Any missionary or national believer must secure a government permit to share the gospel. Letter by Christian leaders: "Vladimir [Putin], on behalf of thousands of evangelical Protestants, we ask you not to allow this repressive and unconstitutional law to be adopted."

“In no way are we trying to minimize the large doctrinal differences of times past”, organiser Nick Hall tells Evangelical Focus. 1 million Christians from diverse Christian backgrounds are expected to participate.

In 1961, the preparation for a historical “Holy and Great” council was started. It was to be the Eighth Church Council. However, issues of faith lost out to issues of politics.

The dramatic figures of the conflict: 220,000 lives lost and 7 million people displaced.

“The relationship between Orthodoxy and those Churches which are in the process of accepting liberal moral values and doctrinal relativism is deteriorating”, says Francisco José Pino.

“If you want to get rid of your neighbor, you find a way to accuse them of blasphemy, using an ordinary insult as evidence”, a lawyer says. 

The prime suspect is an alleged rapist seeking revenge against a victim whose complaint had him jailed .

Every summer thousands cross the ports of Southern Europe in their trip to Africa. Operation Transit volunteers go to these cities and offer Bibles and evangelistic materials. 

Nahdlatul Ulama, an Indonesian Muslim organization with 50 million members worldwide, gathered leaders from 35 countries to address the religious aspects of extremism and terrorism.

Two church buildings burnt in the state of Niger. Rioters killed the believer “on allegation of posting a blasphemous statement about Prophet Muhammad on the social media.” Troops try to control outbreak of violence. 

Organisers say 3 million attended the “biggest event organised by Christians in the world.” National media describe it as a “Christian carnival.”

Christians in Katholi village, Kanker District who were beaten and twice chased out from their homes by Hindu extremists.

Violence has so far claimed 1,116 lives between October 2014 and May 2016. Local NGOs wrote a letter to the President, denouncing their situation and demanding a solution.

Far-right candidate Norbert Hofer has conceded defeat in the Austria's presidential election. He had led over former Green Alexander van der Bellen by a wider margin, before the counting of absentee ballots.

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted to allow ministers to continue to serve if they are in a gay marriage.

The plane had 66 people on board. Egypt's civil aviation minister has said the possibility of a terror attack is stronger than technical failure.

84 houses were attacked after evangelical Christians refused to pay their contribution to the Catholic festivities. 350 believers have been displaced.

111 United Methodist Church leaders in the USA come out as “Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning and Intersex” and sign a letter asking for full recognition just before the General Conference in Portland (Oregon).

In his book “Not Forgotten”, American missionary Kenneth Bae tells how his 2 years in prison strengthened his relationship with God and his love for North Korea.

The Association of Evangelicals in Africa encourages local churches in the continent and other Christians to pray and give to the project. 

After Trump´s victory and Cruz´s resignation, many religious leaders have written an open letter against Trump, and Rev. Samuel Rodriguez asked him to stop his “inflammatory” commentaries.

The Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance believes the views of evangelical minorities in Catholic countries should be “heared” before relating to the Vatican. In an interview with Evangelical Focus, he also highlighted the role of the churches in the refugee crisis.

Syria, Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, and Vietnam are also among the “countries of particular concern.” For the first time, Western Europe is in the list as a place that “deserve monitoring.”

The United Nations has described the situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo as ‘catastrophic’.

The new religious law worsens conditions for believers. Church members are questioned and fined for talking about their faith publicly.