Malaysian government’s push for religious control highlights ministry need (March 3, 2025, Mission Network News)
Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs USA tells the story of the Malay people, whose government grants or restricts religious freedom based on ethnicity. Malays face the tightest restrictions: they are forbidden to convert from Islam, and people from other faith backgrounds are forbidden to witness to them.
Religious freedom is routinely curbed in Central Asia – but you won’t often see it making international news (February 6, 2025, The Conversation)
The Pew Research Center’s latest annual report found “high” or “very high” levels of government constraints on religion in 59 of the 198 countries and territories it analyzed – a new record. And trampling of religious practices is a taboo subject for domestic news media in many, if not most, of such countries.
Muslims In Sri Lanka Fail To Return To Their Homes In War-Torn Provinces (February 11, 2025, Religious Unplugged)
Nearly two decades have passed since the 26-year-long civil war ended in Sri Lanka. Yet, Muslims displaced from the island nation’s Northern and Eastern provinces still face significant challenges in returning to their homes and reclaiming their land.
The Vanished pre-European Christendom (February 4, 2025, Juicy Ecumenism)
Christians today are acutely aware of the secularization of the West and the rise of Christianity in the Global South. But many are not aware of a similar geographic and demographic shift which occurred at the close of the Middle Ages, resulting in the Euro-centric Christianity that we have known since then, and which now may be changing once again.
This Christian Convert Fled Iran, and Ran Into Trump’s Deportation Policy (February 26, 2025, The New York Times)
People fleeing violent religious persecution are normally eligible for asylum. But they have been caught in the Trump administration’s deportation push as the president tries to fulfill a campaign pledge to close the southern border.
Chinese Government Boasts About Increased Persecution in 2024 (March 5, 2025, Church Leaders)
In statements on social media and state-owned media platforms, China is celebrating an increase in government persecution of religious minorities in 2024.
Reaching out to the Disabled and Handicapped (March 4, 2025, ChinaSource)
While Ping has yet to believe, my encounter with him reminded me of the need to pray for the weak, the vulnerable, and handicapped in this country. Because they are different, they are often pushed aside and ignored. I saw this firsthand on my second trip to China when I visited an orphanage. Children with mental diseases, physical disfigurements, and handicaps filled each room.
Kunming: Pray for the Gospel to Spread (March 3, 2025, China Partnership)
Because Kunming is relatively inclusive, I think of Gal. 3:26-28: “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” I think our church reflects this. No matter what ethnicity, in Christ we are all one family. On one hand, this verse encourages us that we need to serve these ethnic minority groups. On the other hand, we also hope that all churches in Kunming can be united in Christ.
Returnee Ministry in the Era of Migration—Local Church as a Community to Receive (March 3, 2025, ChinaSource)
It is encouraging to see the Winter 2024 issue of ChinaSource Quarterly revisiting the timely issue of Chinese returnees (海归). Since the previous issue in 2016, there have been significant global changes that have impacted the landscape and movement of Chinese students. The editors of this latest issue have done an excellent job of compiling articles that present a variety of perspectives—featuring firsthand experiences and expertise from Chinese returnees, Chinese ministers in the US, pastors serving in urban churches in China, and field directors of organizations working in returnee ministry.
How Not to End Persecution (February 25, 2025, ChinaSource)
The evangelical China story, with its usual focus on religious persecution, highlights the political and social challenges facing China’s Christians. But in bringing the plight of Chinese believers into the global Christian discourse, this narrative also raises the question: what are evangelicals willing to do about it?
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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