April 2017 Persecution Magazine (1 of 4)

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG 

APRIL 2017 

PERSECU ION 

China’s 

Christians 

In the midst of a 

crackdown on China’s 

Christians, ICC 

examines the lives of 

Christians in China 

PERSECU ION.org 

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

THE BRIDGE 

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON THE PERSECUTED CHURCH 

2017: NORTH KOREA: THE RELEASE OF THE BRIDE 

MARCO RUBIO 

US SENATOR (INVITED) 

HYEONSEO LEE 

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR & NK 

DEFECTOR (INVITED) 

RICK WARREN 

PASTOR & FOUNDER OF 

SADDLEBACK CHURCH 

JOSEPH KIM 

NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR 

DAVID CURRY 

PRESIDENT OF OPEN DOORS USA 

JEFF KING 

PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL 

CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

POLICY DAY: MAY 24 

MAIN CONFERENCE: JUNE 2-3 

U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING 

SADDLEBACK CHURCH, SoCal 

WWW.THEPERSECUTIONCONFERENCE.ORG TO REGISTER OR LEARN MORE 


INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

2

President’s Letter 

Finding 

The Treasure 

Years ago I was in China and I asked my handlers to arrange a 

meeting with pastors that had been imprisoned for ten or more 

years. These were giants of the faith but little known. I sat and 

discussed persecution with these leaders and one of my first 

questions was, “What would the Chinese Church would be like 

if there was no persecution?” 

They said it would be a mile wide but an inch deep (my paraphrase). 

Famous speakers would gather large crowds, but they 

would have no anointing and little knowledge of the Spirit. I 

asked them if they knew anything about the Western Church 

and they had no idea as they were simple pastors without international 

experience. 

The Church in the West is largely adrift. There are many reasons 

for this, but, from my vantage point, a core problem is that we 

live out Christianity without real cost. Witness Lee, the great 

Chinese pastor of the early twentieth century and devotee of the 

great Watchman Nee, eloquently described this problem: 

The biggest problem today is that it is hard to find 

any wounds or scars in most Christians. Most of 

us do not have any wounds, scars, marks of death, 

or experiences of the cross. Even though we have 

been saved and truly have Christ’s life in us, this 

life has no way to come out. The reason is not that 

our behavior is too poor or too good but that we are 

too whole and too impregnable. Because we have 

no wounds, Christ has no way to be released from 

within us. 

-Witness Lee, The Crucified Christ, Chapter 1 

While we may not have any wounds or scars, our persecuted 

brothers and sisters have them in abundance. These believers 

and especially the faces of the martyrs are always in front of 

me, Christians like Pastor Ohii, Tilman, Necati, Pastor Kevin 

and so many more. 

The Choice 

These martyrs, like so many others, were almost always given a 

Above: Witness Lee 

chance to live if they utteedr three little words, “I deny Jesus.” 

Do you ever wonder why they don’t do it? 

Locked away in secret prisons, in the midst of beatings, torture, 

or under unrelenting pressure, certain Christians are transformed. 

When stripped of all that the world values, including 

dignity, strength, relationship, power, and standing, they 

let go of the world and any hope in its false answers to life. 

Somewhere deep within themselves, they place all of their 

physical and psychic treasure on the sacrificial altar. They put 

all of their proverbial chips into the middle of the table and they 

wager everything on God. In losing “everything,” though, they 

become immensely wealthy and concurrently truly dangerous in 

the spiritual world. 

In Kenya, Pastor Kevin was on his way to church on Sunday 

morning when he got calls from his sheep that were being 

slaughtered. “They were under attack. I heard gunshots, people 

screaming, crying. It was like a horror movie. It was just like 

hell,” he said. His assistant pastor standing in his place was 

3 PERSECU ION.org 



President’s Letter 

killed at the lectern along with six others. Twelve others were 

wounded. Everyone else was, of course, traumatized. Pastor Kevin 

died and came to life that day. Listen to what he says. . . 

