WASHINGTON — On Religious Freedom Day, January 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed a rule that implements President Trump’s executive order that removes current regulatory burdens on religious organizations and ensures that religious and non-religious organizations are treated equally in HHS-supported programs. This rule protects HHS-supported religious social service…
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…
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…
LONDON – According to Christian Concern UK Christian doctor, Dr Richard Scott, has finally been vindicated after a concerted and targeted attack against him by a secularist campaign group was thrown out by the General Medical Council (GMC). Back in June, the National Secular Society (NSS) registered “concern” with the General Medical Council that the…
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’…
Yael Eckstein, president of the International Fellowship of Christian and Jews, shares her thoughts on Hanukkah and her hope and prayer for divine intervention, for the power of light to overcome the darkness of religious oppression wherever it exists. Hanukkah, which began Sunday night this year, commemorates a great Jewish victory over oppression by the…
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,…
COVENTRY, ENGLAND – On May 7, 2019, the military council in control of Sudan declared that Sharia would continue to be the rule of law throughout the country. By July, it had become clear that Christian women and children comprised the majority of those imprisoned under the strict Islamic law codes. The Barnabas Fund, based…
PAKISTAN – New reports highlight continuing concern over Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, six months after Asia Bibi was finally allowed to leave the country. The reports come from sources as diverse as the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCRIF) and Humanists International. The USCIRF reports there are still 80 people in Pakistan imprisoned on blasphemy…
EDMOND, OKLAHOMA — An atheist “Grinch” organization has bullied an Oklahoma school district into telling third grade children they cannot participate in a live Nativity scene during their school’s annual Christmas production. Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the Edmond Public School superintendent after Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus were dropped from Chisholm Elementary…
LOS ANGELES — This past weekend, the Los Angeles Dream Center parking lot transformed into a winter wonderland complete with all the festive trimmings and filled with over 8,000 gifts, a skating rink, snow, Santa Claus, an appearance from Frozen’s Anna and Elsa, inflatables, cookies, hot cocoa and more. The Dream Center was pleased to be able to…
Business is booming for child predators in foreign countries – but a Virginia-based Christian ministry is working to reduce the problem.Young girls and women in countries such as Thailand and India often won’t dream of a good future because many of them will be sold – knowingly or otherwise – into the trafficking industry, which…
CHICAGO — March for Life Chicago Board President Dawn Fitzpatrick announced that the March for Life Chicago 2020, set for January 11, will be a massive expansion of previous marches. This time, the traditional rally and march is coupled with a convention featuring pro-life organizations from across the United States, a young adult evening event,…
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…
LITTLETON, CO – While China Partner celebrates 30 years of ministry, the country is, once again, undergoing dramatic changes. As they have in the past, Chinese Christians are learning to stand firm in their faith and be willing to trust the Lord in every circumstance. China Partner is there to help them. Erik Burklin is…
SUDAN — A message released 9 November from the South Sudan Council of Churches reflected that the will for peace is not measured only by deadlines and technical arrangements. “Whether the government is formed on 12th November 2019 or a further extension is agreed, it is a question of the heart and of the political…
SYRIA – Samaritan’s Purse is providing emergency relief to Syrian families displaced by Turkey’s recent incursion along the border. The violence has created a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 100,000 people. Some have crossed the border into northern Iraq while others remain displaced within northeastern Syria. Samaritan’s Purse is meeting the desperate physical needs of…
SEOUL— The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) held its 68th General Assembly at Jeongdong First Methodist Church in Seoul on 18 November. The assembly decided to proclaim 2020 as a “jubilee year” marking 70 years since the Korean War, and the NCCK also vowed to continue its efforts for a permanent and solid…
Missions Agency Confronts Violence Against Women During International Observance, Nov. 25 WILLS POINT, TX — A staggering one-third of women and girls around the world will suffer physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, missions agency Gospel for Asia (GFA) reports, as the organization marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women…
MOSCOW – This is not an article about a missionary agency, a missionary project, or a faith-based organization. It is about people of whom we are mostly unaware. People who need the Lord. People who need our prayers. The purpose of this article is to raise our collective awareness and encourage us to pray.Something significant…
WASHINGTON, DC – A recent meeting of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom declared that “Places of worship and other religious sites should be sanctuaries where worshipers feel safe to practice their faith.” Based on statements made at meetings of, or contained within documentation published by, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,…
NIGERIA – The Jihadist massacre lasted for five hours. Esther listened from the makeshift outhouse as she hid behind the door. “Convert or be killed!” shouted Boko Haram militants. Their commands were followed by screams, the popping of machine guns, and the smell of burning flesh and hair as they made their way through the…
ALEPPO – Jina was married to Rober in 2011. Their son, Abraham (known as Apo), was born in 2012. Rober was kidnapped in 2013 in Syria – targeted because he is a Christian. They don’t know if he’s alive. Jina and Apo live in Aleppo, Syria, where they are supported by Open Doors partner Pastor…
GENEVA — As Turkey pursues its military operation in north-east Syria, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is gravely concerned about the humanitarian impact on the people of the region. It is reported that tens of thousands of civilians are fleeing from the first waves of the Turkish attack, and that hundreds of thousands of…
WASHINGTON — Rev. Patrick Mahoney, the Director of the Christian Defense Coalition based in Washington DC, is leading the efforts to support the democracy and freedom protests happening in Hong Kong and will be speaking at local rallies, leading prayer gatherings and meeting with local pro-democracy and Christian leaders. Rev. Mahoney is the first American…
