Nehemiah with FMI says Pakistan’s disturbing terrorism trends are only getting worse.

(Photo courtesy of FMI)

“This is one terrorist activity recently, but we see in the last five months in 2026, Pakistan is highly impacted by terrorist activities – not only in the border areas in Afghanistan or with Iran, but in the capital of Pakistan as well, Islamabad.”

According to the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, Pakistan surpassed Burkina Faso to take first place for worst terrorism impact.

“For many ordinary Pakistanis, especially believers and minority communities, this growing instability creates fear, uncertainty, and isolation. Ministry work becomes increasingly difficult in these conditions. Local Christian workers often travel carefully, avoid public gatherings, and minister quietly through trusted relationships.”

Despite the dangers in Pakistan, the Lord is moving and FMI is seeing people come to Jesus.

“Much of the ministry now focuses on strengthening indigenous believers who already live within these communities,” says Nehemiah. “Instead of relying on large public events, ministry outreach often happens through personal discipleship, small house fellowship, audio Bibles, storytelling devices, and humanitarian care.”

Baptism in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Nehemiah asks, “Please pray for protection over indigenous ministry leaders serving in dangerous areas. Pray for wisdom as they navigate increasing security and political instability. Pray that those trapped in fear and violence would encounter the peace of Christ.

“Finally, please pray for FMI partners, that Pakistani partners would remain steadfast, compassionate, and bold even during this rising wave of terrorism in Pakistan.”

Header photo of Pakistan flag. (Photo courtesy of Abuzar Xheikh/Unsplash)

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA explains that these six believers were apparently involved in church activities for children. Yet the charges against them make their actions sound far more serious: 

“‘Organizing minors to engage in activities undermining public order.’ That is not a religious charge,” says Nettleton. “That is a ‘you’re undermining the government’ charge, and so that could carry quite a serious penalty.” 

Teaching religion to children in China has been banned for years. Yet believers have faithfully worked to reach the next generation.

“There are risks for meeting together with other Christians in China. That risk grows if you have people under 18 in those meetings, so they certainly would have known the risk of what they were doing and counted the cost ahead of time,” says Nettleton. He says the detained Christians will likely receive significant prison time.

The arrest of the six Christians is only one example of the Chinese Communist Party’s push for the “sinicization of religion.” That is, bringing religion under state ideology and control. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a report in May 2026 on how China’s laws are increasingly restricting freedom of religion or belief.

(Photo courtesy VOM-USA)

“They would say [sincization] is more of a cultural thing, but the reality is, it’s a control thing. The Chinese Communist Party wants to control the hearts and minds of China’s people,” says Nettleton.

“That’s the position of the Chinese Communist Party, that you are undermining the government when you are training children in biblical values and biblical truth.”

How can we be praying for China? Last week, May 14–15, United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing. Ask God to raise more advocates in the government and other spheres who will speak up for persecuted Chinese Christians.  

Pray also for the encouragement and strengthening of imprisoned believers like Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, Pastor Wang Yi, and others. 

“We want to pray for them in the way that we would want to be prayed for if it were us who were behind the bars,” says Nettleton, pointing to Hebrews 13:3. 

Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA. 

Floyd Brobbel with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, “Their report claims that since 2009, at least 190,000 Nigerians were killed, and about 70% of that would be Christians. So there seems to be a very clear targeting of the Christian community in northern Nigeria.”

(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)

The report lays out how Nigeria has been hiding the genocide of Christians through misinformation campaigns and misleading narratives. Instead, government officials have described the violence as regional instability and even attributed it to climate change.

“The Christian cry within the North that our government is not doing anything to counteract these problems is true, and it’s well documented.”

Boko Haram and Fulani extremists attack Christian communities and others who stand in the way of their goal to establish an Islamic caliphate.

Brobbel encourages believers around the world to take action for our Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ.

“We need to be raising a voice and asking our governments to hold the Nigerian government accountable to these things that are happening in their country. Like, what are they doing to counteract these problems?”

(Photo courtesy VOM USA)

Pray also for the persecuted Church in northern Nigeria to be salt and light, so they can reach their persecutors for Christ.

Brobbel urges, “We really need to pray for those that remain and for those that flee, that they would be effective and bold in their Christian faith and continue to proclaim the Gospel courageously, because this is how things change.”

He also asks Christians to pray for Muslim extremists in northern Nigeria, that they would:

• encounter God’s Word and have visions of Jesus.
• have their hearts softened and eyes opened to biblical truth.
• be held accountable for their actions.
• give their lives ultimately to Christ.

Get involved with VOM Canada at vomcanada.com/engage.

