Couple Abducted from Wedding in Attacks in Northwest Nigeria that Kill 12 Christians
ECWA church elder Emmanuel Iliya Agiya, here with his wife, was kidnapped on April 22, 2020, in Kaduna state, Nigeria. (Morning Star News)
(Morning Star News) – Muslim Fulani herdsmen in northwest Nigeria killed 12 Christians and kidnapped a couple from their church wedding ceremony in attacks this month, sources said.
In Tegina Kabata village in Niger state’s Shiroro County, herdsmen attacked a church site where a wedding was taking place on April 12, abducting the couple and some church members, area resident Danjuma Iliya told Morning Star News.
“As the pastor was officiating during the wedding solemnization, the herdsmen stormed the church and took away everyone who was unable to escape from the church building, including the bride and groom,” Iliya said. “In that village, five Christians were killed in the series of attacks carried out by the herdsmen.”
Two other Christians were killed by herdsmen in Niger state’s Gidigori village, Kusherki District, in Rafi County, on April 20, area resident James Ayuba said. They were two of seven Christians killed in three herdsmen attacks over five days in Rafi County, he said.
Others were injured in herdsmen attacks in the county’s Madaka and Sabon Gari villages on April 20-21, he said.
Church Elder Abducted
Also in Niger state, five missionaries kidnapped on March 2 were released on April 22, sources said. In a short statement on April 22 that gave no details, leaders of Calvary Ministries (CAPRO) expressed joy that their missionaries had just been released
“Please rejoice with us as the remaining five of our missionaries kidnapped in Kamuku Field, Niger state 52 days ago are now safely back to freedom,” the statement read.
The missionaries were abducted when armed Muslim Fulani herdsmen on March 2 raided a school in Maruba, Shiroro County, run by CAPRO.
The announcement came the same day that a church elder in north-central Nigeria’s Kaduna state had been kidnapped. Armed Fulani herdsmen abducted Emmanuel Iliya Agiya, elder and treasurer of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Atang village, Jema’a County on April 22, area resident Aku Joshua Shai told Morning Star News by phone.
After shooting into the air to send villagers scampering into the bushes, the herdsmen broke into Iliya’s house that night and took him away at gunpoint, he said.
“The armed herdsmen first tried to forcefully gain entry into the house of the brother of the victim but were unsuccessful,” Shai said. “They then proceeded to the next house, the victim’s house, dragged him out, and then took him away at gunpoint.”
Iliya is son of community leader Chief Iliya Agiya, Shai added.
Christian Killed
Also in Kaduna state’s Jema’a County, armed Fulani herdsmen on April 14 attacked Zakkan village, killing one Christian and wounding two others, Shai said.
Abel Danjuma, 40, was killed, and his two brothers, 45-year-old Henry Tuta, 50-year-old Chairman Tuta were injured. Henry Tuta was treated and discharged from Kafanchan General Hospital, while Chairman Tuta’s serious injuries required that he be transferred to Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Shai said.
“The three victims are members of the Catholic Church at Zakkan village,” he said. “The herdsmen, too, blocked the Abuja-Jos route at Zakkan village and kidnapped two young girls who were traveling from Abuja to Taraba state. The girls were later rescued and set free by Christians from Zakkan village who went in pursuit of the herdsmen and rescued the girls.”
On Jan. 30 Christian Solidarity International (CSI) issued a genocide warning for Nigeria, calling on the Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council to take action. CSI issued the call in response to “a rising tide of violence directed against Nigerian Christians and others classified as ‘infidels’ by Islamist militants in the country’s north and middle belt regions.’”
Nigeria ranked 12th on Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution but second in the number of Christians killed for their faith, behind Pakistan.
Praying for Muslims during Ramadan Day 7: West Africa
(Voice of the Persecuted) West Africa: proud, tribal protectors of the Muslim faith
WHAT IS WEST AFRICA LIKE?
West Africa is a collage of 16 nations the size of continental USA but with 40 million more people. It contains tropical coasts, low mountains, inland grassland plateaus, and part of the formidable Sahara Desert.
