(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us tonight in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
What does persecution look like in Syria?
Despite Syria’s conflict easing slightly in recent years, the challenges facing Christians continue to be numerous and severe.
In areas where Islamic militants are active, leaders of historical churches are particularly vulnerable to attack or kidnap, while most buildings belonging to such groups have been demolished or co-opted for Islamic use. For Christians living in these areas, there is little scope for expressing their faith, and many have been forcibly displaced from their homes.
In government-controlled areas, the authorities are tightening their grip on those whom they feel are a threat to social stability including converts from Islam to Christianity. The attitude of the Syrian government towards churches is determined by the Christian community to which they belong. Although all Christian communities come under pressure, historical churches are in a stronger position to defend their rights than those from non-traditional church groups such as Evangelicals, Baptists and Pentecostals.
Throughout Syria, pockets of conflict persist, and Christians continue to be caught in the crossfire. In some cases, they’re deliberately targeted, for example, in Afrin, where Turkish-backed troops are reported to be targeting Kurdish Christians.
Those who choose to leave Islam to follow Jesus can face intense pressure from their own families, particularly those living in Sunni regions.
Who is most vulnerable to persecution?
Christians are particularly in danger in Idlib province in the northwest, which is still controlled by Islamic militants; and in Hasakah district in the northeast, where Turkish military and Turkey-supported opposition forces are active.
Converts to Christianity are at risk across the country, but their situation is especially dangerous in the northwest and northeast.
What has changed this year?
The level of opposition facing Christians in Syria has broadly remained the same. The key headline from the past year is the devastating earthquakes, which have added to the challenges faced by many Christians.
Prayer Points
- Pray that God will continue to help His people to be salt and light following last year’s devastating earthquakes.
- Ask that believers from Muslim backgrounds will draw strength from the Holy Spirit as they face opposition for choosing to follow Jesus.
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will give relief and refreshment to Syrian Christians who have endured so much over the last decade.
Again, we want to lift-up these persecuted witnesses to the Lord:
- Leah Sharibu, a prisoner of Boko Haram since 2018. Pray for her release.
- Alice Loksha Ngaddah, kidnapped February 2019. She is a mother of two, working as a nurse for UNICEF. Pray for her release.
- Pastor Wang Yi to be released from prison, for his family and for the church.
- Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from Iran, as he and his family are adjusting from his release from prison, that they may know what God’s will is for them now. Pray for the trauma they had to endure. UPDATE: According to Article 18, once sentenced to death for his “apostasy” has been “pardoned” and released after nearly five years in Tehran’s Evin Prison but told Nadarkhani that he still faces flogging (30 lashes) and two years’ exile 2,000km from his home. Read the report here.
- Armenian Genocide Happening Again. Read full report here: Genocide and Forced Deportation: Nagorno-Karabakh
- The Harvest: “37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
Shonla-Jay Payne, Persecution Watch Prayer Conference Call Moderator
Please forward prayer points to your church, prayer groups and others who will pray.
Prayer Conference Call Details
Monday through Saturday, 6 nights a week
USA Time Zone:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: (667) 770-1476
Access Code: 281207#
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If you are experiencing any difficulties joining the call, please let us know.
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 time in the United States (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted, and the two missions became one. Brother Blaine passed into glory on December 26, 2019. It was truly a blessing for all of us to serve alongside this dear man of God and he will be greatly missed. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch remains an important part of our mission. Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with the dedicated Persecution Watch prayer warrior team.
Prior to the passing of Brother Blaine, he confirmed the passing of the torch as prayer conference call leader to Nadia Dybvik. Nadia has a burdened heart for the persecuted and is a prayer warrior standing in the gap for them. She joined the Persecution Watch prayer team in 2015 and has been part of the core ever since. Before becoming the prayer call leader, she served in the role of prayer moderator since 2016. Blaine chose Nadia for her faithfulness to pray for the persecuted and her strong commitment to the Persecution Watch mission. We are blessed not only with her gift of prayer, but her genuine love for every brother and sister in Christ that comes on the call to pray. May the Lord continue to bless Nadia and the prayer team in the mission and their personal lives.
“Pray for us” is the number one request that we hear from the persecuted. As the members of the first century Church were moved by the Holy Spirit to pray, we too must continue to serve those suffering persecution by lifting them up to the Lord through prayer.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters are invited to join the conference call and share the trials they are facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is 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 are new to the call and cannot find your voice, listen in, and pray silently or 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!
God bless and protect you in your faithfulness to serve.
Lois Kanalos, Founder, Voice of the Persecuted, Nadia Dybvik, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Leader, and the Persecution Watch Prayer Call Moderator Team
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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 