April marks the anniversary of the launch of the systematic extermination of the Christian Armenians by the Ottoman Turks. The Jihad began with the arrest of 250 Christian leaders in Constantinople (what is today called Istanbul) and over 800 other Christian leaders throughout the empire, on 24 April 1915. Over 1.5 million Christians were slaughtered by Muslims in Turkey during 1915. Additionally, 750,000 Assyrian Christians and 950,000 Greek Orthodox Christians were murdered in the Ottoman Turkish Empire between 1915 and 1922. That amounts to over 3.5 million Christian victims of the Turkish Empire over just 7 years.

Corruption and Cruelty
The Ottoman Empire declined into corruption and degeneracy from the beginning. When Sultan Murad III died in AD 1595, his son Muhammad had his 19 brothers murdered to prevent them from claiming "his throne". He also had seven of his father's pregnant concubines sown into sacks and thrown into the river. Many of his nephews were incarcerated in "the cage". Sultan Ibrahim threw his grand Vizier into a cistern. One morning, after an orgy, Ibrahim had all 300 women of his harem put into sacks and thrown into the Bosporus. Only one survived by being picked up by a ship bound for France. When Ibrahim was finally assassinated, the Ottoman Empire was torn apart by more corruption, nepotism, inefficiency, misrule and power struggles.

With Christians under fire throughout North Africa and the Middle East, we need to remember the persecuted and learn from their steadfastness amidst suffering. 25th July marks the anniversary of a dreadful atrocity in Cape Town, a terrorist attack on St. James Church of England, which left 11 people dead and over 50 wounded.

The 14 November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted. Visit www.idop-africa.org for resources to mobilise prayer and action on behalf of those suffering for Christ.

Listen to From the Frontline broadcast Urgent Prayer and Action for the Persecuted.
 
Refusing to Worship Caesar
Foxes Book of Martyrs records many testimonies of courageous Christians who suffered for the Faith. It is important to note that Christians were not persecuted in the Roman Empire for worshipping Jesus. The Romans were polytheists. They had an entire pantheon of gods. If the early Christians had registered their religion with the state and if they had burnt incense before an image of Caesar, they would have been left alone.

14 November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted.
To listen to a lecture on this article click here
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Visit www.idop-africa.org for resources to mobilise prayer and action on behalf of those suffering for Christ.
 
What Have You Learned?
The pastor under whom I was converted and discipled, Rev. Doc Watson, challenged me after my first cross-border Mission to Mozambique in 1982: "Many Missionaries tell us what they have done, I would be more interested to hear what they have learned." That profound challenge has continually guided me in over 36 years of ministering to the Persecuted Church.
 
Prayer and Partnership
There is so much that we can learn from the Persecuted Church. Yes, they need our prayers and support. We are commanded: "Remember the prisoners as if chained with the..." Hebrews 13:3 and "In as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Matthew 25:40. But we also need to remember that these precious brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone through the fires of tribulation have much to teach us. 

A Call to Prayer
IDOP-Africa invites you to join Christians around the world in praying with, and for, the persecuted church on Sunday, 12 November. www.idop-africa.org provides you with news, articles, resources, PowerPoints, video links and contacts to enable you to mobilise your friends, family, co-workers, congregation and community to prayer and action on behalf of those who are persecuted for the Faith.

Christians Under Fire
Over 400 million Christians live in the 66 countries of the world which severely restrict, or persecute, believers. Every year, an average of 200,000 Christians die as martyrs for Christ. Christian brothers and sisters are being persecuted for their Faith in: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Red China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Lagos, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestine territories, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Listen to From the Frontline broadcast: Urgent Prayer and Action for the Persecuted.

The 14 November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted. Visit www.idop-africa.org for resources to mobilise prayer and action on behalf of those suffering for Christ.
 
Praying for the Persecuted
In the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John was given a glimpse into Heaven. He sees the martyrs and he hears their prayer. What are the martyrs who have died for Christ praying? 

The Martyr's Prayer
"When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'how long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed." ​Revelation 6:9-11 

To see the video on Serving the Persecuted, click here.
To listen to a lecture related to this article click here

​The 14 November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted. Visit www.idop-africa.org for resources to mobilise prayer and action on behalf of those suffering for Christ.

Listen to the latest From the Frontline broadcast – Urgent Prayer and Action for the Persecuted.
 
Serving the Persecuted
During more than 37 years of missionary work I have had the privilege of serving persecuted Churches in Mozambique, Angola, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, Rwanda, Sudan, Northern Nigeria, the Congo and Zimbabwe. During this time I have endured aerial bombardments, ambushes, artillery and rocket barrages and I have been arrested and imprisoned for missionary work.
 
Speaking up for the Persecuted
Some of what Christians suffer in Marxist and Muslim lands has been documented in; Faith Under Fire in Sudan; Holocaust in Rwanda; In the Killing Fields of Mozambique and Slavery, Terrorism and Islam - The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat and in documentary films that we have helped to produce such as: Sudan: The Hidden Holocaust and Terrorism and Persecution - Understanding Islamic Jihad and Behind Enemy Lines.

To listen to a lecture related to this article click here​

14 November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted. Visit www.idop-africa.org for resources to mobilise prayer and action on behalf of those suffering for Christ.
 
Serving the Persecuted
During more than 38 years of missionary work, I have had the privilege of serving persecuted Churches in Mozambique, Angola, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, Rwanda, Sudan, Northern Nigeria, the Congo and Zimbabwe. During this time, I have endured aerial bombardments, ambushes, artillery and rocket barrages and I have been arrested and imprisoned for missionary work.

​​Speaking up for the Persecuted
Some of what Christians suffer in Marxist and Muslim lands has been documented in; Faith Under Fire in Sudan; Holocaust in Rwanda; In the Killing Fields of Mozambique; Going Through; Going On and Slavery, Terrorism and Islam - The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat and in documentary films that we have helped to produce such as: Sudan: The Hidden Holocaust; Terrorism and Persecution - Understanding Islamic Jihad and Behind Enemy Lines and Mission to the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.