West Africa’s best feature is her people, not her washboard plateau geography. It is not a popular tourist destination. Most people live as farmers or partial farmers, while those seen as entrepreneurs are the government workers and traders and exporters of cocoa, cotton, and foods. Gold, minerals, and precious stones are rare.
Following several historic empires (Gana, Mali, Songhay, Ashanti, Benin), West Africa faced two waves of colonization: the Muslim colonization of the Sahel, and the 19th-century Anglo-French rivalry over all of West Africa. Between 1957 and 1976, sixteen colonies became independent nations, although their economies are still deeply dependent on regional and global treaties.
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST STRUGGLES IN WEST AFRICA?
West Africans are noble and face profound struggles. As vibrant multi-ethnic nations, they grapple with the rapid influx of imported technology, the imposition of Western ‘human rights freedoms,’ and the growth of assertive Muslim, Christian, and occult movements.
Rapidly growing cities integrate thousands of migrants every day. They compete for limited educational opportunities, inadequate employment, and impoverished housing. The rising cost of medicine and the fear of renewed outbreaks of plagues, droughts, or malnutrition weigh on parents. The internet informs them that their continent is lagging behind other parts of the world in industrialization, professional services, and innovative research.
Multiparty democracy has yet to triumph over one-man tribal or military rule. National economies are routinely dominated by global powers such as China, the European Union, or Arab oil-states. West Africa is a dumping ground of cheap and second-hand products from stronger economies that supress local entrepreneurship and innovation and cause ongoing cycles of dependency on foreign aid.
WHAT IS ISLAM LIKE IN WEST AFRICA?
Apart from the small missionary Ahmadiyya sect and Shia Muslims in Northern Nigeria, West African Islam is Sunni. West African Islam’s uniqueness is that its fight against European colonialism caused it to flourish.
There are four main types of Islam in West Africa. First, there is a conservative tribal Islam widespread among peoples such as the Fulani, Tuareg, Hausa, Wolof, etc. In rural areas, many practice Folk Islam. This is led by itinerant marabout (holy men) and imams who are practitioners in the occult. Women especially seek help from the jinn spirit powers.
Third, Sufi mystic brotherhoods strongly influence politics. The Qadariyya Sufis from Baghdad spread to Mali, promoting conservative political Islam and mystic worship at saints’ tombs. Tijaniyyah Sufis from Morocco split from the Qadariyya in order to engage in jihad against French colonialism. Due to the success of Fulani jihadists, the Tijanis are now the largest Sufi movement in West Africa. In Senegal, the Mouride Sufis dominate.
In the last few decades, militant-jihad interpretations of Islam have returned to West Africa. Three jihadi groups dominate: Boko Haram in NE Nigeria, North Cameroon, the Lake Chad region, and SE Niger; The Jamaat Nusrat and al-Qaeda affiliates in Mali and Burkina Faso; and Islamic State in the Mali Sahara and in Burkina Faso.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN WEST AFRICA?
Islam is dominant in the grassland regions bordering the Sahara, whereas Christianity dominates coastal regions. Cities have Muslim, Christian, and mixed quarters. Overall, the strength and growth of Islam and Christianity are similar. The kingdom of God in West Africa is among the most expressive in the world. Pentecostals are joining missions to Muslims and are emphasizing power encounters.
The number of overseas missionaries has declined but is still significant. The most effective promotion of the Gospel is through radio, internet, Christian schools, and compassion ministries, especially in offering refuge to believers from Muslim backgrounds.
Opposition varies from the coastal to the inland regions.
While most Muslims resist militant interpretations, they strongly denounce Christianity in the mosques and on radio. The strongest opposition comes from families and tribal communities. Where sharia law prevails, conversion leads to violence, criminal charges, or expulsions. Where militants dominate, martyrs are many. Yet, more Muslims are responding to Christ than ever before.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for demonstrations of God’s power to deliver people from gripping fear.
- Pray for village chiefs, elders, and imams to turn to Christ and lead their people to do the same.
