A special on Vietnam, Part 3

The last of 100 Huntley Street’s series on Vietnam is now available. Take a few moments to watch this segment. You won’t be disappointed.

Today, you’ll find out why so many Christians in Vietnam worship in underground churches. Greg Musselman, Todd Nettleton and Denise Lodde speak with men from several tribes, some illiterate and some even former witch doctors. All have a common deep desire to learn more about God and to teach others.



Missed the first two segments? View them here and here.

100 Huntley Street is Canada's longest running daily talk show and a production of Crossroads Christian Communications. It is broadcast live Monday through Friday, reaching nearly every home in Canada.

A special on Vietnam, Part 2

Pray for believers in Vietnam.

The second part of 100 Huntley Street’s series on Vietnam is now available online. VOM’s Greg Musselman, VOM USA's Todd Nettleton and 100 Huntley Street’s Denise Lodde recently traveled to Vietnam and spoke with several persecuted Christians.

In this segment, you’ll meet women whose husbands have been imprisoned for their faith. You’ll also meet a tribal pastor and his son whose bodies bear the visible marks of persecution. Despite the risk, these believers continue to share the love of Christ with those around them. Their prayer? Strength to stand firm and be faithful. They ask others to pray for them.

Watch the segment here.

100 Huntley Street is Canada's longest running daily talk show and a production of Crossroads Christian Communications. It is broadcast live Monday through Friday, reaching nearly every home in Canada.

A special on Vietnam, Part 1

Pastor Quang in Vietnam

VOM’s Greg Musselman recently traveled to Vietnam with Todd Nettleton of VOM USA and Denise Lodde of 100 Huntley Street. They spoke with several Christians about the persecution they have experienced for their witness. Denise produced a series about their travels that began airing this week on 100 Huntley Street.

In the first segment, you’ll meet Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang, a Mennonite pastor who is considered by some to be one of the most hated men among Vietnam’s ruling party. (If you’re a VOM newsletter subscriber, you can read about Pastor Quang in our February 2011 issue.)

A trained lawyer, Pastor Quang has challenged the government repeatedly on its violations of religious freedoms, and he’s helping those around him do the same. In the last 20 years, he has been arrested repeatedly and imprisoned, slandered in newspapers and followed by police. In December, an estimated 500 soldiers and police officers oversaw the demolition of a two-story building that was both Pastor Quang’s home and the headquarters of the Vietnam Mennonite Church.

Watch the first segment here, and discover how recent events are only encouraging Pastor Quang to speak even louder and continue to be a voice for those who have none.

100 Huntley Street is Canada's longest running daily talk show and a production of Crossroads Christian Communications. It is broadcast live Monday through Friday, reaching nearly every home in Canada.

Vietnam’s stance on religious freedom improving?

Vietnamese believers continue to
suffer persecution. Pray!

Wikileaks recently published a U.S. Embassy cable revealing what appears to be indifference about religious persecution, reported Mission Network News today.

According to a related report from International Christian Concern (ICC), the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam is dismissing recent attacks on Christians in Vietnam as “land disputes.” The ICC report calls this document proof of "the State Department being lax in its assessment of religious persecution in Vietnam."

In the cable, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam determined that the situations (over Christmas) did not “meet the threshold of religious persecution” and should not distract the U.S. from “the significant gains in expanding religious freedom that Vietnam has made since the lifting of  CPC (Countries of Particular Concern) designation in November 2006.”

Mission Network News spoke with Todd Nettleton of VOM USA. He recently travelled to Vietnam with Greg Musselman of VOM Canada and Denise Lodde of 100 Huntley Street, a Christian television program. Nettleton says, "It is better. Things have improved. There is less persecution than there was five or 10 years ago,” however, “we did hear stories of Christians being harassed, so persecution is still very much a part of following Christ in Vietnam."

There are many reports that seem to conflict with the strides the Vietnamese government is making for its image. “The Vietnamese government has given more churches registration; they've given permission to operate. But even one of the pastors that we talked to very clearly made the statement, ‘Registration is not the same as religious freedom.’”

Church registrations are often tools used by governments to keep an eye on what's going on with Christians. This has proven true for believers in Vietnam, too. Nettleton explains that “those churches now have to do some things to answer to the government. They have some pressure and some control that the government exerts on them that they didn't have before. One of the places where persecution is still going on at a fairly intense level is among the tribal minority groups in the Highlands.”

Reports of persecution have not stopped VOM partners from evangelising. Rather, it seems to have had a galvanising effect. “We talked to several tribal pastors who are leading unregistered churches amongst those tribal groups, and even doing missionary work, reaching out to other tribal groups.”

In the coming days, 100 Huntley Street will release a three-part series on VOM's recent travels in Vietnam. Stay tuned to this blog for details or check with 100 Huntley Street online.