Header photo: Nigerian believers pray for intervention. (Photo courtesy of VOM Canada)

If signed into law, the bill would cut aid to Nigeria in half… unless its government meets three conditions. Those conditions hinge on stopping what US lawmakers are calling a genocide against Christians in Nigeria. Here are those three requirements:

• “taking effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable”
• “prioritizing resources to support victims of such violence, including internally displaced persons”
• “actively facilitating the safe return, resettlement, and reconstruction of communities impacted by the violence.”

Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says that the nomadic Fulani people have become the main attackers of believers in Nigeria. Yet they are more than just enemies. 

“They’re fiercely opposed to the gospel. Yet what makes them very significant is they occupy more than 12 countries throughout Central Africa,” he says. “The largest concentration of Fulani happened to be in the country of Nigeria, where a lot of these atrocities that we’re speaking about are taking place.”

These disciples of Christ are passionately sharing God’s Word in North Eastern Nigeria.
(Photo, caption courtesy of Unknown Nations)

The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa reports that the Fulani Ethnic Militias were responsible for nearly half of the 36,056 civilian deaths they documented across Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2024. The violence has only continued since then.

(Read a May 2026 report on Fulani militants from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom here.)

Kelley says the clash comes down to Fulani herdsmen and Christian landowners.

“[The conflict zone] has largely been an area in the northern part, but as grazing lands have changed, and the Fulani are moving into territories further south, that’s what’s causing the increase of these hostilities,” he says. “But they’re very aggressive. I mean, you don’t tell a Fulani ‘no.’ If you own land, and they come through and trash your land, the farmers are not happy about that. There’s a confrontation.”

What’s the answer?

The population divide between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria is right around 50/50. Kelley says the biggest frustration is over the Nigerian government often looking the other way as Christians are killed. 

“You’re talking about 100 million Christians are saying, ‘When is the government going to finally hold these people accountable?’” he says. 

The gospel is the answer. Kelley notes that some of Unknown Nations’ best missionaries are former Fulani militants who have had an encounter with Christ. Pray for more such men and women. 

“Yes, the people that are terrorizing, the people that are killing, they are our target, and we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them,” Kelley says. “We’ve heard so many stories of Fulani coming to know Christ. It’s the Apostle Paul’s story.”

One way to reach the Fulani is through audio resources, since they are oral learners. That’s why Unknown Nations has distributed thousands of solar-powered audio Bibles, micro SD cards, and their Bible app into northern Nigeria, “because they gather around and they listen to the Word of God, and God changes their hearts,” says Kelley.

“Praying for the same-culture missionaries that are Hausa, that are Fulani, that are Kanuri is going to be how we reach northern Nigeria with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Header photo: Audio Bibles bring the Gospel to people from oral cultures. (Photo courtesy of Unknown Nations)

Mali Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga is encouraging citizens “not to give in to panic.”

The attackers were al-Qaeda-linked Islamists and Tuareg separatists – two distinct groups united in their goal to destabilize the government.

Flag of Mali (Stock photo courtesy of Aboodi Vesakaran via Pexels)

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM) says, “That’s what we saw over the weekend was coordinated attacks between these two groups in four different parts of Mali all at the same time, including an assassination of the defense minister. So a very significant, very coordinated effort that really shows the level of cooperation between these two groups has grown significantly.”

Mali is roughly 95% Muslim, and extremist factions there want to set up an Islamic caliphate.

Meanwhile, Tuareg separatists have a different objective.

“The Tuareg is a nomadic tribal group, [and] there are many Tuareg in the country of Mali,” Nettleton explains. “They want a separate area. They want a…Tuareg nation, so they are fighting to carve out part of Mali to be independent.”

Though their end goals differ, the two groups have joined forces – proof that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Together, they are driving a wave of chaos and fear across Mali.

Although Mali’s national military is responding, civilians and minorities will likely be caught in the crosshairs.

Pray for Mali. (Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

According to the 2026 World Watch List, Mali ranks 15th among the worst countries for Christian persecution. Primary persecution threats come from Islamic oppression, organized corruption, and crime.

“Christians are only 3% of the population in Mali, so they are a small minority. They face pressure. Often, the first line of persecution is your own family members if you are a follower of Christ, if you leave Islam to follow Jesus,” says Nettleton.

“So [be] praying for them to stand strong in faith, praying for God’s protection over them. I think we also want to pray for some stability in Mali not only because it’s affecting Christians in Mali. It’s affecting Christians in Burkina Faso and Niger as well. [Pray] for some pathway to a stable government and a stable nation that would certainly be a blessing to Christians there, as well as to Muslims who would like to live in safety as well.”

