Who is your family? Your husband, or wife, kids, and grandkids probably come to mind right away. Then there are parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters. You may have a really large family or a very small one. If you are a Christian you are part of an enormous family. You have brothers and sisters all over the world. Isn’t that amazing!
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, they become a child of God.
For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galations 3:26, NASB
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. John 1:12, NASB
As Christians we are brothers and sisters in the same family, with the same Father. Our family is huge. There are over 2.38 billion Christians in the world.1 Christianity is the world’s largest religion. With that large number of Christians also comes a large amount of persecution.
Around the world, more than 340 million Christians live in places where they experience high levels of persecution, just for following Jesus. That’s 1 in 8 believers, worldwide.2
Every day, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith.
Every day, 12 churches or Christian buildings are attacked.3
In just the last year*, there have been:
- Over 340 million Christians living in places where they experience high levels of persecution and discrimination
- 4,761 Christians killed for their faith
- 4,488 churches and other Christian buildings attacked
- 4,277 believers detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned
* 2021 World Watch List reporting period4
- 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month (Open Doors).
- 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed every month (Open Doors).
- 772 forms of violence (beatings, kidnappings, rape, arrest, etc.) are committed against Christians every month (Open Doors).5
Around the world every single day millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ experience terrible persecution for following Jesus. Reading these statistics can make one feel helpless. What can we do to help our brothers and sisters in Christ? There are many things we can do to help, but the most powerful thing we can do is pray.
The book of Acts has a miraculous story of the church praying and a prisoner being set free. Peter was imprisoned for his faith by King Herod. James had already been killed and it looked like Peter was next.
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church. Acts 12:5, NASB
Peter was asleep in his cell between two soldiers. He was bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the door. (Acts 12:6) Peter wasn’t going anywhere. But God had a plan.
And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. Acts 12:7, NASB
God heard the passionate prayers of the church for Peter, and He answered their pleas. Peter walked out of that prison. It was a miracle. Read then entire incredible story in Acts 12:1-19.
We must pray for the persecuted church. Our brothers and sisters need us. As I sit comfortably in my living room, in America, I am blessed. I am free to worship, and pray, and read my Bible, and practice my religion without fear of imprisonment. Though its getting uglier here for Christians, we still have it quite easy. I expect persecution to come with intensity to America too, eventually. But today, I am free. So I will do what I can to support my family around the world who are losing everything because of Jesus.
I love my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
I love you all too.
Meghan
Father God,
Thank you for your amazing love and care for your children. I lift up all my brothers and sisters in Christ around the globe who are suffering because of their faith in Jesus. Bring comfort and protection to each of them and their families. Strengthen their faith and may many come to the saving grace and knowledge of Jesus as their Savior because of their suffering. You waste nothing. Use every ounce of suffering for their good and the good of the Body of Christ. Bring relief and lift their burdens. Open doors around the world for the good news of Jesus to be spread. Protect these precious siblings in the family who are willing to give up everything for Jesus. Great are their Heavenly rewards.
Amen
Here are two Christian organizations that help the persecuted church. They have prayer guides, newsletters, and practical ways to get involved.
The Voice of the Martyrs https://www.persecution.com
Open Doors
- https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/religion-by-country
- https://www.opendoorsusa.org/2021-world-watch-list-report/
- https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/january/christian-persecution-2021-countries-open-doors-watch-list.html
- https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/
- http://theestherproject.com/statistics/
Photo by Aslak Sonderland at Pexels.
Meghan E White 