FRONTLINE FAITH Sharing The Inside Story Of The Persecuted Church 3 Trends In Persecution For 2019 / 6 Why The World Watch List Matters / 12 How You re Helping In North Korea World Watch List Edition
A Letter From Mike michaelg@od.org.au @_mikegore Hello, Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus. This edition of Frontline Faith is all about the 2019 World Watch List, which we release every January ranking the top 50 countries where it s hardest to follow Jesus. This year we have seen Russia enter the list at number 41 and China has risen 16 places. For the 18th year in a row, North Korea is still the most dangerous country to be a Christian. We ve seen changes to religious freedom globally, but also here in Australia and New Zealand. Is persecution coming to Australia and New Zealand? As the church wrestles with rapidly changing societal values around sex, gender, morality and family, I am often asked: Is persecution coming to Australia and New Zealand? Have you ever thought about why Christians are persecuted? Every single instance of persecution in the Bible was linked to a public profession of faith, or a public outworking of a life devoted to Jesus. More than 2,000 years later, nothing has changed. If we suppress our public expressions of faith and remove Jesus from our language, we are more likely to slide into insignificance than persecution. And personally, that s a far more terrifying thought. If the people we serve at Open Doors want persecution to stop, they need only stop sharing the gospel. The reason these 50 countries remain on the World Watch List is because Christians there choose to keep professing their faith. And that s the good news of persecution; the gospel is being shared. This Easter, we re going to ask people to stand One With Them and donate one days wage to the persecuted church. By standing One With Them you not only strengthen the Church and advance the gospel, but it also encourages you to be bold in sharing Jesus. To stand One With Them, go register at onewiththem.org. Thank you for your support. I hope this edition of Frontline Faith encourages you to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Mike Gore CEO Open Doors Australia and New Zealand Trends In Persecution For 2019 Russia Enters The World Watch List In July 2018, Vladimir Putin amended Russia s religious laws regarding evangelism and Christians were no longer allowed to share their faith outside of a registered church building. However, the Russian Orthodox Church, favoured by the regime, don t actively evangelise and therefore aren t affected by the new law. But those actively sharing the gospel in Russia will receive fines up to US$780 and possibly imprisonment. 2 3
Pressure On Every Side China Christians in China have enjoyed more freedom in the last 30 years than in previous decades. However new religious laws and regulations introduced in February 2018 have caused some churches to close down. Crosses have been removed from a number of churches and some believers have been sent to re-education camps. Thomas Muller, persecution analyst at World Watch Research said, In some parts of the eastern province of Zhejiang the authorities have demanded that teachers in high-schools sign a letter confirming that they do not hold religious beliefs. Authorities in the Henan province have also started to restrict church funds. Congregations have to fulfil various requirements to access donations and tithes. Freedom in China is clearly shrinking, Muller said. Afghanistan Ranked number two on the 2019 World Watch List, life is harder than ever before for believers in Afghanistan. Christians in Afghanistan struggle with financial instability due to the economic turmoil in neighbouring Iran. Many Christians are also at risk of losing their lives as the Taliban continue to attack civilians. Extremist groups associated with the Islamic state also target Christians. Most Christians hide their faith. If found out, they could lose their family or be killed for following Jesus. NGO s Forced Out of Pakistan In October 2018, the government ordered 18 NGO s to leave the Pakistan and cease all operations within 60 days. It is very possible that in a next step, Christian NGOs will come under government scrutiny as well, said Thomas Muller. This is very similar to what happened in India when the government refused to renew the registrations of over 11,000 NGO s. Islamic Extremism Increases In Indonesia Unfortunately, there has been a rise in Islamic extremism in Indonesian society. The Jakarta Post reported on a recent study that found 41% of mosques at government offices in Jakarta were promoting radical Islamic teaching. Thomas Muller said, Surprisingly, a high number of university and high-school students support violent jihad and the setting up of an Islamic caliphate. In 2018, 59% of people who responded to another survey said that they would oppose a non-muslim president and 56% didn t want churches in their neighbourhood. Church Targeted By Violent Gangs In Mexico Ten church leaders were killed in Mexico in October 2018, more than double the number in October 2017. A priest