By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
HANOI (Worthy News) – Christian workers in Vietnam say believers in the Communist-run Asian nation experience “severe persecution,” including violent attacks on church services that killed a Christian leader and his wife and injured a pastor.
Additionally, believers were forced from their homes in the ongoing attacks in recent weeks, Worthy News learned Monday.
In comments shared with Worthy News over the weekend, Christians said the late “Brother Ting” and his family members, who regularly held church gatherings in their home, were told by authorities to stop meeting for worship.
After Ting refused, the Christian leader was “found beaten to death along the side of a road,” confirmed advocacy group and charity Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC) to Worthy News.
“In addition, the authorities had ordered Ting’s wife, Mar, to do community work. After explaining that she was too busy and unable to help, Pastor Ting’s wife was found dead in her home about a week after Ting was murdered,” VOMC added.
Separately, Pastor Dan, an elderly Christian leader who uses his home for church gatherings, was injured when he and a group of believers were targeted when they gathered at the pastor’s house on December 23, Christians told Worthy News.
Local authorities, accompanied by residents described as “thugs” – reportedly broke into the pastor’s home.
CHURCH MEMBERS ATTACKED
“The convening church members were physically attacked during the invasion. When Pastor Dan attempted to intervene, the authorities proceeded to severely beat him, consequently breaking his arm and leg,” VOMC told Worthy News.
Elsewhere, a ”group of believers were forced to leave their homes due to the pressures they encountered in the community. Even though these displaced followers of Jesus have thankfully been able to find temporary accommodations with fellow believers, they presently remain without permanent residences of their own,” VOMC said.
Another Christian known only as Mr. Bah “was also forced to leave his house after refusing to renounce his faith. He is temporarily staying in the kitchen of his pastor’s home,” added VOMC, which has close contacts in the region.
While “VOMC’s partnering ministry office in Australia has been providing the affected Christians with greatly needed financial assistance,” Christians urged prayers for their future.
Full names and exact locations were not revealed amid security concerns.
In comments shared with Worthy News, Christian workers in Vietnam said they urged prayers “for those grieving” their loved ones, for those “who were forced to leave their homes,” and for “those recovering of their injuries.” Pray “for God’s intervention, provision, and protection to take place in their lives,” they added.
The latest reported attacks underscored broader international worries over the plight of devoted Christians in Vietnam. “Particularly those who live within tribal areas, frequently face opposition from local authorities,” according to a VOMC assessment.
REMOTE AREAS TARGETED
In Vietnam’s more remote areas, villagers follow traditional ethnic-animist religions, and persecution towards anybody who becomes a Christian from this background is fierce, according to Christian rights investigators. “Believers can have their homes destroyed and be expelled from the community. Local authorities crack down on Christian meetings, evangelism, or Bible teaching,” added Open Doors, an advocacy group investigating the situation.
It also confirmed that locals backed by authorities “may break up church services and detain, threaten, fine and sometimes imprison church leaders, ordering them not to speak about Jesus anymore. They are particularly suspicious of Christians from minority ethnic groups such as the Hmong. Despite this, Hmong Bible teachers bravely travel miles by motorbike into remote areas to train believers in secret Bible schools.”
According to church observers, the historical Roman Catholic churches enjoy more freedom than other denominations and groups but can still be interfered with by the state.
However, “Like all Vietnamese people, these Christians are still likely to be imprisoned if they speak out on political issues,” as they are seen as undermining the Communist system, Open Doors stressed.
Christian researchers say Vietnamese identifying themselves as Christians comprise nearly 10 million people or almost 10 percent of the mainly Buddhist population.
Open Doors ranks Vietnam, led by General Secretary To Lam, 44th on its annual World Watch List of 50 nations where it says Christians face most persecution for their faith in Christ.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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