Nmadu says from our standpoint as Christians, genocidal offenses are being committed; but regardless of how the UN or other international organizations choose to label the situation: 

“We can safely say that Christians are being killed in mass with the intention to coerce, to make Christians change their religious conduct,” he affirms. “Freedom of religion, or belief, is being hampered in many parts of Northern Nigeria.”

With land comes economic and political power, and the battle for control sweeps through a complex territory of cultural, political, and religious landscapes. 

Nmadu says he does not believe the present government is aiding the killing of Christians. But the administration’s refusal to take swift action, even in the form of strong rhetoric, reveals a trend towards political correctness. 

“In trying to be politically correct, they become complacent,” he says. “The government – not just this government, even past governments – have not done enough to protect lives of Christians in communities.”

The killings and abductions of thousands of Nigerians have been documented over the last few years. But Nmadu says small numbers aren’t even accounted for in those reports. 

“The evil is just unimaginable, and for a government to come out and deny that there is [any] such thing happening in the country shows their level of responsiveness in protecting lives and property, which is the number one duty of any government in the world,” he says. 

In particular, he believes the government of Nigeria must track down terrorists and hold them accountable to justice. He also thinks the administration needs to address the blasphemy laws being implemented in some Nigerian states by Muslims trying to enforce Sharia law. 

“When we say government is not doing enough, it is allowing the culture of impunity to prevail in the country,” he says. “People are emboldened to commit more atrocities because when one is committed, nothing is done.” 

Nmadu is hopeful that a surge of international interest will be a catalyst for change in Nigeria. 

President Trump has declared Nigeria a country of particular concern and has even threatened to send US troops to the country if measures to stop the genocide are not taken. It’s a move that Nmadu says has pricked the ears of government officials in his home country. 

“And if this is the only thing that this has done, I think it’s a welcome idea,” he says.

Above and featured photos courtesy of Unsplash

How are changing policies affecting Green Card holders?

While most of Trump’s actions in the immigration arena have targeted illegal residents, the ubiquity of reform is now being felt by another group: green card holders, or lawful permanent residents. Travelers in this category are reporting longer point-of-entry interviews when returning to the US; and the recent arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder facing deportation for affiliation with Hamas, raises further concerns about potential for deportation. 

The full White House immigration policy is outlined here. 

How does this relate to ministry? 

The flood of policy change could affect an overlooked subset of green card holders: those working in international ministry. Bruce Allen with FMI says many employees of Christian organizations in the US are operating on religious workers visas. For example, FMI employs a US-based Pakistani national who travels extensively for the ministry. Increased scrutiny could bog down FMI’s logistics. 

“Providentially, our staff member when he returned to the US a few days ago after traveling in three countries visiting with many of FMI’s indigenous church planters overseas, he encountered no problems,” Allen says. “But it may be a concern moving forward, especially if these proposals and considerations do get passed.”

Allen knows of green card holders who have canceled overseas travel plans to avoid unwanted risks. But he says the real game changer for ministries won’t be policy concerning foreigners entering America. 

“It’s that those countries on the list of 41 nations may likely take reciprocal action against US travelers.”

FMI supports projects and partnerships in three of the countries under travel ban consideration.  

“And a fourth country on the list is one that has just invited us to help out in recent weeks, which would require travel to that country to set up leadership teams overseeing a ministry. So that could be even more challenging,” he says. 

Even without travel restrictions, the nature of international work is logistically complex. Allen points out that the command to make disciples of all nations is not conditional on safety, comfort, or ease. 

“We will continue to do ministry: trusting in God’s sovereignty, praying for the leaders of our nations, so that they will make wise and safe decisions that allow us to operate peacefully,” he says. 

Vice President Vance and President Trump, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

How can we pray? 

Please pray that ministries anticipating fallout from changing immigration policies will be of good courage, trusting God to open doors for continued international partnerships as He sees fit. Pray that the Trump administration would make wise decisions surrounding immigration and national security, and pray that the church will firmly root itself in the Word of God rather than national diplomacy.

