As coronavirus restrictions lift in China, the communist government remains steadfast in its ongoing persecution of local Christians.

In April, at least 48 Three-Self Churches were shut down by the local government in Yugan County, according to Bitter Winter, a magazine on religious rights and human rights in China.

The reasoning behind the shutdowns is due to Yugan County’s “large number of believers,” making it “one of the key targets of the CCP’s religious persecution.”

According to the Christian Post, Yugan county has a population of over 1 million people, in which more than 10 percent are Protestants who attend over 300 officially registered Three-Self churches.

One Three-Self congregant told Bitter Winter that in April, officials of Shegeng town, under the direction of the mayor, raided the church and removed its podium, cross and all other religious symbols.

Congregants wept in distress at the sight of the destruction of the church’s most cherished items.

The believer noted, “if you try to protest, they will accuse you of fighting against the Communist Party and the central government.”

In Yugan’s Daxi township, a village press secretary told believers that shutting down churches and demolishing crosses was a part of state policy.

One of the local believers noted that the press secretary said that “there were too many believers in the county,” after an inspection by the…

JOS, Nigeria, June 3, 2020 (Morning Star News) – A Christian in north-central Nigeria who led a team of civilians that apprehended Muslim Fulani herdsmen after they allegedly killed five Christians on Thursday night (May 28) was blunt about their motives.

“These Muslim Fulani herdsmen have been attacking our communities because we are Christians,” Ibrahim Agu Iliya told Morning Star News. “Their desire is to take over our lands, force us to become Muslims, and if we decline, they kill us.”

Muslim Fulani herdsmen went into a mini-store in the Kwashie area of the town of Miango, in Plateau state’s Bassa County, and shot to death the store owner and four others, relatives said. They did not steal anything from the store or the victims, sources said.

Sunday Samuel, whose 42-year-old sister Asabe Samuel was the store owner, said he was in his home behind the store when he heard gunshots.

“I opened my bedroom window in order to find out what was happening,” the 53-year-old Samuel told Morning Star News. “I saw armed men with guns shooting all around, and I thought they’ll force their way into my house. I heard the attackers speaking to themselves in Hausa and Fulfulde, calling for a quick retreat from the spot.”

Sporadic shooting went on for about 10 minutes before the gunmen retreated, he said.

“I decided to go out and find out what had actually…

President Trump’s visit to the historical St. John Episcopal Church Monday evening was met with criticism by many, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

As Christian Headlines previously reported, President Trump visited the church after condemning the violent riots and looting across the U.S. in a speech at the White House’s Rose Garden.

Trump’s visit to St. John’s was harshly criticized because officials were reported to have used tear gas and flash grenades on nearby protestors in order to clear the area for the President to walk to the church.

At the Capitol Building Tuesday morning, holding a Bible in her own hands, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized Trump’s visit to the historic church, The Hill reports.

“Peaceful demonstrators in front of the White House were beaten — some people came out and beat them so they could clear the area so the president could come out and go forward. What is that?” she asked. “That has no place, and it’s time for us to do away with that, a time to heal.”

Pelosi then urged President Trump to “follow the lead of so many other presidents before him, to be a Healer-in-Chief and not a fanner of the flame.”

Pelosi then referred to past presidents in related circumstances, including former President George H.W. Bush, who stressed for unity following the Rodney King riots, and former President Barrack Obama’s call for healing…

In the middle of a busy day, Amazon delivery driver Monica Salinas stopped to say a prayer for a baby at high risk for the coronavirus.

“There was a note and it said their baby’s food was essential, and every time I see that note, it just touches my heart,” Salinas said, according to The Christian Post.  “I just stopped to do what my heart told me to do, to say a prayer for the baby and for the parents because that’s got to be very painful for all of them to see their baby hurt and struggle. I just prayed that they can make it through another day, one day at a time.”

