Praying for the Persecuted Church: A Story from the Front Lines

It’s easy for us to think that persecution and martyrdom is a thing of the past; something we read about in Fox’s Book of Martyrs. We don’t know anyone who has given everything for the faith, because as far as we’re concerned, that doesn’t happen anymore.

But the undeniable fact is that in many parts of the world, persecution for one’s faith is a daily reality, and the possibility of martyrdom is not a distant concept.

November 2nd is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We are incredibly blessed in many Western nations to be free to worship without threat of personal danger. But what many don’t realize is that our freedom to worship is a direct result of those who came before us who suffered and died for those same freedoms.

Even today, 3.2 billion people have little or no access to the Gospel—many of them live in places where believing could cost everything.

The tribal regions around the disputed Ilemi Triangle between South Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia is one such place, where daily life is a risk, and where the threat of violence is never far. This area is the crossroads of many tribes with a history of intertribal warfare going back centuries. One of these warrior tribes is the Toposa.

The Toposa mainly rely on cattle, sheep and goats, from which they obtain milk, blood, meat, and leather. They are known for frequent violent clashes with their neighbors over these limited resources in an area prone to drought and famine. The same violence that permeates the culture of the Toposa people is also what makes it so difficult to reach them for the Gospel.

Recently, a Petros Network church planter was sent out to the Toposa to start a church. Due to the violence and volatility of the area, he did not remain at his post. But it was important for the fledgling church there to have a pastor. After several months of searching, the Ethiopian leadership of Petros Network identified a Sudanese believer from within the tribe—someone accustomed to conflict and familiar with the cultural rhythms of survival. His deployment changed everything.

Despite daily risk, he has shared the Gospel with over 4,000 people, with 2,193 professing faith in Christ. When asked how he continues so boldly, he replied, “When you believe you can die at any moment, eternity with Jesus just makes sense.”

As the apostle Paul said, “For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.” How many of us have met someone for whom this is not just a Bible verse we quote, but a standard to live by?

How many of us trust in Jesus with such abandon that we would go to a place where we could be killed at any time?

Thanks to our supporters, the Gospel is spreading like wildfire in tribal regions where, even recently, it seemed that Satan had a monopoly. Your prayers and support of church planters like this are literally changing the face of nations one salvation at a time. These people are the heroes of the faith.

Be encouraged that your past or future support is not in vain. Your support leaves a legacy that carries forward through generations.

As Tertullian, one of the fathers of the early church famously wrote, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” This is as true of the wayward western church as it is of the church in less developed nations.

How You Can Support:

• Pray daily for believers in hostile regions
• Support church planters like the one serving the Toposa tribe
• Join in prayer on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
• Share stories of faith to encourage your community