Persecution magazine, January 2014, 1/3

central asia

International Christian Concern | January 2014

I S S U E 1 / 3

PERSECU ION

THE LIFE-GIVING POWER OF

THE SCRIPTURE UNLEASHED

IN THE MUSLIM WORLD

ICC IS BUILDING AN UNDERGROUND BIBLE PRINTING PRESS

Photos of various projects from our “Bibles” fund.

Help us Bring Life into the Darkness

Right now, ICC is in the final stages of launching an underground Bible

printing press in a closed Muslim country that will open the Word

of God to a million or more people. We initiated this project and are

working with several ministries to pull it off but need your help in the

final push to get Bibles coming off the press.

AN UNDERGROUND PRINTING PRESS WILL: • Provide 600,000 or more Bibles and the Gospel of John portions

• Meet the huge demand for Bibles in this country

• Safeguard those smuggling Bibles from being arrested

• Bring life to millions!

DONATE TODAY!

OUR GOAL:

B Y M A I L complete the enclosed card

B Y P H O N E call 800-422-5441 8:30-5:00 p.m. EST

O N L I N E visit www.persecution.org and

designate your gift to “Bibles to the Persecuted.”

$100,000

https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/InternationalChristianConcer/UndergroundPrintingPress.html

Jeff King, President International Christian Concern

“It seems we are returning to the Soviet ways. There is a national hotline (like 911 in the U.S.) that the government advertises around our country for citizens to alert the government about any Christian activities. They say, ‘If you think your neighbor is a Christian, or [is] having a religious gathering, you just call this number and we will come.’”

-A PASTOR FROM KAZAHKSTAN

As you read this, assuming he hasn’t been released, Pastor B.K. is imprisoned in Kazahkstan for the crime of leaving Islam and leading people to Christ (see in Jan. 23 is-sue).

ICC and Forum 18 (a wonderful human rights organization) broke this story and are fighting to make his case more broadly known so he won’t die in prison.

It is an honor to stand up for our brothers and sisters like Pastor B.K. but we deserve no special praise. We are merely doing what our Lord commanded:

Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them since you yourselves also are in the body. (Hebrews 13:3 NASB).

Open your mouth for the mute,Open your mouth. . .and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy. (Proverbs 31:8,9 NASB).

This is the heart and work of the Father and we are humbled when we can play just a part in it.

Please join Him in His work. It is worthy of your time, treasure, and talent.

N O T E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T :

5 You can help today! www.persecution.org

C E N T R A L A S I A

BY COREY BAILEY

When Communism fell 20 years ago, a revival broke out across Central Asia. Today’s pastors in the Central Asia became Christians in what they refer to as the “first wave” of believers.

If one looks at Central Asia with a cursory glance, it would seem that this is a land welcoming all faiths since this is stated in the constitutions of most countries. However, in the past few years, several Central Asia governments have passed laws restricting religious freedom, targeted Christians with arrests and propagnada, and used Soviet-era police tac-tics against them.

Christians have had their Bibles confiscated, home groups raided, and have had their church registrations canceled or denied making it illegal for them to meet. Christian children have been interrogated by police

at summer camp, authorities have planted false evidence in the homes of believers, and Christians have gone to jail after a neighbor reported “re-ligious activities” happening in the home. Believers often cannot be hired for jobs and in places, taxis will not drive them anywhere.

Most Christians live with the knowl-edge that at any moment they could be arrested or fined simply for prac-ticing their faith. Pastors have ceased serving their parishioners tea and re-frained from praying by the laying on of hands due to past cases where they have been accused of poisoning and hypnotizing church members (see “A Pastor in the Crosshairs” on Jan. 23).

Despite the metaphorical noose that is tightening around the necks of Christians in CA, the Western Church as a whole has no idea of their suf-fering or of their great courage in the face of persecution.

