Tag: Persecuted Church

International Day of Prayer- Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide – Open Doors UK & Ireland – Please Pray


We’d like you to close your church…– link to Open Doors resources.

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Imagine living in a society where your Christian faith must be hidden. Just going to church could get you arrested, imprisoned – even killed. If you want to meet with other Christians you have to meet secretly – in a secret place, at a secret time, in a secret way…

For many Christians in the Arab World, this imaginary world is a reality. So to help you and your church to identify with believers who meet in secret, we are asking you to hold your own Secret Church service to pray for persecuted Christians in the Arab World..

We have produced a new range of Secret Church resources to help you. Your church will not only hear how persecuted Christians live their lives of faith – they will be able to experience it for themselves!

So why not take up the Secret Church challenge and help strengthen the church in the Arab World to be a light to their nations.

Egyptian Prayer Update: “Copts fast for three days ahead of altar lottery”

Peanut Gallery: Yesterday, eligible Coptic voters selected three final candidates as successor to Pope Shenouda III (Wikipedia.) The final selection will be made by a child from the congregation who will choose the new Coptic Pope by lot… ultimately putting the selection in God’s hands. See earlier post.

Prior to Sunday’s selection, the Church has been asked to fast and pray.

“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.”

Copts fast for three days ahead of altar lottery – full article.

Coptic Pope Election

The altar lottery will decide the successor to Pope Shenouda III among Bishop Raphael, auxiliary bishop of central Cairo, Bishop Tawadros, the auxiliary bishop for Beheira, and Father Raphael Ava Mina, a monk at St. Mina Monastery.

Bishop Angaelos, secretary for acting Pope Pachomius, said the Church will conduct a lottery to choose one child from amongst 70 children to conduct the final altar lottery.

Georgette Qillini, a member of the nominations committee, said the church has geared up for the altar lottery. Three bits of paper bearing the names of the three nominees will be placed in a glass box and then a child, between 4 and 7 years old, will pick one paper. Continue reading “Egyptian Prayer Update: “Copts fast for three days ahead of altar lottery”” →

Prepare now for “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted 2012”

Peanut Gallery: Persecution.org has provided online resources for remembering Presecuted Christians around the World. Resource kits and Bulletin Inserts are available for church or personal use. Nov 11th is the target date but any Sunday will work.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

Please consider how you can help your circle of influence become more aware of the Persecuted Church. See article below.

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted 2012

Get resources to observe a day of remembrance on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted (November 11) or any time you want!

Every year, ICC produces prayer bulletins to help your church observe a “Day of Remembrance” for the persecuted. Most churches observe this on IDOP (International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted), which is held on the second Sunday in November, but it can be held any time. In fact, our bulletins are produced in such a way that they aren’t date specific so your church can observe a “Day of Remembrance” on November 11 or July 21…it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you take the time to educate your congregation about the plight of their persecuted brothers and sisters.

Resource Kits

In addition to prayer bulletins, we also have a CD “Resource Kit” that we’ve packed with information, presentations, and videos about the persecuted church. Pastors and church staff can call us (1-800-422-5441) to receive a free kit as long as we can ship it to a valid church address. The cost for all others is just $5.

Prayer Bulletin Inserts

This year, ICC is providing a free PDF for your congregation or small group to become better informed about the persecution that faces your brothers and sisters around the world. Just right-click on the image of the cover at left and choose “save link as” to download the flyer. If you left-click on the cover, click on the down arrow next to the “full screen” option in the far upper left corner of the viewer that appears to download and print the document as a standard PDF. When printing, please designate “booklet” to format correctly.

Song: “Say a Prayer for Me”

“Say a Prayer for Me” is a song written by Rhonda Daeumer to help inspire others to pray for the persecuted church. It is free for certain use, according to the following terms, and we hope it will bless you as you prepare for your day of prayer for the persecuted! Download.

