300 million Christians live where they face persecution – Week for the Persecuted Church (IDOP-21)
Press Release – Buenos Aires, October 21, 2021
More than 300 million Christians around the world live in places where they are persecuted. This includes harassment, detention, legal restrictions, violence, forced expulsions, and even death for their faith in Jesus.
More than two decades ago the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)call for the “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church” (IDOP) to be put on the church’s agenda. Its purpose is to make this reality visible and to support those who have faith but no freedom.
Conexión Oriental, the World Missions Network/Comibam Argentina, the Evangelical Alliance of Argentina (Aciera), Open Doors Latin America, the Lausanne Movement Latin America and others, are extending this invitation for November 7-13, 2021. This year’s theme text is “Blessed are the persecuted”. The meetings will be virtual via Zoom and Telegram with reports, worship, prayer, and biblical teaching. Participation in the meetings requires prior registration at: www.cnxorintal.com.
Speakers will include Dr. Thomas Schrirrimacher, Rev. Carlos Madrigal (Turkey), Allan and Patricia Matamoros (Partners International, Middle East), Marco Cruz (Open Doors), Stanley Clark (h), Dr. Pablo Deiros, Scot Keranen (Lebanon), Daniel Bianchi, Brother Caleb (Brazil), and others serving in sensitive contexts in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The week is organized by Conexión Oriental a ministry which encourages church involvement in Latin America on behalf of persecuted and displaced Christians.
IDOP is a global movement joined by thousands of churches and well-known entities such as the WEA, Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, Release International, and others. In these decades it has promoted support for persecuted Christians and religious freedom in the world.
The Bible says that we should pray for those who are mistreated as if we ourselves were mistreated (Hebrews 13:3) and that if one member of the group suffers, we all suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26). Jesus taught that the persecuted are blessed (Matthew 5:10-12).
