The 3 - August 25, 2019

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes Christian persecution developments in two countries - in China, where a pastor has been released from prison, and in Mexico, where a pastor was shot and killed after a church service.  Plus, Planned Parenthood has announced it will withdraw from a Federal program which would not allow it to refer for abortion, if it wished to receive taxpayer funds.

Chinese pastor released, other church members, including senior pastor, facing continued imprisonment

Last December, around 100 members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Sichuan, China were arrested.  One of the pastors of the church, Li Yingqiang, according to Faithwire, was recently released - he had been charged with “stirring up trouble and “running an illegal business.”

The article did point out that:

The church’s lead pastor, Wang Yi, remains incarcerated. Yi openly has openly criticized President Xi Jinping, even preaching a sermon openly calling him to repent of his sins.

Early Rain Covenant Church is not on the required registry of state-sanctioned churches and is thus deemed illegal by authorities. Millions of Christians risk their lives to meet in these so-called “underground” places of worship on a weekly basis.

More recently, Early Rain issued a statement which claimed that authorities are trying to suppress Pastor Yi’s legal team in a bid to keep him locked up.

Pastor Li, just prior to be arrested, according to the article, had said, according to Asia News: “Persecution is a price worth paying for the Lord. We would rather live through it than to hide our faith and we hope more Chinese churches will speak up and stand with us.”

Mexican pastor shot to death after church service

The Christian Post has a disturbing account of the persecution of Christians in Mexico; recently, according to the story:

According to international watchdog group Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Pastor Alfrery Líctor Cruz Canseco was sitting in his car outside Fraternidad Cristiana church in the town of Tlalixtac de Cabrera in Oaxaca state when he was shot at point-blank range.

Cruz Canseco died while he was being transported to a local hospital.

CSW offers some insight into the climate surrounding Protestant, as well as Catholic, groups in Mexico.  The Post states: "CSW warns that the expansion of criminal groups in Mexico as well as a 'climate of impunity' when it comes to crimes they commit has led to an increase in violence against Protestant and Catholic leaders because they are viewed as a threat to criminal groups." CSW reports, according to the story, that "10 religious leaders were killed in Mexico in 2018."

Planned Parenthood refuses to participate in government rule

There is a major development regarding the Trump Administration's "Protect Life Rule," which provides federal funds for health care facilities under what is called Title X, but those facilities cannot refer for abortion.  Planned Parenthood, which attempts to portray itself as a champion of women's health care but is the nation's largest abortion provider, has told the Administration, "no thanks."

Christian Headlines reports that since the 9th Circuit did not strike down the rule, Planned Parenthood has withdrawn from the program, walking away from $60 million that would have come its way - if it simply would not refer for abortion. The article says, "Planned Parenthood...called it 'an unethical and dangerous gag rule' that 'forced' the organization out of Title X."

The story stated that Title X "provides low-income people with cancer screenings, pregnancy tests and contraceptives." The Department of Health and Human Services noted that "the statute written by Congress prohibits funding programs where abortion is a method of family planning.” And, as Christian Headlines adds:

HHS also pushed back against Planned Parenthood’s claim that HHS was harming low-income people. HHS said there are 4,000 Title X service sites across the nation, with Planned Parenthood “representing fewer than 400.”