Having just returned from that region, in this issue you will read the stories of believers in remote villages and big cities. You will gain insight into the rapid decline of religious freedom and the rise of “secret believers” across the region. Your faith will grow and your heart will break. We hope that you will pray for them, and raise your voice on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Central Asia.

ICC Regional Manager Corey

Bailey recently returned

from Central Asia, where she

met with recipients of ICC’s

aid and researched future

projects that could be done

to assist Christians. One of

the biggest needs of this

area is: prayer for those who

are perseuted, believers are

lonely and isolated. Funds to

open their business...

You can help today! 800-ICC-5441 6


S O U T H E A S T A S I AC E N T R A L A S I A

We sat in a quiet room, sealed off for fear of our conversation being over-heard. “This room is safe,” Pastor Askhat* told me. “There are no cam-eras, recording devices or listening devices here. We can speak freely.” One might think he was paranoid, but when our three-hour conversation was finished, I knew that he wasn’t.

L I F E F O R B E L I E V E R S I N K A Z A K H S TA N

Formerly ruled by Russia, Christians experienced freedom 20 years ago with the fall of Communism. For the first time, Christians could openly practice their faith without fear of retribution. however, with the fall of Communism came a great wave of conversions to Christianity.

“I was in the first wave of new believers,” Pastor Askhat said.

Freedom experienced by Christians all changed with the introduction of the controversial “Religion Law” that came into effect October 2012. “They can put you in jail [with] a lie,” Pastor Askhat expressed solemnly.

HOW KAZAKHSTAN IS PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS FROM THE INSIDE OUT


As we spoke in hushed tones, Pastor Askhat described to me life before the law came

into effect: Christians were free to have Bible studies and church meetings in their homes; it

was simple to register your church with the gov-ernment, who interfered little if at all.

However, under the new law, all Christian activity is

heavily monitored and recorded. Every re-ligious meeting must be registered with the government, and even previously registered churches must re-register. In addition, in or-der for a church to receive or keep their reg-istration, they must have a minimum of 50 members willing to register themselves with that church; something that invited surveillance of secret police into their daily lives.

“This room is safe....We can speak freely.” -PASTOR ASKHAT

central asia

In this seemingly quiet region, religious persecution is often

carried out by authorities without consequence by Western governments and Human Rights

Groups.


S O U T H E A S T A S I AC E N T R A L A S I A

It is clear to Pastor Askhat and other leaders that the purpose of this law was to limit the amount of church engagement by Kazakhs. Of the origi-nally 1,900 churches with legal registration, only 500 were approved to continue meeting. This meant that countless churches with less than 50 members, including home churches, Bible studies, and a prayer time held in someone’s house were now illegal. “All religious activities [must now] be transparent—each step approved by the government. This allows police to attack Christians on a personal level,” Pastor Askhat said.

Not only are authorities collecting personal information in registration, some take video survelliance of church services to keep track of attendies. Many churches reported that police regularly enter and film the crowd, so that they have a record of who attends the church service. They also arrest Christians during services, and believers get lost in the system.

In attempts to protect congregants from these invasions, one church has “video” volunteers. Along with ushers and greeters it is someone’s job to video if the police enter their building and threaten or arrest anyone. “If we don’t do this,” one Kazakh pastor told me, “then people just disappear. [The police] will say, ‘We didn’t arrest them. Maybe they don’t want to be a Christian anymore.’ Then we may never see them again. So, we must keep a record.”

this service is under

surveillance

Churches have begun using video in their

services to take note of attendees as well as

police raids, in the event that congregants go missing after surprise

visits from police.


C O N S TA N T F E A R

Kazakh authorities are not just using internal pressure to repress Christians; they are using external ones as well. The message sent by the media, which is heavily influenced by the government, is meant to turn the public against Christians. Pastor Askhat explained that the media says “non-traditional” Christians (denominations outside of traditional Orthodox) are extremists who wish to harm the country. “They even tell people lies such as, ‘All Christians will brainwash you,’” Pastor Askhat said. This type of propa-ganda is evident when a pastor was arrested for “hypnotizing” a church member when he prayed for him by the laying on of hands. “Now we tell our pastors not to touch people when they pray,” Pastor Askhat said.

