blessed are the persecuted

I cannot even begin to imagine how different my life would be if Christianity could not be openly practiced in the United States. Actually I tried, but once I realized how far-reaching the effects would be, I decided to stop. But while I can simply decided not to think about religious persecution, for many people around the world it is a daily reality. According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith.

Here are just a few examples of what is happening around the world.

• Colombia – Pastors have been targeted by guerrilla movements such as FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), with 400 churches being forced to close in areas under the control of armed groups. Christians have also been killed for speaking out against violence and the widespread drug trade.
• Morocco – Anyone converting to Christianity can face charges of treachery and illegal contact with foreign missions. A small Moroccan church is emerging, estimated to number some 500 indigenous believers in 2000.
• Iran – Shi’a Islam is the state religion. Conversion from Islam to another faith is a capital crime. There is a ban on the printing of all Christian literature, and constant surveillance of churches and those who attend them.
• Malaysia – Although the constitution guarantees religious freedom, fundamentalist Muslims do everything in their power politically to inhibit Christian evangelism. Ethnic Malays are not allowed to have a Christian place of worship.

This week is specifically set aside to pray for the persecuted church around the world. Please take some time to pray for other Christians, wherever they might live, who do not enjoy the same religious freedoms we do. But more than that, I urge you to educate yourself so that you may become a voice for the voiceless.

http://www.persecutedchurch.org/
http://www.releaseinternational.org/

“Remember the persecuted as if in prison with them, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” -Hebrews 13:3