was murdered for running a program for young people that equipped them with Christian education and job skills, meaning they were less likely to join gangs and become involved in drug trafficking. Such Christians are a threat to gang stability and survival and are hence at high risk of being targeted for intimidation and assassination, said Rosanna Ramirez, persecution analyst at World Watch Research. Find out more about the World Watch List: /wwl /wwl OPEN DOORS LIVE PODCAST Bring the persecuted church to life. Listen now on Apple, Soundcloud or Podcast Addict on Android. /podcast /podcast Sixty Second Stories Short Stories You Can Share Where there is much suffering, there is also much grace. Aster* is a mother of four and married to a pastor. Her husband is currently in prison for his faith. Aster has been left to provide for herself and her children who also suffer for their faith. My oldest child is always bullied and insulted for her faith. She was given three warnings from the school for sharing her faith, and she was told not to talk to any children even during school breaks One day, some of her fellow students threw rocks at her. Through persecution, Aster has found joy in the Lord, I am still standing by the grace of God, she said. My daughter is not scared of the persecution anymore... God won t let me down. I am ready until death to follow Him. Where there is much suffering, there is also much grace. * Name changed for security purposes. The threats are real... But we are living for Christ. Aster*, Eritrea Pastor Bachar, Syria Na*, China Eritrea - #7 on the 2019 World Watch List Through the local church, Open Doors is helping Aster with financial and spiritual support. Pastor Bachar (pictured) lives in southern Syria. After leaving the Druze religion, a miracle drew Bachar to Jesus. When his wife fell ill and could no longer walk, Bachar cried out to God in desperation. A peaceful voice told him to draw the sign of the cross where his wife had pain and she would be healed. I did not believe in the cross [but] I thought: There is nothing to lose why not just do it? His wife was healed. Bachar began reading the Bible and came to know God s grace. That s when persecution from his family and community began. They threatened to kill me. [They] went to the police to accuse me Now, years later, Bachar pastors a church in his hometown. The threats are real, and we are being threatened daily. But we are living for Christ, he said. Syria - #11 on the 2019 World Watch List Open Doors supports Pastor Bachar s church as they provide emergency relief and show people the love of Christ. Many are giving up everything to follow Christ. Na* is a Christian leader from the Hui people group in northwest China. She grew up as a Muslim and came to Christ over a decade ago. The Hui people are majority Muslim. Anyone who leaves Islam is seen as a traitor who has brought shame to their family. Some Christian converts have been kidnapped or threatened with honour killings. Na shared: There was a woman in my church who was kidnapped by her family when they found out she converted. They took her back to her home village and broke her legs so she could not escape and then tried to force her to be a Muslim again. Many Hui people are coming to Christ, despite the risks. It is amazing how the gospel message touches the hearts of the Hui people, said Na. Many are giving up everything to follow Christ. * Name changed for security purposes. China - #27 on the 2019 World Watch List Open Doors strengthens Muslim background believers in China with biblical and discipleship training. Issue 01 / Blessed Are The Persecuted Frontline Faith 2018 4 5
Why The World Watch List Matters The World Watch List ranks the top 50 countries where it s most dangerous to be a Christian. But why does the World Watch List matter? 1. It Shows Us Where God Is At Work. As a ministry, we don t exist to end persecution. In order to stop persecution, all we would have to do is tell people to stop talking about Jesus. Because, the reality is, wherever the gospel is being preached, persecution exists. Instead, we work to strengthen the church to continue sharing the message of Jesus. The World Watch List shows us the places where persecution is on the rise. God is at work in these nations and the message of gospel is being shared. 2. It Is Trustworthy For almost 30 years, Open Doors have produced the World Watch List. The list is compiled by a group of experts, one director and five persecution analysts, who focus on a particular region. Each are experts in their field of study, with postgraduate or doctoral qualifications. The list is then audited externally by the International Institute for Religious Freedom, and is accepted as the most authoritative list of its kind. 3. It Affects The Work We Do As a ministry, we work to strengthen the persecuted church to withstand persecution and continue sharing the gospel in their nation. We do this by coming alongside the local church, we find out what they re doing in their community and ask how can we help. As persecution in each country changes and the situation shifts, we adapt