Every November, congregations around the world take a Sunday to remember the persecuted Church. Perhaps yours did or will. Maybe you could even spearhead such a campaign with your local body of believers. Regardless of whether your church spent time remembering our brothers and sisters in chains, these brave and hurting souls should never be far from our prayers. (Hebrews 13:3; Colossians 4:2-4)
For many of those enduring persecution today, they could once worship without fear of consequence, just like most of us. It’s why we can never take our freedom to worship the one true God for granted. We can lose those freedoms quicker than most of us would ever imagine. As you pray for the persecuted, thank God for the enormous privilege of having the freedom to pray to Him and for them. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Praying for the persecuted church has been part of my daily routine for decades now. That is heartbreaking. Instead of getting better, it’s getting worse. Every year, more and more Christians are kicked out of their homes and villages, imprisoned, tortured, and killed because they refuse to stop believing in Jesus Christ. Every Christian facing persecution is someone’s father, mother, daughter, son, brother, or sister. It’s sometimes easier to accept someone persecuting us than a loved one.
Imagine not knowing the whereabouts of the ones you love most. I’ve been praying for a couple of Christians in Eritrea since 2004, and their families have had no contact and little if any news of them in all those years. Persecution is not only hard on those being persecuted but on their families as well. In Nigeria, it is common for radical Islamist groups like Boko Haram or Fulani herdsmen to kidnap young Christian girls and force them to marry much older Muslim men. Most never return home.
In places like North Korea, if they find you with only a scrap of paper containing scripture on it, it could result in a life sentence of hard labor. There are almost no Bibles in that country because it would be far too dangerous to own one. Authorities in Pakistan and India will jail and beat citizens for merely being accused of talking about Jesus to another person. I’m not even scratching the surface of the atrocities so many believers endure every day. One estimate puts the number of persecuted Christians at over 100 million worldwide. My guess is that’s conservative.
Even in the more tolerant West, we are seeing Christians become an unaccepted annoyance in society. Both Great Britain and England have jailed Christians for expressing their beliefs online or even praying in silence while standing on a sidewalk. The persecuted Church is without a doubt the fastest-growing church in the world. Soon, they may add us to their membership rolls. Until then, and beyond, we must pray for our brothers and sisters and their families as they endure such cruelty for the sake of their Savior. (1 Corinthians 12:26; Romans 12:15)
Jesus promised that all Christians would suffer because of Him. (John 15:18-20; 2 Timothy 3:12) For those who confess Him as Lord, it’s not a question of if persecution will come; it’s a question of when. (1 Peter 4:12-16; Acts 14:21-22) I’m including some links to a couple of videos that tell the stories of some in the persecuted Church, and some ministries who work to support them. There are no perfect ministries because they are all run by flawed sinners, just like you and me. But I encourage you to watch the videos, internalize what you see, and ask God how you might help and pray for our brothers and sisters in chains. (Hebrews 13:3; Galatians 6:9-10)
Videos
2026 International Day of Prayer (IDOP)
The 10/40 Window – East Africa
Pastors at risk in Colombia: Rodian and Kelly’s story
Will You Pray?
The Empty Chair
Ministries supporting the persecuted Church: