International Day of Prayer       for the Persecuted Church ~  Nov. 6, 2022

Each year, on the first Sunday of November, believers observe a special time of prayer and intercession for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing extreme discrimination, abuse, prison, or even martyrdom for their faith. We invite you to join Christians around the world on Sunday, November 6, 2022, for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

 

See the World Watch List 2022 for the 50 countries with the highest persecution against Church and Christians. Share the blog with your friends and Sunday Life Group class.

Open Doors has tracked—and continues to track—the rise of Christian persecution for years. Our annual World Watch List, which examines the 50 countries worldwide where it’s most difficult to be a Christian, is the only annual in-depth survey of its kind. Here is the latest data we have available; it indicates Christian persecution is higher today than at any other time in modern history:

• 312 Million: In the top 50 World Watch List countries alone, 312 million Christians in the world experience high levels of persecution and discrimination for their choice to follow Christ.
• 1 in 7: Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution
• 5,898: Christians killed for faith-related reasons.
• 5,110: churches and other Christian buildings attacked.
• 4,765: believers detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned .
• 3,829: the number of Christians abducted for faith-related reasons.

All statistics gathered during the 2022 World Watch List reporting period, October 2020-September 2021. https://www.opendoorsusa.org

Open Doors’ annual World Watch List examines the 50 countries worldwide where it’s most difficult to be a Christian. It is the only annual in-depth survey of its kind, and reveals several trends in how Christians are being targeted around the world:

A new No. 1

North Korea has been at (or near) the top of the World Watch List for the past 20 years, but this year the country lost its top spot to Afghanistan. To be clear, this doesn’t mean things are improving for Christians in North Korea; it means things have gotten worse in Afghanistan.

With the Taliban takeover in August, Afghanistan has become a hunting ground for Christians. Christians dare not go out in public to meet, shop or get medical treatment. They’ve been driven underground simply to survive. The Taliban has acquired lists of Christians in the nation and are going town to town, trying to flush them out.

The deadliest place in the world for Christians gets deadlier

Last year, to our best estimate, 4,761 Christians were killed for their faith. This year, that number increased by nearly 24% to 5,898 (in actuality, this number is probably much higher). 4,650 of those killings took place in Nigeria—that’s 13 Christians martyred, every day.

Nigeria accounts for nearly 80 percent of Christian deaths worldwide, but violence against Christians continues to spread rapidly throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Out of the top ten most violent countries against Christians, this part of Africa retains seven of those: Nigeria, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The terrifying technological reality of persecution 

For a long time, China’s surveillance system has encroached on the religious freedoms of Christians and other religious minorities. But it’s only gotten worse.

There are reports from two provinces that cameras are present in all state-sanctioned religious venues. In 2021, some Bible apps were taken down from online stores, Christian content was taken off social media and the restrictions of online life have grown tighter. China has also implemented a program where average citizens can access security cameras and report anything “suspicious” to police.

Visit  www.opendoorsusa.org for more information on the persecuted church.

 PRAYER & PRAISE ~ Nov. 2-8, 2022 

 

11/2 D & C 

Central Asia 

Pray for D & C as they return to their ministry country. Pray for stability of life for the people in that country. They have seen massive political upheaval, economic catastrophe, and fear of the future.

 

11/3 Fotis & Mary Romeos 

AMG International, Greece  

Today is the 80^th anniversary of AMG International. Pray for their participants as they celebrate this milestone in Chattanooga, TN and again, on November 19 in Athens, Greece during their staff retreat. Pray that God’s name and kingdom would be glorified first and foremost in these events. Pray for Fotis and Mary during their brief trip to the States November 1-8, 2022.

 

11/4 Al Rhea 

Cru, USA/Southern & Eastern Africa 

Pray for the taskforce preparing for the upcoming ministry visit by the Global Vice President and Leader Strategists in November.

 

11/5 Leah Rigsby 

Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc., Papua New Guinea 

Pray for continued protection for Leah and her teammates who experienced a 7.6 earthquake which hit 40 miles from their center in PNG! The quake took out their fiber internet cable that runs from PNG to Australia, so now she has intermittently stable internet. The center has had quite a bit of building damage, but there were no injuries or major catastrophic damage. Praise God!

 

11/6 Rick & Elisabeth Arnold 

Pioneers, Inc., West Africa 

Rick is loving connecting with his friends in the Tuesday Night Neighborhood Bible Study and learning about Jesus and the Bible. They have started discussing the parables, and last week it was about the Sower and the Seed. Coming from a farming context, the men were intensely connected with discussing the types of soil and understanding how their hearts were soil.

 

11/7 Mark & Jana Faus  

SIM USA, Inc., USA

Pray for Mark’s trip which continues through the middle of November in which he guides another US-based mission agency in their exploration of ministry needs in Angola. Mark will also conduct training with the CEML Hospital Director and conduct a few days of governance training.

 

11/8 Bela & Ildiko Dobos

Word of Life Hungary, Hungary 

Pray for the staff of WOL Ukraine. Due to the recent bombing of Kyiv they had to leave WOL Ukraine’s property. Seven arrived at WOL Hungary on October 11. A few of the men stayed to oversee the property. Please pray for a swift end to the war in Ukraine. Please pray for Ildiko for wisdom and strength. Every school year their Bible Institute has its own challenges legally. The upcoming change in leadership requires legal work as well as the everyday routine.  

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58 (NASB) 

Our monthly Prayer & Praise Calendar is also available on fba.org/globalmissions