Beijing beware!

I do think that we must use the Beijing Olympics to show the Chinese government that we are watching them closely and that they can't distract us from human rights issues by putting up a spectacular show.
In the Netherlands we have developed a special training program for our contenders. I did give you a sneak preview some weeks ago (sheep sprinting training session, check this), but soon we will send our full grown secret sheep to China in order to change this huge country from the inside out. Like lambs among wolves, that's right!
I have captured these two secret sheep on camera yesterday, but soon they will be heading for Beijing / Peking or 北京 if you want to be 100% accurate. Please also read this serious entry.

Praying for China and raising awareness

The eyes of the world will soon be on the Olympics. But the eyes of God remain on His children and especially those who suffer for their faith.
Despite what you may hear in the news, Chinese Christians who refuse to register with the government controlled church are being persecuted. Many have undergone horrific suffering. Read more here and get your free prayer band here (if you are living in the USA).

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3

Not gonna bow and I'm not alone

I am reading the book of Daniel from the Message translation right now. Wow. Just read the passage below and see how exciting and inspiring these old stories are when you read them in contemporary English! I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna bow for the idols of this world, whatever the consequences. Let's all pray for the persecuted Church, our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world. They are certainly not alone!

Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. 1 Peter 1:6,7

Furious, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought in. When the men were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar asked, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't respect my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up? I'm giving you a second chance—but from now on, when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If you don't worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?"
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.'

You can read the whole story online here - it is accessible and 100% free, just like God's grace! So what on earth is stopping you, for Heaven's sake?

What can I say?

Until today I didn't hear about the shootings in Colorado Springs where five people, including a gunman, died in the attacks at New Life Church and at the Youth With a Mission missionary center in the Denver suburb of Arvada. Five others were wounded.
Please also have a look at this video from Persecution blog (I found out about this tragedy through Stacy L Harp's email newsletter).
My prayers are with the families of the victims and the relatives of the gunman. I feel upset and angry about yet another senseless act of violence, but I am too impressed by the testimonies of my brothers and sisters in Christ to stay angry about this. What can I say? Look at this video and you can see the love of Christ in action - no power from hell can overcome the grace of Jesus. We have an eternal perspective, we have a hope that will become reality. We have a Lord and Saviour who has overcome the world. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Background information

News from Voice of the Martyrs

Please read the first comment on this posting with a news update from Voice of the Martyrs and pray with me for the persecuted church. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3

She said in one sentence what 1000 missionaries in 1000 years could never do

Please take some time to read this Letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna (PDF).
It is a long message, but I do urge you to read it and I also ask you to pray for our brothers and sisters in Turkey.

In an act that hit front pages in the largest newspapers in Turkey, Susanne Geske in a television interview expressed her forgiveness. She did not want revenge, she told reporters. “Oh God, forgive them for they know not what they do,” she said, wholeheartedly agreeing with the words of Christ on Calvary (Luke 23:34).
In a country where blood-for-blood revenge is as normal as breathing, many, many reports have come to the attention of the church of how this comment of Susanne Geske has changed lives. One columnist wrote of her comment, “She said in one sentence what 1000 missionaries in 1000 years could never do.”

To the Church in Smyrna (= Izmir)
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelations 2:10

Please visit the website of the Protestant Church of Izmir, Turkey.

Talking about Open Doors

"You need to feel the power of the persecuted church, because they are God's means to show us the way of Christ. Following Christ always involves suffering, as we have to cast self aside and embrace His cross. It is a way of joy and pain (...) It takes someone to stand in the gap between their experience and ours, someone who has the experience of both and can connect the two worlds." (Brother Andrew in the Introduction of Faith that Endures - by Ronald Boyd-MacMillan).

Last week I had an appointment at the Dutch office of Open Doors. I was talking with some people from Marketing Communications about our publishing projects when all of a sudden somebody entered the room. I recognized Al Janssen, co-author of Light Force, a book about the church in the Middle East, written by him and Anne van der Bijl (better known outside our country as Brother Andrew).

Guess what, I peered through the open door (how appropriate!) and saw a friendly elderly man smiling back at me. Yes, this was Brother Andrew - a.k.a. God's smuggler. He didn't want to interrupt our conversation and waited patiently in the hall until his co-writer came back to join him again.

I've met brother Andrew before because we've published the Dutch edition of Light Force and I assisted him during press conferences and even visited him at his house once; but it was such a privilege to meet this living legend face to face again. Please don't get me wrong - I am not idolizing human beings - I just have a soft spot for people like Corrie ten Boom, Henri Nouwen and Anne van der Bijl. I think all three of them are great examples as radical followers of Christ.

I just want to share this experience with you. Brother Andrew is such a humble man and I have so much respect for him. Even at his age (God willing he will celebrate his 79th birthday on May 11, 2007) he is still actively travelling to dangerous areas in this world to support and encourage persecuted Christians and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people who want to listen. And if you talk to him about this, he will only say that he is doing what all Christians should be doing. Yes, he's right. Let's all be humble, friendly, dedicated and radial followers of Jesus Christ!

I can only advice you to read brother Andrew's books and support the work of organisations such as Open Doors who are doing so many good things for persecuted Christians around the globe.