“After the attack, God inserted into me a spirit of courage. After 

your church gets shot up, you don’t fear anymore and you stop 

caring [about the danger]. We have been through a lot [but] we 

don’t fear anymore… There is nothing human beings can do to 

you.” 

Amazing right? 

Now here’s a little secret . . .In one way or another, this is what the 

Lord is doing in your life and mine! 

This process may be cathartic or it may be slow and gradual. 

Regardless of pace or tool, God is always working in gain and loss 

to get you to give up on this world and desire Him above all other 

treasures and relationships. 

All of our idols (that which we live for or through) and all of our 

crutches must fail. We must continue to toss them overboard one 

after the other, until we each find ourselves left with the one TRUE 

thing that we can live THROUGH, and live FOR. 

You can see the Lord’s heart on this in many passages such as 

Luke 14:26-27, Luke 14:33, Matthew 13:44-46, Luke 14:33, and 

Mark 10:17. 

You can see the Lord’s heart on this in many passages: If you don’t 

give up EVERYTHING you cannot be my disciples (Luke 14:26)! 

When a man discovered the treasure that is God, he went and sold 

everything he had to buy it (Matthew 13:44). What must I do to 

live forever? Go and give away everything that is most precious 

to you and follow me (Mark 10:17). 

Watchman Nee, the great Chinese Church leader of the early twentieth 

century, spoke about this process in one of my favorite books, 

“The Release of the Spirit.” 

Anyone who serves God will discover sooner or later 

that the great hindrance to his work is not others but 

himself. He will quickly detect that the greatest difficulty 

lies in his outward man, for it hinders him from 

using his spirit. The Lord employs two different ways 

to destroy our outward man; one is gradual, the other 

sudden. To some, the Lord gives a sudden destruction 

followed by a gradual one. It would seem the Lord 

usually spends several years upon us before He can 

accomplish this work of destruction. 

-Watchman Nee, Release of the Spirit 

Jeff King, President 

International Christian Concern 

We Must Give Up On The World 

The believer has to let go of the world and brokenness is a great 

catalyst in that process. Whoever has wagered all they have on 

God returns to the world as an alien and they stand out as such. 

They have been set ablaze by God and become a light in the darkness. 

This is the secret to why the persecuted Church is pure and 

grows. 

My core problem is that I don’t have enough of Him inside me and 

what I do have is restrained from being released into the world due 

to my being impregnable. 

Our trials, though wholly unwelcomed, are used to work on both 

of these issues. I want to invite you to embrace your trials. Evil 

does not come from the Lord but He will use trials and evil to try 

and make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. 

So many of the persecuted have discovered this truth and are 

worthy of your time treasure and talent. Please serve them with us! 

Jeff King 

President, International Christian Concern 

www.persecution.org 

Adapted from a chapter of a soon-to–be-released book from ICC’s 

president, Jeff King: “Last Words of the Martyrs.” 



4

News 

3 

6 

4 

5 

1 

2 

“Local leaders 

often turn a 

blind eye to 

discrimination 

and harassment.” 

ICC Documents 361 Attacks on 

Christians in India in 2016 

1 | INDIA In 2016, ICC documented a total of 361 attacks 

against Christians in India, making 2016 one of the most 

trying years for India’s Christian community in recent 

years. In 2015, the Evangelical Fellowship of India 

recorded 177 incidents. This upsurge in attacks is both 

noteworthy and a cause for concern for local Christians 

and the international human rights community. The 

recorded attacks ranged from vandalism to social boycotts 

to violent physical assaults. 

Due to several factors, these attacks often go unreported 

by victims or witnesses; therefore, we can estimate that the 

actual number of incidents that took place last year is much 

higher. According to Dr. John Dayal, a human rights activist 

in India, it is possible that the number of attacks could be 

up to 10 times higher than what was recorded. 

