UBC Mission Update - 2022, Issue 11

Spotlight & Prayer Focus:

The Persecuted Church

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) is observed each year on the first Sunday in November. This year it falls on November 6, so our prayer focus for this month will be persecuted Christians throughout the world, particularly those in countries where extreme persecution is taking place (See World Watch List below). Several Christian organizations observe IDOP and provide resources to educate and assist believers in standing with the persecuted. Two of these are The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and Open Doors.  

In just the last year, Open Doors estimates that:

  • Over 360 million Christians (1 in 7) are living in places where they experience high levels of persecution and discrimination

  • 5898 Christians were killed for their faith

  • 5110 church buildings or other Christian buildings were attacked

  • 4762 believers were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned

  • 3829 were abducted for faith-related reasons

Open Doors publishes an annual report called the World Watch List that ranks the top 50 countries where Christian persecution is occurring. The rankings use data from Open Doors field workers and external experts to quantify and analyze persecution worldwide. The top 11 countries considered areas of extreme persecution are:

1. Afghanistan 7. Nigeria

2. North Korea 8. Pakistan

3. Somalia 9. Iran

4. Libya 10. India

5. Yemen 11. Saudi Arabia

6. Eritrea

While this is the first time that Afghanistan has been No. 1 on the list, North Korea has been at or near the top of this list for more than 20 years.

Get a copy of the World Watch List

VOM categorizes countries as open, restricted or hostile. Restricted countries are those in which government-sanctioned or anti-Christian laws lead to Christians being harassed, imprisoned, killed, or deprived of liberties because of their witness. They can also be prevented from obtaining Bibles or other Christian materials. In addition, persecution is often carried out by family members, the community and/or political groups. Hostile countries are those in which the government may attempt to provide protection for Christians, but where they still routinely experience persecution by family, friends, neighbors, and others. 

*Visit the Mission Table for VOM resources such as prayer guides and bookmarks that can assist you in praying for the persecuted church.


You can also sign up online at icommittopray.com

Spotlight 1:

Voice of the Martyrs

The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand and his wife Sabina who both suffered for their faith under Communist rule in Romania. Sabina spent three years in prison while Pastor Wurmbrand endured a total of 14 years of imprisonment and torture. They established over 30 offices around the world to support persecuted and imprisoned Christians and their motto has remained: “Hate the evil systems, but love your persecutors. Love their souls, and try to win them for Christ.”

The Wurmbrand’s work has continued through VOM for over 50 years. VOM’s purposes, as noted on its website, are:

  1. To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission in areas of the world where they are persecuted for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

  2. To provide practical relief and spiritual support to the families of Christian martyrs.

  3. To equip persecuted Christians to love and win to Christ those who are opposed to the gospel in their part of the world.

  4. To undertake projects of encouragement, helping believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in countries where they have formerly suffered oppression.

  5. To promote the fellowship of all believers by informing the world of the faith and courage of persecuted Christians, thereby inspiring believers to a deeper level of commitment to Christ and involvement in His Great Commission.

Do you want to stay informed and stand with the persecuted church? 

Explore these resources:

Spotlight 2:

Persecution in India

This past summer, one of our Core Mission Team members had the opportunity to sit down with a UBC member’s mother who was visiting from India. “R.” (name withheld for protection) shared the story of her Christian heritage, which she traces back to her grandmother, and also talked about the intensifying persecution believers are facing in India today. As noted above, India is No. 10 on the Open Doors World Watch List and is considered to be a place where extreme persecution occurs. 

Christians are already a minority in India, but R. explained that Hindu extremists want to cleanse the country of any Christian presence or influence and establish India as a Hindu nation. By the end of 2022, the all-Hindu government plans to prevent any non-Hindu from voting or owning a business. R. said the educational system is also changing as the government has twisted the truth about Jesus, implemented increased Hindu teaching, and mandated Hindu prayer in the schools. She added that universities are under scrutiny, particularly those who receive funding from western sources.

Anti-conversion laws are also on the rise in India, effectively banning Christians from sharing their faith. According to Open Doors, “these laws are used to make false accusations of coercion against those who have genuinely become Christians from a Hindu background and those who have told them the good news about Jesus.”

While many Christians still worship in a church, persecution, especially in villages, continues to rise. R told of a group of Christians who were worshiping under the roof of a primitive church structure when a group came and began to knock the wooden supports down. The believers continued to sit on the ground, singing praises to our God. R. also knew of another incident that occurred in September in which a preacher was beaten to death.

Despite all this, R. and our other brothers and sisters in India continue to faithfully serve the Lord, growing in knowing Him and making Him known. Please pray for our sister R. for continued boldness, protection and God ordained-opportunities to share Jesus.

Opportunity:

Bridges of Hope Winter Wishlist

Are you getting ready to pull out your winter clothes? Are some of these lightly used, and maybe something you are not going to be wearing this season? Have there been clothes in your closet or dressers that need to go to a new home?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, check out Bridges of Hope’s “wishlist” below and consider donating any of these items you might have in sizes large and above. They have a particular need for hoodies, gently used men’s and women’s gym shoes, and backpacks. New items on the list are also welcome!


You can drop off donations at Bridges of Hope (1087 W. 2nd Street in Xenia) any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 9am-12pm or any evening after 6:30pm. You can also bring them to the Mission table at UBC Main.

To read past Mission Updates or to get more information about UBC on Mission, visit www.ubcbeavercreek.com/mission.

Jarrin Bradshaw