Please pray for the persecuted church

Read the comment section of this post for some news facts from several countries around the globe where Christians are persecuted today! Source: Persecutionblog

*UPDATE* Severe Persecution in India right now!

Why persecute Christians? Because, just like in England and America in centuries past, believers in Jesus are the ones today working and praying toward the liberation of millions of “slaves” on the Indian subcontinent. These slaves—the Dalits and other lower castes—make up the vast majority of the Indian population. Yet they are the ones harassed, abused, denied the right to worship, forced to live on the outskirts of villages, maltreated and even murdered—simply because of their social position. And today their desire for freedom is being threatened by the greed of a powerful minority . . . all for economic gain.

Please read this recent news and this background information from K.P. Yohannan from Gospel for Asia - please take some time to pray and raise awareness about the suffering going on right now!

Christian Leaders Arrested in Zimbabwe

The entire leadership of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) and some journalists were arrested during a meeting in Kadoma on January 26. The alliance is involved in a number of measures to support those suffering from the on-going political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe and to work toward a resolution. At least 1000 people gathered in and around a church building to pray for Zimbabwe when armed riot police raided the meeting and arrested the leaders. Eight senior leaders were charged with holding an illegal political meeting. During interrogation, they were accused of working to overthrow President Robert Mugabe. After being interrogated throughout the weekend, the eight were arraigned on January 29 and released on $100,000 Zimbabwe dollars ($415 US) bail each. They are scheduled to appear in court on March 5. Those facing charges are Jonah Gokova, Pastor Raymond Motsi, Pius Wakatama, Pastor Ancelemon Magaya, Pastor Watson Mugabe, Pastor Zvizai Chiponda, Lawrence Berejina and Gerald Mubaiwa. Pray those charged will be acquitted. Thank God for their release. Ask God to encourage the leadership of ZCA to faithfully carry out their God-given task. 1 Peter 5:1-4 Source

Persecution in Eritrea

Police and military authorities in Eritrea jailed 68 Christians in three official round-up operations conducted the first week of January.
January 4 - Military commanders at Sawa Military Center held "random check-up on the activities of Christian extremists" on teenage student conscripts. They found 250 Bibles, which they burned in front of the whole military camp. They arrested 35 students and ordered they be subjected to severe military punishment, including torture.
January 5 - Police took 8 government workers into custody. The Christians are being interrogated and pressured by police to identify leaders and name anyone supporting them.
January 5 - Thirty-five Christians in Assab were arrested by police. They were pressured to recant their faith. Source

Please pray for the release of all Christians in Eritrea who are imprisoned for their faith. Pray those being tortured will be strengthened and delivered by the Lord.

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3

Please pray for North Korea

All around the world Christians are praying for a spiritual breakthrough and regime change in North Korea. For the fourth straight year, the isolated communist nation remains atop the Open Doors World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. The annual list ranks countries according to the intensity of persecution Christians face for actively pursuing their faith in Jesus Christ.

"The isolation of North Korea has enabled the leaders to brainwash the population and teach them unquestioning obedience to their authority. Kim Il Sung (the ‘Great Leader’) and his son, Kim Jong Il (the ‘Dear Leader’) have instituted a personality cult in which they are worshipped. No belief in a higher authority is tolerated and being a Christian is viewed as one of the most serious crimes. Even the word for God has been abolished in North Korea."

"Before the Communist regime was installed, the North was a centre of revival and Pyongyang was known as the Jerusalem of the East. Most Christians fled to the South during the Korean War, or were martyred. Kim Il Sung, the ‘Great Leader’, ordered that three generations of a Christian’s family must be eliminated. A few believers have managed to hold on to their faith despite the horrific persecution. Many Christians have been publicly executed and others have been taken away to camps where they are subject to barbaric abuse and treated as sub-human. They will never be allowed out of the camps, alive or dead, and are worked to death in brutal
conditions and terrible deprivation. Christians suffer especially cruel treatment in these death camps as they are under ongoing pressure to renounce their faith. They are subject to frequent torture and abuse and are also forced to do the most gruelling and dangerous work, both by guards, as punishment, and by fellow prisoners, who despise their faith as insanity."

"The persecution of Christians in North Korea may be the worst anywhere in the world. It is important that the Church should be aware of the terrible situation of its brothers and sisters who are holding on to their faith at such dear cost. It is hoped that through this awareness, the Church will be rallied to pray fervently for North Korea."

"As the Church worldwide lifts up North Korea in prayer, it will join with many South Koreans who have been praying earnestly for their brothers and sisters in the North for many years. Pastor Yonggi Cho, the pastor of the largest church in the world, endorses this call to prayer, stating: "We have been praying fervently for North Korea for many decades now, specifically praying for the peaceful unification of the two Koreas. We have many young pastors preparing for the ministry who are planning to enter North Korea when this door is open. It would be deeply appreciated if you would join us in prayer for North Korea. God is not willing that any should perish without Him."

Please join me and thousands of other Christians in praying for our North Korean brothers and sisters!

Links
Pray for North Korea
Soon Ok Lee's web site (Soon Ok Lee is a Christian lady from North Korea who survived the prison camps in her home country and wrote an impressive testimony: Eyes of the Tailless animals.
Open Doors
Voice of the Martyrs
Overview of postings about North Korea on my old blog