The perpetrators in many of these attacks were radical 

Hindu nationalists who have enjoyed total impunity for their 

actions, encouraging further violence against the Christian 

minority. Each attack which goes unpunished emboldens 

new criminals to carry out more daring and audacious 

crimes. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi rose to power in 2014, Christians have experienced 

a notable rise in attacks. 

Despite the fact that the Indian constitution protects the 

religious rights of all citizens, it is evident that this right is 

being selectively enforced by Indian authorities. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi 

Muslim Converts 

to Christianity, 

Martyred 

2 | PHILIPPINES 

According to reports 

from Christian Aid 

Mission, a Muslim man 

in the Philippines converted 

to Christianity 

after hearing a presentation 

of the Gospel at 

his daughter’s wedding. 

The officiant at the 

wedding was a Gospelpreaching 

pastor and 

the groom’s father. It was 

by God’s grace that the 

father of the bride came 

to Christ during this 

message because he had 

previously engaged in 

attacking this very same 

pastor by tossing rocks 

at him and his church. 

Upon the man’s 

conversion, he began 

experiencing similar 

harassment at the 

hands of his Muslim 

relatives. As a final 

testament to his faith, 

the man was stabbed 

to death by local 

Muslims after refusing 

to stop sharing the 

Gospel. Once a persecutor, 

then a believer 

and now a martyr, his 

testimony is sure to 

survive him. 

Mexican Churches and Communities 

Deprived of Electricity 

3 | MEXICO Although widely unreported by the 

mainstream media, Christians in Mexico continue to 

face persecution for their faith, particularly in rural 

areas. While the Mexican constitution protects religious 

freedom, local leaders often turn a blind eye to 

discrimination and harassment. 

On January 22, local town leaders in Comitan de 

Dominguez, Chiapas, Mexico, cut off the power to 

a house church called “Templo Solo Cristo Salva.” 

According to the Coordinacion de Organizaciones 

Cristianas (COOC), the town leaders decided on this 

electrical cut a week prior during a town assembly 

meeting. However, the COOC also noted that the 

evangelical church members are not permitted to 

attend such meetings. 

Local residents have made official requests to 

the state government in an attempt to rectify the 

situation but, to date, there has been no definitive 

action. Thankfully, the federal government has taken 

measures to relieve such injustice by paying individual 

fines to help those affected by such incidents. 

Hopefully, this federal action will curb some of the 

deliberate targeting of religious minorities. While this 

is absolutely a step in the right direction, local leaders 

must also be willing to protect vulnerable minority 

groups in order to effect long-lasting change. 

Comitan de Dominguez, Chiapas, Mexico 




The Reina nightclub in Istanbul where a gunman with ISIS connections killed 39 people on New Year’s Eve. 

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Turkey Nightclub 

Massacre 

4 | TURKEY On New Year’s Eve, a shooter stormed into a Turkish 

nightclub in Istanbul, killing at least 39 people and wounding many 

more. Shortly after, an ISIS-linked news group released a video claiming 

responsibility for the attack. Furthermore, they reported that the 

gunman specifically targeted Christians who were ‘celebrating their 

pagan feast.’ A suspect was taken into police custody shortly after the 

attack and has since confessed to the crime and made clear his original 

intent of killings Christians in the violent attack. 

Christian Converts Banned from Iranian Churches 

on Christmas 

5 | IRAN In Iran, both government officials and business owners are 

ever attempting to drive Christianity out of the country by enforcing 

restrictions on religious activities. This past year, many Muslim 

Iranians and Farsi-speaking Christians were prohibited from attending 

Christmas services because the regime feared further spread of 

Christianity. Despite these crackdowns and the general persecutionesque 

disposition of the Iranian government, the Word of God continues 

to rapidly spread throughout Iran. 

Nearly 900 Churches Destroyed by Boko Haram 

6 | NIGERIA Toward the end of January, the Christian Association of Nigeria 

(CAN) reported that Boko Haram has destroyed more than 900 churches in 

northeastern Nigeria to date. In their report, CAN urged the Nigerian government 

to assist these churches in the rebuilding process and take stronger action 

to prevent violence against religious minorities. Boko Haram has become notorious 

for suicide bombings, attacks on Christian homes and churches, and the 

infamous kidnapping of the 276 primarily Christian schoolgirls from Chibok. 