- Pray for Christians in the south to be burdened to take the Gospel to Muslims in the north.
We continue to pray for:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Praying for Muslims during Ramadan Day 6: Central Asia
(Voice of the Persecuted) Pulled between Folk Islam and Islamist movements.
WHAT IS CENTRAL ASIA LIKE?
Central Asia is a vast region that includes the countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and much of Xinjiang province in western China. Most of the region was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991.
The vast geography of Central Asia includes treeless plains, pine forests, rock canyons, hills, deltas, snow-capped mountains, and deserts. Its climate varies from arid and hot to temperate, dry, and cold. The region is sparsely populated due to its uninhabitable forests, deserts, and high mountain ranges. The total population of Turkic peoples in Central Asia is about 60 million.
The Turkic peoples of Central Asia are overwhelmingly Muslim, and they are ethnically distinct from the Western peoples of Turkey. They are defined as anyone who speaks a Turkic language. There are six major ethnicities, most of whom have their own nation, namely, the Uzbek, Uyghur, Turkmen, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Karakalpak.
Their origins are from northeast Asia (Siberia) in the first millennium AD. Turkic peoples have a mix of ethnicities due to the many migrations caused by the rise and fall of countless empires.
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST STRUGGLES IN CENTRAL ASIA?
One of the primary characteristics of the region is the intensifying struggle between the post-Soviet regimes and the Islamist movements. Local governments’ initial embrace of Islam after the breakup of the Soviet Union has largely changed due to oppressive policies that seek to stop Islamist movements. But much of the population is torn between the two and tired of the poverty, corruption, and failure to progress. The development of the recently discovered oil reserves in the region has yet to have a major impact.
In the western Chinese province of Xinjiang, the Muslim Uyghur people are being cruelly oppressed by a Chinese government trying to prevent the creation of an independent Eastern Turkestan nation. This persecution of the Uyghur people is systematic, ongoing, extensive, and horrific. And it goes largely unreported since China strictly prohibits journalists’ entry into the region.
One can summarize the primary struggles of the Turkic peoples of Central Asia as a lack of political freedom and very limited opportunity for economic development.
WHAT DOES ISLAM LOOK LIKE IN CENTRAL ASIA?
Muslims in Central Asia are still adjusting to the post-Soviet era. They are discovering what it means to be Muslims in countries increasingly controlled by autocratic, secular-leaning, Muslim rulers.
The allure of radical Islam can be strong for those who see no future in their country or region. Islamists are adept at making other Muslims feel guilty for not being good Muslims.
The older generation survived decades of atheist propaganda, but their children – born since 1991 – haven’t known such pressure. These generational differences produce huge pressures within families.
Orthodox Muslim belief is rare in Central Asia. Instead, the influence of traditional folk Muslim practices is widespread. As in many regions of the Muslim world, folk practices often become occult practices. Countless Muslims in Central Asia are in bondage to unspeakable forms of demonic oppression. Some of the prevalent traditional practices are so dark they cannot be mentioned here.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN CENTRAL ASIA TODAY?
Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was no known ministry to the Muslims of Central Asia. Since 1991, development and education organizations have entered the region and sought to bless the people.
There are now growing numbers of believers in Christ coming out of Islam. The relationship between these new believers and existing Christians – who are often ethnically Russian – is often difficult and complicated.
In some countries, the newly-birthed house church movements are healthy and growing stronger. In others, they are still very much in their early stages and are vulnerable.
Government officials in nearly every country are often as hard on Muslim background believers as they are on Islamists. In attempts to keep religious tensions under control, they close meeting places and arrest leaders.
As lives are being radically changed for Christ in many parts of the region, Lord, we are asking for more!
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for those plagued by alcohol, drugs, and broken homes to find healing in Jesus Christ
- Pray for encounters with the Living Christ through dreams, visions, and the Injil (New Testament).
- Pray for new and widespread movements to Jesus across the region
We continue to pray for:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Praying for Muslims during Ramadan Day 5: EASTERN SOUTH ASIA
WHAT IS EASTERN SOUTH ASIA LIKE?
