The church around the world is thriving and alive, even in the most difficult of circumstances and in countries where belief in Jesus Christ can cost you everything, including your life.
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In 2020 I started praying for the persecuted church. Using the World Watch List from Open Doors USA (WWL) and studying the top countries on the list in the Operation World prayer guide I began to learn about how hard it is to be a follower of Christ around the world.
Today, there are more than 2.5 billion Christians in the world. 340 million of them are persecuted for their faith. That’s a lot of moms and dads and kids around the globe who are willing to put it all on the line for Jesus Christ.
I don’t face persecution for my faith. A lot of people in the West claim persecution but compared to what fellow believers in places like North Korea, Somalia, and India face, I’ve got no complaints.
Praying for the persecuted church is not hard. Lifting up brothers and sisters in Christ is one of the easiest things any believer can do. Even you can do it.
I invite you to join me in praying for the persecuted church. Below you will find some basic information on six countries where persecution is most prevalent.
General Information
According to Open Doors USA, persecution is defined as any hostility experienced as a result of identification with Jesus Christ. In 2021 Open Doors reported the following statistics:
- 4,761: Christians killed for faith-related reasons in the top 50 WWL countries.
- 4,488: Christians detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, and imprisoned in the top 50 WWL countries.
- 4,277: churches or Christian buildings attacked in the top 50 WWL countries.
- 20: Consecutive years North Korea has ranked No. 1 as the world’s most dangerous place for Christians. As of 2022, North Korea dropped to No. 2 while Afghanistan has taken the top spot.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan was named the number one country where Christians are the most persecuted in 2022. (According to OpenDoorsUSA and their World Watch List)
In the country, there are zero churches, renouncing Islam is against the law and considered a sign of insanity. Christians are often alone as they do not know who to trust.
Pray the Good News will begin to infiltrate the country and change the hearts and minds of the people there. Especially, those who have become disenchanted with Islam and are searching for hope. The situation has become increasingly dire with the resurgence of the Islamic State and the Taliban.
Pray for revival in this amazingly beautiful and diverse country. 
Photos courtesy of Afghanistan Matters, Chuck Holton, The World Bank,
Water Alternatives, Roby RX, Sita Magnuson,
NATO, Global Partnership For Education
North Korea
North Korea was named the number two country where Christians are the most persecuted. Prior to 2022, they held the number one spot for two decades. (According to OpenDoorsUSA and their World Watch List)
North Korea dropped behind Afghanistan by 2 points based on specific criteria.
Currently, the country is facing severe famine and COVID-19. While the true effects of the pandemic may never be known, both are taking a toll on the citizens of this hidden, secretive nation.
Although it is a very difficult place to follow Christ, the underground church is alive and well in North Korea. Pray with others around the world that North Korea will become a hotspot for revival. 
Photos courtesy of OpenDoorsUSA, Clay Gilliland, BJR Inc., Mardruck
Somalia
According to OpenDoorsUSA and their World Watch List Somalia is the third most difficult country in which to live as a believer in Jesus Christ.
According to the country’s constitution, the only accepted religion in Somalia is Islam. Christians number in the few hundreds and face intense pressure from the government, their families, friends, and neighbors.
The militant Islamic group al-Shabab is in control of many parts of the country. They actively seek out believers and other civilians to force them into their “army” and carry out targeted attacks on men, women, and children.
This country has been plagued by violence and war for many years. There is great poverty in the country and corruption is rampant.
Pray for the people of Somalia, especially those who are searching for hope in this time of uncertainty. 
Photos courtesy of EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid,
International Livestock Research Institute, Sherwood,
United Nations, USAID, Water Alternatives
Libya
Libya is the fourth most challenging place to follow Christ according to OpenDoorsUSA and their World Watch List.
The country is in a protracted civil war, there is no centralized government, there is no freedom of speech or religion, and being a Christian there is immensely dangerous.
There are numerous divides inside Libya at this time. Political groups, tribes, regions, and religious militants are all vying for power. It has put the people in grave danger and destroyed the country. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled to neighboring Tunisia and even to Europe to escape the violence in the country.
On top of the internal strife in Libya, migrants continue to pour in from southern Africa in search of a better life across the Mediterranean, in Europe.
Migrants who don’t make it to one of the southern European countries but are returned to Libya are forced into slavery of all kinds. A thriving slave market exists in the country as there are no laws and no one to enforce them if they did exist.