Please pray for Nigerian Christians – Christians Targeted in Nigerian Student Massacre in Mubi

Peanut Gallery: It’s hard for me to imagine what life is like for persecuted Christians around the world. I’ve always enjoyed second amendment rights – freedom of speech and religion – which enabled me to share my faith freely… and openly. No one has ever wanted to kill me, or put me in jail for my beliefs.

Not so with millions of Christians around the world.

My purpose in posting, re: persecuted Christians/Church, is to enlarge my perspective in understanding and prayer… and in the process, perhaps yours as well.

This report of murder and mayhem in Nigeria is bad enough when we read about that night of terror. But it’s brought home personally when we read the names of the specific 25 known students killed and the 5 who escaped.

As you pray, please read aloud each of the names and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer…. And ask God to use this evil act for good – whether we can see, or understand, it or not.

“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:27-28

Prayer: Father, we bring before You these 25 people who were killed in the Mubi massacre. You know each name; You wept over the trauma they sustained. Those who followed You in this life You have drawn into Your very presence. We weep today for their families, for those who were injured and saw friends killed before their very eyes, for those who cannot dispel the memories of that night. Replace the memories with a vision of Christ who is present with them. Comfort them, and give them courage to serve You each day, that even in the midst of the evil and darkness around them, You will be honored and glorified by their lives. In the name of Jesus who is our strength in the midst of our own weakness.

Those killed in the attack included:
1. Sebastine Bulus(Christian)
2. Ishaku Joshua (Christian)
3. James Joshua (Christian)
4. Lucky Emmanuel (Christian)
5. Irmiya Yohana (Christian)
6. Adamu Dakkawa (Christian)
7. Yunana Idris (Christian)
8. Amsel Idris (Christian) Continue reading “Please pray for Nigerian Christians – Christians Targeted in Nigerian Student Massacre in Mubi” →

Please pray for believers in Nairobi – Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others

Peanut Gallery: Please pray for believers in Nairobi. This report from Kenya personalizes the fear that many believers feel just thinking about going to church on any given Sunday.

Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others (Compass Direct) See full article below –

Would you attend church or stay home under these circumstances? With kids, it’s an even tougher choice.

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6.13 NLT

Please pray for courage and protection of believers in Kenya… and for the people and church leaders mentioned in this report:

  • John Ian Maina (age 9) Killed in Attack
  • Jane and Patrick Maina, John’s Parents
  • Sally Gatei, Sunday School Teacher and Parent
  • Paul Muigai, Church Usher
  • Maureen Mwangi, (child) Survivor of Attack
  • Maureen Mwangi’s Brother, (child) Sustained Serious Injuries
  • Jackline Nduku, Parent of Injured Child
  • Archbishop Wabukala, Anglican Church of Kenya
  • Bishop Joel Waweru, Nairobi Diocese
  • Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Member of Parliament for Starehe
  • Rev. Steve Shisia, Pastor St Polycarp’s Anglican Church

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Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others

‘What if it’s this Sunday?’ questioned congregation, yet did not give into fear

Nairobi, October 11 (Open Doors News) — “Every week we wondered ‘What if it’s this week?’ Yet every week we turned up for church.”

Speaking to Open Doors News just after her Oct. 9 return from the funeral of 9-year-old John Ian Maina, Nairobi Sunday School teacher Sally Gatei was in reflective mood. “I told the team I didn’t need counselling, but I’d not been back to the building for a few days, since it happened. When I did go back to the church, my heart was pounding. You think ‘You’re alright, you’re strong,’ but I am going to get some counselling now.”

Gatei was in the room when a grenade exploded at about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 30 at St. Polycarp, of the Anglican Church of Kenya, on the Juja Road in Nairobi. The explosion killed the boy and injured eight other children. Sally’s own son had been in there, too, only three minutes before.

“The most amazing thing, though, is that, although we thought we should cancel Sunday school the next Sunday, most children insisted we should meet as usual, even though the room had not yet been repaired!” Continue reading “Please pray for believers in Nairobi – Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others” →