and consider how we can best serve the persecuted church. Emergency relief, trauma counselling, discipleship, micro loans and income generating projects we do in the field all depend on the changing needs of the persecuted church. Even the Bibles we deliver are requested by our local partners in country, for a specific person, church or pastor. That means every Bible has a destination and a purpose. It s the local church solution, and the World Watch List helps us adjust to meet the needs of persecuted church. MEET THE PERSECUTED CHURCH 4. It Impacts The Australian and New Zealand Church Our twofold mission is to strengthen and prepare Christians living in persecution, and to mobilise the Australian and New Zealand church to identify with the global body of Christ. Your support helps believers living in some of the darkest places on Earth to be the light of Jesus in their community. As their stories make their way into our churches, Bible studies and homes, we also see the Australian and New Zealand church become bolder in their faith. God is not looking for us to be apathetic or lethargic as a Church, but to be people of action. And not to just to sing about Him or to Him, but to be moved by what He loves and what He wants. And I think He wants justice. Cass Langton, creative pastor at Hillsong. 5. It Impacts You See How Your Help Makes A Difference The World Watch List reminds us we shouldn t be trying to avoid persecution. We should be running towards it with courageous obedience, knowing that wherever the gospel is being shared, persecution exists. Visit and encourage church leaders, pray with local believers and see how God is bringing hope to the persecuted church. Middle East June 2019 $3,720 South East Asia Sep 2019 $2,550 Find out more: /travel /travel gotravel@od.org.au 02 9451 2999 Trips are exclusive to Open Doors Frontline Partners. Don t be afraid when persecution comes to you. It s part of Christian life. It s a privilege to be persecuted. Bahia*, 22 year-old-woman from India 6 7
Score Chart High Very High Extreme 0 60 34 50 37 26 49 35 22 39 25 4 11 13 31 16 43 9 38 45 1 29 17 23 27 2 32 33 5 15 10 44 24 6 12 21 7 8 28 3 47 14 18 20 19 46 36 42 30 8 9 Somalia Libya Pakistan Sudan Eritrea Yemen Iran India Syria Nigeria Iraq Maldives Saudi Arabia Egypt Uzbekistan Myanmar Laos Vietnam Central African Republic Algeria Turkmenistan Mali Mauritania Turkey China Ethiopia Tajikistan Indonesia Jordan Nepal Bhutan Kazakhstan Morocco Brunei Tunisia Qatar Mexico Kenya Russia Malaysia Kuwait Oman United Arab Emirates Sri Lanka Colombia Bangladesh Palestinian Territories Azerbaijan opendoors.org.au opendoors.org.nz Afghanistan 40 48 100 North Korea 41 80 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 WORLD WATCH LIST
The Paradox of Persecution Why The Persecuted Church Is One of The Most Hope-Filled Stories On The Planet Paradox: a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true. Oxford Dictionary Ethiopia can be a hard place to follow Jesus if you have left Islam to convert to Christianity. Marta (pictured) grew up in a family that practiced folk Islam (a mixture of Islam and traditional religion). In these kinds of areas, the local witchdoctor would often ask for payment in exchange for spiritual protection over people s homes. When Marta was still very young, the witchdoctor in their village asked for her as payment. And her parents agreed. Marta, too young to be a bride, became the witchdoctor s servant and wife. Marta, too young to be a bride, became the witchdoctor s servant and wife. Hope Returns Her aunty was a Christian and visited Marta secretly to share the gospel with her. One day Marta decided to commit her life to Jesus. Marta had to keep her faith a secret, because she knew her family and the witchdoctor would be very angry if they found out. She attended church services in secret, telling everyone else that she was running errands. When she reached her mid-teens, Marta was able to escape from the witchdoctor and move in with her aunty. She also decided to tell her family about her faith. She would often call them and talk about Jesus. One day her older brother got very ill. He couldn t get out of bed and they thought he was going to die. No matter which religious leader (Muslim or witchdoctor) came to pray for him, he didn t get better. When an evangelist encouraged them to pray for him in the name of Jesus, they told him they wanted nothing to do with that. Her brother s condition continued to get worse, and doctors told them to prepare for his death. When another Christian advised them to pray for healing in Jesus name, Marta s mother, in desperation, pleaded with him to do so for them. She didn t know how to do it. Her son was healed immediately. For the first time in months he was able to walk again. Marta s mother and some of her siblings immediately gave their life to Christ. Consequences For Following Christ Marta s father and younger brother, Ali, were furious over the way Marta, her mother and her siblings had betrayed their faith. Marta s father divorced her mother, leaving her to care for their eight children. Ali was so