(Photo courtesy of Open Doors)

The U.S. Congress is currently advocating to put North Korea back on a list of designated state sponsors of terrorism. The U.S. took the hermit nation off the list in 2008 to persuade North Korea to dismantle their nuclear weapons program.

Amid rising animosity with North Korea on the political spectrum, where does the Church come in? Kristin Wright with Open Doors USA says, first, pray for North Korea and the Christians there.

“A lot of people don’t realize that North Korea remains home to an estimated 300,000 Christian believers. I think a lot of people would actually be very surprised to hear that, given the nature of the Communist state and what that looks like.”

Open Doors publishes the World Watch List each year listing the top 50 countries that are the most oppressive towards Christians. North Korea has been number one on the World Watch List for the past 15 years.

Wright explains, “Basically, worship of the ruling family is mandated, and that means those who don’t comply, often including Christians, can be arrested, tortured, killed, and we know for a fact that many of them are actually confined today in modern day labor camps. Entire families, entire generations have been imprisoned; and so it’s an ongoing tragedy, and ongoing suffering for Christian believers in this country.

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“Christians in North Korea are forced to hide their faith completely, even from some family members because it’s the kind of state where people are monitored, people monitor each other. So due to that ever-present surveillance, there’s a different type of Church in North Korea. It’s one where many, for instance, will pray with their eyes open. Gathering for a church service would be completely prohibited and very difficult to achieve.”

However, while North Korea is a nation closed off from the world and hostile to the Gospel, it cannot keep God out.

“Open Doors, actually through our local partners on the ground, is serving Christians in North Korea. We’re helping to provide emergency aid including food, medicine, clothes, as well as Christian discipleship materials.”

Their ministry also works to bring to light the true stories and plights of North Koreans and believers there. “Just a week or two ago, we had an awareness event in Washington D.C. where North Korean defectors came and spoke about their experiences and we heard from refugees. So I think this is an important time for awareness as well, and as Christians, we can lead the way by telling other people what is going on in North Korea and what the reality of life is for Christians and for others who don’t comply with the regime.”

(Photo courtesy of Christian Aid)

As you pray for God to protect and strengthen the Church in North Korea, Wright asks us also to pray “for the rest of North Koreans — whether they’ve been exposed to Christianity or not — we need to pray that the eyes of North Koreans would be opened to the truth of what is happening there, and to the truth of the Gospel.”

Another way you can take a stand for North Korean Christians? “I would say that advocacy is a great way to get involved. You can always visit opendoorsusa.org to learn more advocacy opportunities, as well as opportunities to pray and to give to help assist Christians who are facing persecution.”

Bruce Allen of Forgotten Missionaries International has been talking about this possibility for months. What is it? Allen says it comes from an ISIS propaganda magazine called Debiq. “This article is suggesting that they are expanding so rapidly that they will buy their first nuclear weapon within a year, and it will come from Pakistan.”

In previous interviews with Mission Network News, Allen has outlined the IS/Pakistan connection and what that could mean for the future of the terrorist organization. Why should we believe this latest propaganda? “Islamic State has been very clear about its objectives; it carries through on the threats and then documents it for the world to see.”

IS even talks about its intended objective, says Allen. “They specify it’s going to go from Pakistan, to Libya, to Nigeria, Central America, to Mexico. And they say, ‘Presto! From Mexico we’re mingling with another 12 million illegal aliens in America with a nuclear bomb in our trunk.'”

This is a scary scenario for everyone. But Allen says, “This is something that we need to be aware of and to be acting on–at least everyone praying about this situation because we are given a heads up, an alert, so to speak.”

(Listen to the full interview while you read)

The only way to defeat this evil is through spiritual Truth, says Allen. In Pakistan, Forgotten Missionaries International is recruiting national Christians to take the Truth of the Gospel to their people. “We’re trying to counteract the forces of evil there by sharing Truth, by sharing hope, by acts of compassion, guiding people who are seeking Truth and how to find that Truth.”

Allen says they have five new national workers ready to do the work. According to Allen, these believers are pre-qualified. They “already speak the language, they’re Pakistani. They eat the food. They understand the culture and have significant relationships in their neighborhoods.”

While these recruits are ready, they need people like you to help support them each month. You can sponsor or partially sponsor a pastor by clicking here.

Allen says Pakistanis reaching Pakistanis can create Saul-to-Paul experiences. “God took Saul of Tarsus, the terrorist of his day, and turned him to Paul the Apostle. That story can get replayed again and again in places like Pakistan.”

Share Nagmeh’s prayer for Saeed Abedini on Facebook. (Image courtesy 8thirty8 via Facebook)

“There’s the external: they want to go after Israel. There’s the internal: they want to wipe out the Church. And, I just think Satan is behind this because it’s a massive spiritual war,” Doyle explains.

“He is going after Israel, the chosen people, and Jesus’ beloved bride, the Church — all through one nation.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani agreed last week to a six-month restriction on his country’s nuclear activities, in exchange for sanctions totaling approximately $7 billion USD. Toted a historical victory by Iranian and U.S. leaders, the deal was deemed a “historic mistake” by U.S.-ally Israel.

“Iran, we believe, with this new peace pact, will probably be accelerated in their march to getting nuclear weapons that they’ve promised to use against Israel,” notes Doyle.

Iran has long stood in vehement opposition of Israel, culminated in a 2005 speech by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) captured Ahmadinejad’s comments to thousands of Iranian students in an online news article.

“As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map,” Ahmadinejad stated, supposedly referencing Iran’s founder, Ayatollah Rouhollah Mousavi Khomeini.

Key to the suppression of Iran’s nuclear development and activity, U.S. and U.N. restrictions have been in place for over a decade. Measures enacted in 2010 and 2012 heavily limit the country’s access to oil profits.

The crippling effect of these restrictions on Iran’s economy and Rouhani’s appointment to national leadership both contributed to the country’s current willingness to “strike a deal” with the West.

Obama and fellow U.S. leaders also received criticism for refusing to make the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini a prerequisite in last week’s nuclear discussions.

“President Obama and Secretary of State [John] Kerry turned their backs on a U.S. citizen by refusing to secure his freedom before reaching an agreement with Iran,” said American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) chief counsel, Jay Sekulow, in a release.

“It is outrageous and a betrayal of American Pastor Saeed Abedini who has spent more than a year in an Iranian prison simply because of his Christian faith.”

Sanctions and silence release pressure

Doyle says Obama’s silence regarding Abedini’s release could speak volumes to Iran’s leadership. In recent years, Iran has been responding to international pressure.

“When there’s no international pressure,” Doyle notes, “then they just have a free pass to do what they want.”

Abedini’s wife, Nagmeh, recently shared a prayer for her husband on the 8thirty8 Facebook page. Doyle says she is highly concerned for Saeed’s well-being.

“Saeed has been transferred to another facility that has even more hardened criminals there, appears to be less supervision; there’s more of a chance for him to be hurt there,” Doyle explains.

According to Nagmeh, Saeed is enduring “extreme persecution” and needs your prayers.

“It’s so difficult, but he’s standing firm, he has a great love for Jesus,” says Doyle. “We are so thankful for this brother. He is in the midst of that, sharing his faith in this prison.”

Leaders like Abedini, and the Iranian Church in general, personify a paradox faced by persecuted Christians worldwide.

“Where the Church is being persecuted is where it’s effective,” explains Doyle. “Where it’s being left alone, like in Europe and largely in America, we’re very much marginalized and often not taken seriously.”

Efforts to combat or block the Gospel are backfiring, he adds, especially in Iran.

“Anything the government gives their endorsement to, ‘This is bad’– the people of Iran want to check out. That’s one of the reasons the Gospel has been making such an impact on Iran,” he explains.

“In the places where the Church is under fire — North Korea, Egypt, Iran — that’s where God is moving powerfully. We want the persecution to pull back, but we want the Church to keep accelerating.”

How can you help?

The first and most important step is prayer.

“We must pray,” Doyle says. “We’re praying that there’s no nuclear conflict, but we’re also praying for God to intervene for the Church, because these are dark and difficult days for them.”

Secondly, you can set your clock for 8:38 pm. The 8thirty8 initiative is a reminder to pray for believers around the world who are either in prison, persecution, or danger.

It’s based on Romans 8:38 and 39, which reads, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Doyle expounds, “We want our brothers and sisters in Christ in North Korea, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, to know that the Body of Christ stands with them and they’re fervent for their deliverance, and for their safety.”

Finally, go here for specific ways you can get involved in Middle East ministry through E3.

