Voice of the Martyrs urges American churches to join global prayer event for persecuted Christians 

Christians around the world face severe dangers for their faith every day, and believers in the United States have an upcoming opportunity to stand with them in solidarity.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians takes place on the first Sunday in November. The annual event encourages churches and families to intercede for those standing firm in their beliefs despite intense global hostility.

Heartlander News recently reported on a “demonic wave” of persecution sweeping across Africa, highlighting the severe violence many of these believers endure.

Voice of the Martyrs Vice President Todd Nettleton says the global prayer initiative, held this year on Nov. 1, is a direct response to the most common request his teams hear overseas.

“The first thing that we are asked every single time we ask that question is, ‘Pray for us, pray for us, pray for us,'” Nettleton said. “And the convicting thing to me is that they’re not asking us to pray that they won’t be persecuted; they’re asking us to pray that they will be faithful, that God will empower them in the midst of persecution to serve Him faithfully.”

A story of persecution 

Voice of the Martyrs released an 88-second video featuring Bassam, a former Muslim living on the Arabian Peninsula, to help congregations connect with the event.

Bassam lost his family and home after choosing to follow Jesus. His wife forced him out, his brothers beat him and his father disowned him.

“And yet, at the end of all of that suffering, he says, ‘I can’t stop talking about Jesus. I’m not going to go away. I’m not going to be silent. I’m not going to be quiet,'” Nettleton said. “He saw the suffering as a worthy price to pay for the privilege of sharing Christ with people around him.”

Nettleton says the Lord honored Bassam’s sacrifice, as he recently saw one of his daughters and other family members come to Christ.

Uniting the global church

The observance is nearing its 30th anniversary. It began as a collaborative effort among ministries such as Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors to unify the global body of Christ.

“All of us are into saying, ‘Hey, we need to be praying for persecuted Christians around the world,'” Nettleton said. “And so this is a place we can all come together and bang the drum at the same time.”

Voice of the Martyrs is approaching its 60th anniversary next year. It was founded by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, Romanian Christians who suffered years in communist prisons for their faith.

“That really was how Voice of the Martyrs was founded: to be a bridge, to carry aid into hostile and restricted nations and to bring out the stories of how God is faithfully working, how the church is growing, how Christians are suffering even in the face of persecution, and yet fulfilling their calling to build the church, to follow Christ, to make disciples,” Nettleton said.

He says the ministry provides practical aid and raises awareness to ensure the stories of persecuted believers reach American churches.

“As a Christian, I understand the scriptural call that when one part of the body suffers, all of us are supposed to feel that pain,” he said. “So how do we do that if we’re not paying attention? How do we do that if we don’t even know?”

(Featured Image: Image of a woman praying; Credit: The Voice of the Martyrs)