CURRENT PERSECUTION TRENDS
In Syria, 40 per cent of the Christian population has fled the country while in Nigeria, Boko Haram militants have increased attacks on Christian communities. In Iraq, the ultra-violent ‘Islamic State’ has destroyed longestablished Christian communities. Then there is North Korea - number one on the list for the 13th consecutive year; purges have seen tens of thousands of people arrested, tortured and killed. An emerging trend is the sharp rise in persecution in sub- Saharan Africa.
This is what Open Doors experts call the ‘smash’ type of persecution - the violence and murder that grabs headlines. But there is another more pernicious type, the ‘squeeze’ - the subtle, less obvious pressures of being excluded from your family, losing your job, even being rejected from a more traditional church community. In Pakistan, for example, Christians are socially excluded, and permanently in fear of trumped-up blasphemy charges.
Yet it is not all bad news. Li Tien En, a famous house church Christian in China, used to say, ‘Persecution is two parts opportunity, one part crisis - God always brings opportunities out of a crisis.’ So along with the darkness, there is also light; there is violence and injustice, but there is also hope.
PRAY AND TAKE ACTION
Behind the stats and figures lie the fates of over 100 million members of our worldwide Church family. Pray for courage and strength to keep going and hoping.
Jesus always said the choice to follow him would cost us something (Luke 14:31); pray you will be challenged and changed to risk more for Jesus, as you learn from those who share our faith but not our freedom.
To find out more about these emerging trends and pray intelligently for the persecuted church visit opendoorsyouth.org/the-problem or email youth@opendoorsuk.org to get hold of the 2015 World Watch poster and prayer guide for youth groups
