South Korean Pastor Advocating for Religious Freedom Meets President Donald Trump at White House

South Korean Pastor Advocating for Religious Freedom Meets President Donald Trump at White House

Pastor Son Hyun-bo, head pastor of Segero Presbyterian Church in South Korea, said in a video released Friday on the church’s YouTube channel that he met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C. A source from Segero Presbyterian Church said Son visited the White House with his family, met with President Trump and also stopped by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the visit.
  • Iraqi Appeals Court Upholds Christian Woman’s Right to Correct Religious Status
    Iraq’s highest appellate court has upheld a decision allowing a Christian woman to have her religious affiliation officially recorded as Christian, reversing a Muslim designation imposed on her under national law. The woman, identified by the pseudonym Maryam, had been classified as Muslim in government records despite identifying as a Christian.
  • Arise Asia 2026 Closes in Manila as Hundreds of Young Leaders Commit to Long-Term Cross-Cultural Mission
    Some 341 young leaders stepped forward at the Arise Asia 2026 Congress to commit their lives to long-term cross-cultural mission, answering what organizers described as one of the most significant altar calls in the movement's history. The moment came on the evening of July 30, the fourth day of a five-day gathering that drew 4,278 participants (out of 4,808 who registered) from 64 countries to Christ's Commission Fellowship (CCF) Central in Manila.

Rare Cypriot Coin Found in Israel Points to Biblical-Era Mediterranean Trade

A rare coin struck in Cyprus about 2,500 years ago has been discovered on an Israeli beach, offering researchers fresh evidence of maritime trade and travel across the eastern Mediterranean during the biblical era. The artifact was found last month along the shoreline of Ashdod in southern Israel by Avi Chaprak, deputy director of the city’s beaches department.
  • India Funding Bill Raises Alarm Over Sweeping Seizure of Christian Ministry Assets
    Religious liberty advocates are urging Indian lawmakers to reject proposed legislation that would expand government control over foreign-funded organizations, potentially affecting Christian churches, schools, hospitals, clinics, media ministries and humanitarian groups. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced in March in the Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of India’s Parliament.
  • US Condemns Killing of 9 Relatives of Nigerian Pastor, Calls for Urgent Protection of Christians
    The United States has denounced the killing of nine relatives of Nigerian pastor Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, who previously warned that “fear has become a way of life” for communities across the country’s Middle Belt. Frank Garcia, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, discussed the attack with Nigerian officials last week and urged stronger measures to prevent similar violence, according to the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs.
  • Israel Seeks Closer Ties With Christian Denominations Ahead of 2030 Baptism Jubilee
    Israel has begun preparations for the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus’ baptism in 2030, launching an initiative to welcome millions of Christian pilgrims and deepen ties with global churches. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has established a dedicated working group led by Ambassador George Deek, Israel’s Special Envoy to the Christian World, to oversee preparations for the milestone.
More News

  • Vietnam Cracks Down on 119 Christians Over Alleged Separatist Links

    Vietnamese authorities reportedly subjected 119 Christians in Gia Lai province to “enforcement action” during the first half of 2026 over accusations that they were connected to organizations advocating self-determination for ethnic and religious minorities.

  • House Churches Grow Amid Intensifying Persecution Worldwide, ICC Report Finds

    Christian communities are continuing to expand in some of the world’s most dangerous environments even as an estimated 380 million believers experience persecution each year because of their faith, according to a new report from U.S.-based watchdog International Christian Concern. The report points to underground congregations and digital networks that allow Christians to worship beyond direct government control.

  • Pakistani Court Sentences Muslim Crane Operator to 10 Years Over Anti-Christian Riots

    A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced a Muslim crane operator to 10 years in prison over his role in anti-Christian riots that erupted in the country’s largest province in 2023. Irfan Yousaf received the sentence from a court in Pakistan’s Faisalabad district for attacking a Christian neighborhood in August 2023 after two Christian brothers were falsely accused of desecrating a Quran, according to EWTN.

  • Christians in West Bengal Face Wave of Attacks After BJP Election Victory

    Christians in India’s eastern state of West Bengal have reportedly come under attack in the weeks following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election victory, with churches, prayer gatherings and private homes targeted by mobs. At least four attacks were reported last Sunday, making it the worst day of violence so far, according to Matters India.

  • China Still Meets Religious Freedom Violator Standard After Pastor Jin’s Release

    The release of Pastor Ezra Jin this week does not signal a broader easing of pressure on Christians in China, according to a Foundation for Defense of Democracies researcher, who described the move as “a carefully calibrated political decision” rather than evidence of a change in Beijing’s religious policy. China’s campaign against independent religious practice remains among the most systematic in the world.

  • Ancient Inscription in Turkey Offers Rare Evidence of Christianity Replacing Mithraism

    A 1,700-year-old inscription uncovered at a Roman-era temple in southeastern Turkey is giving archaeologists rare insight into how Christianity overtook one of the Roman Empire’s mystery religions. Experts say the Aramaic text, carved near the entrance of an underground Mithras temple at Zerzevan Castle, records the closing of the sanctuary as Christianity gained influence in the late Roman Empire.

  • Christian Evangelist, Teenager Killed in Papua as Indonesian Forces Faces Human Rights Outcry

    Indonesian security forces have been accused of killing a Christian evangelist and a teenager in separate incidents in Papua, as rising civilian casualties draw renewed concern over military operations in the region.

  • House Church Pastor Ezra Jin Freed from China, Arrives in U.S. After Trump Raises Case

    Chinese house church pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, the founder of Beijing Zion Church, has been released from detention in China and has arrived in Los Angeles. Jin was freed directly from custody on Saturday and taken to the United States, according to ChinaAid, a Texas-based Christian advocacy organization.
Most Read
Other Headlines