We would like to inform your readers of the upcoming International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians to be held on Sunday, November 7, 2021. Believers are encouraged to pray for their brothers and sisters on this day as well as continuing to pray for them on an ongoing basis.
Recently Todd Nettleton, the spokesperson for The Voice of the Martyrs, was interviewed on WTWG-AM 1050 and FM 96.9 by Stephanie Gibson and Glenn Lautzenhiser. Mr. Nettleton informed us and the audience that America is the rare exception because Christian believers are being persecuted in 70 countries around the world.
Mr. Nettleton has been visiting with persecuted Christians and their families and rendering assistance for the last 20 years. The one thing that persecuted Christians want from America first and foremost is for us to pray for them. He also encouraged the audience to become aware of what is happening throughout the world and then to follow their conscience as God would lead them.
At the very least Christian believers in these 70 countries face rejection by their friends and families when they accept the Lord as their Savior. They also are often beaten, thrown in jail, and even murdered for their faith.
The Voice of the Martyrs in their August magazine reported about an incident that occurred in the Karnataka state of India. Hindu extremists barged into a church during the services and began beating the pastor and other believers. This attack lasted for 45 minutes. When Pastor Sunbash’s daughter Sarah saw her father being beaten, she fell to her knees and begged them to stop. They pushed her away and began to kick her in the stomach. She suffered internal bleeding for two weeks as a result of the attack.
In the current issue of Decision magazine published by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, an article featured the present situation facing Christians in Afghanistan. The article stated, “The entire Christion community is in danger of wholesale slaughter.” Franklin Graham was quoted by saying, ‘The Islamist extremists who have taken Afghanistan by force have a history of brutality, including beheading and public executions.”
Won’t you join us and other believers around the world who will be praying for persecuted Christians around the world and those who would seek to do them harm. For information about what is being done locally, please contact any of the undersigned.
Stephanie Gibson, Earnestine Hendricks, Glenn Lautzenhiser, Deloris Morgan, Dr. Charlie Rhea and Steve Smith
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