All of this violence falls under the umbrella effort to wipe out the influence of 

Christianity in the region. 

CAN’s report is a grim reminder that Boko Haram is holding fast to their 

promise made last year to specifically target Christians in their campaigns of 

violence. Until more action is taken, both moderate Muslims and Christians in 

Nigeria will remain vulnerable at the hands of Boko Haram. 



The aftermath of a Boko Haram bombing. 

6

News 

5 

2 

3 

1 

6 

4 

An entrance to the Christian neighborhood of Joseph 

Colony in Lahore, Pakistan. 

Court Acquits Suspects of Joseph Colony 

Attack 

1 | PAKISTAN On March 8, 2013, a mob of Muslim radicals 

attacked the primarily Christian neighborhood of Joseph 

Colony in Lahore, Pakistan. Reports estimate that as many 

as 3,000 Muslims participated in the violence. When the 

dust had settled, at least 150 Christian homes were burned 

to the ground, along with several businesses and a church. 

The backing for this onslaught followed a trail back to 

a blasphemy accusation against a local Christian named 

Sawan Masih. During an argument, a Muslim friend accused 

Masih of making derogatory comments about the prophet 

Muhammad. Shortly afterwards, the aforementioned violence 

broke out. Masih was then taken into custody, charged 

with blasphemy, and sentenced to death in 2014. 

Despite the swift legal action taken to condemn Masih, 

in January 2017, nearly four years after the initial riots, 

a Pakistani court acquitted all 115 suspects accused of 

participating in the violent attacks. While widely available 

photo and video evidence proved their guilt, the 

court cited a lack of 

evidence as the reason 

for their acquittal. 

All charges, ranging 

from attempted murder 

to terrorism, were 

cleared, denying justice 

to the hundreds of 

families whose lives 

were upturned by this 

violence. 

The response to 

this mob violence has 

drawn criticism, even 

from within Pakistan’s 

own government. In 

one instance, a Supreme 

Court bench criticized 

Punjab officials for their 

apathy and inaction 

toward the Christian 

minorities in this case, 

though this produced 

few results in terms of 

proper due justice. 

This case is indicative 

of two major issues 

affecting Pakistan’s 

Christian community: 

the misuse of blasphemy 

accusations 

and the lack of government 

response to 

crimes directed at religious 

minorities. Unless 

the government takes 

more decisive action 

in defending its vulnerable 

Christian community, 

it seems unlikely 

that these families will 

receive justice. 

Soad Thabet, an elderly Coptic woman assaulted by three 

men who broke into her house. 

“The men stormed 

into her home, 

dragged her into 

the street, stripped 

her...and beat her.” 

Case Reopened Against Men Who 

Abused Elderly Coptic Woman 

2 | EGYPT Last June, Soad Thabet, an elderly Coptic 

woman, was assaulted by a group of three men who 

accused her son of having an extramarital affair with a 

Muslim woman. As the unconfirmed rumors about her 

son spread, the men stormed into her home, dragged her 

into the street, stripped her of her clothing within view 

of the public, and beat her. She and her husband had no 

option but to flee their village. 

In January, Egyptian authorities cleared the three 

accused men of their charges on account of a “lack of 

evidence.” Even though Thabet was able to identify her 

attackers and the president issued a public apology, the 

case was still dropped. Thabet and her family expressed 

their disappointment in this decision, as they felt let down 

by the Egyptian authorities and fearful that this case 

would set a precedent of impunity for future attacks. 

After Thabet’s legal team filed an appeal stating that 

witnesses involved with the incident changed their testimonies 

upon receiving threats, the case was recently 

reopened. At the time of writing, the case is still ongoing. 