“God’s moving in the midst of persecution; only He could do this,” says Doyle.

“Most people would want to give up and say, ‘Forget it’, but the Church is triumphant and actually moves forward in a more powerful way in the midst of persecution.”

"There's the external: they want to go after Israel. There's the internal: they want to wipe out the Church. And, I just think Satan is behind this because it's a massive spiritual war," Doyle explains.

"He is going after Israel, the chosen people, and Jesus' beloved bride, the Church — all through one nation."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani agreed last week to a six-month restriction on his country's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions totaling approximately $7 billion USD. Touted a historical victory by Iranian and U.S. leaders, the deal was deemed a "historic mistake" by U.S.-ally Israel.

"Iran, we believe, with this new peace pact, will probably be accelerated in their march to getting nuclear weapons that they've promised to use against Israel," notes Doyle.

Iran has long stood in vehement opposition of Israel, culminated in a 2005 speech by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) captured Ahmadinejad's comments to thousands of Iranian students in an online news article.

"As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map," Ahmadinejad stated, supposedly referencing Iran's founder, Ayatollah Rouhollah Mousavi Khomeini.

Key to the suppression of Iran's nuclear development and activity, U.S. and U.N. restrictions have been in place for over a decade. Measures enacted in 2010 and 2012 heavily limit the country's access to oil profits.

The crippling effect of these restrictions on Iran's economy and Rouhani's appointment to national leadership both contributed to the country's current willingness to "strike a deal" with the West.

Obama and fellow U.S. leaders also received criticism for refusing to make the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini a prerequisite in last week's nuclear discussions.

"President Obama and Secretary of State [John] Kerry turned their backs on a U.S. citizen by refusing to secure his freedom before reaching an agreement with Iran," said American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) chief counsel, Jay Sekulow, in a release.

"It is outrageous and a betrayal of American Pastor Saeed Abedini who has spent more than a year in an Iranian prison simply because of his Christian faith."

Sanctions and silence release pressure

Doyle says Obama's silence regarding Abedini's release could speak volumes to Iran's leadership. In recent years, Iran has been responding to international pressure.

"When there's no international pressure," Doyle notes, "then they just have a free pass to do what they want."

Abedini's wife, Nagmeh, recently shared a prayer for her husband on the 8thirty8 Facebook page. Doyle says she is highly concerned for Saeed's well-being.

"Saeed has been transferred to another facility that has even more hardened criminals there, appears to be less supervision; there's more of a chance for him to be hurt there," Doyle explains.

According to Nagmeh, Saeed is enduring "extreme persecution" and needs your prayers.

"It's so difficult, but he's standing firm; he has a great love for Jesus," says Doyle. "We are so thankful for this brother. He is in the midst of that, sharing his faith in this prison."

Leaders like Abedini–and the Iranian Church in general–personify a paradox faced by persecuted Christians worldwide.

"Where the Church is being persecuted is where it's effective," explains Doyle. "Where it's being left alone, like in Europe and largely in America, we're very much marginalized and often not taken seriously."

Efforts to combat or block the Gospel are backfiring, Doyle adds, especially in Iran.

"Anything the government gives their endorsement to, 'This is bad'– the people of Iran want to check out. That's one of the reasons the Gospel has been making such an impact on Iran," he explains.

"In the places where the Church is under fire–North Korea, Egypt, Iran, that's where God is moving powerfully. We want the persecution to pull back, but we want the Church to keep accelerating."

How can you help?

The first and most important step is prayer.

"We must pray," Doyle says. "We're praying that there's no nuclear conflict, but we're also praying for God to intervene for the Church, because these are dark and difficult days for them."

Secondly, you can set your clock for 8:38 pm. The 8thirty8 initiative is a reminder to pray for believers around the world who are either in prison, persecution, or danger.

It's based on Romans 8:38 and 39, which reads, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Doyle expounds, "We want our brothers and sisters in Christ in North Korea, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria to know that the Body of Christ stands with them, and they're fervent for their deliverance and for their safety."

Finally, go here for specific ways you can get involved in Middle East ministry through E3.

"God's moving in the midst of persecution; only He could do this," says Doyle.

"Most people would want to give up and say, 'Forget it', but the Church is triumphant and actually moves forward in a more powerful way in the midst of persecution."