Daily Archives: August 31, 2006

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Christians are persecuted.

We debate doctrine, we debate about "the imputation of Adam's guilt", we debate about this and about that. Don't misunderstand - some of these are important debates because they affect our understanding of Christ and His cross.
In another part of the world, only a month ago four Christians were deported from Saudi Arabia. Their crime: “preaching to Muslims, planting churches and gathering ladies and gentlemen together for prayer.”

Plainclothes security police arrested the four men at their Friday morning worship service in Jeddah’s Al-Rowaise district on June 9. At 11 a.m., more than 20 officers descended on the rented room where approximately 250 Eritreans and Ethiopians were worshipping, Wendewesen said.

Armed with wooden clubs and guns, the policemen took seats offered them by the worshippers and stayed to listen to the sermon. After the service, the officers flashed ID cards and escorted the four church leaders to offices of the Ministry of Interior.

The next day, authorities transferred the Christians to a civil police station where they were beaten and forced to sign a 10-page document.

While these men were in prison, they say that that their only distraction from the miserable conditions were the Muslim who were curious about Christianity.

Imprisoned, beaten and tortured for preaching the Gospel - their response was to preach the Gospel.

"And the high priest questioned them, saying, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men."