Featured image courtesy of Pexels

“The position of our region has always been that Palestinians deserve the right to stay in their land, and that to simply move them out because of their security issue or any reason really – even by international law – has been determined to be an inappropriate action,” he says. 

Trump’s recent rhetoric has changed the region’s geo-political game. Regarding Trump’s head-to-head with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Samuel says we need to pray for divine intervention that would lead to a palatable solution for Jordan’s king. Trump has threatened to cease aid to Jordan and Egypt if the leaders of those countries do not agree to take in Palestinians. In deciding whether to comply with this request, King Abdullah II must weigh the interests of his countrymen against his relationship with the US. 

“His tenure as king of this land would be in deep jeopardy if he were to say yes and accept them because his country is populated by 70 percent Palestinians,” Samuel says. 

Most Palestinians in Jordan are not in favor of more refugees joining them there. This is not because they are upset to see more people from their homeland, Samuel says. Rather, they see the move to accept refugees as a cave to pressure.

“It is an acquiescence to a forcible denial of their right to their own land, which has already been denied to them for 75 plus years,” he says.

Image courtesy of hosny salah via Pixabay.

The UN Refugee Agency describes Jordan as “one of the world’s largest refugee-hosting countries per capita.” It hosts approximately 2 million Palestinian refugees, defined as people “whose normal place of residence was Palestine” between June 1, 1946 and May 15, 1948, and “who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.” Because this distinction is extended to descendants, the total population of nearly 6 million Palestinian refugees represents a broad demographic with varying histories and levels of current need. The unique background and challenges of Palestinian refugees can muddy the waters of dialogue and decision surrounding them. From a ministry standpoint, Samuel is clear: 

“We are ready to care for more refugees always. It is part of the DNA of this country. That being said, this is a situation that feels very different than other ones that we’ve dealt with in the past.” 

He says many organizations are praying about and preparing to help on the ground in Gaza. 

“There are various conferences coming up that were planned in order to come together to discuss what organizations can do by going in and helping rebuild and restore everything that has been broken because of the war,” Samuel says. 

Whether imminent decisions are an outgrowth of political power plays or sincere regional investment, Samuel sees God’s sovereignty as a firm standing ground for believers. Still, he hopes the Gazans will retain their current position. 

“It to me would be a missed opportunity for the Gospel if ultimately [the Palestinians] are forcibly removed again. And it would create different opportunities for the Gospel because God is always working. But ideally for our region, and for the stability of our region, there would be some solution that would allow the Gazans to stay in Gaza.”

Featured image courtesy of hosnysalah via Pixabay.

U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen)

Yesterday, on the anniversary of a suicide attack on Kabul that killed 13 U.S. servicemembers, presidential candidate Donald Trump emphasized rival Kamala Harris’s support of the chaotic withdrawal process.

Harris also affirmed her continued support of the withdrawal decision without commenting on servicemembers’ deaths.

While politicians use the withdrawal as an election talking point in the U.S., Afghans mourn yet another freedom lost under strict Taliban rule. New laws forbid women from speaking outside the home.

“Afghanistan [has] been in a continual state of decline since the pullout three years ago,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.

For example, the Taliban continues to execute Christians when militants discover underground churches or individual believers. “On almost a weekly basis, we hear of people being captured, punished, and killed,” Kelley says.

“It’s a regular event, yet Christians are multiplying. They’re passionate about reaching their fellow Afghan brothers and sisters with the Gospel.”

Unknown Nations’ training center equips Afghan refugees in a neighboring country to reach their people for Christ. A recent graduation ceremony celebrated and launched the newest batch of Gospel workers.

“They cannot wait to go to Afghanistan and share the Good News because the power of the Gospel has transformed them,” Kelley says.

