Trump: “Along with Congress, the official communication and policy of this administration has been unambiguous in expressing both concern and outrage over…
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed the Pakistani government’s recent establishment of the National Commission for Minorities to oversee religious minorities’ rights.. In a June 2014 ruling, the Pakistani Supreme Court directed the government to form a commission “to monitor the practical realization of the rights and safeguards provided…
BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC – Frankly, I was surprised to learn of a Christian ministry actively working in North Korea. Then, I discovered CFK (not to be confused with KFC), Christian Friends of Korea. I was amazed by how the Lord has opened doors for CFK and how much He has accomplished through them in the…
WILLS POINT, TX – A national pastor in Myanmar supported by Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) was forcibly removed at gunpoint from his home by five men on January 19, 2019. The men are believed to have been members of a rebel army that has been seeking control…
CONROE, TX— Good Shepherd Ministry – Pakistan has recently purchased a rickshaw to start a taxi service, as well as 5 sewing machines to launch their sewing center with funds garnered via crowdfunding efforts on the new TentMakers platform. Good Shepherd Ministry – Pakistan provides shelter & care for 45 orphans near Multan, Pakistan, an…
MIDLAND, TX — ChinaAid released its 2019 Annual Report on Friday, detailing persecution and key findings for the year. The report covers the period from January-December 2019 and provides information on the targeting of Chinese Christians. Throughout the year, ChinaAid observed escalated instances of religious oppression, driven by the government’s campaign to develop “religion with…
ADAMAWA, Nigeria – More than 100 members of the Islamic State of West Africa, also known as Boko Haram, recently swarmed northern Adamawa, a state in northeast Nigeria, and set at least five churches ablaze while they opened fire and indiscriminately killed residents, according to Sunday reports. The violence targeting Christian churches in northern Nigeria…
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Liberty Counsel is a Christian ministry that “proclaims, advocates, supports, advances, and defends” religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the biblical model of marriage and family. The Orlando-based ministry maintains offices in Virginia and Washington, DC. The ministry is best understood as it is self-described on the Liberty Counsel…
WASHINGTON – Today Open Doors announced the 2020 World Watch List of religious persecution offenders at a press conference in Washington, D.C, and revealed that Christians living in China are experiencing unprecedented levels of persecution, and their quality of life is deteriorating at an alarming rate. China jumped four spots, from #27 in 2019 to…
Vernon Brewer, CEO and founder of World Help, a Christian humanitarian organization, discusses the good news stories that took place in 2019. There’s a trite yet true saying about the world’s fascination with negative news stories and headlines: “Good news doesn’t sell.” This saying proved painfully true in 2019 — from conflicts abroad to natural…
CHENGDU, SICHUAN — Chengdu authorities sentenced Pastor Wang Yi to nine years in prison this morning, days after his secret trial. Wang, who is the pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church, was found guilty of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations.” Both charges were given to him because of his position within…
The U.S. State Department removed Sudan from its list of governments that are engaging in or tolerating systemic and ongoing religious freedom violations and has placed Nigeria, Cuba, and Nicaragua on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedom” for the first time. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Friday the State Departments’…
BURKINA FASO — Simultaneous attacks by extremist insurgents on a military base and Arbinda town in Soum province in the north of Burkina Faso resulted in the deaths of 35 civilians – almost all of them women – as well as seven soldiers. President Roch Marc Christian Kabore has declared 48 hours of national mourning,…
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Pro-life leaders reveal that the President of Costa Rica intends to covertly open the door to abortion. In the March for Life, Evangelical and Catholic believers came together with the same goal. Tens of thousands of people marched along the main streets of the city of San Jose, the capital…
MOSUL – Release International is working with Christians who have been forced to flee for their lives in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Halla is one. She lived in the Iraqi city of Mosul – and ISIS fighters were on their way. Their reputation went before them. Halla and her mother…
ANHUI – According to China Aid authorities have destroyed a church in China and detained its pastors. No legal papers ordering the church’s demolition were provided, but officials tore it down on Friday October 18. It could seat more than 3,000 people and was part of the country’s officially-recognized church network. The large building –…
WASHINGTON — In a recent national survey, the MENA Collective, a new organization publicly launching November 1, 2019, asked active, church-going millennials their thoughts regarding giving and the Middle East. Their findings show that almost half of those surveyed did not trust their local church when it comes to giving their money. Equally surprising was…
