On Sunday, Christians in China will gather in secret for fear of being discovered.
North Koreans will read Scripture from scraps of paper where they have scrawled a few verses. Then, they’ll sneak those torn pages back into their hiding spot. Christians can be sent to a labor camp if caught reading God’s Word.
And believers in places like Nigeria will spend the day wondering what kind of abuse they will face simply for being Christians.
What will you be doing this Sunday?
Even though you may not face persecution, you can still identify with your suffering brothers and sisters. And you can help … through prayer.
Sunday is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Will you pray for our fellow believers around the world who are being tormented for following Christ?
Will you tell your friends about this important day and about how fellow Christians are being abused in other countries?
Scripture says where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there. Imagine the power, then, of hundreds and thousands of prayers as the global church comes together to intercede for those who are persecuted.
Imagine the peace and comfort a downtrodden believer will receive knowing that, on this specific day, Christians around the world are uniting in prayer on his behalf.
And you can be part of it!
Set aside some time to pray this Sunday and “to remember … those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” (Hebrews 13:3, NIV)
As you do, you can use these downloadable to guide your prayer time and meditation. You’ll have access to:
• A prayer guide for families
• A prayer guide for kids
• A list of Scriptures about persecution
• A coloring sheet for kids
• And more!
You’ll also find a slide presentation and bulletin insert that you can share with your church family.
Through these assets, you’ll learn more about the different trials and afflictions that oppressed believers endure around the world. But most importantly, you can learn how to best pray for these fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
So this International Day of Prayer, be sure to pray for those who cannot pray openly themselves. And share with others how they can get involved.