From http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/china-christian-children-forbidden-from-attending-church.html"Christian children in China have reportedly been banned from attending church, according to ChristianToday.com.Texas-based Christian humanitarian organization China Aid reports that all children under the age of 18 in China are barred from receiving any religious education, including even in government-sanctioned churches.Specifically, children have been banned from attending Hauqui, a house church in Guizhou province. The government has also threatened parents of the children that their children will not be allowed to attend college if they continue to bring them to church services.In addition, legal action will be taken against anyone who brings a minor to a church service."They intend to cleanse us and ask us to join the Three-Self Church [China's state-approved church],” stated Mou, a Huaqui Church leader.Huaqui Church has also been prevented from holding services for the past two weeks. “Huaqui is in a dark place,” said Mou.The Chinese government, under President Xi Jinping, has been becoming increasingly hostile toward Christianity and any religion that is not overseen by the government. More than 1,500 churches have either been demolished or have had their crosses taken down in China’s so-called “beautification” campaign."
_________________SI Moderator - Brandy Gordon
Wow! We need to pray for our Chinese brethren! And the Chinese children especially. May God move mighty to save them as Satan rages more and more against that nation.
Communism is still Satanic. Make no mistake about its presence.
_________________Tim
"They intend to cleanse us and ask us to join the Three-Self Church [China's state-approved church],” stated Mou, a Huaqui Church leader.
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
Matthew 19:14English Standard Versionbut Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.this is shocking
_________________Dominic Shiells
It seems we are looping back around to the Cold War when Christians were persecuted in China and Russia. Actually Christians always have been persecuted in China to varying degrees. But in both China and Russia there seems to be a renewed effort to come against Christianity. If not try to destroy it outright. I have enclosed a summary of the law that was recently passed in Russia signed by Vladimir Putin.------------------Charisma News- +7,000 Churches Fasting, Praying Over Terrifying New Persecution Law1:00PM EDT 7/8/2016Jessilyn Justice-SharesRussian President Vladimir Putin signed an anti-terrorism law, but for the country's many churches, the signature sparked a demand for prayer and fasting. The bill toughens punishment for acts deemed to be terrorism and for the organization of "mass unrest," according to the Los Angeles Times. It would also introduce prison sentences of up to a year for those who fail to report such crimes. Furthermore, Great Commission Ministries Chairman Hanny Haukka tells Charisma News the law entails:Foreign guests are not permitted to speak in churches unless they have a "work permit" from Russian authorities If a friend or relative from outside Russia wishes to share his/her faith in your home the guest will be fined and expelled from Russia. Any discussion of God with non-believers is considered missionary activity and will be punishable. Missionary activity will be permitted by special government permission. Example: If one traveling on a train shares his faith without written permission the offender will be taken into police custody for the duration of the journey and will be fined 50,000 rubles ($1,000). Offenders from the age of 14-years-old will be subject to prosecution Religious activity is no longer permitted in private homes. Most churches in Russia meet in homes.Every citizen is obligated to report religious activity of neighbors to the authorities. Failure to be an informant is punishable by law. One may pray and read the Bible at home but not in the presence of a non-believing person. You will be breaking the law and be punished. If the church has purchased property it cannot be converted into a place of worship. In church buildings, it is not permitted to invite people to turn to God. Worship services are permitted but making a non-believer a follower of Christ is against the law.
The one encouraging thing is that both the believing church and China and Russia have a history of persecution. The believing church in both of these countries has endured persecution by the communists and emerged victorious.My prayer would be that those saints that have endured persecution by both these nations would instruct the current generation of believers of how to endure the persecutions to come.Unfortunately we in America do not have a history of persecution. Thus we may have to get our learning on the run crying out to Jesus for His grace that we endure that persecution which will surely break on us.
Has anyone heard from Dennis Balcombe as of late?
Yeah, and Jesus said that it would be better that the one who offended these little ones be tossed in the sea with a millstone around their neck!