Suffering Christians Crying Out for Prayers

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church Sunday; Still Time to Download Materials

SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- The U.S. State Department reported in October that Afghanistan now has no church buildings and no Christian schools.

Can you imagine the fear and isolation that must grip the hearts of Christian men and women in places like this?

More than 100 million Christians are persecuted globally, and it's getting worse every year. A recent report by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found more than 2.2 billion people live in countries where social hostilities or government restrictions rose substantially from 2006 to 2009.

The most powerful way Christians in the West can show their support for the small number of believers in Afghanistan and millions of other suffering Christians around the world is through prayer. Millions will be gathering in churches, small groups and homes this Sunday for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). IDOP began in 1996 and today is one of the largest prayer events in the world.

"IDOP presents a tremendous opportunity for millions of people to make a difference in the lives of those faithful Christians who are literally under the gun in countries such as North Korea, Iran, Nigeria and Afghanistan," said Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. "Compass Direct News reported suspected Islamic extremists threw a grenade into the home of the guard of an East Africa Pentecostal Church congregation on Saturday, killing an 8-year-old girl and a member of the church. Three others were seriously injured. Please pray for their families. They and many more are crying out for our prayers."

The top 10 persecutors on the Open Doors 2011 World Watch List include North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Somalia, Maldives, Yemen, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Laos.

Open Doors USA's One With Them campaign is a call to action to unite with persecuted believers. The website for One With Them offers numerous materials for IDOP such as a pastor's guide, IDOP videos and lyrics and music to the One With Them theme song. To download IDOP materials go to www.OneWithThem.com.

Open Doors will be offering prayer points on IDOP through the Open Doors Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/opendoorsfans) and Open Doors twitter account (twitter.com/#!/OpenDoors).

To set up an interview on IDOP, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117 or email jerryd@odusa.org.

An estimated 100 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with millions more facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world's most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors USA, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (888-524-2535) or go to our website at www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.

Millions to Rally on International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., Sept. 8, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- As summer comes to an end and autumn approaches, Christians around the world are preparing for the 2011 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). 

The IDOP, which was first organized in 1996 by the World Evangelical Fellowship, has evolved into one of the largest worldwide prayer events in existence today. For the past 15 years, thousands of churches and organizations, as well as individuals and families, have participated in the tradition of setting aside one Sunday each November to spend time in intercessory prayer for the millions of Christians around the world who are persecuted, oppressed, and even martyred for their faith each year -- and who, whenever asked, unfailingly place intercessory prayer at the top of their list of needs. 

On a general scale, Christian persecution has become a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, persecution has become especially prevalent in countries like India and Iraq, while countries of particular concern that have been known for consistent religious and human rights violations include North Korea, China, and Sudan. 

But the United States government is not alone in its monitoring of the crisis. Many Christian ministries and nonprofit organizations have made it their mission to advocate and provide humanitarian support for those in the persecuted church, most of whom suffer a range of abuses from societal or even family ostracism, physical abuse, kidnapping, or false imprisonment on an almost daily basis. 

One such organization is Christian Freedom International (CFI), a Michigan-based organization that works extensively in countries like Burma, Pakistan, and Egypt -- all regions where Christian persecution is steadily on the rise. In addition to its humanitarian support of food, clothing, medical assistance and educational opportunities, CFI has been an outspoken advocate for the persecuted church, providing compelling testimony before Capitol Hill and promoting general awareness of persecution through online petition campaigns. Each year, CFI also actively encourages churches and individuals throughout the U.S. to remember the persecuted and participate in the IDOP. 

Although Sunday, November 13 is the designated 2011 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, it will be held one week earlier, Sunday, November 6, in the UK and Ireland. 

To learn more about the IDOP and for free, downloadable resources, visit www.dayofprayer.org.