Derek and Raquel Pearson’s son, Lucas, is less than a year old and was diagnosed with a heart condition, making him at risk for respiratory complications. He also requires thickeners in order to digest milk. His parents have isolated themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to protect their son.

“We really depend on getting all of these supplies online so we don’t have to go out to the store and bring a virus home,” said Raquel. “We just want to minimize exposure to coronavirus.”

Raquel noticed Salinas stop by the door and bow her head. At first, she didn’t know what she was doing until Salinas made the sign of the cross after praying. The delivery driver told the Catholic News Agency that she prayed, “Dearest God, please protect this family through your Precious Blood, and this baby, so that he may grow to…

The Christian Association of Nigeria issued a statement calling on government officials to work to gain the release of the Bishop Joseph Masin who serves as the chairman of the Nasarawa State unit, after gunmen abducted him from his home last week.

According to CBN News, Masin’s captors rode motorcycles and snatched him from his home in the state capital of Lafia last Wednesday. According to the Nigeria news outlet This Day, they have demanded 20 million Nigerian Naira, which is close to $52,000, as a ransom.

In the statement, the Christian Association of Nigeria appeals to the government for help because they have no options to pursue his captors on their own. The statement said, “Since we have no police of our own and we are trying as much as possible to avoid chaotic situations, we are placing a demand on the federal government and the Nasarawa State Government to ensure the safety and immediate release of Bishop Masin before it is too late.”

The statement also reminded leaders that this is the second time a Christian Association of Nigeria leader has been kidnapped this year. They said, “We will not accept losing another state Chairman like we lost the late CAN Chairman, Rev. Lawan Andimi, in Adamawa State, who was gruesomely murdered by terrorists while our security agencies appeared powerless, helpless, and de-robbed of their armor.”

Militants abducted…

As violent protests ensue over the death of George Floyd, Evangelist Franklin Graham is calling for the church to pray.

Graham, who serves as president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association  (BGEA) and heads up humanitarian aid organization Samaritan’s Purse, stressed the importance of prayer in a Facebook post on Saturday.

“As Christians, the greatest weapon and the most powerful defense we have is prayer. Our country needs prayer in a critical way,” he asserted

Graham then called for churches to “have a special time of intercession for our nation in their Sunday morning services”, whether it was online or in person.

“Will you pray, and will you share this with your pastor?” he asked.

Graham continued, imploring the church to pray for peace, perspective, patience and an outpouring of God’s wisdom.

He wrote, “We need to pray for PEACE, because “’the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God’ (James 1:20).

“Pray for PERSPECTIVE, because ‘the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere’ (James 3:17).

“Pray for PATIENCE, because of God’s ‘kindness and forbearance and patience’ toward us all (Romans 2:4).

“And pray for an OUTPOURING of His wisdom and direction for our leaders and officials who are dealing with this…

Hip hop recording artist Lecrae is urging Christians to be the “hands and feet” of Jesus to help heal America’s divisions.

“My heart breaks but I’m not hopeless,” Lecrae wrote on his Instagram account Sunday. “I anticipate God raising up more people to put aside their fears and doubts.”

The post came the same day Lecrae posted an Instagram picture of himself at a protest alongside a written message, “‘Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause,’ (Isaiah 1:17).” In the picture, he was holding a sign reading, “Justice is a right not a privilege,” while wearing a shirt reading “11 Six” – a reference to Romans 1:16.

In his post addressing the church, Lecrae said Christians can help heal the nation.

“My mama marched in the 60s and 70s. She took me to my first protest as a child after Rodney King was beaten unjustly,” he wrote, referencing the 1991 police beating of a black man in Los Angeles. “I protested in Ferguson. I protested for justice of #mikebrown #freddiegray #tamirrice #ericgarner #sandrabland #philandocastile and others over the last 4 years. Here we are again. Violence and mayhem did not bring their lives back or bring justice. We need real plans. We need more than tweets. We need solidarity. We need the walls around this proverbial Jericho to fall.

“Yes…