STRENGTHENING THE PERSECUTED CHURCH WORLDWIDE
More than 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith in Jesus.
More than 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith in Jesus. With your help, Open Doors is strengthening Christians where faith costs the most.
More than 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith in Jesus. With your help, Open Doors is strengthening Christians where faith costs the most.
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Church Resources
World Watch List
Prayer Resources
Church Resources
Help your church stay connected with your persecuted family, using resources like the Pause Toolkit, the Dangerous Faith study guide, and more.
World Watch List
Download your World Watch List prayer guide: the ranking of the top 50 countries where Christians endure the most persecution.
Prayer Resources
Commit to praying for your persecuted family with the monthly prayer calendar, or join an online prayer meeting.
Where are Christians Persecuted?
- North Korea
If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you could be killed or deported to a labour camp.
There is no church life in North Korea. It’s impossible to gather for worship or prayer, and even secret worship and prayer is at great risk. Official spies could inform on you and so could your neighbours or teachers.
2. Somalia
In Somalia, following Jesus is a matter of life and death. Violent extremists are committed to eradicating Christianity from Somalia and have often killed Somali Christians on the spot. The dangers have increased over the years, as the militants have increasingly focused on finding and eliminating Christian leaders.
But persecution for Christians also comes from within their own families and communities. Being Muslim is a huge part of Somali identity, and to reject this is seen as a major betrayal that affects the whole family.
3. Yemen
Yemenis from minority religions are severely marginalized.
If someone is reported to be a Christian they could face severe monitoring, arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment and even murder. Leaving Islam to follow Christ is seen as a huge betrayal of your native tribe and can lead to being disowned, disinherited, divorced and losing custody of your children, being banished or even murdered.
4. Libya
Libyan Christians with a Muslim background face violent pressure from their families and communities to renounce their faith. Militant groups kidnap and sometimes brutally kill Christians.
Christians who openly express their faith or try to share it with others risk arrest and violent opposition. The lack of a central government to enforce law and order makes the situation even more precarious.
5. Sudan
Sudan was on a path toward religious freedom, but a coup and devastating war dashed these hopes. Christians are once again in danger.
With the ongoing war, Sudan is now home to both the world’s largest displacement and largest hunger crisis, with nearly nine million people having been forced to flee their homes. Neither side is sympathetic to Christians, and the conflict has given Islamist extremists more opportunity to target them.
Every year, Open Doors ranks the top 50 countries where Christians experience the most persecution for their faith – the World Watch List.
Use this map to find out the top 5 countries with the most persecution, and then explore the rest of the top 50:
The Brave Faith of Persecuted Women
When Batoul (pseudonym) chose to follow Jesus, her own family turned against her. She felt alone.
Like so many persecuted women, she was targeted both for her faith and her gender. Women often suffer alone and hidden from view.
Bring Open Doors to your church and learn how you can advocate for your persecuted family.
Open Doors is strengthening persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries. Because of your support, we are able to provide Bibles, Christian resources, church training, emergency aid, and more. In Canada, we work to raise awareness of global persecution, mobilizing prayer, support and action among Christians.
Last Year's Impact
Because of your support, the global church is being strengthened in the most persecuted countries on earth.
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Bring Open Doors to your church and learn how you can advocate for your persecuted family.