
Authorities in Indonesia refuse to back church construction
Local officials in East Borneo Province, Indonesia refused to approve construction of a church building even though it had met all requirements for a permit, sources said.
Local officials in East Borneo Province, Indonesia refused to approve construction of a church building even though it had met all requirements for a permit, sources said.
In a perfect world, where legal systems hold political power to account and protect minorities against human rights abuses we might expect an end to persecution. But we do not live in a perfect world. People with power continue to act with impunity against those who think and live differently to them. Christians have a way to cope with this reality and a real and living hope for a future free of persecution.
Air India flight AI-171 from from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick dominated the headlines mid-June. Like many large scale tragedies it captures our attention briefly, but for those closer to the story the impact can be longer lasting. This reflection observes that tragic news can become a wake up call to "seek first the kingdom" with renewed vigor without delay.
Every forcibly displaced person's story is unique and harrowing. To commemorate World Refugee Day, here is a first-hand account of a boy's refugee journey with his family. He is now a mature follower of Jesus dedicated to helping refugees and believes the Church has a crucial role in refugee care—a role that is a powerful witness to the love of Christ.
In April 2025, more than a hundred pastors, theologians, and ministry practitioners from around the world gathered in Toronto, Canada, for the first-ever Chinese Diaspora Network Consultation. Our guest contributor, Andrea Lee provides an overview of the findings from this historic gathering.
Religious freedom advocates this month strongly condemned deterioration of human rights in Pakistan, particularly continued abuse of the country’s harsh blasphemy laws and forced conversions of minority girls.
In a significant legal victory against forced conversions/marriages in Pakistan, a civil court has annulled the marriage of a Christian woman who was given to a Muslim man as a child and coerced to convert to Islam and marry him, sources said.
A high court judge in Pakistan resigned last week after a media report exposed his alleged close ties with a criminal gang falsely charging Christians and others with blasphemy, sources said.
Christians in India suffered high levels of violence and discrimination in 2024, with 640 cases marking a continued increase over prior years, according to the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Religious Liberty Commission (EFIRLC).
The 2025 WEA Seoul General Assembly Opposition Alliance, led by President Rev. Yeon-hwan Maeng, expressed deep concern in a statement released on March 12 regarding the recent Dedication Service for the Opening of the 2025 World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Seoul General Assembly Secretariat, strongly criticizing the actions of those organizing the WEA Seoul General Assembly, according to reporting by Christian Daily Korea.
The Christian Council of Korea (CCK), led by President Rev. Kyung-hwan Ko, has declared that the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly in Seoul is “absolutely impossible,” vowing to expose its issues through a forum and a white paper.