“The crazy thing is they understand that [surviving] even three years is probably beyond what would be expected.”

Ask the Lord to provide more laborers to make disciples and train believers in Afghanistan. Pray that training center “graduates” can start disciple-making movements in their homeland.

“Converts will not survive in a place like Afghanistan. The pressures are beyond description,” Kelley says.

“You have to have come to [an understanding as] Paul did in Galatians 2:20 where he said, ‘I must die so that Christ can live.’”

Header image depicts women in burqas. Photo courtesy of FMI.

California Representative Barbara Lee tells CNN that former president Donald Trump is to blame. Meanwhile, a senior Taliban leader attributes the current despair in Afghanistan to decades of U.S. interference.

As politicians play the blame game, Afghan Christians share the Gospel.

The United States evacuated 124,000 Afghan civilians during the chaotic troop withdrawal in August 2021.
(Wikimedia Commons)

“One of the complex challenges is, ‘We have a new believer. How will we help them grow in their faith?’ because this is a very challenging environment,” Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says.

“You’re not gathering 20 people together and say[ing], ‘Hey, let’s have discipleship class!’”

VOM USA helps persecuted Christians who left Afghanistan and those who stayed behind. Send tangible aid through VOM here.

“Many people think, ‘Oh, the Taliban took over, and now all the Christians [are] persecuted.’ Well, no, the Christians were persecuted before the Taliban takeover,” Nettleton says.

Most importantly, pray. Ask the Lord to give Afghan Christians wisdom and supernatural courage.

Sharing the Gospel is no easy feat. “Those conversations are a real exercise in observing the person you’re talking to and trying to gauge, ‘Okay, how’s this going?’” Nettleton says.

“An Afghan Christian might tell a story. They won’t say, ‘This is a story from the Bible,’ they’ll say, ‘Hey, let me tell you a story.’ And then they’re watching the person’s face,” he continues.

“They’re measuring the response because the Afghan Christian knows, ‘if this goes south, literally, I could be killed.’”

In the header image, U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen)

“We can sit and debate this all day. But for us, as believers, we know this: it’s a golden opportunity,” Tom Doyle of Uncharted Ministries says.

“Never before have Muslims been so open to the Gospel and the love of Christ. I would call Christians to try not to see things through a political lens, but through a biblical lens.”

Travel ban context

Controversy surrounded the travel ban, with critics saying it targeted Muslims. Dispute drove the legislation into the Supreme Court, which upheld the restrictions in 2018. More than 40,000 travelers were refused visas, the AP reports.

(Photo by Issy Bailey on Unsplash)

Supporters of the travel ban say it targeted potential terrorists, not followers of Islam. As of 2017, more than 300 people who entered the United States as refugees were the subjects of counterterrorism investigations.

In defending Executive Order 13780, the revised version of a previous executive order, former president Trump stated:

Executive Order 13769 did not provide a basis for discriminating for or against members of any particular religion. While that order allowed for prioritization of refugee claims from members of persecuted religious minority groups, that priority applied to refugees from every nation, including those in which Islam is a minority religion, and it applied to minority sects within a religion.

Listen to Doyle’s full interview to learn how immigration changes under recent presidents affected Christians.

“As believers, we can ‘play politics’ and talk about the Obama administration, the Trump administration, and the Biden administration. But when you look at the New Testament and what the apostles did, they were ready to reach out to all people – no matter where they were from,” Doyle states.

“You see Jesus reaching out to Roman soldiers, a woman from Tyre, foreigners; it really didn’t matter.”

Once God sets a Muslim woman free, she becomes an unstoppable force for God. Women Who Risk takes readers into the intimacy of Muslim homes in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, and other hot spots to see the drama of Christ at work.
(Photo, caption courtesy of Thomas Nelson)

A new mission field

Ask the Lord how you can share His good news with Muslim neighbors or coworkers. “One of the reasons they have come to our country in the first place is that Islamic governments failed them,” Doyle notes.