The Muslims living in Eastern South Asia, which surrounds the Bay of Bengal, number about 150 million in Bangladesh and another 150 million in Eastern India, Myanmar (Burma) (4.3% Muslim), and the Maldives (98.4% Muslim) combined.
Bangladesh has one of the densest populations in the world, and the Indian states of West Bengal (27% Muslim) and Bihar (17% Muslim) are the most densely populated states in India. Bengali-speaking peoples are the largest ethnic group in Eastern South Asia, and the majority of the 275 million are Muslim. The minority Muslim population of Myanmar, the Rohingya, are Bengalis who migrated to Myanmar from India during the British Raj from 1858-1947.
Millions in the region live in poverty. Much of the terrain is river flood plains nestled up against the Himalayas. Though most of the region is very flat and close to sea level, some parts are hilly and mountainous. Rich soil and plenty of rainfall makes the region a breadbasket. Many live as farmers, shopkeepers, garment makers, and traders.
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST STRUGGLES IN EASTERN SOUTH ASIA?
The biggest struggles across the region are economic, as countries struggle to keep pace with rapid population growth. In Bangladesh, where 87% are Muslims, the extreme crowding in heavily populated agricultural regions has led to a massive rural exodus as people flock to the cities in search of work and survival. Childhood malnutrition is considered the worst of any country in the world.
In India, the rise in Hindu nationalism has put pressure on the Muslim minority. There are regular flare ups of Hindu mob violence against Muslims. Though there are millions of Indian Muslims, many feel increasingly marginalized and are falling behind economically.
The Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) face unrelenting pressure from the Buddhist majority, with more than a million living in refugee camps in Eastern Bangladesh. In the Maldives, thriving tourism has [benefited] thousands, yet poverty is still an issue.
WHAT DOES ISLAM LOOK LIKE IN EASTERN SOUTH ASIA?
Most Muslims in the region are Sunnis, but a large percentage of them express devotion to saints and Sufi leaders. There are countless Sufi brotherhoods. In Bangladesh, the primary Muslim sects are Sunni, with a total of 5.3% being non-Sunni Muslims, mostly Shia and Ahmadiyya. In India, Shia Muslims are 25-30% of the Muslim population.
One remarkable expression of Muslim devotion in Bangladesh is the annual Bishwa Ijtema (Global Congregation) that brings 5 million devotees together for three days to pray and listen to Muslim preachers. This massive gathering on the outskirts of Dhaka draws Muslims from across Bangladesh and 150 other countries. It is the one of the largest annual gatherings of Muslims in the world, second only to the Hajj (pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia.
In both India and Bangladesh, Muslims typically live harmoniously with Hindus. There is a high level of inter-religious socializing among the elite, and Hindu-Muslim marriages are common. However, in both countries, there is growing alarm at the increasingly successful efforts of Wahhabi Islamists promoting political, factional, and violent Islamism (imported from Saudi Arabia), that is similar to the influential home-grown Deobandi Islamism of 20% of India’s Muslims.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN EASTERN SOUTH ASIA?
God is raising up a number of indigenous missions in India that are ministering among Muslims. Because of the strong pro-Hindu national government in India, there is very little social cost for Muslims who choose to follow Christ. Government officials in India do not usually persecute converts from Muslim backgrounds.
Muslims are coming to Christ across northeast India in a variety of church-planting ministries. House churches are multiplying among Muslims in West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh as well as the states surrounding Bangladesh in the northeast.
In Bangladesh, though the response to the Gospel in Dhaka appears quite limited, there are some large movements to Christ outside of the capital. Ever since a translation of the Bible into the Muslim-dialect Bengali was completed in 2000, there has been growing response to the Gospel. Some of these movements are remaining largely within their Muslim communities, whereas the believers in other movements more openly identify as Christians.
Roughly 300 million. That’s how many Muslims live in this relatively small region.
