persecuted church

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"The message of the Gospel is for Jesus, so don't fail to preach it because of fear. Preach it, whether they like it or not. Just deliver it." ~ Nigerian Pastor Joshua Amako Maraya who was killed in November 2023 For more than 50 years, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada has been following reports of persecution around the world and calling on Christians to pray. For the past 20 of those years, the Persecution & Prayer Alert reports have been made available on the ministry's website. Simply go to our Global Persecution page and either click a country on the map or select one from the drop-down list. The profiles contain suggestions on how you can effectively pray. You can also download a printable prayer map as a helpful tool. This concluding Persecution & Prayer Alert for 2023 features the five most reported countries, based on the reports VOMC has published during the past 12 months. While Christians in each of the following countries face immense pressure because of their faith, this does not necessarily mean these listed countries represent areas where the persecution of believers is most intense. Unfortunately, in far too many cases, restrictions on communication in the world's most volatile countries prevent situations of hostility from being exposed. CHINA​ At least once each month, reports have revealed the various ways in which officials of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempt to control the church in China and further their socialist agenda. By implementing the policy of "Sinicization," the country's political leadership demands that all teachings be presented within a Chinese context, as defined by the CCP. These messages must reflect the CCP;s political stance and the values of President Xi Jinping. Religious symbols are forbidden from being posted outdoors, yet the Chinese flag and a photo of President Xi must be displayed in a prominent place of each church. The government's agenda has also been infiltrating the homes of its citizens, for children are not allowed to be taught about the Christian faith. Multiple arrests of believers have taken place relating to the education of their children. Pastors and other leaders from house churches have been particularly targeted, resulting in government surveillance, arrest, interrogation, imprisonment, and other forms of harassment. Sometimes those detained are interrogated and released; others are confined for months without trial. The charges against them range from "picking quarrels" to "illegal business practices" or "organizing illegal gatherings." The Early Rain Covenant Church choir continued to sing "Near the Cross" during one of the raids. Photo: ChinaAid ​ ​ Some congregations have been subjected to repeated harassment, such as those affiliated with the Early Rain Covenant Church, the Golden Lampstand Church and the Ren'ai Reformed Church. The persecution may involve a violent raid during a worship service, as was experienced by congregants on March 12th (read more). While officers manhandled the worshippers, the church choir continued to sing the hymn, Near the Cross. Along with the arrests of attending members, there have also been increasing incidents in which landlords were pressured by the government to evict specifically targeted Christians, forcing them and their families to move from their homes. In keeping with God's promises to even work through life's most difficult situations, imprisoned church leaders seized the ministry opportunities presented to them within the confines of their prison cells. One example of such dedication to the Lord's call to ministry was demonstrated by Pastor Geng Zejun, whose "congregation" included fellow inmates. During his incarceration, he gained the respect of both fellow prisoners and prison wardens who personally sought his counsel and ministry (see this report). Thankfully, at least two pastors who served several years in prison were released during the spring of 2023. Alimujiang Yimiti, a pastor and member of the oppressed Uyghur people, was released after serving 15 years in prison! Another church leader, 68-year-old Hu Shigen, was released after more than seven years. And this was not the elderly leader's only incarceration. In total, Hu Shigen has endured over 24 years of imprisonment for his faithful Gospel work. These are just a few examples of the many reports received through our ministry partners. For more information, and/or to view a full list of reports, go to our country report. Praise God for His ongoing work in the nation of China, where it has been clearly demonstrated that 'the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church' (Matthew 16:18). Please prayerfully uphold the many believers presently remaining in prison, and their loved ones, as they endure this difficult time of separation. Despite the government's opposition, may our Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ continue with their ministry work – raising up disciples throughout the nation in the process – so that many others in China will hear the Gospel message and become an integral part of God's Kingdom. PAKISTAN​ Religious minorities in the predominantly Muslim nation of Pakistan are frequently looked down upon and treated with contempt by opposing community members. Persecution reports have generally fallen into one of the following two categories: 1) believers accused of blasphemy; and 2) Christian girls and young women who were abducted and forcibly married to Muslim men. Numerous reports have been published outlining the injustices experienced by the concerned families of Christian girls and young women who were kidnapped, raped, forced to convert to Islam, and then married off to their captors. As the families of these vulnerable victims are generally very poor and considered to be of low societal status, support from the courts and community members in such cases is far too often minimal. Hoorab’s father, Basharat Masih Photo: AsiaNews ​ ​ In two disturbing incidents, the kidnapping escalated to murder. In June, a Christian widow and mother of three was abducted, raped, doused with acid and murdered – all for merely refusing the advances of a local man who wanted her to convert to Islam and marry him. In December 2022, a 12-year-old girl named Hoorab was kidnapped. After her captors were discovered and brought to court, Hoorab's father, Basharat, was killed on April 24th. It is believed that Basharat's murder was perpetrated by those seeking revenge for his attempts to bring his daughter's captors