Women are particularly vulnerable, both native Libyans and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Trafficking, slavery, and violence abound.
Pray for this unstable but beautiful nation. They need peace, the peace of Jesus Christ. 
Photos courtesy of Motohakone, David Stanley,
Rob Glover, Michael Stone, Magharebia, ECHO
Eritrea
Eritrea is the sixth most difficult country in which to follow Christ.
Eritrea is a beautiful country with a rich history and deep Italian roots that are reflected in its capital city, Asmara. While there is much persecution against Christians, almost half of the population identifies as Christian, (47%) Only three Christian denominations are allowed in the country – the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Eritrean Lutheran Church, and Roman Catholic Church. New denominations must register with the government and are always denied.
The president has been in power for 30 years, since the inception of the country. It is young and there is a lot of room for improvement for Christians in the country.
Christians who are imprisoned are often put into shipping containers or forced to dig tunnels underground. In this hot African nation it can mean a death sentence.
Pray for Eritrea. Pray for the imprisoned Christians there. Pray for those who cannot openly practice their faith without fear of reprisals.
Eritrea is loved by God. He wants the people of this nation for His own. Pray for Christ to be seen in the everyday lives of Christians there.
Photos courtesy of Jess, Darien and Neil,
David Stanley, and Joseph Bautista
Pakistan
According to Open Doors USA and their World Watch List Pakistan was the fifth most difficult country in which to follow Christ in 2021 and dropped to eighth in 2022.
I chose to focus on this nation because of its unique makeup compared to many of the other countries we have looked at so far. First and foremost, it is a growing nation. It has a large population of Christians and the middle class is the fastest growing in the world.
There is a great disparity in Pakistan between the haves and the have nots. Christians are seen as an inferior class of people and the lowliest, dirtiest, and most dangerous jobs are reserved for them.
The blasphemy laws in Pakistan affect Christians and Muslims alike. They are often used as a way to get revenge on neighbors and co-workers.
Pray for Pakistan. Christianity can be practiced in this nation but under watchful eyes. It is difficult to evangelize and families face hardships as children are often prompted to convert to Islam at school and other events where they aren’t around.
Pakistan is a gorgeous country and God wants the people of this nation for His own. Pray for Christ to be seen in the everyday lives of Christians there. 
Photos courtesy of Asif Raza, Karan Bhatia, Adam Cohn,
Simon Sun, Muhammad Muzamil,
Shahzayb Qureshi, Shuttergames
These are just a few small nuggets of information about the persecuted church around the world. I encourage you to click the links above and read more about what’s happening across the globe. In the meantime, there is something you can do to help.
Pray.
The how, when, and where are up to you. But your prayers are desperately needed by brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for their faith. You can offer comfort and support with your words and your intercession to God the Father.
I encourage you to check out the World Watch List.
- Read up on the top listed countries and other countries of interest to you.
- Include the needs you learn about in your daily prayers.
- Ask the Lord to intercede on their behalf.
You live a life where persecution, on this scale, is non-existent. Be grateful for your freedom of worship and lift up those with the most need in prayer.
Your prayers are coveted by Christians living in these countries. They cherish your support through prayer and remembrance. You may never travel to any of these places, but you can pray for the believers who live there, as you’ve been called to do.
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
Other nations that are on the list of top-ten most difficult places to be a Christian are Yemen, Nigeria, Iran, and India. Keep the Christians in these countries in your prayers as well.
One of the ways I was able to find out more about each of these countries is by watching the YouTube travel journals of Drew Binsky. He is not a Christian but has traveled to every nation in the world. His video logs are second to none for discovering the true nature and character of a country and its people. He helped me to see the citizens of some of these countries in a whole new light and made me feel closer to them as I prayed. Hearing their voices and seeing their beautiful homelands was very powerful.
I recommend you choose one of the countries listed above. Begin praying for the believers there. Pray together with your family. Visit the World Watch List to find out about more countries you can pray for. The info they share is fantastic. Remember, prayer changes lives! Print this prayer card to help you remember the persecuted church.
- Put one in your car.
- Tape one to your bathroom mirror.
- Put it next to your computer.
Helpful Resources
Some other resources that you may find helpful are: 
Are you ready to pray for the persecuted church?