It’s one of the most densely populated places on Earth. The good news is that Jesus followers are multiplying in many parts of Eastern South Asia. The bad news is that the vast majority have still never heard that God loves them and came Himself to bring new life.
Bangladesh… Myanmar (Burma)… Eastern India… the island nation of Maldives… Not one village or city block is beyond God’s reach. The grip of hopelessness and fear is great. But Jesus’ power to set free is greater! Only He can do it. And so we pray.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for access to the Injil (New Testament) in their own language.
- Pray for whole families and communities to hear the Gospel and turn to Jesus together.
- Pray for multiplying movements of God among Bengali Muslims
We continue to pray for,
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Praying for Muslims during Ramadan Day 4: Persian World
PERSIAN WORLD: proud, ancient history, civilization, and culture
WHAT IS THE PERSIAN WORLD LIKE?
The Persian world consists of peoples who are ethnically, linguistically, and historically related to the Persian or Iranian people. It is a vast region in Asia, extending from Azerbaijan and Iran in the West through Afghanistan (where 80% speak Dari, a Persian dialect), Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the northeast. Iran is the heartland of the Persian world, where an estimated 65-79 percent are Persian. Significant numbers of Persians also live outside of the region in the West.
The Persians are an ancient civilization; the city of Susa was founded in 4,400 BC! Unlike most other peoples in the Middle East that were conquered by the Arabs, Persians were never Arabized. Persians are justly proud of their long and ancient history. They have retained their language and rich culture for thousands of years.
The region geographically is extremely varied with deserts in the south, vast agricultural plains and dramatic mountain ranges in the north and east. It is a region of spectacular natural beauty with moderate to very cold climates and often sparse populations (except Iran).
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST STRUGGLES IN THE PERSIAN WORLD?
Since Islamists took control of the 1979 secular revolution that overthrew the Shah, Iran has been under the control of radical Shia Muslims who govern the country and dominate the region with a peculiar brand of Islamic Messianic fundamentalism.
The nations surrounding Iran that have large blocks of Persian peoples are all struggling for their identity following the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991.
Some of these countries like, Afghanistan, turn to Islam to find their identity, but other are seeking to forge new national security identities around culture and language such as in Tajikistan. Few of these countries are stable and none are thriving economically. Many in the Persian world live in challenging conditions and have limited political or religious freedom.
WHAT IS ISLAM LIKE IN THE PERSIAN WORLD?
The vast majority of Iranians are Shia Muslims (90-95%), but in the larger Persian world the Shia-Sunni mix varies, with some countries being almost entirely Sunni.
The flavor of Islam in each region varies, with Iran’s Shia fundamentalism being among the most militant and restrictive. The regime in control of Iran is a theocratic dictatorship, in which the religious elite try to control the political, social and, economic lives of their people.
In the former Soviet parts of the Persian world, peoples who were Muslim before the Soviet era again view themselves as Muslim, even though they are often completely non-practicing.
The two things that set the Persian world apart from other Muslim regions are the strong presence of Shia Muslims (in Iran and Azerbaijan) and, in the former Soviet states; the varied opinions that people have about what it means to be Muslim, in a societies where secular and Islamic values are in conflict.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN THE PERSIAN WORLD?
God is at work in the Persian World! In Iran, though the small visible Christian minority is in decline, the number of Muslims turning to Christ is increasing rapidly. Many say that Persian people are more responsive to the Gospel today than any other ethnic group in the world.
However, in some countries in the region, there are almost no known believers nor any movements to Christ. In others there are slowly developing fledgling house church movements. Foreign workers often have a hard time gaining access, though increasing efforts in internet and satellite TV outreach are bearing fruit. The extent and intensity of persecution in the region varies. The areas where the church is growing the fastest experience extensive and even severe persecution (like in Iran).
Tragically, in other places, persecution is so strong that even establishing house churches looks humanly impossible. Every country in the region is on Open Doors’ list of the top 50 countries with serious persecution.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for comfort, provision, and healing for those traumatized, suffering, and isolated.
