September 6, 2023 -- VMI Senior Researcher Blocked from Online Worship at Dinh Hiep Church of Christ

September 6, 2023 -- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- The Vietnamese Missions Institute (VMI) Senior Research Fellow who worked to help establish the Vietnam Bible Institute was blocked from online worship with the Dinh Hiep Church of Christ today. The VMI Senior Research Fellow had worshipped three times a week for eight months with the Dinh Hiep Church of Christ, since leaving Vietnam after Lunar New Year 2023.
      The VMI Senior Research Fellow commented, "When I was in Ho Chi Minh City, I asked six times to be allowed to worship. I was told streaming services were ended. When I asked if I could worship once streaming services were restored, I was told they couldn't guarantee that. When I asked how the other remote members were notified had ended, if they were removed from the list as I was, they indicated they weren't sure about that. When I suggested that they should have notified all the remote members before shutting down the list, I was told that the streaming service was not actually down, but now it was just for Vietnamese. When I asked for clarification about when the list was changed be just for the Kinh People, not for Ra Glai, Cham, Hre, Hmong, or Caucasian, I didn't receive a direct answer. I again asked for scriptural reason for being excluded from worship, including book, chapter, and verse for excluding me from worship, but no scriptural reason was given. Finally, on September 10, one hour before worship, it was conceded that I could travel 70KM North to Dinh Hiep from Ho Chi Minh City to worship face-to-face, and I would be welcomed. When I contacted other leaders at the Dinh Hiep Church of Christ, I was told that the Vietnamese Language will just confuse me and to evangelize my church in America and let the love flow back to Vietnam..."
         This story will be updated as more information becomes available.