ChinaAid released its annual report that showed that Chinese government persecution of Christians and churches had dramatically worsened in 2011. “This trend of worsening persecution has persisted for the past six years,” the group said, adding that in 2011 the number of Christians detained for their religious beliefs had soared 131.8% from 2010.

The report also showed that the Chinese Government has continued a practice from 2008 and 2009 in the “targeting house church leaders and churches in urban areas” and 2010’s practice of “attacking Christian human rights lawyers groups and using abuse, torture and mafia tactics.”

SWARTZ CREEK MI - "The words of our Savior in red," some Bibles say on their spines. But what about the words printed in black? I recently posted a picture on Facebook of a tattered Bible, opened to no place in particular, but the two pages looking like a Technicolor spectacular, with notes, revelations, and reminders in its margins. Bookmarks and Post-It notes splayed forth from many spots. Many people mark verses and passages that speak -- or shout -- to them in their Bibles.

Accompanying this picture I found was the quotation by Charles Spurgeon, "People whose Bibles are falling apart usually lead lives that aren't." It reminded me of the country song whose title warned listeners against "dust on the Bible."

CHARLOTTE, NC - From Japan to Haiti and around the world, disaster and tragedy is a part of a very present reality. In the next Billy Graham TV special, online at billygraham.tv beginning today, viewers see how people enduring their darkest moments are being reached by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association with the Gospel.

“The greatest change we need today is the change in the human heart.” Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association explains how life-changing choices are being made in response to a timeless truth presented around the world – choosing Christ.

'Peace, Love and Harmony' stressed at historic event

TOBA TEK SINGH, PAKISTAN - Pakistani Christian youth in Toba Tek Singh, which is in Pakistan's Western Punjab Province, have begun a new era of promoting "peace, love, and harmony" as well as understanding with Muslims.

The young people decided to organize a program for this "Christian-Muslim Get Together" in connection with the birth celebrations for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and it was attended by Muslim clerics, political leaders, traders, students, media representatives, Christian pastors and priests, as well as community leaders who had been invited to express solidarity and share the celebrations with each other.

AHWAZ, IRAN - (ANS) - Concern is growing in Iran over health condition of Pastor Farhad Sabokroh who was arrested together with two other Christian converts. They have now been in custody for over 40 days.

According to the Iranian Christian news agency, Mohabat News (www.mohabatnew s.com), family, relatives and a wide range of Iranian Christians within and outside Iran expressed their concern over the health condition of Pastor Farhad Sabokroh, who was arrested on December 23, 2011, with others in attendance at the Christmas service of the Assemblies of God (AOG) church of Ahwaz, where he was pastoring.

BATH, UK - The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has told a group of Christians in the city of Bath, located in Somerset, south west England, not to make any claims which state or imply that, by receiving their prayer, people could be physically healed.

A registered Christian trust, the "Healing on the Streets - Bath" (www.hotsbath.org) team, comprised of Christians from many different churches, have been praying for the public outside Bath Abbey for three years and regularly offer to pray for people who are sick to receive healing.

TEHRAN, IRAN - The ruling Islamic Regime of Iran is not only worried about the growth of Christianity inside the country, but is also concerned about the increase in tendency of Malays towards Christianity.

www.MohabatNews .com reports the IRNA news agency, which is backed by the Islamic Republic, reflected this news quoting the 'Malaysia Insider' news site as saying: "Jamil Khair Baharom, the minister of Islamic affairs expressed his concern over the growth of Christianity among Malays and in reaction to the growth in evangelism said, instead of passage of new rules, all efforts should be made to enforce current rules more strongly."

Mohabat News says the law to control and restrict non-Islamic religions among Malay Muslims was adopted in 1980.