Vietnam’s Church Thriving Despite Intensified Persecution

(AgapePress) – A representative of a ministry to the persecuted Church says Christianity is growing at a rapid rate in Vietnam, despite increased harassment from government officials. This past Sunday marked the annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, and the observance could not come at a more critical time for believers in Vietnam. Earlier this year, more than 100 Christians were killed by government forces during a protest in the highlands of that Communist-controlled country. Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA says Christianity is spreading, even as persecution increases in Vietnam. There, he says, 1.2 million evangelical Christians are part of a movement that is “just exploding for the Lord,” even in the midst of oppression. “House churches are exploding,” Dykstra says. “I mean there is tremendous growth of Christianity in Vietnam. There’s one house church where we’ve gotten reports that there are 2,000 members.” The Open Doors spokesman says it is important for believers in the United States to contact the Bush administration and remind their government officials of the human rights abuses being inflicted on Christians by Vietnamese authorities.