While Christians in America are not completely free from persecution, Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors U.S., says it is a daily danger for believers in other countries.
"The World Watch List just released earlier this year showed that the number of Christians that are suffering because of their faith in Jesus, those that have made that commitment to follow Him as Lord and Savior, that number has increased to the highest point in recorded history," Brown relays.
Open Doors figures more than 365 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. Just 50 countries are responsible for an estimated 317 million of those.
"If you even look at the global population of Christians, that means that one out of seven Christians worldwide actually suffers persecution because of their faith," Brown notes. "It just goes to show that even in these places of persecution, the Church is growing."
As Open Doors U.S. ministers to persecuted Christians, they have found that most of the believers do not ask to be rescued, "but rather they're asking us to equip them so they don't falter in their testimony as they seek to respond as the Church, even in those contexts in which they're being persecuted."
They just want to be fortified in their faith as they suffer for Christ.
The second most common request is for the Church internationally to pray that they not stumble as they win souls to Christ.
