In the latest development, Forum 18 reported on February 21 that senior pastor, Vyacheslav Goncharenko, now faces the same charges for organizing illegal worship. The initial hearing was held on February 10 and a second hearing is planned for March 1.
The 600-member congregation has been seeking permission to convert an old cowshed into a place of worship; a proposal approved by all government agencies except the religious affairs department, which claims that a new suburb is planned for the area. Unable to obtain this necessary approval, New Life Church was refused re-registration at the address of the cowshed when the religion law's November 16, 2004 deadline for compulsory re-registration expired. This past December, the church received a first official warning based upon Yurevich's prosecution. Under the 2002 religion law, a second warning would be sufficient to ban the church.
Pray for Pastor Goncharenko and the other members of this church, as they deal with the difficulties from the authorities, as well as the charges being brought against the leadership. Pray that the Lord will provide a place and an opportunity for His people to continue to meet in worship.
Representatives from The Voice of the Martyrs visited Belarus in late 2004. You can listen to an on-site interview with Glenn Penner, VOM's Communications Director, in the Audio section of VOM's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com. It costs nothing to become a member of PersecutionTV, but membership gives you access to many resources that cannot be found anywhere else on the Internet.
The March edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter features the situation facing Christians in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Belarus. To receive your free year's subscription, click here.
For more information on persecution in Belarus, click here.
