HOW YOU
CAN PRAY
WITH US

New statistics are in for 2023 so far: 5,620 Christians murdered, 2,110 churches attacked, 4,542 Christians detained (that is: 1 in 7 Christians are persecuted worldwide; 1 in 5 are persecuted in Africa; 2 in 5 are persecuted in Asia). The ten countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution are, in order: North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Sudan.  As a people very far away from these countries, what can we do?  What can we really do that's realistic?  WE CAN PRAY!

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       (name of the country, population Christians (% of population), main religion)

• Nigeria – 46.4% - Christianity: Violence remains the most prevalent threat in Nigeria. Christians are attacked indiscriminately and brutally in northern Nigeria, and the violence has now spread to the south. Groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani extremists inflict murder, physical injury, abduction, and sexual violence on their victims. Christians are dispossessed of their land and their means of livelihood.

  • How to best PRAY: For an end to the violence inflicted by extremist groups across Nigeria. That our Christian organizations can reach more survivors of violence and abduction with trauma care. Thank God for the courageous faith of those who refuse to deny Christ despite the risks.

• Pakistan – 1.8% - Islam: Christians in Pakistan are considered second-class citizens and face discrimination in every aspect of life. Jobs that are seen as low, dirty, and degrading are reserved for Christians by the authorities, who continue to push them to the margins of society. Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws target all religious minorities, but affect the Christian minority in particular – roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians, who only make up 1.8% of the population. The number of blasphemy cases is increasing, as is the number of Christian girls being abducted, abused, and forcibly converted to Islam.

  • How to best PRAY: That blasphemy laws will change so that Christians will be safe from false accusations. For protection for girls who are forced into marriage. For wisdom and protection for those helping those displaced by last year’s floods.

• Iran – 1,245,000 - Islam: Iran is ruled by an increasingly strict Islamic regime, which views the existence of Iranian house churches as an attempt by Western countries to undermine Islam and their authority. State surveillance is on the rise and the authorities are exerting an increasing grip on daily life and activities, an attitude reflected in the harsh responses to the protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022. When people from Muslim backgrounds become Christians, they can only meet in secret house churches. They are at great risk of being monitored, harassed, arrested, and prosecuted for ‘crimes against national security’ – an accusation that is notoriously poorly defined and can be abused.

  • How to best PRAY: That Jesus will set many more hearts free in Iran. That Christianity will no longer be portrayed as a foreign idea. For strong faith and courage for the Iranian Christians meeting in secret.

• Afghanistan – thousands - Islam: The Taliban’s takeover of power has forced most Christians either further underground or away from the country entirely. Many (if not all) house groups closed, with believers forced to leave behind everything they own. Following Jesus remains a death sentence, if discovered. The rigid form of society imposed leaves no room for deviation, meaning Christians – almost all of whom are converts from Islam – must keep their faith secret. Leaving Islam is considered shameful and punishable by death under the prevailing Islamic law

  • How to best PRAY: For the protection of secret believers and that God will bring hope to their hearts. That those who have fled will be led to places where all their needs are met. That the Holy Spirit will soften hearts towards women and religious minorities.

• Sudan – 4.3% - Islam: Persecution of Christians remains at a high level, and there are fears this will worsen amid the ongoing unrest. After Omar al-Bashir was ousted in April 2019, Sudan’s transitional government introduced exciting changes to the legal framework guaranteeing basic human rights for all, no matter their ethnicity, gender, or religion. However, mass protests led to the resignation of the then Prime Minister in January 2022, and there are fears that Sudan will return to the authoritarian years of the former president.

  • How to best PRAY: That God will establish rulers who enforce lasting respect for human rights. That believers from Muslim backgrounds will grow in their knowledge of Christ. That all Christians will have wisdom to speak courageously about Jesus.

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James 1:12...  "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him."