You would think that believers could still meet in the privacy of their own homes to fellowship, worship and pray together as they saw fit. However, this is no longer safe to engage in if you belong to an unreg-istered religious group, and small groups like this will not be given registration. In addition, citizens are encouraged to report suspicious religious activity if noticed. “It seems we are returning to the Soviet ways, to Communism,” Pastor Askhat ex-plained. “There is a national phone num-ber (like 911 in the US) that the government advertises around our country. They say, ‘If you think your neighbor is a Christian, or [is] having a religious gathering, you just call this number and we will come,’” Pastor Askhat explained. “You can call and report anything and accuse someone of religious activity.” Unfortunately, this encourages Kazakhs to fear Christianity and to use the Religion Law against believ-ers for personal vendettas.

In fact, even as I was driven around town

“it seems we are returning to the Soviet ways....there is a phone numberthe government advertises...you can call and report anything and accuse someone of religious activity.” -PASTOR ASKHAT



to see the sights, my Christian hosts would turn down the volume of wor-ship music when we passed police or stopped at a stoplight.

W H Y A R E C H R I S T I A N S TA R G E T E D ?

Life for ethnic Kazakh people is much more difficult than for the ethnic Russians. An ethnic Kazakh is considered to be a Muslim. If he or she leaves that religion they are traitors to their ancestors and society. As such, any Kazkah Christians, or Russians evangelizing the Kazakhs, are treated much more harshly, and subsequently it is much more dangerous for them to practice their faith.

T H E P R O B L E M W I T H T E A

Another way to destroy a church and lessen the influence of its leader is to have them arrested. Churches report that police plant false evidence of drugs and other illegal things in the homes of believers, so that they have an excuse to arrest them.

Even tea, the common drink in the area, is not safe. Just ask Pastor B.

making an example of

him

Pastor Kashkumbayev (Pastor B.K.), was accused

of harming the health of his congregation by serving red tea, a common drink in

Kazakhstan. Read more about his story and how

ICC is helping on Jan. 23.



Kashkumbayev (B.K.), who is ethnically Kazakh. He was accused of put-ting hallucinogens in the communion “tea” and drugging his congregants in order to force them to attend church. Though there is no proof of any wrongdoing, he was arrested in early 2013. Just recently, in October 2103 even more dangerous charges of “extremism” were brought against him. As a result, pastors are encouraged not to serve loose leaf tea, and to let congregants prepare their own tea instead of preparing it for them, which is customary. “We need the word (of what’s happening) to get out—(the West) is just not [aware]. The police do this wihout restraint. We need you [the body of Christ] to put pressure on our government for us. We need your voice very much. We want to make people aware of Pastor B.K.”

W H AT T O D O ?

The believers told me that there is no end in sight. “The Religion Law broke the rights of the people,” Pastor Askhat told me in our private room. “We are returning to the communist days and it is very hard to be a Christian.” He continued, “I see there is a problem. Sometimes it seems so big and you wonder how you will live. It’s very hard—but you can live. There must be wisdom, knowledge, and interna-tional protection. We need our brothers and sisters around the world to speak up for us.” Although he does not know what the future holds, Pastor Askhat will believe for the best and prepare for the worst.

In the midst of increased persecution, the Church has not given up, in fact it has grown stronger. The bravery and com-mitment to the Gospel was humbling and overwhelming. As we closed our secret meeting, Pastor Askhat concluded, “Even though there is much persecution against us we won’t stop. We have our rights (from God). We will keep evangelizing.”

*The names of pastors and Christians interviewed will not be released—for their safety.

“sometimes it seems so big and you wonder how you will live. we need our brothers and sisters around the world to speak up for us.” -PASTOR ASKHAT

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Persecution magazine, January 2014, 1/3

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