angry, he decided to make it his mission to bring them back to the faith they d grown up with. When he moved in with them, Marta became violently ill. To prove Christianity a big lie, Ali took her from mosque to mosque to be prayed for. But Marta s condition only deteriorated. Ali realised it was bad, and even though he didn t believe the claims that his other brother was healed in the name of Jesus, he decided to take Marta to the church. As soon as they prayed for her, Marta was healed. Ali witnessed it with his own eyes and gave his life to Jesus. So radical had been the change in his life, he eventually decided to change his name to Simon. Since then, the rest of their siblings have also received Christ. Now that the entire village knows they ve become Christians, no one associates with them anymore. It s almost impossible to get work, so Marta and Simon send money home from whatever they earn doing odd jobs. Joy And Sorrow Life has been hard. The persecution has continued and finances are always tight. But they have learnt to know God as the faithful provider. Marta is content in Christ, but she is still unable to talk about her life with the witchdoctor without breaking down in sobs. At a youth event run by Open Doors, Marta and her brother were able to meet with other persecuted young believers and spend time studying the Word of God and being encouraged in their faith. One of our field workers who met with Marta, shared how her life reflects the paradox of persecution. Marta is the personification of one of the greatest mysteries or wonders of the Christian life: the fact that joy and sorrow often cohabitate our lives. In the Lord s dispensation, there is space for both at the same time and He cares about both. At Open Doors, if we want to stop persecution, all we have to do is tell people to stop talking about Jesus. But the persecuted church is bold in their faith and one of the most hope-filled things on the planet. Because of your support, Open Doors is providing Bibles, training and practical support to strengthen the church in the face of persecution and share the life-giving message of the gospel. Ethiopia is number 28 on the 2019 World Watch List. Learn more: /wwl /wwl 10 11
How You re Helping In North Korea North Korea is the hardest country on earth to follow Jesus. Your help is providing secret Christians with food, medicine and clothing to ensure the survival of the church in North Korea. Joo Eun* grew up during the famine that killed millions of North Koreans in the 1990s. One day the food distribution simply stopped, Joo Eun said. The government gave us the advice to go into the mountains, pluck grass and make soup with some salt. It tasted really awful, very bitter. I was not angry with the government. The reason that we did not get any food was because there simply was no food. Joo Eun, her mother and brother mainly ate grass soup. But it wasn t enough food for her father, who passed away. The situation was worse between 1996 and 1998. There was no work or food, and Joo Eun had to steal fruit to sell at the markets. Sometimes I got just enough money for some bread. I wanted so much to share it with my brother and mother, but I was so hungry... Before I got home, I had eaten it all. And then I lied about it. Joo Eun always resolved to not eat the food next time, but she was starving and it was impossible to resist. I took my mother with me to the market. Then we could at least eat it together straight away. But in the end, my mother died anyway, she said. The Train Station At Pyongyang Joo Eun became very weak, and so did her brother. She decided to go stay with her aunt and uncle who lived in Pyongyang. Fortunately, they were willing to share their food with her. One day, her brother came to join them. I was shocked when I saw him, Joo Eun said. His stomach was completely swollen with hunger and he was covered in cuts, scratches and bruises. On the train, he had been beaten up more than once because he looked so impoverished. The people thought that he was a thief. When he arrived in Pyongyang, he had to crawl part of the way to the house of my uncle and aunt. But Joo Eun was not allowed to let him in. Her aunt and uncle had a falling out with Joo Eun s father when he was alive. Your brother is just as bad as your father, her aunt said. Take him to the station. That s where they collect the dead bodies. He wasn t even dead yet, Joo Eun said. But I had to obey my aunt, or they would have put me out on the street too. That would have meant my death. So Joo Eun put her brother in a wheelbarrow and took him to the station. At a distance, she sat and waited. At three o clock in the morning on 10 February 1997, her brother died in the freezing cold. Only then did Joo Eun go back to her aunt s house. BOOK A SPEAKER Joo Eun later escaped to China and eventually made her way to South Korea. The Hardest Lesson To Learn Whilst food can now be bought and sold on the black market, the prices in North Korea are unaffordably high. Rice costs more than twice the monthly salary. In winter, heating is also scarce as it s nearly impossible to find firewood and