JERUSALEM, Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the terror attack near a synagogue in Halle, Germany that killed two people Wednesday is “additional testimony that anti-Semitism in Europe is increasing.” The anti-Semitic attack took place during Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Witnesses say the gunman tried but failed to break…
ABUJA – Conducting charitable humanitarian work in any developing country or crisis situation is difficult at best. Working in disease or conflict-ridden regions is not only hard but sometimes downright dangerous.This is rapidly becoming the scenario for NGOs working in strife-torn Nigeria where Boko Haram rebels are attempting to establish the Islamic State in West…
BEIJING – For more than two years, Missions Box News has brought our readers reports of the Chinese Communist Party’s widespread campaign to clamp down on Christianity in mainland China. The big news out of China in January 2019 was not tariffs and trade wars. The CCP demanded that the first of the 10 commandments…
BEIJING – Barely six months ago, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIFR) identified its current Countries of Particular Concern (CPC). Sixteen of the CPC were ranked as Tier One, those of the most significant concern. Of those, committee member Gary Bauer said,“If we were going to rank the Tier 1 countries, China would…
ABUJA, NIGERIA – On August 1, Missions Box News published an article entitled “65 Dead in Boko Haram Attack at Funeral.” In that article, we reported that Leah Sharibu, a Christian teenager who had been abducted in early 2018 along with more than 100 Chibok school children early in 2018, may have been killed by…
KABUL – That is one way to describe Afghanistan: 48,000 mosques; no churches. Our mental picture of Afghanistan is a country torn by Taliban tribal warfare and a haven of ISIS. That vision includes thousands of U.S. troops in-country and many more whose return to “normal life” has been hindered by afflictions that range from…
ABUJA, NIGERIA – The latest accounts say that some 65 people in Maiduguri, Nigeria, have died in a Boko Haram attack during a funeral in the northeastern village. Another 10 people reportedly sustained injuries, eight of who are in critical condition following Saturday’s attack. Boko Haram was initially known as the “Nigerian Taliban” when it…
BANI, BURKIN FASO – Wearing a Christian cross on a necklace is common. For some, it is a mere prettification. Others wear one as a talisman of sorts. But, for believers, it is a witness to their faith in the finished work of Christ on Calvary. It is, for the most part, a perfectly acceptable…
MIDLAND, TX — When Liao Qiang and his family of six arrived in Taiwan last week, it’s because it was their only option for keeping their children safe. The family, which is affiliated with Early Rain Covenant Church, has been under constant surveillance from the Chinese authorities ever since a December crackdown on the church…
BWERA, UGANDA – Several Christian churches in western Uganda began an outdoor evangelistic campaign in Bwera on May 20. It was evident that the event was going well as Muslim people listened and responded positively to the Gospel message.Because so many were publicly professing their faith in Christ, Muslim leaders began staging demonstrations. The demonstrations…
YANGON – Reuters journalists, Wa Lone (33) and Kyaw So Oo (29) were detained in Myanmar in December 2017. They were charged and eventually convicted of violating the country’s Official Secrets Act. They were sentenced to seven years in prison. Today, the two men are free after spending more than 500 days in custody. They…
PARIS – Millions of people around the globe stared in disbelief as they watched the Cathedral of Notre Dame ravaged by a massive fire. I couldn’t help but think about the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Although initial reports lean toward the fire having been accidental, it is interesting to…
AMSTERDAM — A Chinese petitioner is on track to be repatriated by the Netherlands back to China, where she will likely face severe persecution and may even lose her life. Chen Yan sought asylum in the Netherlands after she faced persecution for petitioning the Chinese Communist Party. Now, shortly after she protested during Chinese Premier…
NAIROBI – When a young Muslim imam in the eastern Uganda village of Kerekerene began missing prayers at the local mosque, his family and friends became concerned. Three weeks passed before they found him. Rather than relief, their concerns escalated. Someone had spotted him on March 16, entering a building where they would have least…
MOUNT STERLING, OH – Missions Box News serves primarily to connect the church in the West to news of what God is doing through nonprofits around the world. Sometimes we share the work of specific FBOs; other times we may offer insights into situations of international concern that may hinder or help the spread of…
LUHANSK, Ukraine – The unrecognized People’s Republic of Luhansk, an independent quasi-state of Ukraine drafted a law requiring all churches`to “re-register” just four years after declaring its independence during the armed conflict of 2014. The February 2018 legislation pertained to all Protestant churches and required them to re-register by October 2018. The re-registration was required…
