Archive for February, 2012|Monthly archive page

Please lift up the country of Turkey in your prayers. The country is 99% Muslim with less than 1% Christian. The government only recognizes three minority religions in the country: Greek Orthodox Christianity, Armenian Orthodox Christianity, and Judaism. People are able to practice these religions, but with restrictions attached. Proselytizing to Muslims is illegal, conversion is frowned upon, and religious and moral instruction is imposed in schools. Physical harm is always a threat to believers in Turkey and anti-Christian propaganda is common. Please pray for strength over Turkish Christians. Pray that the hearts of the Turkish people would be softened towards people of religious minorities. Pray that the minorities facing persecution show love towards their persecutors. Most importantly, pray that God moves and makes himself known among the country of Turkey.

Click here to learn more about the status of persecution in Turkey.

Check out the video below. It's a report from CNN about the rise of an extremist Islamic group headed by Ibraheem El-Zakzaky in Nigeria. The report gives a glimpse into the radical views of this group as well as their negative feelings towards the West. We've reported on multiple occasions of instances where radical Muslims acted in violence towards Christians in Northern Nigeria. In fact, thousands of Christians in the area have been killed at the hands of these extremist groups.

It is important to point out that the video does interview one leader in the Muslim community who condemns the actions and beliefs of El-Zakzaky. He speaks out against the extremist views of the radical groups and explains that they are not what Islam stands for. Watch the video to learn more about the different extremist groups in Northern Nigeria. Pray for all Nigerians, Christians and Muslims, as they live among these radical groups.

Click here to watch the video.

‎"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”

1 Corinthians 12:26

We at ICC, and as a group of believers in Christ, want to take this verse to heart in how we work and how we live out our lives. We are called to help those who can't help themselves and to show love to all people. Please pray that all believers live out this practice in love and acceptance. Also, click here to learn more about why we serve the persecuted church.

"Open your mouth for the mute,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Open your mouth, judge righteously,

defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Proverbs 31: 8-9

"Bangladesh is a Parliamentary Democracy that promises its citizens the right 'to profess, practice, or propagate any religion' in Article 41 of its constitution. Religious freedom exists but is steadily being eroded by Islamist pressure and a legal system which gives no safeguards to religious minorities." Religious minorities are also facing killings, rape, torture, attacks on centers of worship, forced conversions, and other terrible acts of persecution. Please pray for Christians and other religious minorities in the Asian country of Bangladesh as they live among these horrors.

Click here to learn more.

Make sure you sign up for our free newsletter before it goes out March 1st! This month's edition tells different stories of people who have been helped by our various assistance programs. It's very encouraging to read! Click here to sign up for this great resource and other ways to stay informed.