This article has been corrected from its broadcast, which incorrectly stated that North Korean believers “gathered less often.” Meetings were already highly restricted and nearly impossible both during and after COVID.
North Korea (MNN) — North Korean believers face severe restrictions that prevent them from openly sharing or practicing their faith. Yet when the Gospel is not tied to buildings, programs, or public institutions, it often becomes the central focus of people’s lives.
Korean Commons Translations Bible Anglican Edition 1999 (photo courtesy of Alvis Jean via Wikimedia Commons)
While the world faced hardship and isolation during COVID, many North Korean Christians experienced a season of growth. Eric Foley with Voice of the Martyrs Korea says officers avoided entering homes because “they worried they might get infected with COVID and spread it to the rest of the neighborhood, and then they would be held responsible.”
Christians used that opportunity to spread the Gospel more freely. Foley says, “They were home in the daytime. It meant it was possible for them to listen to illegal Christian radio broadcasts.”
Through radio, people heard the Gospel day and night. Demand for Bibles also grew. Foley says, “In North Korea, COVID is remembered as a time of great, great church growth.”
When restrictions ended, the state tightened control again. Still, Foley says:
“Holding on tightly to the message of the Gospel, which is what saves and brings eternal life, is what allowed the North Korean church to grow.”
If believers depended mainly on church buildings or worship styles, the state could weaken their faith through persecution. Foley says, “They teach us to hold on to the form of church loosely while holding on to the Gospel tightly.”
Pray the Gospel continues to sustain North Korean believers. Pray also that churches worldwide would put the Gospel above forms and traditions so they can remain strong under pressure.
Pray Voice of the Martyrs Korea can continue supporting local believers through radio broadcasts, Bible distribution, and other outreach efforts based in South Korea.
Header photo: Man reading the Bible (representative photo courtesy of RDNE Stock project via Pexels)
