Join In! The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
by Jim Elzerman

Did you know that there have been more Christians killed in the 20th century than in the previous nineteen centuries combined according to the Scripps-Howard News Service, September 28, 1996? And the number continues to grow daily in the 21st century.

Courtesy of www.idop.org

Foxe's Book of Martyrs documents the persecution of Christians beginning with the first martyr, Stephen and all the way into the 1800s. You can read about how each of the disciples died for their faith and how countless others stood strong even in the face of death, remaining true to their Savior and Lord. You will find Foxe's Book of Martyrs online at www.nisbett.com/history/contents.htm.

You don't have to look back centuries to find stories of persecution. Consider this account from The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) Web site:

In the year 2000, as an 18-year-old, Johannes was captured by the militant Islamist militia, the Laskar Jihad, when they raided his village at 3 a.m. one morning. They slashed his left ear, shoulder, right arm and neck with machetes and left him for dead in the jungle. As a Christian, Johannes cried out to God for strength enough to walk. For eight days he walked in the jungle with no food or drink. Then Johannes received a vision of a man in white who said to him, "Follow me." Johannes believes this comforting visitor was Jesus. Johannes was then found by his brother-in-law and taken to hospital.

Johannes is studying to be an evangelist. He believes his life was spared so that he can now tell others about Jesus. "For I bear on my body the scars that show that I belong to the Lord Jesus." Galatians 6:17

Courtesy of www.idop.org

"[IDOP] is a global day of intercession for persecuted Christians worldwide. Its primary focus is the work of intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted communities of the Christian faith. We also encourage prayer for the souls of the oppressors, the nations that promote persecution, and those who ignore it," states the IDOP Web site). The date for this year's event is November 9th.

For more information about last year's world wide observance of IDOP, check out the World Evangelical Alliance Web site.

Several other sites offer helpful resources to help promote the IDOP. For information about ordering a IDOP Resource Kit from The Voice of the Martyrs, click here or for a free kit from Open Doors, click here.

Take a few moments to browse some additional sites that highlight the plight of persecuted Christians around the world:
www.releaseinternational.org
www.gospelcom.net/bibleleague/persecuted/index.php
www.jubileecampaign.org/home/index.php
www.dayofprayer.net/idop/entry1.asp

Plan now to join the world's largest prayer group and take part in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 9th.