- Pray for curiosity to know more about the Christian faith they see around them.
- Pray for Muslims to be invited into the homes and lives of Jesus followers.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- Pray for Christians seeking asylum in Turkey. Many fear they will be denied and sent back to the countries they fled because of their faith.
- Pray for Christian converts from Iran now living in Turkey. Often Iranians are looked down upon by the Turkish people. Pray for the Iranian converts who escaped the clutches of the Iranian regime and now seeking freedom in Turkey. Pray for their needs to be met and Turkish officials hearts will soften towards them so their cases will be handled justly.
- We will continue to pray for Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wang Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Gunmen Shoot, Wound Daughter of Pastor Slain in 2015 in Eastern India
Pastors and other Christians pray at home of pastor Chamu Hassa Purty the day after he was shot dead in October 2015. (Morning Star News)
(Morning Star News) – A gunman at the door of a Christian family’s home in eastern India on Thursday (April 16) shot the daughter of a pastor who was killed in the same house five years ago, family members said.
Neelam Purty, 25, sustained bullet wounds in her thumb and thigh in the shooting she survived in Sandih village, near Binda village in Murhu Block, Jharkhand state, they said.
“Is this the house of the pastor who was killed?” one of two men asked family members at the door at about 8 p.m., according to Purty’s sister, Sharon Purty.
She said the men were trying to speak in the local Mundari dialect, but that it was clearly not their native language. They resorted to speaking Hindi, she said.
“That pastor was killed, but you did not learn a lesson,” the men said as they shouted at family members at the door, according to Sharon Purty, who said they added. “You have continued assembling in large numbers for Christian prayers. Where is the woman working as spy?”
The sisters’ mother told them that they were not spies and asked them to leave, Sharon Purty said.
“‘Call the woman out, or we will kill you,’ they threatened us,” she said.
One of the men, masked in black cloth, handed a pistol to the one standing behind him and told him to load it, Sharon Purty said. At that point she, her mother and younger brother were near the door.
“My sister, Neelam Purty, who was making the bed until then, also came to the front room wondering what we were still doing there,” she said. “The masked gunman pointed at her and screamed, ‘She is the one – she is the spy!’”
Their mother told him he was mistaken, that her daughter was a schoolteacher in Jamshedpur city. The family had moved out of the home in the village after pastor Chamu Hassa Purty was shot dead there in 2015, but on April 15 members returned from different schools and colleges that were shut down as the government announced that a lockdown due to the new coronavirus was extended to May 3.
Sharon Purty said her mother was pleading with the gunmen to leave when the masked one told the other to shoot.
“He fired at her – she was standing there with her hands straight, and the bullet pierced into her right thigh through her thumb,” Sharon Purty told Morning Star News. “Our father was shot to death in that same room. We cried for help, and both the gunmen got on a motorbike and sped away from there.”
Family members tied Neelam Purty’s thigh and hand with cloth to slow blood flow and, without any means of transport, obtained help from a church member to take her to Murhu police station on a motorbike, Sharon Purty said. Her wounded sister’s thigh bone fractured as they put her on the vehicle, she said.
A pastor with a car picked up Neelam Purty from Murhu police station and took her to Khunti Government Hospital, where doctors provided First Aid and referred her to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, she said.
RIMS doctors initially said she would undergo an operation on Sunday (April 19) but postponed it, leaving Neelam Purty’s mother, two younger sisters and a younger brother worried that the bullet was still in her, Sharon Purty said. Neelam Purty underwent an operation today (April 21).
Before Thursday night’s shooting, her younger brother had initially answered the door when one of the gunmen knocked and mimicked the voice of a grand-uncle, she said.
Seeing two strangers, one masked, the shocked brother ran to family members in the bedroom, Sharon Purty said. Her mother went to the door and asked the men what they wanted.
“My younger brother and I also went into our front room to check who the persons were and why had they come to our house,” Sharon Purty told Morning Star News, adding that when the men asked if this was the house of the pastor who was killed, the siblings figured they were from the same group that killed him.