“Let’s reach out with love, build friendships, and see what happens as we share the Gospel with them.”

Look for tips in the new book Doyle co-authored with his wife, JoAnn. “We just released Women Who Risk: Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World. It’s about heroic women that have come to faith in Christ in the face of incredible danger and threat to their lives in Muslim countries,” he says.

“At the end, we give points on how to reach out to [Muslims], how to build friendships.”

Order your copy here.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Jan Tinneberg/Unsplash.

Panel members penned this in the report’s executive summary:

“The Syria Study Group uncovered no easy solutions in Syria; optimal outcomes were left behind long ago. Yet the Group determined that the threats the conflict in Syria poses…are sufficiently serious to merit a determined response from the United States.”

Samuel* with Redemptive Stories says the Church shouldn’t give up on Syria, either. Muslims like Jamileh are turning to Jesus.

Jamileh’s story

Representative photo. A woman and her child walk along the ‘Champs Elysees’, the main street in the Zaatari refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan, 29 August 2013.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Displaced several times by ongoing violence, a Muslim woman named Jamileh finally escaped with her family to a Christian village. Samuel says Jamileh chose this village because “she knew that they gave away aid to those that were in need and living there in the IDP [camp].”

By her own admission, Jamileh wanted nothing to do with Christianity. She simply wanted the physical aid believers freely offered to refugees and displaced families.

However, Jamileh grew desperate one day when her husband, son, and brothers were abducted. She turned to a pastor’s wife for help, and the woman responded, “I’ll pray.”

“Two weeks later, her husband and her brothers and her son show up out of nowhere. They proceed to tell her [stories about] multiple times when they were almost killed. [Jamileh realized] those were the times when the dear sister most likely was praying,” Samuel recounts.

“The answered prayer began to break down her walls to Christianity, her walls to Jesus. She began to go to the church more and more, and then eventually gave her life to Jesus Christ.”

Then, Jamileh began inviting kids from her community to the church; approximately 300 have come so far. Many hail from extremist Muslim families.

Jamileh tells Samuel, “These children will be exposed to Christ and will eventually hear the stories of Jesus and want to know more, and will eventually follow Him with their lives – just like I did.”

She isn’t the only Syrian committed to Christ’s cause. “I can tell you stories of pastors who had opportunities to leave who have now come back to Syria to care for their people,” Samuel says.

“One had the opportunity to go to [the] States and then returned back to Syria, just to minister to people that were coming in to his town. [We have] story after story like that.”

Find your place in the story

Now that you know, what will you do? Samuel says prayer is the biggest need of all.

“These are dear brothers and sisters who have stayed, who are doing what they’re called to do — love their neighbor as themselves,” he says. “They’re doing that and they need our help. They need our prayer support, they need encouragement.”

Ask the Lord to strengthen and encourage Syrian Christians like Jamileh as they build His Kingdom their homeland. Pray groups supporting these believers, like Redemptive Stories, will receive help from the global Christian community.

Find more prayer needs here.

*– Name changed for security purposes.

Header image courtesy of Prayercast | Syria.

At the same time, religious freedom advocates in the U.S. call for targeted sanctions on Iranian judges to counteract Iran’s harsh persecution of Christians. However, Miles Windsor of Middle East Concern says bringing the topic of Christian persecution into the current heated political situation may do more harm than good.

Why targeted sanctions?

As reported by CBN News, a recent gathering of experts, advocates, and politicians in Washington D.C. highlighted Iran’s mistreatment of believers and called for political action. It’s a well-established fact that Iran severely oppresses Christians, as documented here by Open Doors USA.

(Photo courtesy of David McEachan via Pexels)

“Iran is an egregious violator of human rights and religious freedom,” Windsor explains. “It is one of the worst, if not the worst place in the Middle East to be a Christian.”

Advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC) tweeted on May 21 urging people to sign their petition. The appeal, addressed to President Trump, calls for targeted sanctions on Iranian judges under the Global Magnitsky Act.

Under this bill, the President can impose sanctions on individuals or entities who’ve committed serious human rights abuses. Last year, some U.S. senators urged Trump to take action against Saudi Arabia using permissions granted by this statute.

A word of caution

Though Windsor agrees targeted sanctions could be helpful, he warns of unintended consequences.

“It’s important not to tie US-Iran relations in general to the plight of Christians…for fear of reinforcing an idea put out by the regime propagandists — that Christianity is a Western ideology — when, of course, it originated far closer to them.”

Numerous complexities and challenges surround the US-Iran diplomatic relationship. When talking about political challenges that exist between the two governments, “it’s important to understand the dynamics of the region, and to have those conversations,” Windsor says.

“But I think it’s important to recognize that you don’t necessarily see a clear link between global political matters and the persecution of Christians — which has been happening in Iran — when there are [comparatively] good relationships with Iranian leadership [too].”

Another option

Whatever political actions take place in the coming weeks, Windsor urges prayer.

“The most important thing we can be doing is praying that God will be protecting and sustaining His children in Iran.”

It may sound trite, but remember –you’re praying to the One who controls the universe. He can soften hearts of stone. “There’s a great turning to Jesus in Iran, and we want to see that continue,” Windsor notes.

Prayer doesn’t replace actions like donating to meet believers’ physical needs, or advocating to raise awareness of the difficulties they face. James 2 condemns faith without works. It is merely a matter of priority.

“It’s important that our brothers and sisters are able to meet together and worship together. So, we can pray that God will be protecting them and that He’ll be opening up Iran to the Gospel even more than it already is.”

MEC supports Christians in the Middle East and North Africa who are marginalized, discriminated against, or persecuted for their faith. Learn more about their work here.

Header image depicts Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at Urumia during the 2017 elections. Photo and description courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Despite anticipation of progress, high-level meetings between US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un failed to produce any agreements. They discussed denuclearization, but the talks stalled when Trump and Kim couldn’t agree on terms. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says negotiations will start back up in the days ahead. North Korea’s foreign minister told BBC News their position will not change.

Voice of the Martyrs’ Eric Foley reminds us to keep Christians in mind when we see North Korea in the headlines. “We tend to focus on things like, ‘how safe will this make us in terms of things like missiles flying over our heads?’,” Foley observes.

“It’s certainly not a bad point, but as Christians, we need to remember to look to the interest of others – certainly that would include our brothers and sisters inside of North Korea.”

Severe persecution: the status quo for Christians

North Korea is – and has been for decades – the world’s most difficult place to be a Christian. As described here and here, state-led persecution began in the early 1900’s and has only intensified since then.

“The zero tolerance policy towards Christianity in North Korea remains in effect… if you’re known to be a Christian, you’ll be in a concentration camp.”

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“Simon” – whose real name is withheld for security purposes – described the concentration camps to MNN in 2007:

“In North Korea, it is strictly forbidden to be a Christian. Anyone who has a Bible is sent to a camp, along with his or her whole family. Refugees who are detained in China or North Korea can be sentenced to a few years in a prison camp. But, if the North Korean authorities discover that the refugees have been in touch with Christians, they are dealt with much more harshly. Torture and execution often occur.”

Of the estimated 100,000 North Korean Christians, about 30,000 are in concentration camps, Foley says. He also spoke to us about the camps in this 2012 conversation.

Nothing has changed. If anything, persecution is only growing worse. Open Doors USA states the following in an in-depth country dossier found here:

Persecution in North Korea remains violent. There have been raids against Christians and killings, but for security reasons no details can be published and it is difficult to obtain reports from the labor camps.

