 Parishioners have held candlelight prayer vigils for months. Photo from AsiaNews |
Pray for the government to change its mind and act justly in this situation. Pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen Christians in Vietnam in their hearts, minds, and bodies as they face opposition to their faith.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam, go to our Vietnam Country Report.
By helping to provide solid Biblical teaching and training uniquely suited to the needs of a specific tribal group, VOMC is able to equip members of Vietnam’s persecuted church to stand firm in their faith and reach out to others in their communities with the powerful message of the Gospel.
Project Fund: Underground Church
Population
104,799,174 (2023 est.)
Ethnicity (%)
Kinh [Viet] (85.3), Tay (1.9), Thai (1.9), Muong (1.5), Khmer (1.5), Mong (1.4), Nung (1.1), Hoa (1), others (5.5)
Religion (%)
Catholic (6.1), Buddhist (7.9), Protestant (1), Other (0.8) none (86.3%)
Leader
President To Lam (May 2024)
Government type
Communist state
Legal system
Civil law system
Source: CIA World Factbook
We can thank the Lord for the tremendous witnessing efforts and steadfast faith demonstrated by the persecuted Christians of Vietnam. May they not be intimidated by governmental stipulations but rather encouraged to stand firm on the promises of God – relying on Him for the wisdom, diplomacy and favour required to deal appropriately with the authorities. Pray for radical changes to take place in the hearts of the country’s leaders, especially those who are responsible for implementing and administering Vietnam's laws, so that the work of the Gospel will continue to thrive.
In August of this year, a widower and father of two referred to as "Brother Man" came to faith in Christ. When news of the believer's conversion became known, he began to encounter intense pressure from local authorities.
In the first incident, Brother Man was ordered to leave his home. When he refused to do so, the local authorities then confiscated his land and forbade him from contacting any other Christians. Despite the opposition, the follower of Jesus remained firm in his newfound faith.
Human rights organizations around the world are raising concerns about the fate of 11 Christian prisoners in Vietnam. The Christian men were all sentenced to prison at different times between 2011 and 2016. It has recently come to light that their whereabouts remain a mystery, and that the believers who should have completed their sentences by now were not yet released to return home.
On March 8th, the body of Pastor Y Bum Bya was found hanging from a tree at a cemetery near his home in the Dak Lak Province of Vietnam. Though local authorities declared the Christian leader's death a suicide, reports indicate that his body showed signs of torture. The believer's death happened shortly after he had been summoned to meet with police.
With the release of Decree 95, which took effect on March 30th, Vietnamese governing officials declared that the new regulations they were instituting would ensure freedom of belief for all people within the country, enhancing the responsibilities of individual agencies and organizations. The decree expands on the "Law on Belief and Religion" that was implemented in 2018, which outlines additional policies and procedures regulating religious activities in Vietnam.