“But we were too young back then and do not remember their faces now,” she said. “The two men were not very tall. They stood one behind the other. The one standing in the front, facing us directly, was wearing a worn-out jacket. His hair was long and dirty. He covered his face with a black cloth and looked like a criminal. But the one standing behind him had neatly tucked his shirt and looked like an educated, well-groomed person.”
Police Investigation
Inspector Pappu Kumar Sharma of Murhu police station told Morning Star News that a case has been registered and that an investigation is underway.
“We will tell you when we catch the culprits,” he said adding, “Neelam Purty is responding well to the medical treatment offered at RIMS hospital. As it was a Sunday, the operation had to be postponed. She is under the observation of good doctors. They will conduct the operation soon.”
A representative for legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom India said he urged District Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar to conduct a speedy and fair investigation. Shekhar said police had raided a few places and would arrest the culprits soon, the ADF India representative said.
Shekhar told Morning Star News that police have three or four suspects based on leads they have received.
“There is no Naxal movement in this part [Binda village] of the state,” he said. “And there is no direct link of this incident with their father’s killing as of now, but we cannot rule out that possibility also.”
He noted that Neelam Purty has lived in Jamshedpur “for quite some time, and the incident occurred the very next day after she came to her village. We are questioning local gangs operating in that area, and also the family’s disputes with their extended family in the village, the call records of their family members and the call records of people residing in that area.”
An area pastor said the family needs to move to a safe, rented house in a secure area, which will be difficult to find amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Sharon Purty said police must arrest the assailants soon, “as they have seen our faces and recognize us – we feel very unsafe.”
Father Slain
Before her father was killed on Oct. 12, 2015, he had prayed for a sick boy in a nearby village and helped his parents admit him into a hospital, Sharon Purty said.
After coming home that night and going to bed by 10 p.m., there was a knock on the door at about 11 p.m., she said. Her mother got up and saw through a narrow window in the front room eight men who told her that a boy was sick and asked if Pastor Purty could pray for him.
“My dad woke up and asked for the boy’s address,” Sharon Purty said. “They gave the same address where my father just returned from after admitting him at the hospital. We had figured that they were following my father’s movements.”
When the men asked her mother to open the door and give them a drink of water, she told them to get water from the well and leave, Sharon Purty said.
“My father and mother came to the room where we were sleeping and told us that we should flee from the rear door,” she said. “As we were about to move, two of them held us and brought us back to the front room. They fired at my father many times and at walls also.
“After my father’s killing, we had moved out of our native village and rarely went there. It was because of the coronavirus lockdown that we had gone there to stay. In 2016, another pastor, Pastor John, who was a close aide to my father and had continued the ministry in the village after him, also was killed.”
India is ranked 10th on Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The country was 31st in 2013, but its position has worsened since Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014.
Praying for Muslims to come to Christ during Ramadan – DAY 3
Turkish world – Prayercast
(Voice of the Persecuted) TURKISH WORLD United in their ethnic and Muslim heritage
WHAT IS THE TURKISH WORLD LIKE?
Turkey is at the heart of the Turkish world. Turks make up more than 65% (54 million) of the population of Turkey, and another three Turkic ethnic groups – Crimean Tatars, Azerbaijani, and Yuruk – account for another 10%.
Today, there are people speaking various Turkic languages in more than twenty surrounding countries. Most of the members of these Turkish communities in Europe, West Asia, and the Arab World are descendants of people who emigrated from Andalusian Turkey during more than 600 years of Ottoman rule (1300-1922).
Sizeable communities of Turkish people live in Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Georgia, to the north, is home to four small Turkish people groups. Two distinct groups of Tatars, together numbering 20 million Muslims, are Russia’s second largest ethnicity and live all across the country. Additional Muslim Turkish groups speaking 15 different Turkic languages are scattered across Russia. To the east, about 26 million Azeri Turks live in Iran and Azerbaijan. To the south, roughly 7 million Turks live in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
These Turkish peoples live in a wide variety of economic, social, and geographic conditions. Outside of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, they all live as minorities. Millions of Turks also live in diaspora, forming the largest ethnic minority group in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST STRUGGLES IN THE TURKISH WORLD?
