According to statistics Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world, with some 90,000 killed for their faith last year alone, (one every six minutes) and millions upon millions of Christians in the world unable to freely express their faith.
According to David Alton, a crossbench peer, “some assessments claim that as many as 200 million Christians in over 60 countries around the world face some degree of restriction, discrimination or outright persecution”. That is about one in 10 of the 2.2 billion Christians in the world. Christianity remains the faith with the most adherents.
“Whatever the real figures the scale is enormous. From Syria, Iraq, Iran and Egypt to North Korea, China, Vietnam and Laos, from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, from Cuba, Colombia and Mexico to Eritrea, Nigeria and Sudan, Christians face serious violations of religious freedom,” Alton said. Persecution ranged from murder, rape and torture to repressive laws, discrimination and social exclusion.
Increase in murder, as well as rape, torture and discrimination, has led the pope to warn of a ‘form of genocide’.
When it comes to religious persecution I’ve always thought of the Jewish faith and Nazi Germany. I’ve seen the reports coming out of North Korea, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia and have seen and written about the ever-increasing assault and social exclusion of those who love Jesus by many in this country, but didn’t realize the entire scope of it until just recently.
Last Saturday I attended a meeting in Atlanta to discuss the problem and was sickened at the reports of crucifixion, stoning, beheading, rape, boiling in oil, and dehumanization of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I was heartened by their courage and though they are persecuted in the most evil fashion as only demons could devise, incredibly their faith is increasing via underground churches just as early Christians did in Rome.
The Jesus Alliance is gearing up to wage a campaign against the persecution of Christians and we intend to heavily target one of its by-products human slavery and sex trafficking of girls and boys.
While this issue has largely been ignored by the previous administration I sincerely believe that Donald Trump will lend his support to combatting it and exposing the problem to the world. I was told at the meeting that several Christians are locked away in torture chamber cells in various countries and the only thing that will prompt their oppressors to release them is a groundswell of chatter and public outcry.
I’ve been listening to the fans during the NFL playoffs and thought how effective it would be if Christians would only do the same in regards to stopping Christian persecution. Recently every group who can attract a crowd has been protesting our new President. Do you wonder why Christians don’t do the same? It is one reason we are losing the war. Stand-up for what you believe in. Write your congressman and Senator and tweet “the Donald” and demand that something be done to fight the barbarians and ease the plight of our brothers and sisters.
The Jesus Alliance is trying to get mobile apps preloaded with Christian content to the persecuted churches in the middle east, but it is a slow process due to limited funding. The few churches that have received the apps are using them and they have poured out real tears as they thanked our team for remembering them. One pastor said that we would never know how much it meant to them just to know that other Christians are praying for them in solidarity and trying to help their plight.
Put yourself in their position. If you want to help, pray for the persecuted church, write the president and your representative and senator, and if you can donate money or can convince the mission board of your church to do so, please call or send donations to the Jesus Alliance and designate your funds for the persecuted church.
If you are confounded about the hatred, just know that we are in good company and one day it will have a happy ending.
John 15:18
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
January 24 2017 – Click here to listen