By Bob Allen Instability in Ukraine cast a spotlight on the former Soviet republic’s minority Baptist religious population with the selection of interim president Oleksandr Turchynov, a veteran politician, author and lay preacher at the Word of Life Center in…
U.S. Baptist church group amid violence in Kiev
By Bob Allen Violence in the Ukraine is up close and personal for a Southern Baptist church in Texas praying for an eight-member mission team working with college students Feb. 13-March 2 in Kiev. Missionaries from First Baptist Church in…
Kazakh Baptists refuse to pay fines
By Bob Allen Two Baptists in Kazakhstan recently served 48 hours in jail after refusing to pay fines handed down in 2013 for worshipping and sharing their faith without the government’s permission. Shoe-repairer Vyacheslav Cherkasov and plumber Zhasulan Alzhanov were sentenced…
Baptists arrested at worship in Belarus
By Bob Allen Authorities in Belarus raided a Baptist church service Dec. 22 and charged three leaders with holding an unauthorized mass public event, according to an international news service that specializes in religious liberty violations around the world. Forum…
Baptists host interfaith Xmas in Georgia
By Bob Allen Baptists in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia initiated a historic Christmas Day gathering of Muslims and Christians hailed as a model for interfaith relations in other countries. Muslim clerics from both Shia and Sunni traditions from…
Baptist fined for magazine subscription
By Bob Allen A Baptist in Tajikistan was fined after three church members received magazines from outside the country that officials said violated the country’s ban on production, import, export, selling and distribution of religious literature. The Norway-based news service…
Baptist seminary head wins labor appeal
By Bob Allen A judge has ruled that a Baptist seminary in Zimbabwe acted improperly in the 2011 firing of its top administrator who resisted orders to lead the school in accordance with the Baptist Faith and Message statement adopted…
Pastor in Central Asia faces year in prison
By Bob Allen A Baptist pastor in Kazakhstan faces up to a year in prison after refusing to pay a fine equivalent to about two months’ average salary for conducting worship without government permission, the international news service Forum 18…
Baptists in Uzbekistan lose camp
By Bob Allen A court in Uzbekistan has ordered confiscation of property purchased 13 years ago by Uzbekistan’s Baptist Union for use as a summer camp, according to a report by Forum 18, a global news service that monitors abuse…