10 Places Where Christian Persecution is the Worst
Missions is not for the faint of heart.
It is a call for the bold—those who’ve been filled with the very Spirit of God to courageously proclaim the truth of the gospel. That includes every believer.
There’s no denying the risks involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. The first disciples were warned of the hatred they would endure for following Jesus, and today Christians—more than ever before—are sensitive to the threats against them … especially those living in the spiritually darkest areas of the world.
The words of Christ still grimly echo much like when they were first spoken.
“Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” –Mark 13:13
Open Doors serves the persecuted Church around the world and each year they release the World Watch List— a tool informing the Body of Christ where Christian persecution is the worst.
So we can pray for those under attack and for their attackers.
The top 10* most persecuted places for Christian on this year’s World Watch List include…
- North Korea
- Iraq
- Eritrea
- Afghanistan
- Syria
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Iran
- Libya
In places like these, choosing to follow Jesus means accepting the risk of being disowned, victimized, imprisoned, abused, and even martyred.
Open Doors reports that each month …
- 322 Christians are killed for their faith
- 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed
- 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians
It’s not hard to believe these statistics after ISIS destroyed the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq and terrorists tied to al-Qaeda killed seven Christian missionaries in Burkina Faso just last week.
With each passing moment bringing us closer to the glorious return of Jesus, Christian persecution increases. But we can’t shrink back in fear. The gospel must be boldly preached to the lost.