Ministry Carries on in Face of Persecution
Each year, Open Doors USA publishes its World Watch List to raise awareness of Christian persecution around the world and to encourage prayer and support for believers living in the 50 countries where persecution is most prevalent. Many of our listeners inhabit regions where there are serious repercussions for turning to Christ, as 22 of The Tide heart language radio programs reach people living in four countries on this year’s list. In Nigeria, Christians suffer from violence perpetrated by Islamic militant groups. Nepal was not even ranked in last year’s list, but now nearly all Christians there experience some form of persecution to the point that pastors and believers are hesitant to openly carry a Bible in public. Buddhism is seen as Bhutan’s heritage, and Christians there experience tremendous pressure to conform to local religious practices or lose social benefits such as government-provided education and health care. It is disturbing to see India continue its trend of climbi...