The Open Doors 2012 World Watch List has a familiar look to it. North Korea tops the list for the 10th straight time as the country where Christians face the most severe persecution, while Islamic-majority countries represent nine of the top 10 and 38 of the 50 countries on the annual ranking.
Afghanistan (2), Saudi Arabia (3), Somalia (4), Iran (5) and the Maldives (6) form a bloc where indigenous Christians have almost no freedom to openly worship. For the first time Pakistan (10) entered the top 10, after a tumultuous year during which the nation’s highest-ranking Christian politician, Cabinet Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated for his attempts to change the blasphemy law. The rest of the top 10 is composed of Uzbekistan (7), Yemen (8) and Iraq (9). Laos was the lone country to drop from the top 10 list, falling to No. 12 from No. 10.
While persecution has worsened due to persecution by Muslim extremists, without question North Korea once again deserves its No. 1 ranking. Defiantly Communist, North Korea built a bizarre quasi-religion around the founder of the country, Kim Il-Sung. Anyone with ‘another god’ is automatically persecuted. The estimated 200,000 to 400,000 Christians in this country must remain deeply underground. An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are held in ghastly prison camps. “How the death of Kim Jong-Il last month and the coming to power of his son Kim Jong-Un will affect the status of Christians in North Korea is hard to determine at this early stage,” Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller said. “Certainly the situation for believers remains perilous. Please pray with me that the Lord will open up North Korea and there will be religious freedom to worship the One, true God, not the gods of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung.”
"Being a Muslim Background Believer is a huge challenge."
There are significant moves on the World Watch List, including Sudan moving up 19 spots to No. 16 – the biggest leap of any country from 2011. Nigeria jumped 10 spots to No. 13. Egypt, racked by violent protests and upheaval during the Arab Spring, rose four positions to No. 15. Increased Islamic extremism triggered the upward movement of Sudan, Nigeria and Egypt. “Being a Muslim Background Believer or ‘Secret Believer’ Christian in a Muslim-dominated country is a huge challenge. Christians often face persecution from extremists, the government, their community and even their own families,” said Moeller. “As the 2012 World Watch List reflects, the persecution of Christians in these Muslim countries continues to increase. While many thought the Arab Spring would bring increased freedom, including religious freedom for minorities, that certainly has not been the case so far.”
In July 2011 southern Sudan, which is mostly Christian, seceded to become an independent country, called South Sudan, leaving the Christians of North Sudan much more isolated under President Omar al-Bashir. In response to the loss of the south, al-Bashir vowed to make constitutional changes to make his country even more Islamic. On the ground the military has attacked Christian communities in battles over resources with many being killed.
Nigeria remains the country with the worst atrocities in terms of lives lost. More than 300 Christians were martyred last year in Nigeria, though the actual number is believed to be double or triple that number. The total is probably greater in North Korea, but impossible to confirm due to its isolation. Since 2009 the extreme Islamic group Boko Haram has destroyed more than 50 churches and killed 10 pastors in Nigeria.
Christians in Egypt experienced a disastrous start to 2011 when a bombing at the Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint Mark and Pope Peter in Alexandria killed 21 Christians on New Year’s Day. After the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in February, hopes soared for new freedoms for all Egyptians. But on Oct. 9 the military turned on its own citizens in the Maspero massacre in Cairo, killing 27 Coptic Christian demonstrators. At the close of 2011, Islamist parties flourished in the November elections, prompting some to speak of an Arab Winter instead of an Arab Spring for Christians.
"We wouldn't be growing if we didn't have a price to pay for our witness."
China still has the world’s largest persecuted church of 80 million, but it dropped out of the top 20 this year to No. 21. Last year China ranked No. 16. This is due in large part to the house church pastors learning how to play ‘cat and mouse’ with the government. The good news behind the bad news of rising persecution is an increase in church growth, which often results from the persecution itself. A pastor in Iran states: “We wouldn’t be growing if we didn’t have a price to pay for our witness.”
The WWL is based on a questionnaire devised by Open Doors to measure the degree of persecution in over 60 countries. The questionnaires are filled out by Open Doors field personnel working in the countries, and cross-checked with independent experts, to arrive at a quantitative score per country. Countries are then ranked according to points received. 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.
