Over the past year, 360 million Christians lived in places where they experienced high levels of persecution and discrimination. Of that number, 6,175 believers were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned, 3,829 were abducted, and 5,898 were killed for their faith.
For the past 30 years, the Open Doors World Watch List has tracked such persecution, offered a global indicator of countries where human and religious rights are being violated, and highlighted those countries most vulnerable to societal unrest and destabilization.
“The World Watch List is always sobering to read, just because the problem is so big,” says David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA. “But it’s not new; Satan has targeted God’s people since the beginning. It’s just gotten worse, and more sophisticated.”
Persecution is extremely high in Afghanistan, which for the first time has supplanted North Korea as the most dangerous country to be a Christian.
The 2022 World Watch List reveals that persecution is extremely high in Afghanistan, which for the first time has supplanted North Korea as the most dangerous country to be a Christian.
Here’s what you should know about the 10 countries with the highest levels of persecution and how you can pray for the believers in those nations. (All quotes are from the 2022 World Watch List.)
1. Afghanistan
Persecution type: Islamic theocracy imposed by the Taliban
Estimated number of Christians: Possibly thousands
How Christians are suffering: “The Taliban will make sure that Islamic rules and customs are implemented and kept. Christian converts don’t have any option but to obey them. If a Christian’s new faith is discovered, their family, clan or tribe has to save its honor by disowning the believer, or even killing them. This is widely considered to be justice. Alternatively, since leaving Islam is considered a sign of insanity, a Christian who has converted from Islam may be forcibly sent to a psychiatric hospital.”
Prayer point: “Pray for secret believers in Afghanistan, that they will be protected from the violence of the Taliban.”
2. North Korea
Persecution type: Communist and post-Communist oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 400,000
How Christians are suffering: “Any North Korean caught following Jesus is at immediate risk of imprisonment, brutal torture and death.”
Prayer point: “ Pray for the North Korean people as they deal with famine conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic.”
3. Somalia
Persecution type: Clan oppression
Estimated number of Christians: A few hundred
How Christians are suffering: “The small number of believers in Somalia are largely Christians who have converted from Islam. Christians are viewed as high-value targets by Islamic radical groups. Even when Christian converts are not targeted by extremists, they are intensely pressured by their family and community.”
Prayer point: “Pray for Christians who are targeted by Islamic extremists. Ask God to protect them and grant them hope.”
4. Libya
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 34,600
How Christians are suffering: “When a person in Libya leaves Islam to follow Christ, they face immense pressure from their families to renounce their faith. Their neighbors and the rest of the community ostracize them, and they can be left homeless, jobless, and alone.”
Prayer point: “Libya’s government has been unstable for a decade. Pray for some stability and rule of law in the country.”
5. Yemen
Persecution type: Clan oppression
Estimated number of Christians: A few thousand
How Christians are suffering: “The persecution against Christians in Yemen has been extreme for years, leading to a jump of two spots on the 2022 World Watch List. Pressure on converts from Islam is at the highest levels in every part of life.”
Prayer point: “The civil war has lasted for nearly a decade. Pray for peace, pray for stability and pray for an openness to religious freedom.”
6. Eritrea
Persecution type: Christian denominational protectionism
Estimated number of Christians: 2,611,000
How Christians are suffering: “Despite almost half the population identifying as Christian, believers in Eritrea continue to suffer extreme persecution, making it one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus. Christians not part of recognized denominations are at risk of severe persecution. Gatherings are raided and believers arrested. The conditions facing Christians in prison can be inhumane.”
Prayer point: “Ask God to protect Christians who convert from Islam, or who join a church outside of the Orthodox tradition.”
7. Nigeria
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 98,006,000
How Christians are suffering: “Persecution in Nigeria is, simply put, brutally violent. In much of northern Nigeria, Christians live their lives under the constant threat of attack from Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Fulani militants and criminals who kidnap and murder with few consequences. The violence is so bad it has begun to travel south, as well.”
Prayer point: “Pray for the many militant groups who attack Christians in Nigeria. Ask God to change their hearts as only He can.”
8. Pakistan
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 4,080,000
How Christians are suffering: “In Pakistan, Christians are considered second-class citizens and are discriminated against in every aspect of life. Church leaders can be arrested if they don’t abide by the authorities’ wishes.”
Prayer point: “Pray for the women and girls who are kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men.”
9. Iran
Persecution type: Islamic oppression
Estimated number of Christians: 800,000
How Christians are suffering: “The severity of persecution facing Christians in Iran remains largely unchanged. Converts from Islam are most at risk of persecution, especially by the government, and to a lesser extent, by society and their own families.”
Prayer point: “Pray for the religious leaders of Iran, that they would have their hearts changed to recognize Jesus as Lord.”
10. India
Persecution type: Religious nationalism
Estimated number of Christians: 68,863,000
How Christians are suffering: “The persecution of Christians in India has intensified, as Hindu extremists aim to cleanse the country of their presence and influence. The extremists disregard Indian Christians and other religious minorities as true Indians, and think the country should be purified of non-Hindus. This has led to a systemic—and often violent—targeting of Christians and other religious minorities, including use of social media to spread disinformation and stir up hatred.”
Prayer point: “Pray for the healing of the many victims of religious violence in India. Ask that God would heal both hearts and bodies.”
You can compare this year’s list with data from previous years: 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
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We need one another. Yet we don’t always know how to develop deep relationships to help us grow in the Christian life. Younger believers benefit from the guidance and wisdom of more mature saints as their faith deepens. But too often, potential mentors lack clarity and training on how to engage in discipling those they can influence.
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