Mark the Date: 3 November

The second half of the twentieth century was an era of amazing progress in Christian mission and church growth. In 1960, about 80 percent of the Church was white, Western, and middle class. By 2000, about 80 percent of the Church was non-white, non-Western, and poor. This has not been due a decline in the West, where the percentage of Christians has remained fairly constant. Rather, it has been due to phenomenal church growth in the non-West where Christian radio, the Jesus film and an explosion of indigenous ministries have seen multitudes turn to Jesus Christ.

But...church growth will always trigger a backlash, a spiritual counter offensive.

In November 1998, in an effort to address the problem of escalating religious persecution—particularly the escalating persecution of religious minorities outside the West—the U.S. enacted its International Religious Freedom Act which tied foreign policy to international religious freedom by mandating that severe violators be sanctioned. In response to this Act, dictators around the world reigned in hostile elements and tinkered with reform for the sake of aid and trade. But when the U.S. housing bubble burst in Aug-Sept 2008 and the U.S. lost its economic leverage, the Act lost its teeth and persecution immediately escalated. Today, Christians around the world are facing not just hostility, but displacements and massacres on a scale not seen in a century. We have entered an era of great persecution the likes of which has not been seen in our lifetime.

In Galatians 6:2 the Apostle Paul exhorts us to "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" [i.e. the law of love]. We must speak out and extend aid. Above all, we must get serious about the serious business of intercessory prayer, which is advocacy in the courts of heaven.

The International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the persecuted church will be observed this year on 3 November 2013. On that day, people around the world will pray in solidarity for the persecuted church.