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Once the home of the Church at Antioch, Syria has a rich history. Antioch was in many ways the model church, starting the very first missionary movement. The Great Commission was put into action right within the borders of this now torn and broken nation.
Today Syria is self-destructing. With each day the protests have increased; the nation teeters on the brink of Civil War. The current Assad regime has responded in violence, and government-sponsored slaughters continue. Pray that the breath of the Holy Spirit would breathe on this nation as it did on Antioch and that the Gospel would spread from Syria into the entire Middle East.
Praise the Lord that we serve a God who is greater than any ruler or regime. His freedom will always prevail against all forms of earthly tyranny. We join Isaiah in declaring, "...so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him" (Isaiah 52:15).
Together let's watch and pray,
The Prayercast Team
prayercast.com
a ministry of OneWay
Syrian Christians Ask for Prayer
On-going Violence Forces Churches to Limit Meetings, Open Doors Reports
SANTA ANA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- In the wake of a year of protests and violence, the volatile situation in Syria has brought great suffering to the entire population. Syrian Christians say their greatest need right now is prayer, according to Open Doors, an international ministry supporting persecuted Christians and religious freedom around the world.
The danger has prompted many churches across the country to meet only in daytime, many only on Sundays. On Fridays, the weekly Islamic day of assembly, many Christian schools now close. Because of rampant killing, theft and kidnapping of children, some parents have stopped sending their children to school. Syria also suffers a lack of fuel and electricity, an economy in shambles and few jobs.
"Christians' plights vary by place," said Dr. Carl Moeller, president and CEO of Open Doors USA. "Damascus Christians seem to have the fewest difficulties; in contrast, many Homs believers have fled what has become a war zone."
Some Christians want to stay; others desperately seek to emigrate, said Moeller. Many say they simply cannot flee.
"Many believers tell us that Syria is where they belong and will remain, even if that means dying there," he said.
More than 80 percent of Christians have fled Homs, the city where fighting is the worst. Looters have invaded the homes of those who have fled. At least one evangelical church has been attacked. Those who remain have limited means of safe transportation. Few attend church services.
"Homs is a ghost town, and the situation of people there is not stable," another source said. "Everyone there fears for safety. People in the city don't have resources or supplies. The situation makes a decent human being cry."
In some areas, the situation is relatively safe for Christians. "We come together to worship, and people have strong faith," one Syrian pastor said. "Currently, Christians are not under direct attack. But we don't know if things change how they will treat us."
Christians fear that if President Assad is overthrown, their plight will dramatically worsen. But Christians find strength in their faith, Moeller said.
"Please join Syrian Christians in prayer," said Moeller. "Only God knows what lies ahead, but Scripture assures us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
Syria has more than 20 million inhabitants with 1.9 million of them Christians. Syria is ranked No. 36 on the Open Doors 2012 World Watch List of the top 50 persecutors of Christians.
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 www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.
(For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117 or emailjerryd@odusa.org.)
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International Prayer Alert: Pray for 30 North Korean Refugees in Danger of Execution--Urgent
International Prayer Alert: Pray for 30 North Korean refugees not to be sent back to be imprisoned and executed-- URGENT
For the last two weeks, China has been threatening to repatriate 30 North Korean refugees. These are people who escaped the brutal oppression and starvation of their land, hoping to get a better life, and to go to South Korea eventually. They and three generations of their families (men, women and children too), potentially hundreds of people, will be sentenced to execution as an example by the Pyongyang government or at least to slave labor in one of the Nazi-style death camps in North Korea if China repatriates them as it says it will do.
The South Korean government has appealed to China to no avail so far and is now pressing the United Nations Human Rights Council. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that "South Korean diplomats are expected to call for the safety and humane treatment of North Korean refugees living in hiding in China." (See the whole article at www.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/world/asia/seoul-urges-china-to-not-retu...)
With this important issue finally before the world in such glaring manner, this could be a kairos time to see China's inhumane policy on refugees changed so that those suffering in the hell-hole of North Korea can freely escape. Please pray for the following and let's trust God together for this mountain to be moved (Matthew 17:20):
Thanks for your persevering prayers of faith. The Lord will use them to shape history and bring His deliverance to North Korea!
Yours in Christ,
John Robb
Chairman, IPC