Christian News Review - Jan 28th, 2024
Taylor Hawkins
This Week's Highlights:
🇳🇬 More than 40 Christians Killed in Central Nigeria
Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists attacked villages in Plateau state, Nigerin the early hours of Wednesday (Jan. 24), killing at least 25 Christians.
Thousands of people were displaced in the attacks in Mangu County that began on Monday (Jan. 22). “My village, Kwahaslalek, a Christian community, was attacked…by terrorists and herdsmen,” Hosea Ibrahim told Morning Star News in a text message. “The invaders surrounded the village at about midnight, and they shot at anyone they sighted. Twenty-five Christians who were mostly women and children were killed during the attack.”
Another resident said, “A friend’s family, five members of his family, were killed and burnt beyond recognition in Mangu on Tuesday, 23 January. The wicked will never stop unless they have reasons to think twice before attacking. These are not random attacks, but well-coordinated to exterminate Christians.”
This comes after several more attacks against believers during the week before last, in which Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists wounded or kidnapped Christians, damaged properties and displaced hundreds of others in raids that left 15 dead.
Let’s lift the families of those who lost loved ones in these attacks this week up in prayer, and ask God for His strength for them in rebuilding their community.
🇲🇲 Myanmar Military Deploying Air Strikes to Destroy Churches
A report by the Myanmar Witness project confirmed that multiple air strikes destroyed churches in Myanmar last year.
Christians in the Buddhist-majority nation have faced high levels of persecution, especially in recent years.
The airstrikes hit churches in Myanmar’s Chin State which is predominately Christian. Since 2021, although Christians are less than 8% of the population, internal conflict in the country has destroyed 67 church buildings in the state - more than the buildings harmed of all other religions put together in the nation.
Benedict Rogers with Christian Solidarity Worldwide wrote, “Bombing churches is much more than just collateral damage. Targeting them is part of a deliberate strategy.” The military regime is intolerant of non-Burman ethnic and non-Buddhist religious minorities, he said.
Dave Eubank, founder and director of the Christian humanitarian assistance group Free Burma Rangers, which runs missions bringing medical aid and evangelical activities to villagers, said that around the contested township of Demoso, most of the churches have been bombed and damaged or completely destroyed.
"I can think of 10 that I’ve already seen in ruins or big holes in them, direct airstrikes," Eubank said. "One of the biggest churches in Demoso was hit in 2022, with helicopter gunships directly firing rockets and heavy machine guns into the church steeple."
Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Myanmar. Matthew 5:10 says, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
🇺🇸 49 U.S. Abortion Mills Shut Down Last Year
Operation Rescue released its annual survey of American abortion facilities for 2023.
The report found 49 abortion mills shut down last year. Another 88 shut down in 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The latest update from Operation Rescue noted even more mills shut down since November of last year.
Sadly, the pro-life group said there has been an “alarming rise in dangerous mail-order abortions.” Please pray with us that the Supreme Court would return a strong ruling reinstating the restrictions on chemical abortion pills that the Obama and Biden administrations rolled back almost completely. They are considering that case right now, and should hand down a decision before the summer recess. (click here for more details about U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine.)
Here in our state of Georgia, Democrats filed a bill that would amend the constitution to allow abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy - right up until the moment of birth, and another bill to strip the unborn of recognition as “natural persons”. The ability of many to blind themselves to the reality of abortion and the humanity of the unborn should stun and sadden us, though it should not surprise us, because scripture tells us of the depths of evil man is capable of without God.
(You can learn more about chemical abortion and the removal of restrictions at this web page by Operation Rescue)
🇺🇸 Pray for Pastor Mark Robinette’s Family
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the tragic deaths of Ohio Pastor Mark Robinette, age 55, as well as two of his sons, Gideon, who was 17, and Liam who was 10.
A fire broke out at the family’s house in the early morning hours on Tuesday. As flames engulfed their dwelling, Pastor Mark got most of his family to safety. His last selfless act on this Earth was spent trying to rescue Gideon and Liam, but the flames took all three.
Pastor Mark leaves behind his beloved wife Andrea and six children — Nathanael, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Rebekah, Anna, and Valiant. By all accounts, he was a selfless man, always ready to run to the aid of anyone in need, physically or spiritually. Pastor Mark worked in full-time ministry for over 30 years and was the founding pastor of Foundation Church of Mount Sterling, Ohio.
A good reminder to never take those who God uses in full-time ministry in our life for granted. I would encourage you to take this opportunity to say a prayer for your pastor, and others you know who have followed God’s call into ministry. We never know when our last moment on earth might be — God grant that we will have fulfilled His purposes on this earth before He calls us home.
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Other Stories:
Tears on Sacred Ground: The Heartbreaking Plight of Eritrea’s Christians - Read more
PRAISE: Ohio Legislature Overrules Gov. DeWine’s Veto of the SAVE Act - Read more
PRAISE: Religious Freedom Grows in World’s Biggest Muslim Country - Read more
PRAISE: Pakistani Christians No Longer Required to Study Islam in School - Read more
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