GOD IS MOVING WITH POWER IN TRANSNISTRIA
RASPOL, Transnistria – A remarkable Christian revival is underway in a 
Russian-controlled part of Moldova, despite Moscow's heavy hand. Very few foreign journalists are allowed in, but CBN News gained rare access to the Transnistria region. Getting here is no easy feat. We began the 5,000-mile journey from the US East Coast, stopping first in the tiny former Soviet republic of Moldova's capital Chisinau. From there, we drove north along Ukraine's southwestern border, where Moscow has recently stirred up political turmoil. We made our way through several Russian checkpoints to Transnistria's capital Tiraspol where a huge statue of Lenin still adorns the town square.
Pastor Yuriy Semenyuk says the secret to the church's growth is simple: "We love God, we try to be very obedient to His Word and to His Spirit, and because we love people, we do whatever is possible to help people." Baptisms are a regular occurrence, and during the week, Church of Christ Saviour holds several youth programs for different age groups. Parents also get their ministry time. And when folks can't get to church, members often hit the streets of Tiraspol and neighbouring cities, holding evangelistic rallies. [Source: CBN]
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES TO PASS OUT 200,000 BIBLES THIS SUMMER
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) will distribute a stunning number of Bibles at their Christ-focussed camps worldwide this summer. FCA hosted 1,042 total camps last year in the US and internationally with more than 110,000 campers. The camps are a dedicated place for coaches and athletes to invest in their sport, their team, and — most importantly — their faith. Athletes not only train in camps for their respective sport but also undergo "spiritual training" that reminds coaches and athletes that their identity and value are found in Christ.
The ministry focuses on fostering a coach's or an athlete's relationship with Christ. One way they do that is by distributing an FCA Bible to every person who attends the camp. In 2023 alone, FCA distributed 230,247 Bibles to help coaches and athletes develop a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. [Source: CBN]
FIRST STATE TO MANDATE DISPLAY OF 10 COMMANDMENTS IN SCHOOLS
Louisiana has become the first state to require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. Republican Governor Jeff Landry signed HB71 into law on Wednesday after it passed in the Louisiana Senate in a 30-8 vote and then passed in the state House by a 79-16 vote last month. The American Civil Liberties Union vows to challenge the law, and the case could go to the U.S. Supreme Court. If the law survives legal challenges, every Louisiana classroom from kindergarten to the university level, which receives state funding, will be required to display the commandments "on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches." The commandments displays would be paid for by private donations so the state isn't funding them.
Louisiana State Rep. Dodie Horton (R) introduced the bill and said implementing the Ten Commandments is the "basis of all laws in Louisiana" and honors the country's religious origins, according to The New Orleans Advocate. "I hope and I pray that Louisiana is the first state to allow moral code to be placed back in the classrooms," she said. "Since I was in kindergarten (at a private school), it was always on the wall. I learned there was a God, and I knew to honour Him and his laws." [Source: CBN News]
ERITREA –3 PASTORS ENDURE 20 YEARS IN CUSTODY;1 PASTOR DIES IN PRISON
Your prayers are needed for Christians in Eritrea who have been imprisoned for their faith in Jesus. Please especially pray for three pastors who have now been in prison for 20 years. None of the three have ever been charged or faced trial. Pastors Haile Nayzgi and Dr Kiflu Gebremeskel were arrested on 23 May 2004. Pastor Meron Gebreselasie was arrested a month later. These pastors are among more than 500 Christians in Eritrea who endure long-term imprisonment in harsh conditions, often suffering violence and abuse. Some of these Christians never get to leave prison after their arrest. For example, a pastor named Ghirmay Araya died recently, after being imprisoned for almost three years. Ghirmay was arrested alongside another pastor named Samuel Okbamichael in July 2021. Both were in their mid-70s at the time of arrest.
In Eritrea, the Marxist government legally permits only three Christian denominations: Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran. Christians from prohibited denominations are subject to arrest and imprisonment, often without charge or trial. Even the legally permitted denominations are sometimes subject to intimidation and harassment.
PRAY that the Lord will comfort and sustain them (Psalm 69:33). [Source: Barnabas Aid]
- compiled by Guido Kettniss
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