AP

SEISMIC SPIRITUAL SHIFT IN WORLD’S LARGEST CATHOLIC COUNTRY

Brazil is witnessing a seismic shift in its religious landscape that’s rapidly reshaping the country’s spiritual and social fabric. Evangelicals are poised to outnumber Catholics as the largest faith group there. Surveys show that what was once the world’s largest Catholic nation, will be overwhelmingly evangelical by 2030. “We are on the verge of a religious change in Brazil’, ” said Brazilian sociologist Dr. José Alves. “The Signs of this growth are everywhere—mega-churches dotting the landscape, filled with thousands of worshippers each week.  One of the largest and most influential Pentecostal churches in Brazil has more than 100,000 members. A spokesman for the Assembly of God Victory in Christ church said: “Today, Evangelicals make up about 35% of the population, and God’s Kingdom has influence in every corner of Brazilian society.” Marcelo Crivella, a well-known evangelical pastor turned politician, once served as mayor of Rio de Janeiro. He says that, years ago, evangelical Christians hesitated to get involved in politics—but that’s no longer the case. More than 30% of the country’s legislators are now evangelical. “We have more than 140 deputies and more than 20 senators,” said Crivella, a Brazilian Congressman. Many of them gather each Wednesday in the halls of Brazil’s Congress for worship and prayer.
In northwest Brazil evangelical Christianity is reshaping the region’s spiritual fabric, leading to new converts and churches. Spanning more than 6 million square miles of South America, 60% of the Amazon rainforest is in northwest Brazil. According to CBN News the approximately 30 million Amazonians currently living there are experiencing an unprecedented evangelical revival. Josué Bengtson has spent decades traversing the river’s intricate network, first as a missionary now as a pastor. He says when he started evangelizing in this region, they had few workers and had to walk 15km to reach tribes. Today, the power of the Gospel is clearly seen, with 3,200 congregations flourishing across the region. In six months of last year they baptized 14,500 people. Small evangelical churches are continuing to spring up in remote riverside communities, bringing the love of Christ to those who previously were without hope.
God is blessing the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, having an estimated 702,949 members, 4,915 ordained ministers and 5,420 churches and parishes. [Source: CBN Christian World News and Faithwire]

THE CHRISTIANS OF MONGOLIA
People unfamiliar with Mongolia might imagine it as a country of wild expanses and nomadic herders. But urban life is growing, and Mongolia’s capital city Ulaanbaatar now has a population of 1.3 million. Reports indicate there is good unity in Mongolia among church denominations and networks, as Christians work together to proclaim the gospel, make disciples, multiply churches and meet community needs.
Nevertheless, over 90% of Mongolians are still considered unreached with the gospel, even though the Mongolian church is growing at a rate three times the world average. A central concern of Christians is to reach their nation for Christ, and to this end prayer is asked, that young leaders will be raised up to go forth in evangelism, plant churches and nurture new believers. [Source: New Life]

CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES VITAL TO REBUILDING WESTERN CIVILISATION
The importance of genuine Christian belief to the urgent task of rebuilding Western civilization was a central theme at the sold-out Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference, which was attended by around 4,000 people in London. It brought together a coalition of thinkers, entrepreneurs, politicians and other influencers on the “right side” of the political spectrum. ARC was set up by Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and British Tory peer Baroness Philippa Stroud, to combat the prevalent anti-Christian world-view – a world-view that denies freedom of speech and religion. Among ARC’s known financial backers is British hedge fund boss, philanthropist and media tycoon Sir Paul Marshall whose world-view is shaped by his evangelical Christian faith.
The ARC conference was not explicitly a faith-based event, but a distinctly religious theme was evident throughout its duration. Speakers included Muslim-to-atheist-to-Christian convert Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who criticized multiculturalism and said the “nation state needs Christian morality”. Many Christian speakers emphasised the importance of genuine faith to rebuilding nations. Christian thinker Os Guinness also gave a rousing speech: “The Christian faith will only be true and effective, if it’s understood to be true, and you have enough people who are citizens who have an ultimate loyalty to what they see is ultimate reality.” Evangelical apologist Amy Orr-Ewing focussed on the importance of Christian beliefs: “Forgiveness and redemption are one of the richest traditions in Western culture.” Baroness Stroud closed the conference by saying: “Many have said we live in an ‘era of decline’. But we have an urgent message for Western leaders: Decline is not inevitable, but we must act to renew our societies.” [Source: Vision Christian Media]

