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New Life Church

  • Officials Issue Threats to Church Leaders
    Saint Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Church in Baranovichi city.
    An Orthodox church in Belarus.
    Photo: Wikimedia / Horakvlado (cc)

    On December 20th, a meeting was held for the Minsk Orthodox Diocese. During the gathering, which consisted of more than two hundred priests, Olga Chemodanova from the Ideology Department of the Minsk Executive Committee was invited to speak. She told those present that state agencies were monitoring more than 500 religious communities and openly warned against committing any act that could potentially be perceived as being political in nature, including the use of "non-religious symbols." Her address clearly threatened any church leaders who may be considered "ideologically alien," further indicating that such leaders should expect to serve time in prison.

  • New Life Church Faces Liquidation
    A building is only partially standing, with the rest in rubbles.
    Destruction of the New Life Church building.
    Photo: New Life Church

    Since 2002, the New Life Church in Minsk, Belarus, has faced repeated harassment from the country's governing authorities. Though legally recognized by the government, the church has been continually denied a place of worship. After many years of court challenges, the congregation's sanctuary was destroyed in June 2023 (read more).

  • More Harassment and Sentences for New Life Church
    Vyacheslav and Irina GoncharenkoPastor Vyacheslav and his wife Irina Goncharenko
    Photo: New Life Church

    For several years, the New Life Church in Minsk has faced opposition from the government, including the complete destruction of their place of worship on June 20th. (For more details, click here.) That act of destruction, however, did not stop ongoing harassment from government officials.

  • New Life Church Building Destroyed
    The rubble of a building

    In 2002, the New Life Church in Minsk, Belarus, purchased a cowshed on the outskirts of the city in order to convert the building into a suitable place of worship for the congregation of 600 members. Since that time, the government's religious affairs department has opposed their use of the building. For more than 18 years, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada has been following the plight of this church, calling for prayer as the believers continually sought to find ways to meet for services in the face of opposition.

  • Seven Young Christians Fined
    New Life Church meeting outside
    New Life Church outdoor service
    Photo: New Life Church (cc)

    A court in Minsk has fined seven young Christians the equivalent of two months' average wages each. The charges were laid against the believers as punishment for talking to others about the meaning of Easter on April 15th, the day before Orthodox Easter Sunday.

  • Outdoor Worship Service Banned and Pastors Fined
    Church service outdoors
    New Life Church outdoor service.
    Photo: New Life Church (cc)

    On September 15th, the Persecution & Prayer Alert reported on renewed threats against the New Life Church in Minsk, Belarus (read more). The church building was sealed by governing authorities in February 2021, and since then its members have met weekly in the facility's parking lot.

  • Legal Threats Facing Churches
    New Life Church meeting in the parking lot
    New Life Church outdoor service
    Photo: New Life Church (cc)

    A recent report from Forum18 has provided updates on two situations currently affecting churches in Belarus. In both cases, ongoing pressures from governing officials could potentially mean the churches would lose their legal status to operate.

  • Civil Suits Used in Religious Opposition
    Balance scales and gavel representing justice, with Kazakh money (called Tenge) under the gavel's block

    As a recent spate of civil suits have been launched against religious groups in Kazakhstan, some human rights experts are suspecting that state officials may be instigating the legal action, or at least providing support. If accurate, this would be a new way for the Kazakhstan government to take action against the religious minority groups they oppose.

  • Evicted Church Warned to Stop Parking Lot Meetings
    Pastor Goncharenko - Photo: YouTube / New Life Church
    Pastor Goncharenko preaching outside.
    Photo: YouTube / New Life Church

    Since purchasing a former cowshed in 2002 and converting it into a church building, the New Life Church in Minsk, Belarus, has faced opposition from government agencies. After years of court battles, officials accompanied by bailiffs forcefully entered the place of worship on February 17th, 2021, evicting church members from the building. For more information on the eviction, including a video clip, go to this report.

  • Congregants Evicted After Nearly 20-Year Struggle
    Authorities forcibly entering New Life Church - Photo: YouTube/New Life Church (screenshot)
    Click to view video.
    Photo: YouTube/New Life Church (screenshot)

    In 2002, the New Life Church purchased a cowshed on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, for use as a church building. All government agencies approved the change of use, except for officials of the religious affairs department who repeatedly blocked the process. Harassment from this department has continued for several years.

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