Persecuted Church

Want to know what the top ten worst countries of persecuted Christians are?

World Watch List 2009

• 1. North Korea
  
• 2. Saudi Arabia
  
• 3. Iran
  
• 4. Afghanistan
  
• 5. Somalia
  
• 6. Maldives
  
• 7. Yemen
  
• 8. Laos
  
• 9. Eritrea
  
• 10. Uzbekistan
  

How can we help our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted every day?

Voice of the Martyrs was founded over 30 years ago by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand who:

"....was a prisioner in Romania for 14 years for his faith in Christ. In the `60s he and his family were ransomed out of Romania for $10,000 and came to the U.S. where he began traveling, educating the free world of the atrocities committed against Christians in Communist and other restricted countries. VOM's five main purposes are based on Hebrews 13:3. They are:

• To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission in areas of the world where they are persecuted for their involvement in propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ. We accomplish this by providing Bibles, literature, radio broadcasts, and other forms of aid.
  
• To give relief to the families of Christian martyrs in these areas of the world.
  
• To equip local Christians to love and win to Christ their enemies who are opposed to the gospel in countries where believers are actively persecuted for their Christian witness.
  
• To undertake projects of encouragement, helping believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in countries that have formerly suffered Communist oppression.
  
• To emphasize the fellowship of all believers by informing the world of atrocities committed against Christians and by remembering their courage and faith.

On their blog you can read about what is happening to the persecuted church around the world daily so you can PRAY. Did you know there are about 171,000 Christian martyrs per year? That means they have died for their faith (oftentimes along with being tortured) and that is not to mention the ones that lived to tell about it. You can get a free subscription to their magazine that gives you the same type of info only in a different format. Or, you can subscribe to prisioner alerts that gives you information on how to WRITE to Christians around the world and their governing officials who are in prison and are persecuted simply for being a Christian.

Why be an advocate for these Christians by praying for them and writing to them or their elected govering officials? VOM writes:

"By becoming an ‘advocate’ you are entering into the vital and important ministry of intercession and solidarity with those who suffer for their faith in Christ. As an advocate for our brothers and sisters in chains you will be encouraging them when you write to them in prison and supporting them when you write to officials on their behalf.

Your involvement testifies of the love and unity found among followers of Jesus Christ throughout the world. It is a witness to both your imprisoned family and to the authorities you write to or who may censor letters intended for the prisoner.

Your involvement is evidence to our persecuted family that they are not forgotten. Often the oppressors try to brainwash these Christians into believing that they are forgotten, that they are not loved and that no one knows about them. Through this isolation and loneliness the devil can prey upon their faith. When a prisoner learns others are protesting on their behalf or when they receive your letter, they know that someone cares.

You involvement can result in better treatment for a prisoner. The authorities in many nations are very sensitive about their image abroad. When they realize that outsiders are monitoring a prisoner’s situation, conditions may be improved.

For this we have a scriptural mandate. Read and pray through the following verses, which will help you understand the role you are undertaking. This is no doubt front line spiritual warfare and you will also need to pray through all your thinking and letter writing.

Hebrews 13:3, Matthew 25: 34-40, Matthew 5:10, 1 Peter 3: 13-17, 1 Peter 4:12-14."