JD VANCE REBUKES ANTI-CHRISTIAN DISCRIMINATION IN MUNICH SPEECH
Delivering a speech in Germany, US Vice President JD Vance criticized European governments for suppressing free speech and discriminating against Christians. He urged leaders across Europe to reverse the ongoing crackdown on conservative voices and religious freedoms. In his address at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Vance noted that conservatives have been investigated, arrested, prosecuted or fined for protesting abortion and posting (Biblical) views on social media. The US vice President cited examples of anti-Christian discrimination, noting that individuals in the United Kingdom and Sweden had been punished for expressing religiously motivated views. Last October, Adam Smith-Connor, a British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was found guilty of praying silently near an abortion clinic in Dorset, England.  Vance reinforced uncertainty about future American support, suggesting that governments curtailing religious freedom and free speech should not expect automatic backing on security matters. [Editor’s note: Members of the then German Parliament took great exception to Vance’ s speech. Some of these lost their seats in the recent election, leading to hopes that there will be greater freedom of speech and for Christians to live out their faith in that country. [Source: Christian Post]

INDIAN CHURCHGOERS BRUTALLY ATTACKED BY MOB
Churchgoers in Rajasthan, India experienced a brutal attack when gathering for a service on the 17th February. A mob of 200 people attacked the group of 50 Christians, beating them with iron bars. Most were left bruised, and some with severe injuries. The church’s pastor told the anti-persecution charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide that a new person had attended the church that day, and was seen sending text messages minutes before the attack.
The mob accused the church of forceful conversion, and forced the pastor and his wife to the police station. However, no one was charged with a crime – including the mob themselves. The pastor – who wishes to remain anonymous – chose not to file a complaint for fear of repercussions. This month, a bill has been tabled in Rajasthan’s legislative body to further crack down on ‘conversion’. The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill 2025 follows similar laws which passed in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill increased sentence times for ‘crimes’ which are often used to persecute Christians.
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: “CSW is concerned by the rising numbers of reported attacks on Christians and other religious minorities in India. In recent years Christians have been increasingly subjected to assaults, humiliation and the loss of their livelihoods and belongings by far-right religious nationalists who make clearly baseless accusations of forceful conversion. Meanwhile those who carry out these attacks enjoy complete impunity. We urge the local authorities to be proactive and take firm and swift action against the perpetrators of such crimes.”
PRAYER: Pray for our brothers and sisters in India. Father, please strengthen their communities – especially leaders and their families. May the legislature reject this new bill, so that Christians can practice freely. In Jesus’ name, Amen. [Source: Premier Christian News]

NEPAL – GOD IS GROWING HIS PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY AND NUMERICALLY!
Praise God for the wonderful growth of the Church in Nepal. In the early 1950s there were virtually no Christians in the country, whereas today it is estimated that believers number 1.5 million, or about 5% of the population. The pace of expansion is creating a huge yearning among Nepali Christians to increase their Biblical understanding. Greater knowledge enables Christians, who are either first- or second-generation believers, to stand firm in their faith in the face of harassment and hostility from extremists within the Hindu majority. It also equips believers for leadership roles in their local churches.
A grassroots training ministry, supported by Barnabas, is filling that thirst for knowledge by providing Bible studies for believers, especially to the many Christians living in remote rural areas where it is especially needed. “Bible college at home” enriches 5,743 students in their faith. The courses are taught through a combination of self-study and discussion groups led by trained tutors in homes and churches. Students have lovingly nicknamed the ministry “Bible college at home”. In 2023 alone, 5,743 Christians were enriched in their faith through the courses. They were taught in 643 study groups by 255 tutors. “Seeing our people in our church excited to learn and discuss makes us feel blessed,” declared Asmita, whose church uses the training ministry’s course books for study sessions. “This has brought a huge change in our lives.”
Course books explain Biblical subjects in simple language that everyone can understand and each theme is enhanced through illustrations and pictures. Help is given to Christians wherever they may be in their faith. One course explains concepts such as sin, forgiveness and new life, preparing new believers for baptism. Another teaches further about the life of Jesus, His ministry, life, death and resurrection, and is designed for those seeking leadership development to serve their churches further.
Christianity is viewed as an “alien faith” by the majority of the population of Nepal. A law that came into force in 2018 made it illegal to attempt to convert a follower of a religion “being practised since ancient times”. This is interpreted as a religion passed down through at least three generations, thus protecting Hindus and Buddhists but excluding most Nepali Christians. [Source: Barnabas Aid]

– compiled by Guido Kettniss