“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” (Hebrews 13:3)
Although the secularization of the West may make life more uncomfortable for Christians, believers in more than 50 countries around the world live in fear because of their faith.
According to the World Watch List, “Around the world, more than 260 million Christians live in places where they experience high levels of persecution, just for following Jesus. That’s 1 in 8 believers, worldwide.”
In addition, 9,488 churches or Christian buildings were attacked, and 2,983 Christians were killed for faith-related reasons. On average, that’s eight Christians killed every day for their faith.
But those of us living in countries with religious freedom should not feel guilty about our status. Rather, we should use our privilege and resource to support those who are in need. As the Apostle Paul writes, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Cor 12:36).
Learn
The first thing we must do is to learn about our persecuted brothers and sisters so that we can better pray for them.
Every year, the Open Doors USA released its World Watch List, which ranks countries according to the amount of persecution Christians believe. The top 10 countries for the reporting period for 2020 are: North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Yemen, Iran, and India.
Many Asian countries fall into the top 10. Other than those in the top 10 list, they also include Maldives (14), Myanmar (19), Laos (20), Vietnam (21), China (23), Sri Lanka (30), Nepal (32), Brunei (37), Bangladesh (38), Malaysia (40), Bhutan (45), Russian Federation (46), and Indonesia (49).
According to the World Watch List, one of the big trends in persecution is surveillance. World Watch List pointed to China’s (23) vast CCTV system, as well as developments in using facial recognition software. In addition, India (10) will soon roll out its own facial recognition software, and Christians worry that the technology can be used to track them and persecute them.
In addition, radical Islamic groups continue to attack Christians in Southeast and South Asia. In Sri Lanka (30), for example, these groups attacked churches on Easter Sunday in 2019, killing 250 people and injuring more than 500. In Pakistan (5), radical groups are not prosecuted by the government, leading to the enforcement of blasphemy laws that imprison Christians.
To get the full report, which includes statistics and stories for each of the 50 countries, fill out the 2020 World Watch List form.
Take Action
So what can we do? The most obvious and crucial answer is to pray. The World Watch List report includes prayer requests for each country, ranging from religious freedom to endurance for the saints. We believe in a sovereign God who hears our prayers. So let us pray in confidence.
We can also consider supporting organizations that help Christians in persecuted countries. Along with Open Doors USA, check out The Voice of the Martyrs, which organizes the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, as well as supports persecuted Christians worldwide. Another is China Partnership, which equips Chinese church leaders and provides a voice for them in our Christian community.
The Voice of the Persecuted Christian
In December 2019, Wang Yi, the head pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church, was sentenced to nine years in prison for practicing his Christian faith.
Pastor Yi’s arrest and conviction is just a small taste of the persecution Christians continue to face throughout the world. Let us not be blind to the plight of our brothers and sisters, but rather let us remember and pray for them. Furthermore, let us listen to them, learning from their faith and endurance.
In “My Declaration of Faithful Disobedience, an open letter Pastor Yi wrote in preparation for any government reprisal, he wrote:
“Those who lock me up will one day be locked up by angels. Those who interrogate me will finally be questioned and judged by Christ. When I think of this, the Lord fills me with a natural compassion and grief toward those who are attempting to and actively imprisoning me. Pray that the Lord would use me, that he would grant me patience and wisdom, that I might take the gospel to them.”