Although there is a difficult road ahead to achieve 

justice for Thabet and her family, human rights activists 

view the reopening of this case as a significant step in 

the right direction. 




Pastor Expelled from Sudan for Planting Churches 

3 | SUDAN On December 6, 2016, Sudanese authorities gave Christian pastor Koat Akot 72 hours to vacate the North African country. Akot was 

expelled from Sudan due to his involvement with evangelism and for planting three churches in the country. One of those churches has amassed 

approximately 500 members since its foundation. The government officials responsible for Akot’s expulsion reportedly confiscated several 

church-owned items from the congregation’s property during his interrogation. Akot was previously detained last November for leading worship. 

He was held for only one day, but had to report to authorities on a daily basis following his release. Pastor Akot is just one of the many Christian 

pastors facing persecution at the hand of the Sudanese government. 

A Chinese Bible. 

Six Women Detained for Holding Bible Study 

4 | CHINA In China’s Hubei province, six Christian women were 

recently taken into custody for hosting a Bible study in a house 

church. According to reports, officials accused the women of holding 

illegal religious gatherings, beating the six women and confiscating 

their property. The officers began to shove and beat the Christian 

men who tried to stop them. To date, family members of the detained 

have yet to receive official detention notices for their loved ones. 

This incident is unfortunately just one in a long string of targeted 

discrimination against religious groups at the hands of the Chinese 

government led by President Xi Jinping. 

Don and Ruth Ossewaarde. 

American Missionary’s Case to Russian Supreme Court 

5 | RUSSIA As previously reported, American missionary Don 

Ossewaarde was convicted last year under Russia’s newly implemented 

“Yarovaya” laws. These laws impose harsh restrictions on missionaries 

and their ability to evangelize in Russia. According to Christianity Today, 

32 have already been convicted under this law since its implementation. 

Ossewaarde was issued a fine of approximately $600 USD and has 

appealed his conviction all the way up to the Russian Supreme Court. The 

Supreme Court’s ruling will set an important precedent for Christian missionaries 

and ministries operating in Russia. This ruling is anticipated to 

make clear the Russian government’s attitude toward religious freedom. 

Compassion International Forced to Close in India 

6 | INDIA In 2016, the Indian government made revisions to its Foreign Contribution 

Regulation Act affecting international organizations that provide aid to the country. 

One major group that was affected by this change was a Christian child sponsorship 

organization, Compassion International. Although the organization has made multiple 

negotiation attempts with Indian officials and implored the US government to 

intervene, their attempts have been unsuccessful thus far. 

The CEO of Compassion International reported that this regulation will affect 

147,000 children in India who receive aid through the organization. Some experts 

speculate that Hindu nationalism is the reason why Christian groups are being 

forced out of the country, despite the numerous societal benefits that their work 

provides. It is unsettling to witness the Indian government let its religious ideology 

overshadow the needs of thousands upon thousands of children. 



8

You Can Help Today! 



SEND DONATIONS TO: 

ICC 

PO BOX 8056 

SILVER SPRING, MD 20907 

OR ONLINE AT 

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG 

OR BY PHONE 

800-ICC-5441 

GIVING TO ICC VIA 

YOUR WILL 

Provide now for a future gift to ICC 

by including a bequest provision in 

your will or revocable trust. If you 

would like more information on giving 

to ICC in this way, please give 

us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441. 

A group of Christian 

women learn sewing 

techniques as part of 

a clothing factory that 

ICC set up in Egypt 

to provide sustainable 

income for their families. 

© Copyright 2017 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. 

All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce all 

or part of this publication is granted provided 

attribution is given to ICC as the source. 

International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible). 

ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to gifts. Occasionally, situations 

arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC will then redirect those donated funds to the 

fund most similar to the donor’s original wishes. ICC uses 7.5 percent of each restricted 

donation to carry out the mission of its segregated funds. 

facebook.com/persecuted 

@persecutionnews

April 2017 Persecution Magazine (1 of 4)

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?