The church service had ended, and families were gathering their belongings to head home. But in our small church, a few of us remained behind. My father, serving as a lay leader, quietly signaled for the doors to be closed. What happened next would stay with me for the rest of my life.
As a six or seven-year-old child, I didn’t fully understand why we needed two baptism services that Sunday morning. The first had been the official service, carefully monitored by government representatives who decided which candidates could publicly declare their faith. Only those with family connections to evangelical believers, mockingly called “repenters” by the authorities, received approval.
But now, with just the church leadership and their families present, something beautiful unfolded. Those believers who had been denied the right to participate in the public service finally had their moment. The joy on their faces as they followed Christ in baptism, mixed with the quiet solemnity of the secret gathering, created an atmosphere I will never forget. This was my introduction to what it means when following Jesus comes with a cost.
Faith Requires Courage
Growing up under religious persecution in Romania shaped my understanding of discipleship. Government officials controlled every aspect of church life—when we could meet, what could be preached, and who could participate in sacred ordinances like baptism. These restrictions were deliberate attempts to suppress the gospel.
What I witnessed as a child continues to happen today across the globe, often under far more severe circumstances. The cost of following Christ became even more personal when Vasile Gherman, a devoted Baptist pastor and beloved member of our extended family, paid the ultimate price for proclaiming the gospel. Pastor Gherman had planted and shepherded thirteen churches in Romania, serving tirelessly from dawn to midnight. While traveling to a church service, he was assassinated by the Communist Secret Service, his death disguised as a car accident, though the bullet wound revealed their brutality. His widow and three children faced ongoing threats, yet they trusted in God’s justice.
A Global Crisis
More than 380 million Christians currently face high levels of persecution and discrimination simply for following Jesus Christ [1]. This represents one in every seven Christians worldwide. Last year alone, 4,476 Christians were murdered for their faith [2]. Nearly 8,000 churches and Christian properties were attacked, while thousands of believers were imprisoned for their beliefs. Between 2022 and 2024, nearly 10,000 Christians were killed for their faith [3].
These aren’t just cold statistics; they represent real people. Parents who can’t send their children to school because of their faith. Pastors imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Families torn apart because one member chose to follow Christ. The persecution takes countless forms—from outright violence and death to economic discrimination, community exclusion, and forced secrecy.
For many Southern Baptist congregations, this isn’t a distant reality but a personal one. Among our church families sit believers who have experienced persecution firsthand. They carry memories of secret worship services, of family members imprisoned for their faith, and of fleeing their homeland because following Christ became too dangerous.
When Suffering Becomes Witness
This reality became deeply personal for me years later, in my early twenties while living in Australia, when I encountered a man whose story embodied everything I had learned about persecution as a child. Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor, had endured fourteen years of communist imprisonment and torture for his faith [4]. What struck me most wasn’t just his suffering, but his response to it.
Wurmbrand had been a communist before coming to Christ, yet despite the brutal treatment he received from his former allies, he spoke with extraordinary compassion, not only for persecuted Christians worldwide but for their persecutors as well. His ability to forgive those who had tortured him and to pray for their salvation demonstrated the transformative power of the gospel under the most extreme circumstances.
His influence extended beyond personal testimony. He testified before the U.S. Congress, exposing the systematic persecution of Christians behind the Iron Curtain [5]. His congressional testimony helped raise Western awareness about religious persecution and mobilized support for suffering believers. After his release, secured when a Norwegian mission paid $10,000 to the Romanian government, Wurmbrand founded a ministry that continues serving persecuted Christians today.
What Scripture Teaches About Suffering
The persecution of Christians shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus clearly warned His followers to expect opposition. In the Sermon on the Mount, He declared, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).
Paul, writing from his own experience of persecution, told Timothy, “In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). This wasn’t a warning for a select few but a promise for all followers of Christ.
Throughout the New Testament, we see that persecution often strengthened rather than weakened the early church. God assures us, “Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Our Response
Understanding the reality of persecution calls us to respond both individually and as churches. Scripture commands us to “Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily” (Hebrews 13:3).
Prayer remains our primary weapon. The early church provides our model. When Peter and John faced threats, believers gathered to pray not for safety but for boldness to continue proclaiming the gospel despite persecution. They prayed: “And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29).
A Day Set Apart for Prayer
The Southern Baptist Convention’s Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, observed on November 2, provides an opportunity for believers to unite in focused prayer. This day serves multiple purposes: raising awareness, mobilizing prayer, and demonstrating solidarity with those who suffer.
For our churches that include believers who have experienced persecution, this day holds particular significance. It is a time to honor their courage, to remember their loved ones still facing persecution, and to learn from their testimonies of God’s faithfulness.
Churches can observe this day through special prayer services, inviting speakers who have experienced persecution, or incorporating focused prayers into regular worship.
Prayer Prompts for Persecuted Christians
Here are some suggested prayer requests that we all can engage in:
- Physical protection for believers facing violence and imprisonment
- Spiritual strength and endurance for those under pressure to deny their faith
- Comfort and provision for families of martyred believers
- Wisdom and safety for pastors and church leaders in hostile environments
- Open doors for the gospel in closed countries
- Boldness for believers to continue witnessing despite threats
- Healing for those who have been tortured or abused for their faith
- Favor with government officials and policy changes that protect religious freedom
- Resources and support for underground churches and secret believers
- Forgiveness and salvation for persecutors and those who oppose the gospel
- Encouragement for believers in our own churches who have family members facing persecution
Standing Firm Together
The persecution of Christians worldwide isn’t a distant problem but a present reality demanding our attention, prayers, and action. My childhood experience taught me that faith requires courage and that following Christ can come at great cost.
As we approach the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, let us commit ourselves anew to standing with those who suffer for Christ. Let us pray with passion and persistence for their protection and strength. Let us support them with our resources and learn from their examples of faith and courage.
Most importantly, let us be ready to follow their example when persecution comes to our own communities. The same Jesus who strengthens believers in hostile nations will strengthen us when we face opposition for our faith.
The global church is one body, and when one part suffers, we all suffer. As Paul wrote, “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). We cannot remain comfortable in our freedom while others suffer for the same faith we claim to hold dear.
Sources
[1] Open Doors World Watch List 2025, https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/
[2] Open Doors World Watch List 2025, https://www.opendoors.org/research-reports/wwl-documentation/WWL-2025-Compilation-of-main-documents-January-2025 (p. 5)
[3] Global Christian Relief, “The 2025 GCR Red List,” https://globalchristianrelief.org/gcr-red-list/
[4] The Voice of the Martyrs, “Our Founders,” https://www.persecution.com/founders/
[5] U.S. Senate Subcommittee, “Communist Exploitation of Religion: Testimony of Rev. Richard Wurmbrand,” May 6, 1966 https://www.richardwurmbrandfoundation.com/pdfs/ussenate-english.pdf