Pastor Ebrahim leads an unofficial church in Yemen. One day, while the church gathered for worship and prayer, a dozen armed men burst into the church and aimed their weapons at Ebrahim and the congregation.
Alexander Glushko, the pastor of the Mariupol Evangelical Church, Light of the World was arrested at his home a few days ago.
A search was made of his house and a diploma from the Theological Seminary of Ukraine was found. A partner of Release International, VOM Australia’s associate office in the UK, says this is one of the reasons for his arrest.
“According to our information, he has already been taken to the territory previously occupied by Russian troops and placed in a prison in the city of Dokuchaevsk, not far from Donetsk,” reported the partner.
His family has no further information as to his whereabouts and his wife has no right or opportunity to see her husband.
Another pastor of a church near Mariupol has told the partner that he was ‘blacklisted for arrest but, by a miracle of God, managed to escape. However, the church building, where the pastor’s family also lived, has been confiscated.
The partner continued, “I believe that many other pastors of evangelical churches in Ukraine, known for their patriotic position, are also included in such a ‘blacklist’. This is also fully in line with reports that were published before the invasion of the Russian army that the ‘physical liquidation of some religious figures in Ukraine’ who openly support their government is expected.”
Protestant churches in the pro-Russian controlled regions of Ukraine have been subject to restrictions on their freedom in recent years.
The partner added that many Christians have already fled Mariupol – not only because of the current fighting but because of fears of possible persecution for the Evangelical faith.
Source: Release International
Let us pray.
Please pray for the well-being and safety of Pastor Alexander Glushko and for his release. Pray also for his wife and family at this time.
Ask God for His merciful protection of Evangelical pastors and church members in Ukraine, especially in those territories of Ukraine previously occupied by pro-Russian groups.
Ask the Lord to bring an end to the violence. Pray many will seek Him in the meantime.