Find more ways to support Christians in Mali at persecution.com.

Header image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay.

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China says the Communist Party’s goal is to keep the peace.

“Their goal is for there to be harmony and unity within China, and for them, that is the majority, Han-based, Mandarin-speaking harmony, communist ideology,” Rovenstine said.

From their perspective, if the government can maintain harmony, it can provide for the comfort and prosperity of its people.

(Image courtesy of Bibles for China)

“They’re simply governing their country in a way that they deem best, in their opinion,” Rovenstine said.

To Rovenstine, this is not a surprising move on China’s part. It’s Communist China being Communist China.

At the government level, it would be easier to govern China through control, demanding one language, a singular culture, and a mindset that is “best for everyone.” However, diversity and independent culture suffer.

“There is a very real opportunity for abuse and overreach in a policy such as this,” Rovenstine says.

While this is not an overt attack on Christianity or any other religious or ethnic minority groups in the country, it could be used as the next in a string of policies in China that seek to control, suppress, and assimilate people.

If this new law does lead to religious persecution, Rovenstine thinks individual provinces and leaders will take advantage of this.

To the people in China, Rovenstine says this is not new.

“They learn how to make adjustments in ministry, whether it’s a registered church, house church, or just somebody trying to live their life in China,” he says.

Please pray for wisdom for those who are wondering how this policy will affect their ability to share the gospel and live their lives in a way that’s consistent with Jesus’ model.

Pray for the wisdom to know when to pivot and that believers will be encouraged and will continue to live in obedience to God and to serve in the country where God has placed them.

(Photo courtesy of Karwin Luo/Unsplash)

That’s because of the work of organizations such as the Program for Theological Education by Extension (PTEE). 

Erin James with PTEE explains that their team stands in the gap for Christians living in areas with low access to seminary. “We provide classes and training for refugees who have fled high-conflict areas and who desire to return after the conflict is over,” she says. 

“The target [students are] the ones that either don’t have the money, no ability to move, or the ones that are working full time and can only handle one class at a time.”

Christian Ethics class.
(Photo, caption courtesy PTEE)

PTEE’s fully accredited program has been in place for more than 30 years and today offers certificate, diploma, and bachelor’s tracks. James says it was started to meet a felt need among Arabic Christians from different backgrounds to better understand the Bible.

“We want them to be able to teach Sunday school, be pastors, lead women’s ministry, children’s ministry, but from a biblically sound foundation,” says James.

James says their education by extension methodology has been tested and proven. Coursework, group discussions, and tests are an integral part of the program. 

“It originally came out of South America. It’s been used in Asia,” she says. “So we started creating the classes where the cost is minimal. [Students] can meet in their local church or even a house, and study the Word.” 

Please pray for PTEE’s current students to grow in their faith and understanding of how to serve Christ in their unique contexts. 

“Lord-willing, when the conflict ends, then they have this solid biblical foundation to go back and be able to teach the Bible,” says James. “Then they can reach, talk to the people that stayed, that are now going, ‘Wait, who is God? We’ve lived through this thing, this horrible conflict,’ and they’re looking for a deeper understanding of the meaning of life, or just a deeper understanding of the Bible.”

Pray also for funds to support PTEE’s growing work. 

“We’re doing a mobile program as well. [Pray] that we’d be able to expand the work and reach more Christians who desire to study the Word,” says James. 

Header photo courtesy of PTEE.

The coordinated attacks targeted churches and luxury hotels, carried out by Islamist extremists during Easter services. The bombings deeply traumatized the nation and exposed security failures, leaving lasting concerns for the country’s Christian minority.

Kandy, Sri Lanka (Photo courtesy of Antonio Cogo/Unsplash)

Although it was seven years ago, Rajeeve Sathianathan, Sri Lanka director of Christian World Outreach (CWO), says the government is taking steps to help restore Christians’ confidence and protect their freedom to worship this Easter.

“In big cities, they are sending security forces to guard the big churches so that incidents like what happened a few years ago won’t happen again,” says Sathianathan. “But that protection is there only in big cities. In remote villages, that’s a challenge.”

Christians make up a small minority in Sri Lanka, where the majority of people are Buddhist, along with significant Hindu and Muslim populations. This can lead to persecution, especially in rural areas.

A woman in Sri Lanka. (Photo courtesy of Gemmmm/Unsplash)

On top of less security in Sri Lanka’s villages, rural Christians often face opposition from their neighbors.

Sathianathan says, “Most of them are like house churches. So the landlords tell them, ‘Hey, we need to kick them out of this place because we don’t want them to use this property to invite people in.’”