Following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Yugoslavia in 1992, hundreds of Turks moved to Turkey, fleeing persecution and harassment from Europeans resentful of hundreds of years of Ottoman rule.
Some Turkish areas are experiencing economic prosperity and growth. Yet by far the majority of Turks are poor and struggling to provide a viable future for their children.
In Europe and Russia, Turks are living as often tiny minorities in predominantly secular, Christian countries. Their common identity as Muslims helps preserve their sense of heritage and helps hold their communities together in the face of the overwhelming majority of non-Muslims around them. In Southern Europe, an unusually high percentage of Turkish-heritage people say they have no religion.
WHAT IS ISLAM LIKE IN THE TURKISH WORLD?
When President Ataturk abolished the Ottoman Empire and declared Turkey a modern secular republic in 1923, he reflected an ongoing trend toward secularism across the Turkish world. Nearly a hundred years later, Turkish President Erdoğan has been attempting to create a revival in Islamic identity.
Millions of Turks are becoming increasingly devout. Though conservative Islam is making a comeback in Turkey, analysts believe that more than 75% of the people of Turkey are still secular.
Secular Muslims also dominate many of the Turkish communities in Europe, Asia, and the Arab World. For these Muslims, being Turkish is often more about culture and ethnic identity than about religion. The majority of Turkish Muslims are Sunni, though there are sizeable groups of Shia Muslims. Despite the influence of secularism, many Turkic Muslims throughout the region practice forms of folk Islam.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN THE TURKISH WORLD?
In the waning years of the Ottoman Empire (1914-22), horrific genocides of Syriacs, Assyrians, Greeks, Armenians, and Chaldeans by Turks and Kurds slaughtered half of the Christians. The 1923 population exchange with Greece expelled 1.2 million more. The Christian population of 4.4 million (25%) in 1912 plummeted to 700,000 in 1924, to 200,000-300,000 (0.2%) today. Remnants of five Orthodox denominations remain.
Mission groups have been active in Turkey since the 1970s. The fruit of this ministry is an Evangelical church of about 6,000. Though the Bible and a growing amount of Christian literature is available in Turkey and online, resources are scarce among Turkic peoples in the surrounding nations. Only the New Testament has been completed in the primary Tatar languages in Russia, for example.
Since Muslim Turks in western and eastern Europe, Russia, and the Middle East are often almost forgotten minorities, little is being done to reach out to them, though there are small, but long-standing ministries among them in Europe.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for hearts to be opened and softened to hear and receive the Good News.
- Pray for Jesus to reveal Himself through visions, dreams, and His Word.
- Pray for new and widespread movements to Christ that bring spiritual revival to the entire region.
- We will continue to pray for Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- Pray for Christians seeking asylum in Turkey. Many fear they will be denied and sent back to the countries they fled because of their faith.
- Pray for Christian converts from Iran now living in Turkey. Often Iranians are looked down upon by the Turkish people. Pray for the Iranian converts who escaped the clutches of the Iranian regime and now seeking freedom in Turkey. Pray Turkish officials hearts will soften towards them and their cases will be handled justly.
As Blaine Scogin, the Founder of Persecution Watch and Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted, did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls.
Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Team
Call will be hosted nightly during Ramadan beginning April 24, 2020
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Praying for Muslims to come to Christ during Ramadan – DAY 2
(Voice of the Persecuted) As Blaine Scogin, the Founder of Persecution Watch and Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted, did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls.
DAY 2
- Political strife
- Economic struggle
- Booming population
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for God’s love, peace, and mercy to liberate this region from turmoil, oppression, and fear.
- Pray for those questioning Islam to be drawn to the life and teachings of Jesus.
- Pray for miraculous numbers of families and communities to turn to Jesus.
- We will continue to pray for Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Team
Call will be hosted nightly during Ramadan beginning April 24, 2020
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED 