What Russia's Top Church Leader is Saying about Donald Trump - CBN News

What Russia's Top Church Leader is Saying about Donald Trump

CBN News 11-26-2016

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church believes President-elect Donald Trump is the only American politician to give Russians, and Christians, hope in the war against the Islamic State. 

Patriarch Kirill told Russia Today (RT) he is encouraged by the incoming president's strong position against ISIS. 

"Based on what Mr. Trump said in the course of the election campaign, we can see that he does have the intention to establish a dialogue with Russia, including first and foremost when it comes to combating terrorism," Kirill said. 

"That's good; it opens up new opportunities for cooperation, which is what I hope we're going to have in Russia-U.S. relations in order to tackle this," he added.

"I don't know him personally, and I don't know much about his life, so I can only judge based on his statements, which were in stark contrast to other politicians' stances. There was no hope in what others were saying, while Mr. Trump's words give us hope," he said.

Kirill also told RT that he agrees that Trump is not afraid to speak his mind especially during a time when Christians in America are being shut down by political correctness. 

"It seems as if political correctness is meant to limit Christians' freedom to practice their faith. For example, why should we use 'X-mas' instead of 'Christmas'?," he asked. "We're very wary when, under the guise of political correctness and universal rights and liberties, we glimpse signs of discrimination against the people who want to be open about their Christian convictions." 

As Russia's Vladmir Putin congratulated Trump on his election victory and later vowed to dialogue with the U.S. "on the basis of mutual respect," Kirill said it is important for Christians to continue to pray for the nations that are working to eradicate terrorism. 

"All that is left to us as Christians is to pray and, of course, work together with everyone, so that all the nations involved realize that collaboration is instrumental. We keep hearing that the coalition has its own approach, and Russia has a different stance. Well, now is the time when we can't have two conflicting positions any longer; we need to align ourselves with each other," he said.

Jeremy Lin (NBA Charlotte Hornets) Asks Fans to 'Pray for Global Christian Revival' - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Jeremy Lin (NBA Charlotte Hornets) Asks Fans to 'Pray for Global Christian Revival'

 3/11/2016 JESSILYN JUSTICE  charisma news

Jeremy Lin asked his fans to pray for revival around the world.

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Charlotte Hornets' Jeremy Lin asked fans to intercede for "global Christian revival" in his latest prayer request email.  

"Please pray for global Christian revival. Specific areas that I feel God has put on my heart are Asian-Americans in the U.S. who are lukewarm in their faith, the billions in China who don't know Christ and Taiwan/Hong Kong. I obviously care about many other places, but these are very near and dear to my heart!" Lin wrote.  

The Chinese government has been cracking down on Christian activity recently,amping up persecution against pastors who stand for faith. 

Evangelist Franklin Graham announced an international summit to defend the persecuted.  

"2015 was just reported in the media as the worst year for Christian persecution," Franklin Graham wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. "More than twice as many Christians were killed for their faith than in the previous year—making it the worst in history since these statistics have been tracked." 

Graham met with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church last year to discuss the plight of Christians around the world.  

Kirill even bridged 1,000-year rift between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches when he and Pope Francis came together to raise awareness of persecution.  

"Our gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa, whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated," the two said in a joint statement.

But the two also believe, like Lin, that revival is possible. Kirill and Francis look to today's youth to bring about godly change. 

"Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You, young people, have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (Matt 25:25), but of using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ's truth in the world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love of God and of one's neighbor," according to the joint resolution.  

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Franklin Graham Launches Movement to Stop Christian Persecution - BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham Launches Movement to Stop Christian Persecution

3/10/2016 BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION   charisma news

Franklin Graham traveled to Russia last fall, where he met with leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church, including Patriarch Kirill (second from right). (Courtesy/BGEA)

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Franklin Graham announced Wednesday that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will convene The World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians this October. It will be held in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 28-30 in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church. 

"2015 was just reported in the media as the worst year for Christian persecution," Franklin Graham wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. "More than twice as many Christians were killed for their faith than in the previous year—making it the worst in history since these statistics have been tracked."

Franklin Graham called Moscow "a fitting and meaningful location for this much-needed summit."

"No church in modern history has suffered more than the church in Russia. In the years under Communist rule, virtually all of the priests, pastors, and church leaders in Russia were imprisoned or executed by the Communists, and their graves are on the outskirts of Moscow and throughout the country serving as a reminder."

Franklin Graham visited Russia last fall. While there, he met with Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as evangelical leaders to discuss the persecuted church worldwide.

Franklin Graham cited a Feb. 16 interview with Patriarch Kirill, where the Patriarch said we need to "work together in order to save our society from de-Christianization. ... Christians are being squeezed out of public life."

Britain's Prince Charles, Franklin Graham added, has also warned that Christianity could soon be wiped out of the Middle East—its birth place—with all the torture, beheadings and imprisonment people there face as a result of their faith.

"The World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians will shed a global spotlight on this crisis," Franklin Graham wrote in his Facebook announcement. "We will bring delegates from around the world and will be able to join hands with people of other churches and denominations of the Christian faith to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ and to hear firsthand reports of the suffering that is taking place.

"Will you pray with us for this historic summit?"

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Tortured in Ukraine: Christians Living a Nightmare

By George Thomas

CBN News Sr. Reporter

Thursday, September 18, 2014

EASTERN UKRAINE -- Ukraine's evangelical Christians are bearing the brunt of the country's conflict, often with deadly consequences.

It's a scene that has played in Elena Velichko's head over and over. Pro-Russian rebels took over her hometown in early April. Her husband Vladimir told her to take the kids and leave the city.

"He took us to the train station and we said goodbye. He said, 'I love you.' He kissed me and kissed the children and left," Elena said.

Several days later, her life and that of her eight children, ages 2 to 16, suddenly turned upside down.

Surreal Reality

It was June 8, Pentecost Sunday. The church was half empty. That's because the city was under tremendous assault by both the pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army.

Once the church service ended everybody made their way to the front of the church to go home.

But then the unimaginable happened.

"The church called and said my husband, along with three other believers, had been taken by men who were waiting outside the church," Elena said.

Alexander Gayvoronski, a church deacon, was there that Sunday morning.

"The men wore masks and had machine guns. They told the four Christian men to get into their cars," Gayvoronsi said.

The rebels took the pastor's sons, Ruvim and Albert Pavenko, Victor Brodarsky, and Elena's husband, Vladimir.

Multiple sources told CBN News what then happened to the four Christian captives.

First rebels took them outside the city and tortured them. The next day the men were put in car and told to drive away.

Then, minutes later they were recaptured and shot multiple times. Elena's husband was burned in the car.

"I don't hate my husband's killers. It is easy to start asking questions. Why did this happen? But if I keep thinking about this it will only wear me out," Elena said.

Christians Targeted

That same day rebels burned down the largest furniture factory that belonged to Ruvim and Albert Pavenko's father.

It had become clear rebels were targeting the city's evangelical community.

Sergey Demidovich, a top evangelical leader in Slavyansk, said Christians face constant threat.

"I never thought in the 21st century, in [a] free country as Ukraine, it was possible to experience this level of persecution," Demidovich said. "The separatists saw Protestant Christians as enemies. They viewed us as cults."

But the persecution was just getting started.

"All the Protestant churches in the city were either taken over by rebels or forced to close. We were forbidden to meet for services and the leadership forced to leave or be under risk of arrest," Demidovich said.

And the persecution is spreading far beyond just this city. Throughout the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as rebels gain more territory, assaults against evangelicals are growing.

Two pastors told CBN News they were arrested and tortured for their faith.

"If I went to Donetsk today I would be arrested at the first checkpoint and put in jail," Oleg, a pastor from Donetsk, said. "The last time I was in prison they beat me up so badly, but I kept preaching the gospel and telling them to repent."

Unwavering Faith

Many believe the persecution is linked to pressure from the Russian Orthodox Church, and the pro-Russian rebels are only happy to do their bidding.

"When I was in prison, a rebel soldier told me they have an order to kill all the Christian pastors who are not part of the Russian Orthodox Church," Anatoly, a pastor from Luhansk, said.

While that has forced some to go underground, others are deciding to stay.

"Many heroes were born out of this conflict -- men and women who are boldly sharing their faith and helping those caught in the war," Oleg said.

Elena Velichko said there's not a day that goes by that she doesn't think of that last goodbye, that final kiss she had with her husband at the train station.

But she is unwavering in her faith, trusting God to take care of her, the children, and Ukraine.

"People often ask me how I am doing. I tell them about a mighty God who can heal our hearts, maybe not as quickly as we would like it, but the process is going on and the prayers of people around the world help," Elena said.

"The biggest thing you can do for me is to pray for me and my family, about the future of my children and my country," she said.

Ukraine Rebels See Evangelicals as the Enemy

Ukraine Rebels See Evangelicals 

as the Enemy

CBNNews.com

Friday, July 25, 2014

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As tensions between Kiev forces and pro-Russian separatists escalate in eastern Ukraine, Christians are increasingly becoming targets of persecution in areas controlled by insurgents.

Acts of aggression include kidnappings, beatings, and killings, including the murder of four ministers several weeks ago.

According to Sergey Rakhuba, president of Russian Ministries, the rebels view evangelicals as enemies.

"In one of the towns, they even raised the Orthodox flag and said they would fight any heretic, any Protestant, anyone who represents any Western immoral values," he told Mission News Now.

Despite the violence, many pastors have chosen to remain in the war-torn region.

Rakhuba said one pastor told him, "'I'm staying here because I cannot abandon my flock. I cannot abandon those who are trapped here.'"

"There are hundreds of pastors that are doing the same thing," Rakhuba said.

***How much of the Christian persecution in east Ukraine is linked to pressure from the Russian Orthodox Church? Sergey Rakhuba addressed that issue as well as how his ministry is reaching out to the people of east Ukraine. 

Click here below for his comments: 

Ukraine-Rebels-See-Evangelicals-as-the-Enemy