Easter is just around the corner this coming Sunday. Pray for Sri Lankan Christians and CWO partners.

“Pray for them, for strength, because sometimes the fear comes when you experience this kind of restriction,” Sathianathan asks. “That’s what I continue [to pray] for protection and also pray for wisdom.”

Learn more about CWO’s Sri Lanka ministry at cwomissions.org/srilanka/.

Header photo courtesy of Vinnath Satharasinghe/Unsplash.

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM) says, “People came in on bikes and motorcycles, opened fire. The initial reports were at least 30 people killed. I think that number is going to rise as some were badly injured.”

This coordinated attack targeted believers, as the affected community in northern Jos is almost entirely Christian.

“The gunmen were yelling, ‘Allahu akbar,’ or ‘Allah is great,’ as they were conducting this attack,” Nettleton says. “So there clearly was an Islamist ideology that was driving this – and the fact that it was on Palm Sunday, I don’t think that is insignificant in this story as well.”

(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)

Northern Nigeria remains a hotspot for Christian persecution. That reality makes it difficult for believers to discern between empty threats and imminent danger.

Nettleton says, “Our Nigerian contact said there had been threats in Jos. Even in the last two or three weeks, there had been threats made against Christians, against churches…. The threat level is always elevated. So [it means] differentiating between, ‘Is this sort of a regular threat? Or is this really serious? Do we need to pay extra attention to this?'”

Boko Haram and Fulani militants frequently carry out attacks on Christians in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north. While neither group has officially claimed the attack in Jos, Christian holidays often become opportunities for Islamist violence.

“One of the things that we…at The Voice of the Martyrs try to do is bang the drum for us to remember Christians are at extra risk on these holy days – on Christmas, on Easter. During times when there are a lot of Christians gathering, the gatherings are obviously known. They’re very public, and so the risk is greater in these holidays.”

(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

With Easter quickly approaching, the Church in Nigeria needs your prayers.

Nettleton urges, “Think about brothers and sisters who are worshiping and celebrating the same resurrection we are, but they’re doing it in a place where they are in danger, where the threat is very real to them – to pray for them, to remember them as Hebrews 13:3 tells us to do. I think, honestly, that adds a depth to our celebration of the resurrection.”

Header photo courtesy of VOM USA.

India’s Supreme Court (Photo courtesy of Subhashish Panigrahi via Wikimedia Commons – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

The bill is made worse because Maharashtra is the economic center of India and the second-most populous state, says Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations. “Because of its influence, because of its power, that probably is just going to continue now, the cascading domino effect of additional states coming along [with their own such laws].” 

Twelve Indian states already have anti-conversion laws in place. They are meant to protect people from being coerced into converting through force, fraud, or inducement. However, Kelley says the laws disproportionately target Christians.

“I’m sure there are some bad actors,” he concedes. “And this isn’t just Christians, but it’s also dealing with Hindus marrying Muslims, for example, and forcing them to become Muslim. So there are other dynamics. But Christians, being the minority, are persecuted and targeted by not just Hindus but also Muslims.”

Anti-conversion laws require the accused to prove that any conversion(s) in question was not done through force or allurement. In other words, they must prove themselves innocent. 

Kelley says that although the Maharashtra bill has a few more legal hurdles to jump through, it’s basically certain. “Because of the precedent that’s already been set by 12 other states, this is just going to kind of push through the process. It’s not chartering new ground. This is becoming an established pattern.”

One piece of good news is that India’s Supreme Court is in the process of a landmark review of anti-conversion laws and their constitutionality. Their ruling will affect all of India’s states, including Maharashtra and Bihar States, which are both at different stages with anti-conversion legislation.

In the meantime, don’t miss the bigger picture of the Great Commission in India. 

“What most people don’t realize is that within probably the next 25 years, India will simultaneously be the most populated Hindu country and the most populated Muslim country,” says Kelley.

“So it is ‘ground zero’ for what we call unreached people groups. So the church has to have a missional presence in India. [There are] over 1.2 billion people living there, and most of them without a gospel witness. It has got to be a priority.”

Photo from Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, India (Courtesy of Jannes Jacobs via Unsplash)

Pray for wisdom for gospel workers in Maharashtra State, as they will soon have to navigate the effects of the new law. Pray for innocence and also shrewdness as they pursue the call to share Jesus.

Pray for a stronger Christian presence in India. Pray for India as a whole. Learn how you can partner with gospel workers already there, making Jesus known in India alongside Unknown Nations. 

Header photo is a stock image courtesy of Joe Gratz/Flickr.