There are many signs indicating even more severe persecution of Christians in North Korea in the future:

• The increased number of arrests and abductions of (South Korean and Chinese Korean) Christians and missionaries in China.
• The strengthened border control and harsher punishment of North Korean citizens who are repatriated from China.
• The increased number of South Korean missionaries being expelled by China.
• The increased activities of the North Korean government in its attempts to eliminate all channels for spreading the Christian faith.

With all of this in mind, “we need to remember the people inside North Korea when these international summits come up,” observes Foley.

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA)

What now?

If the leaders of nations cannot facilitate change in North Korea, what can individual efforts do? Recall the wisdom of Proverbs 21. Politicians may not influence change, but we know the One who can.

“North Korean Christians always remind me of this truth – we should never look to governments as the solution to the challenges we face.”

Connect with Voice of the Martyrs to learn how you can help the underground Church in North Korea. “They say to us [now] what they’ve said since we started our ministry 18 years ago,” Foley shares. “Give us the tools, and we will complete the work.

“Today remains a day of work for North Korean Christians. They continue to advance the Gospel in the face of strong opposition from their government,” he continues.

“More than anything, whether a summit is happening or not, that’s what we can pray for – pray for the faithfulness of the North Korean Church, pray for the fruitfulness of the North Korean Church.”

Header image credit yeowatzup via Flickr.

Rather than fostering discourse, America’s growing disgust with news outlets seems to encourage calls for censorship.

A survey earlier this month by Ipsos reveals one in four Americans (26 percent) believes “the president should have the authority to close news outlets engaged in bad behavior.” Among Republicans, that number is even higher at 43 percent.

But what would a regulated press really look like? And what would it mean for Western Christians?

The Committee to Protect Journalists compiled a list of the 10 Most Censored Countries where governments control what messages their people have access to. Of those ten countries, nearly all are also on Open Doors’ World Watch List for Christian persecution. Half of them are part of the top 20 countries with the harshest persecution of Christians.

David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors USA, says that’s not a coincidence.

“There are many places around the world where Christians, they don’t live in a society where there is a free press. The government controls the press [and] the government controls your religious registration. So if you are born into a certain faith, that is on your registration card. You are not allowed to go into a Christian Church. You are not allowed to have a Bible. They want to constrain the ability of people to read the Bible. And we’re not talking about just in the most extreme areas. We’re talking about many countries around the world.”

When a government has the power to control media messages, it can easily start controlling religious messages as well. And the powers given to one particular government leader are available to every leader who comes after them.

In many countries with authoritarian governments, citizens can’t even switch religious allegiances. “People don’t have a right to decide for themselves. They are born, raised, and die in the same religious sect because their government doesn’t allow them to change their mind.”

Open Doors’ focus is not necessarily political. Their ministry exists to advocate for religious freedom around the world, especially for the sake of Christians. However, this sometimes involves speaking out in the political sphere.

“What we’re trying to highlight for people is the targeted attack on Christian faith and what that says about the larger environment for freedom of speech, freedom of religious expression around the world, and for the freedom of conscience — that people…have a right to decide for themselves what they believe.”

Curry explains, “When [Open Doors] began, we started with helping people have access to smuggling Bibles into the old Soviet Union because the Soviet Union restricted it. They didn’t want people to read the Bible and we want people to read it. In a sense, that is still the question today, that people are just threatened by any idea that is not their own.”

Rather than being afraid of engaging ideas we disagree with, we as believers can pursue civil discussions with others while seeking wisdom from God’s Word.

“First of all, we’re not citizens first and foremost of whatever country we live in. We’re citizens of Heaven if we are a follower of Jesus, and our calling is to be a community that encourages and supports each other and that takes our spiritual direction from Scripture,” says Curry.

“I think what I also encourage believers to do is to understand that we have a responsibility to use wisdom and to understand that the world has its own agenda. They are going to do their own thing. But we have to form our worldview based on Scripture and on Christ.”

When we can embrace our freedoms without fear, it enables us to share with others the greatest freedom we have — freedom through salvation in Jesus Christ.