BARDARASH, Iraq – More than 13,000 Syrian refugees have embarked on harrowing journeys through the conflict zones in their own country to find safety in neighboring Iraq. Their first stop across the border is the Sehela transit centre where Samaritan’s Purse staff has been present to greet them, help serve a meal, and offer them…
ABUJA, NIGERIA – Faith-based organizations Action Against Hunger and Mercy Corps were forced to suspend operations in northeastern Nigeria in mid-September. The Nigerian army closed two Action Against Hunger offices and four Mercy Corps facilities based on allegations that both agencies were aiding terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State. Action Against Hunger vigorously…
GREENVILLE, SC — Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse knows the physical, spiritual and psychological effects can torment an individual for a lifetime. Although the external wounds heal, the internal wounds and sickening images are either still very raw or have been pushed down so far that darkness covers them. But for…
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…
IRAQ – Growing insecurity in Iraq and on its border could lead to a fresh exodus of Christians from the country, warns Jamal Liddawi, a partner of Release International, which is supporting refugees in the country. The Turkish invasion of Syria and growing protests in Baghdad could drive even more Christians out of the country,…
DELHI – The Indian government Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs issued a press release on October 23 that could change the lives of four million Delhi residents for the better. The Union Cabinet has approved regulations to guide the process “for conferring/ recognizing ownership or mortgage transfer rights to residents of Unauthorized Colonies (UC)…
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…
NEW YORK, NY – Christians around the world are invited and encouraged to engage in prayer and supplications on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted for their faith. Sunday, November 3, has been set aside as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We should not be…
BARTLESVILLE, OK The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on Christians around the world to pray for persecuted believers in North Korea as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church takes place on Sunday November 3. To help mobilize informed prayers, VOM’s 2019 IDOP short film, “Sang-chul: North Korea”, provides a dramatic example…
ROME – When the United States Secretary of State speaks, it is usually about political affairs of state. When Mike Pompeo addressed a symposium in Rome on October 2, his message was about increasing global threats to the right of religious freedom. Secretary Pompeo was a featured speaker at a symposium about the work of…
HONG KONG – Speculation about the future of Hong Kong abounded in 1997 when Great Britain handed over its governing authority to mainland China. Anxiety-ridden headlines predicted China would move swiftly to integrate the city under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). When a one-country, two-systems approach was proposed, the world breathed a…
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – A high profile group of US Christian leaders visited Saudi Arabia on the eve of 9/11. During their visit, the delegation issued a statement including why their visit coincided with the 9/11 tragedy. “While it may surprise some that we would choose the week of September 11 to visit the Kingdom,…
GENEVA – Nearly a million Rohingya are interred at refugee camps in Bangladesh, having fled their homes to escape persecution in their native Myanmar. Tensions have been rising over the past several months and have reached a point where remaining in Bangladesh may become as dangerous as of being back in Myanmar. The UN Office…
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…
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was founded in 1998. The mission of the USCIRF is “To elevate and promote international religious freedom as a norm and practice.” During the past year, the USCIRF has issued four factsheets that summarize four types of laws used internationally to prevent the…
Welsh councillors in the UK have defended their freedom to conduct prayers before meetings in the face of opposition from those labelling it ‘discriminatory’. Councillor Paul Penlington called on Denbighshire Council in North Wales in the UK, to conduct prayers away from the council chamber, and has received the support of the National Secular Society….
NEW YORK – August 22, 2019, marked the first International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief sponsored by the United Nations. Missions Box News first became aware of the proposed special day in July 2018 when members of the British parliament were called to consider supporting a proposal…
Rev. Joseph D’Souza, one of the most widely considered as one of the most influential voices of global Christianity discusses how Christians should respond to the crisis in Kashmir, and perspective for all Indian, Pakistani and all Christians to have in this dire situation. Christians around the world ought to pray for Kashmir as tensions…
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimonies this week for an amendment to a bill that would affirm that life begins at conception and prohibit abortion after an unborn child’s heartbeat is detected or with increased levels of the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone. Liberty Counsel Senior Litigation Counsel Richard Mast presented testimony…
GENEVA — The U.N. Economic and Social Council approved 40-2 a resolution that targets only Israel for alleged violations of womens rights, yet does not include other countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Pakistan, all notorious for often misogynistic policies and denying basic rights to women. The United States and Canada were the only…
Noel Yeatts, President of World Help, an international, Christian humanitarian organization serving the needs of the impoverished around the world, discusses the myths people mistakenly believe about child sponsorship. If you were to spend any amount of time with me, you would quickly see that I’m passionate about a number of social justice issues plaguing…
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…
IDLIB – Unless you deliberately searched for it, you probably missed one of the most significant news stories of the past few weeks.After eight years of bloody fighting, the Syrian civil war may finally be coming to an end. The Syrian army launched an offensive to retake Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold. If Idlib…
WASHINGTON — Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chairman of Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission along with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), today held a bipartisan hearing on the perilous state of religious freedom for Christians in China, Nigeria, Iran and other places around the world. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, head of the U.S. State Department’s Office…
BARTLESVILLE, OK – Saturday, June 29, 2019, is The Day of the Christian Martyr. It is both right and proper that we pay homage to those brave souls who committed their lives to Christ regardless of the cost. Beginning with the eyewitness account of the stoning of Stephen in the Book of Acts (Chapter 7)…