to justice (learn more). For many years, blasphemy accusations have been used as an easy way for unscrupulous individuals to seek revenge against Christians during personal or business disagreements. Such accusations can quickly spread to the point of instigating the wrath of frenzied rioters who react by committing devastating acts of violence and destruction. Not only were the accused believers and their families at risk, so were the lives of the individuals who tried to justly defend them. This has resulted in increased challenges for those seeking justice within the country's legal system. In June, a Scripture verse was posted on Facebook by a Christian, sparking the outrage of militant Muslims against all believers in general. Due to the uncontrollable mob violence, hundreds of Christians were forced to flee for their lives (read more). Two months later, after allegations were made that two Christian brothers had been burning pages of the Quran, thousands of angry rioters stormed a Christian colony in Jaranwala. Numerous churches and homes were destroyed in the attacks, leaving so many innocent victims grief-stricken and destitute. A video report on the latter incident may be viewed here. When reviewing other reports of the past year, it appears that Pakistan's courts have been more careful when examining evidence relating to blasphemy cases. In an incident that occurred this September, a couple was charged because a bystander in their community noticed papers containing Quranic verses blowing from a rooftop. The accused believers were released a month later due to the lack of evidence. In a previous case that took place in January, an airport security officer was accused of blasphemy simply for doing her job by restricting entrance to a secure location. All the accusations made against the officer were quickly dismissed after the facts were determined. To read this year's 25 reports relating to the country of Pakistan, along with those of previous years, go to our country report. Please pray for Christians in Pakistan who are courageously persevering in their faith amid such a harsh environment, including those who are presently imprisoned because of the false accusations made against them. Also intercede for believers who have been acquitted, but yet still face hostility from the spiritually opposing members of their communities. May God mightily intervene in this South Asian nation, bringing about an atmosphere of tolerance and unity, while also leading court and legislative officials to act justly on behalf of all Pakistan's citizens. Last, but not least, remember our suffering sisters in Christ who have been forcibly "married" to their abusers, asking the Lord to encourage, comfort and strengthen each one of them through the many assuring promises in His Word, an increased awareness of His divine presence, and a greater sense of His sustaining grace. NIGERIA​ As the most populous nation in Africa, Nigeria has a democratically elected government with religious freedoms engrained in the constitution. Even so, this country remains divided according to the overall religious affiliation of the representing populations: the northern part of the country, which is predominantly Muslim; and the southern half where the majority claim to be Christian. Reports indicate that much of the violence targeting Christians was committed by members of militant Islamic groups within the country. Terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have been working to establish an Islamic state. In recent years, however, violence by the country's Fulani herdsmen has grown to be a major influence. The Fulani are traditionally a nomadic people who herd livestock across the region, often without any regard for those living in these areas. There were times when the violent conflicts had taken place over the grazing of land. Yet, when the militant Islamic ideologies within some Fulani groups became a factor, Christian communities were threatened with even further challenges. Raids committed by armed Fulani bandits, specifically those targeting churches and the homes of congregation members, have devastated entire communities. Along with the killing and pillaging, the Fulani militants also captured hostages during the raids with the intention of having them ransomed. As these raids spread further south in Nigeria, hundreds of Christians have been killed or kidnapped. A particularly devastating series of attacks happened recently between December 24th and the 26th when at least 140 people were killed in multiple villages of the country's Plateau State. More details may be released in future alerts as additional reports become available. A father prays at a breach in the Bethel Baptist High School’s walls after one of the kidnappings. Photo: Morning Star News ​ ​ Over the years, incidents involving the kidnapping of school students have also been devastating for the country's Christians. More than five years ago, a girls' school in Dapchi was raided. Of the 110 students kidnapped, only one of them, Leah Sharibu, remains missing. Leah's family continues to call for those around the world to pray for their teen's release from captivity and for the Nigerian government to advocate on her behalf. In a separate incident, which took place in 2014, a total of 276 girls were abducted from a school in Chibok. Approximately 100 of them are still missing. Thankfully, the families of Huwa Maltha and Ester Marcus were joyfully reunited following their girls' rescue in April. This year also marked the final student to be welcomed home of those who had been kidnapped at the Bethel Baptist High School in July 2021. For an overview of all the Nigeria reports posted by VOMC during the year of 2023 and beyond, go to our country report. Praise God for the safe return of believers who had been kidnapped in Nigeria, as they now can enjoy being joyously reunited with their families and friends. In the meantime, please continue to pray for the hundreds of others who are suffering from the aftermath of the violent raids – specifically those whose loved ones have been killed or remain in captivity, as well as followers of Jesus who have lost their homes, businesses and churches for their faith in Him. May they too receive greatly needed comfort, healing, peace, restoration, protection and provision.... Overall, pray that the Holy Spirit will work miraculously throughout the entire nation of Nigeria, bringing the hope of the Gospel message to all who are in desperate need of God's forgiveness and eternal salvation.

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