Christians in Ghana are scrutinizing their church security plans in light of the recent terror attacks on Burkina Faso’s Christian community.
In the last four weeks, Islamic extremists targeted four churches and killed four church leaders, among other Christians. Burkina Faso’s government blames cells connected to the al Qaeda insurgency coming in from neighboring Niger and Mali.
Creeping terrorism
Burkina Faso’s problem could quickly become Ghana’s problem. Voice of the Martyrs USA spokesman Todd Nettleton explains, “We’re seeing the attacks in Burkina Faso, and again, specifically targeting Christian churches or Christian gatherings in Burkina Faso. Ghana is just to the south of Burkina Faso and they look at that and say, ‘Could that happen here?’”
The idea that Ghana could face this kind of terrorism bumps up against the idea that the country has been a haven for hundreds of Christian ministries. Nettleton agrees. In the scope of persecution, “It’s not a place that we typically talk about. In fact, according to the CIA, it’s 71 percent Christian, so it’s not a place where the majority is Muslim or anything like that. It’s a majority Christian nation.”
Open Doors USA noted in the most recent coverage of the May 26 attack in Burkina Faso that the Body of Christ is in a state of panic over the violence. However, Nettleton says, “Christians in Ghana, especially in the northern part of the country, are already thinking about, ‘How do we protect our churches? How do we protect our services? What do we need to do to be ready if radical Islamic terrorist groups cross the border from Burkina Faso and come into our country?’”
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SOURCE: Mission Network News, R.B. Klama
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