The Persecution & Prayer Alert The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada http://www.persecution.net Wednesday, April 10, 2002

A summary of news concerning the Persecuted Church and how you can respond. *********************************** Contents: 1. Continuing Violence Against Christians (Colombia)

2. Church Ordered Closed (Azerbaijan)

3. Border Closed to Vietnamese Refugees (Cambodia)

4. Is It Safe? (Editorial)

5. Update Your Address Book *********************************** 1. Continuing Violence Against Christians (Colombia)

When peace talks collapsed in the 38-year-old conflict in Colombia between guerrilla organizations and the Colombian government, increasing violence was anticipated. One area in which the violence seems to have taken a dramatic increase is in violence against Christians.

The Persecution & Prayer Alert previously reported on the assassination of Archbishop Isa ­as Duarte Cancino on March 16 and a subsequent arrest. The violence has continued with the recent murder of a Catholic priest, the kidnapping of two others and continued threats against pastors, missionaries, and evangelists.

On April 7, Father Juan Ram ³n N º ±ez and a parishioner were shot and killed in the southern village of La Argentina during mass. According to Zenit, the gunman went up to the altar, shot N º ±ez four times and then turned and shot Joaqu ­n Quebrada before leaving the church. Yesterday (April 9) guerrillas also kidnapped two priests and a third, who was close to the murdered archbishop, was forced to leave the country because of death threats.

The World Evangelical Alliance issued a statement today warning of the dangers facing Christian workers in Colombia and calling for prayer. They state, “Pastors, evangelists and missionaries infuriate guerrilla leaders and drug lords because they stand against violence, drugs and corruption, often leading corrupt politicians, guerrillas and criminals out of darkness ‘into the kingdom of God’s Son’.” According to Colombian pastor, Hector Pardo, the FARC guerrillas consider evangelical groups legitimate military targets because of alleged political involvement, even though evangelicals have actively opposed war and are pursuing peace through dialogue.

Pray for the Christians in Colombia, that they will be safe and that they will cease to be targets in this continuing war. Pray for the continued growth of the Church in Colombia and for boldness to stand against the forces of darkness.

*********************************** 2. Church Ordered Closed (Azerbaijan)

In a move that has raise concerns from many religious and human rights groups, a court in Azerbaijan ordered on April 3 that a Baptist church in the capital city of Baku be liquidated. According to Keston Institute, the church had previously been licensed by the government and was in the reapplication process at the time. The government department that brought the charges against the Love Church argued that the pastor that “insulted Islam several times.”

The church, along with the Baptist leadership in Azerbaijan, has rejected the court ruling as illegal and unjust. A letter has been drawn up to be presented to the president of the country. The church has one month to appeal this ruling.

Upon hearing of this order, local police attempted to stop another Baptist church from holding services, two days later. While services carried on as planned with no further interference by police, pressure seems to be increasing against the Azerbaijani church.

Pray for strength and endurance for the Azerbaijani believers. Pray for wisdom as the decision is made on whether to appeal the decision. Pray that the authorities will cease this pressure against the Church.

*********************************** 3. Border Closed to Vietnamese Refugees (Cambodia)

While the existing Vietnamese Montagnard refugees in Cambodia have been allowed to leave for safety, it appears that the possibility of others reaching safety has been closed. In recent weeks, the fate of hundreds of refugees, many fleeing Vietnam because of religious persecution, has been a major human rights concern. Earlier this month, after facing pressure from the international community, the governments of Vietnam and Cambodia agreed that the refugees did not have to return to Vietnam, but could find asylum in the United States. Within days, however, the Cambodian government announced that two refugee camps would be closed and no more refugees from Vietnam would be allowed across the border. Any who try to cross the border would be immediately returned.

This decision raises serious human rights concerns. The Montagnards are fleeing Vietnam to escape repression and persecution from the Vietnamese government. Pray that the Cambodian government will not succumb to pressure from Vietnam but will listen to the international community and reopen the border to those fleeing. Pray that the government of Vietnam will stop this repression. And pray that the Montagnard believers will be able to stand firm in their faith in spite of the suffering which they face.

*********************************** 4. Is It Safe? (Editorial)

Late last week, I received one of my favorite Christian publications; a 16-page biweekly newspaper called Christian Week. I’ve been receiving it almost continuously since its inception 16 years ago and have been challenged, changed, and occasionally enraged by what I have read in this paper, but rarely bored. It happened again this week.

In a version of an article that originally appeared in the February edition of SIM Now (the original can be found on the SIM Canada website at http://www.sim.ca/SIMCanada_Directors_96_Page.asp), Pep Philpott, executive director for SIM Canada, mulled over the question why, as missionary agencies, we tend to evacuate our staff when things get “hot” in our countries of service. This became most obvious in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, when many missionaries were evacuated from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Such evacuations of missionary staff are, by no means, unique.

In his deliberations, Philpott rightfully observed that evacuation decisions are often taken out of the hands of the missionaries by government orders, the church’s advice, or circumstances beyond their control. But he noted, “the question would not go away. Could it really be a reasonable supposition that God intends suffering for our national brethren, but not for the missionary? Would the purposes of God consistently suffer if the missionary remained in a situation of conflict?”

It is his next paragraph that I found most intriguing. “After mulling over these weighty issues I came to this conclusion: I have an appalling theology of suffering. In fact, it is hardly a theology because it cannot be supported by Scripture. For me, and I suspect for my generation, comfort and security are seen as our birthright. We strive ardently to hold on to them, hardly considering the Biblical requirement to release them for the sake of the Gospel. It’s as if our motto is, ‘We came to serve, not to suffer.’ “

As Communications Officer for The Voice of the Martyrs, I receive a number of emails from all over the world. Occasionally, I get emails from those who are either thinking of ministering in another culture or who have loved ones who are planning to do so. The main reason they write me is not so that I can pray for them or help equip them for ministry in a restricted nation. Usually the purpose of the message is to ascertain whether it is “safe” to minister there.

Usually, the answer is “Yes, for the most part.” Usually foreigners are much safer in restricted societies than the national believers who do not have the luxury of evacuation. The worst thing that can usually happen to a foreigner missionary is that they will be expelled from the country. There are rare (and tragic) exceptions, but this is generally true.

But I am disconcerted by the question, “Is it safe?” When is it ever safe to follow Jesus? Did Jesus promise a safe road? Is the call of God only to be followed if “to pastures green, He leadeth me”? Rather, did He not say, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24)? The path of Christ is the path of the cross. Yet, how many of us are like Peter, who upon hearing that Jesus was going to follow this path, took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22). Jesus replied, that such a mentality reflected the attitude of this world, rather than the mind of God (16:23). To the mind of God, suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to His people. Disobedience is.

(Glenn Penner is the Communications Officer of The Voice of the Martyrs. He has developed a course of studies called The Wurmbrand Institute that addresses these and other issues in greater detail. Go to http://www.persecution.net/wurmbr.htm for more information)

***********************************

5. Update Your Address Book

Please check your email address book to make sure that your email address for The Voice of the Martyrs is correct. As of May 1, our old email address (), which we have not been actively using for over a year, will be discontinued and will no longer forward emails to our main email address ().

*********************************** The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4L5)

Website: http://www.persecution.net ***********************************