diseases like cholera and dysentery spread rapidly. A South Korean pastor who runs a school for North Korean teenagers said that the hardest lesson for any North Korean to learn is how to accept love. If the volunteers or I say, We love you, they do not accept that, the pastor said. They wonder what we want from them If one has some extra food with them, he will not share it with anyone else. The idea does not even occur to him. Proof That God Exists Our speaking team are experts in the field of persecution and are passionate story-tellers who can inspire your church to a deeper level of faith in Jesus. Contact us today to make a booking for your weekend service, mid-week event or conference. odaustralia@od.org.au 02 9541 2999 newzealand@od.org 04 232 7055 The hardest lesson for any North Korean to learn is how to accept love. Your help provides tens of thousands of North Korean Christians with food, medicine and clothes. The fact that you are able to support us, is proof that God exists, said a Christian from North Korea. Thanks to you, we know He has not forgotten us. Church leaders told us that without food and other urgent aid, the North Korean Church aren t able to function. There is no use distributing books or other Christian resources if they don t have food. Please do not reduce the amount of food you send us, church leaders said. You don t know what it is like to go hungry. North Korea is number 1 on the 2019 World Watch List. Learn more: /wwl /wwl 12 13
Letter Writing Campaign Encourage Eldos From Central Asia Eldos and family Do: Print clearly in English Be brief and encouraging Provide your name and country only Show sensitivity Send greeting cards, artwork from children and postcards Do not: Mention Open Doors Send money Criticise a country Make proposals to help 2019 WORLD WATCH LIST Get your World Watch List Pack today! (Includes map and guidebook) 02 9451 2999 04 232 7055 In some parts of Central Asia, leaving Islam to follow Jesus can have severe consequences. When Eldos converted to Christianity, he was beaten severely by Islamic extremists. They forced him to deny Jesus and become a Muslim again. Eldos was hospitalised with a damaged eye, missing teeth, a jaw fracture and possible bleeding on the brain. Doctors weren t sure he would survive. When Eldos regained consciousness, he said I am still alive because of the prayers of many people, I can feel it. Thank you! Eldos continues to undergo surgery. Men from his church guard his hospital bed every day in case Eldos is attacked again. Eldos family have been threatened to keep quiet. His sister witnessed the attack and miscarried her baby because of the trauma and stress. Write to encourage Eldos, his sister Nurzhan and their family as they count the cost of following Jesus in Central Asia. Please send letters by 28 February 2019. Australia: 11/10 Gladstone Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154 New Zealand: PO Box 51236 Tawa, Wellington 5249 $7 I ve Heard About World Watch List, Now What? Be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord s people. Ephesians 6:18b The World Watch List is released annually and highlights the top 50 most dangerous countries to follow Jesus. However, we want this list to do more than just inform you. We want it to encourage you to unite with the persecuted church all year around. Here are some ways you can do that. Remember The Persecuted Part of our mission at Open Doors is to make sure that the persecuted church is remembered in every church, every Bible study and every home. The World Watch List helps you to remember our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the year. Put the World Watch List map on your wall or buy a Guidebook and pray for a different country every week. You can also become a Frontline Partner and support a region close to your heart. Find out more at Pray Our prayers go where we cannot and we believe it s important to continue to pray with the persecuted church. Open Doors founder, Brother Andrew, said, If we understood the potential power of our prayers, we would be on our knees a hundred times a day asking Him for things that would turn the world upside-down. Stand One With Them Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are becoming increasingly dangerous for Christians living under persecution and there is an increased risk of attacks. The survival of the gospel in many countries depends on the church being strengthened to continue to shine the light of Jesus in their nations. So, this Easter we re asking people to stand One With Them and give one day s wage for the persecuted church. Register today at onewiththem.org Issue 01 / Blessed Are The Persecuted Frontline Faith 2018 14 15
ONE WITH THEM 17.04.19 Give A Day s Wage For The Persecuted Church Easter is a time of increased persecution for many Christians. Stand united and support those who suffer for their faith over Easter. Register Today onewiththem.org SERVING PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS WORLDWIDE AU PO Box 734 Penrith 275 (02) 9451 2999 odaustralia@od.org.au NZ PO Box 51236 Tawa 5249 (04) 232 7055 newzealand@od.org