Countries Where Christians Are Highly Persecuted
The persecution of Christians around the world is on the rise. It is no surprise as the Bible have foretold that things like this will happen in the last days ( 2nd Timothy 3:1, Matthew 5:11, Luke 6:22), but the Church has to get stronger in the place of worship, evangelism and prayers.
According to a research conducted by Open Doors Researchers in 2018, roughly 215 million Christians now experience high, very high, or extreme levels of persecution; that means 1 in 12 Christians live where Christianity is “illegal, forbidden, or punished”. Take for example, North Korea ranks number one of the countries where Christians are persecuted. Thousands of Christians are imprisoned, and many have reportedly been tortured and executed. Believers meet secretly, and risk arrest and death by doing so. Like everyone else, Christians in North Korea must worship the country's leader Kim Jung-un.
Following closely is Afghanistan which ranks number 2 of the top Christian persecuting countries. Afghanistan is known for her extreme intolerance and outright persecution of Christians.
In Pakistan, Churches are attacked, Christians are treated as second class citizens. They are persecuted, abducted and forced into marriages.
Nigeria is not left out. Since the terrorist group Boko Haram came into prominence, thousands of Christians have been abducted and killed in the northern part of the country where Christians are also treated as second class citizens.
Other countries where Christians are highly persecuted are: Sudan (where converting to Christianity is punishable by death), Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Vietnam etc.
Thanks to God the situations for Christians has considerably improved in some countries. One of such countries is Tanzania. The majority-Christian country was struggling against a Muslim minority that was growing more radical, but the administration of President John Magufuli who was elected in 2015, has made serious effort of cracking down extreme Islamist group. Open Doors said. “Many leaders were caught and others went into hiding. The violence against Christians decreased a lot”.
Christians are encouraged to remain firm in their faith, hold on tight to God and not fail to remember the body of Christ in prayer. Jesus told Christians to spread the Word of Christianity and acknowledged that doing this may expose them to danger saying;
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 10:22).
Christians all over the world should stand firm by one another because “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).
Help create and spread awareness. Help those who have been made to flee their homes because of their belief. This barbarous and cowardly acts cannot stop us. Keep on spreading the Word (the Good news).
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