The Voice of the Martyrs -- Servants of the Persecuted Church
There are more Christian martyrs today than there were in the days of the Roman Empire. We hear the stories of what happened to the Christians in 100 AD times--thrown in for the wild animals to tear apart, beheaded, stoned, crucified, thrown into boiling oil or a furnace, or coated in tar and used as human torches, to name a few--and yet we do not hear what is happening to our Christian brothers and sisters around the world today, where Christians are still dying.Christians are still dying for their faith in Jesus Christ today. An estimated 164,000 Christians were martyred in 1999 alone. The numbers and stories are staggering. A great book to read is Jesus Freaks by DCTalk and The Voice of the Martyrs.
They encourage and provide smuggled Bibles for Christians in persecuted countries, distribute tracts in various ways, encourage and help those imprisoned for their belief in Jesus, and do numerous other activities that benefit Christians in persecuted countries (an example is the Sudanese blanket drive, where blankets are collected and distributed to Sudanese Christians).
UZBEKISTAN – Pastor Sentenced to Four Years in Exile March 9, 2007
On Friday March 9, Pastor Dmitry Shestakov was sentenced to four years in exile. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Uzbekistan, the location to which he will be exiled has not been determined. It is not clear if his family will be able to go with him.
In January, Pastor Shestakov was arrested in a raid on his congregation in Andijan, which is affiliated with the registered Full Gospel Church. Uzbekistan’s Religious Affairs Committee claims Shestakov, an evangelical pastor, is not an authorized leader of any officially recognized religious organization in Uzbekistan. They describe him as an “impostor” leading an underground group identified as “Charismatic Pentecostals” engaged in proselytizing under Shestakov’s leadership.
“This is an example of what our Uzbek brothers and sisters face in their country,” said Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs. “This is a government that says they give their citizens religious freedom, but that is clearly not the case.”
“Our prayers will continue to be with our brother as he faces this sentence, and we pray that the gospel work in Andijan will continue and grow.”
UZBEKISTAN – Pastor Sentenced to Four Years in Exile March 9, 2007
On Friday March 9, Pastor Dmitry Shestakov was sentenced to four years in exile. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Uzbekistan, the location to which he will be exiled has not been determined. It is not clear if his family will be able to go with him.
In January, Pastor Shestakov was arrested in a raid on his congregation in Andijan, which is affiliated with the registered Full Gospel Church. Uzbekistan’s Religious Affairs Committee claims Shestakov, an evangelical pastor, is not an authorized leader of any officially recognized religious organization in Uzbekistan. They describe him as an “impostor” leading an underground group identified as “Charismatic Pentecostals” engaged in proselytizing under Shestakov’s leadership.
“This is an example of what our Uzbek brothers and sisters face in their country,” said Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs. “This is a government that says they give their citizens religious freedom, but that is clearly not the case.”
“Our prayers will continue to be with our brother as he faces this sentence, and we pray that the gospel work in Andijan will continue and grow.”
Please visit The Voice of the Martyrs to keep informed of news across the world. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
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