(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us tonight in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
Before the 1993 Eritrean War of Independence, Eritrea and Ethiopia were one nation.
Eritrea: Population: 5.5 million, Christians 2.6 million
Despite almost half the population identifying as Christian, believers in Eritrea continue to suffer extreme persecution, making it still one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus.
The government recognizes only three denominations— other Christians are at risk of severe state persecution. Gatherings are raided and believers arrested. The conditions facing Christians in prison can be inhumane. Some pastors have been incarcerated for over a decade and have faced solitary confinement. There are possibly more than 1,000 Christians imprisoned in Eritrea, with none formally charged
The western and eastern parts of the country are majority Muslim. Christians from Muslim or Orthodox backgrounds living in those regions are more susceptible to persecution.
Ethiopia: Population: 115.4 million, Christians 69.2 million
Over the past, Ethiopia has seen a dramatic increase in violence driven by civil and military conflicts, the worst of which is the “ethnic cleansing”, particularly in the Tigray region. Severe human rights abuses, such as rapes and mass killings, are committed by various groups.
While the Orthodox Church is a target for Islamic attacks, it is also a perpetrator of persecution as well.
- Pray for wisdom and provision for the government, as they lead a country with war, drought, plagues, and political instability.
- Pray that Christians pressured to renounce their faith will have the strength to hold onto Jesus.
- Pray that the Lord will protect pastors and evangelists who serve in a hostile environment, and that they may see His power breaking through.
- Pray to the Lord to remind the Coptic Church that the Evangelical Church serves You, the almighty God. Let the Holy Spirit stop conflict.
- Pray for the Lord to protect Christians from violence and killing, especially in the Tigray region.
- Pray for special protection for Christian girls and women from Muslim radicals.
- Pray to the Lord for the NGOs who minister to the persecuted Christians with spiritual and physical aid.
- Pray that Christians have good internet coverage. Pray for the webmasters that the Lord will give them encouraging messages for the persecuted Christians and attract Muslim seekers.
- Pray to the Lord that He will appear to many in their dreams – and then that they will be connected to believers who can disciple them.
- Pray that imprisoned Christians and their families will be sustained by God’s grace and presence.
- Pray that the Lord will protect the congregations of believers where there are police spies.
- Pray for the Christian youth who are required to serve in the military, even if they don’t want to.
- Eleven centuries these nations shared a coast with the “Muslim Sea.” Pray the Orthodox Church would reject any part of Muslim culture it might have copied.
- Pray that persecuted believers will not become bitter and be able to love and forgive.
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.
- Armenian Genocide Happening Again. Read full report here: Genocide and Forced Deportation: Nagorno-Karabakh
- Pastors Haile Nayzgi and Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel. It is unconscionable that these two men, along with Pastor Meron Gebreselasie who was arrested a month later, remain imprisoned under horrible conditions in Eritrea.
- 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
Michael Laird, 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
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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
NOTE: Please fill out the form in the sign up at link below to be added in our distribution list to receive urgent prayer requests, prayer points, notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers.
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 