Jesus Freak Phenomenon
Bethany House announces the launching of Jesusfreaks.net, a Web site to challenge and inspire "Jesus freaks"of all ages and to promote prayer for the persecuted church worldwide. Learn about the best-selling Jesus Freaks books by dc Talk, including the most recent "Jesus Freaks, Volume 2: Stories of Revolutionaries Who Changed Their World--Fearing God, Not Man," that includes bios on Bonhoeffer, Luther, the Booths, Mother Teresa, Corrie ten Boom and more. Read book excerpts, discover the inspiration behind the books by dc Talk, watch a video interview with the band, sign up for an e-newsletter and order the books online. Find also a prayer map and many other useful resources for supporting the persecuted church on November 10, 2002, the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
Friday, November 22, 2002
Sunday, November 17, 2002
More than 350 Churches forcibly closed in Vietnam
By the end of September, 354 of 412 churches had been forcibly disbanded in Dak Lak province alone. By mid October, about 50 Christian pastors and elders in this province had been arrested or had "disappeared." It is expected that the remaining 58 churches in the province will soon be closed. This latest move against churches in Dak Lak is the most severe persecution since 1975, when churches were closed and church leaders put in re-education camps for years. Local Dak Lak television is reported by many to have broadcast "Ceremonies of Voluntarily Renouncing Christianity" and has shown pictures of Christians "voluntarily" giving their Bibles and songbooks to be burned. "All the Christians I met greeted me with tears, asked me to pray with them and then hurried me on my way lest something untoward happen to me," said a recent visitor to the area. "Even some sympathetic government officials received me with tears, recognizing the overwhelming sadness of what is happening." He added, "Many of the churches in Vietnam are praying night and day for this 'national tragedy.' Please pass this sad news to churches overseas as well so that they may participate in earnest prayer, beseeching the Lord to deliver us from this distress.
By the end of September, 354 of 412 churches had been forcibly disbanded in Dak Lak province alone. By mid October, about 50 Christian pastors and elders in this province had been arrested or had "disappeared." It is expected that the remaining 58 churches in the province will soon be closed. This latest move against churches in Dak Lak is the most severe persecution since 1975, when churches were closed and church leaders put in re-education camps for years. Local Dak Lak television is reported by many to have broadcast "Ceremonies of Voluntarily Renouncing Christianity" and has shown pictures of Christians "voluntarily" giving their Bibles and songbooks to be burned. "All the Christians I met greeted me with tears, asked me to pray with them and then hurried me on my way lest something untoward happen to me," said a recent visitor to the area. "Even some sympathetic government officials received me with tears, recognizing the overwhelming sadness of what is happening." He added, "Many of the churches in Vietnam are praying night and day for this 'national tragedy.' Please pass this sad news to churches overseas as well so that they may participate in earnest prayer, beseeching the Lord to deliver us from this distress.
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