Bangladesh (MNN) — Did you know Bangladesh has the world’s third-largest Muslim population? Although less than one percent of the population knows Christ, millions of Bangladeshis are learning about the Bible through media outreaches.
Gospel growth is not without resistance. Islamist groups, communities, and local leaders persecute Christians. “Bangladesh sits at spot #26 on the World Watch List of the 50 worst places in the world to live as a Christian due to persecution,” FMI’s Bruce Allen says.
“In the past ten years, Bangladesh’s score has gotten progressively worse.”
FMI develops partnerships with national disciple-makers where minority Christians are impoverished or persecuted. More about that here.
In Bangladesh, “Christians often gather in small house churches due to the risk of attack,” Allen says.
“Bangladeshi believers are often accused of betraying their community – ‘You’re an infidel, you’re apostate.’”
Understandably, new Christians often hesitate to be baptized due to family and social pressures. Pray against the power of fear in the lives of new believers from non-Christian backgrounds. An FMI-supported pastor is preparing eight new believers to be baptized this year.
“Pray that God gives power and perseverance to Christian converts in Bangladesh,” Allen requests.
“Those churches take seriously the fact that they are to reflect Jesus’s purposes and His values to their community. They’re engaged in evangelism to their neighbors, putting them in the crosshairs for further persecution.”
Header and story images courtesy of FMI.
