[1]NASHVILLE (BP) – Nov. 6 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. On this Sunday, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. But more important, we lift them up to our good God who hears our prayers.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV)
Let us approach our God, therefore, with confidence that we serve an infinitely big, infinitely powerful God who is ready to save.
If you are a pastor, set aside time this Sunday to join with churches around the world in praying for those that suffer for no reason other than that they follow their Savior, Jesus Christ.
If you are a church leader, dedicate some time this week with your ministry, Bible study, or small group to pray for our persecuted fellow believers.
If you have a family, spend time praying around the dinner table for those that live in places that do not recognize the fundamental human right of religious liberty.
[2]How you can pray for the persecuted church
Every year Open Doors, a network that serves persecuted Christians around the world, produces the World Watch List [3], which highlights the countries where persecution of Christians is highest and offers suggestions for how you can pray for them. Here is what you should know about the 10 countries with the highest levels of persecution and how you can pray for our brothers and sisters in those nations.
Afghanistan
Persecution type: Islamic theocracy imposed by the Taliban
Estimated number of Christians: Possibly thousands
How Christians are suffering: “The Taliban will make sure that Islamic rules and customs are implemented and kept. Christian converts don’t have any option but to obey them. If a Christian’s new faith is discovered, their family, clan or tribe has to save its honor by disowning the believer, or even killing them.”
Prayer prompt: “Pray for secret believers in Afghanistan, that they will be protected from the violence of the Taliban.”
North Korea
Persecution type: Communist and post-Communist oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 400,000
How Christians are suffering: “An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are imprisoned in North Korea’s notorious system of prisons and labor camps. And, to make matters worse, often a family will share the same fate as the person captured.”
Prayer prompt: “Christians in North Korea are in danger. Pray for Christians who worship secretly, Christians who are in prison, and the families of Christians who have been arrested or killed. Ask God to be with these believers and to strengthen them to find hope and see His hand at work in their lives.”
Somalia
Persecution type: Clan oppression
Estimated number of Christians: A few hundred
How Christians are suffering: “The small number of believers in Somalia are largely Christians who have converted from Islam. Christians are viewed as high-value targets by Islamic radical groups. Even when Christian converts are not targeted by extremists, they are intensely pressured by their family and community.”
Prayer prompt: “Pray for Christians who are targeted by Islamic extremists. Ask God to protect them and grant them hope.”
Libya
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 34,600
How Christians are suffering: “When a person in Libya leaves Islam to follow Christ, they face immense pressure from their families to renounce their faith. Their neighbors and the rest of the community ostracize them, and they can be left homeless, jobless, and alone.”
Prayer prompt: “Libya’s government has been unstable for a decade. Pray for some stability and rule of law in the country.”
Yemen
Persecution type: Clan oppression
Estimated number of Christians: A few thousand
How Christians are suffering: “The persecution against Christians in Yemen has been extreme for years, leading to a jump of two spots on the 2022 World Watch List. Pressure on converts from Islam is at the highest levels in every part of life.”
Prayer prompt: “The civil war has lasted for nearly a decade. Pray for peace, pray for stability and pray for an openness to religious freedom.”
Eritrea
Persecution type: Christian denominational protectionism
Estimated number of Christians: 2,611,000
How Christians are suffering: “Despite almost half the population identifying as Christian, believers in Eritrea continue to suffer extreme persecution, making it one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus. Christians not part of recognized denominations are at risk of severe persecution. Gatherings are raided and believers arrested. The conditions facing Christians in prison can be inhumane.”
Prayer prompt: “Ask God to protect Christians who convert from Islam, or who join a church outside of the Orthodox tradition.”
Nigeria
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 98,006,000
How Christians are suffering: “Persecution in Nigeria is, simply put, brutally violent. In much of northern Nigeria, Christians live their lives under the constant threat of attack from Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), militants and criminals who kidnap and murder with few consequences. The violence is so bad it has begun to travel south, as well.”
Prayer prompt: “Pray for the many militant groups who attack Christians in Nigeria. Ask God to change their hearts as only He can.”
Pakistan
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 4,080,000
How Christians are suffering: “In Pakistan, Christians are considered second-class citizens and are discriminated against in every aspect of life. Church leaders can be arrested if they don’t abide by the authorities’ wishes.”
Prayer prompt: “Pray for the women and girls who are kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men.”
Iran
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 800,000
How Christians are suffering: “The severity of persecution facing Christians in Iran remains largely unchanged. Converts from Islam are most at risk of persecution, especially by the government, and to a lesser extent, by society and their own families.”
Prayer prompt: “Pray for the religious leaders of Iran, that they would have their hearts changed to recognize Jesus as Lord.”
India
Persecution type: Religious nationalism
Estimated number of Christians: 68,863,000
How Christians are suffering: “The persecution of Christians in India has intensified, as Hindu extremists aim to cleanse the country of their presence and influence. The extremists disregard Indian Christians and other religious minorities as true Indians, and think the country should be purified of non-Hindus. This has led to a systemic – and often violent – targeting of Christians and other religious minorities, including use of social media to spread disinformation and stir up hatred.”
Prayer prompt: “Pray for the healing of the many victims of religious violence in India. Ask that God would heal both hearts and bodies.”