Ministry Urges Prayer for Vietnam's House Churches
by Allie Martin
October 25, 2004
(AgapePress) - A new law set to take effect next month in Vietnam is expected to add to the persecution already suffered by Christians in that Communist nation. While one article of the new law purportedly guarantees religious freedom, most of the remaining 40 articles detail a long series of oppressive policies and hindrances to Church activities.Jerry Dykstra is with Open Doors USA, a ministry that serves the persecuted Church worldwide. He explains that specific prayer is needed for believers in Vietnam and says, "The Christians there, especially house church Christians, request prayers that this law will not be put into effect, that the government will rescind that law."
That is the number-one request that Christians under that oppressive regime have right now, Dykstra says. Also, he adds, quoting one Vietnamese pastor's words directly, their prayer is "not that the persecution will stop, but that the Lord will give us power to continue to be faithful and continue to evangelize."
Vietnam's new law on religion is due to take effect November 15, the Open Doors spokesman notes, pointing out that this is one day after the ministry's designated "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church." He says the law will create many problems and disadvantages for followers of Christ in this Communist nation, which is noted in the U.S. State Department's 2004 Report on International Religious Freedom as one of the "countries of particular concern."
Dykstra believes the Vietnamese government attempts to project a façade of religious liberty. If anyone were to go into Ho Chi Minh City, he says, the government officials "would have you believe that everything is all right and Christians can worship in their houses of worship."
However, the U.S. ministry representative says, "the truth of the matter is that many Christians are being persecuted, especially in the [Central] Highlands sections, especially the Montagnard Christians, who are a minority. So we need to keep them in our prayers."
Pastors and leaders from more than 50 house churches and indigenous mission organizations have signed a petition, appealing to Vietnam's Communist Party to allow greater religious freedom in that country. In an unprecedented action, the representatives of the nation's house church fellowships traveled to Hanoi on Monday, September 27, to deliver to the government their petition on behalf of the thousands of Protestant Christians throughout Vietnam.
