Pastor Ilya Butolin, worship pastor with Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod, says the issue does not center on outreach activities, but on whether the congregation may use the property for regular church functions. He describes how authorities have framed their objections.

Beit Hallel Congregation’s new building in Ashdod. (Screenshot courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)

“We have a building that we purchased, and they are trying to say that we can’t use this building because we cannot share the Gospel in Israel, like we cannot be missionaries in Israel. So they’re trying to prevent it in any way possible,” says Butolin.

“We’ve [had] physical persecution. They used to come to our building and shout in front of our doors. But now it’s more official. I would call it persecution with suits.”

According to Open Doors USA’s World Watch List 2024 Israel Full Country Dossier, the influence of ultra-Orthodox Jewish ministers nearly led to the passage of a bill in January 2023 that would punish Christian evangelism with prison time. Ultimately, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blocked the bill. Even so, Messianic Jews in Israel continue to encounter legal and cultural challenges in ministry.

Israel flag (Photo courtesy of Oleg Vakhromov/Unsplash)

Despite these pressures, Butolin says his commitment to Israel and to prayer for the country remains strong.

“It’s important for us as Christians to stand and support Israel, even [though] there is persecution in Israel. There will be always. The Christians were persecuted all over the world. But the great part is that there [are] salvations in Israel.”

He adds that a believer’s hope is not rooted in political systems or governing authorities, but in God’s sovereignty.

“We’re never going to get satisfied. But it’s important to separate that, and that there is still God’s will. The fact that there is an Israeli government, it’s God’s will. So I don’t care if they’re left or right, I will pray for them — same like I’m praying for my enemies. I’m praying for the Muslim brothers to come to Christ because I want them to be saved, same as I want the Jews to be saved.”

As Beit Hallel Congregation approaches an upcoming court date, Butolin is asking believers to pray that “God will give us also wisdom — what to say, what to speak.

“We can stand not only for Beit Hallel Congregation, but this court will be really important for the Body of Christ in Israel because we’re representing not only our congregation, but also the Messianic Jews in Israel.”

Learn more about Beit Hallel Congregation’s ministry at beithallel-israel.org.

Header photo: The coastline of Ashdod, Israel. (Photo courtesy of Lio Voo/Pexels)

Greg Kelley, CEO of World Mission says, “We’ve seen increasing episodes [of persecution] in the last 10 years specifically,” Kelley says. “But it’s been this way for generations, to be honest with you. It just happens to be accelerating over the last 10 to 12 years.”

(Photo courtesy of World Mission)

According to Open Doors USA, 5,621 Christians around the world were killed for their faith last year, and 90% were from Nigeria.

Since the rise of Boko Haram in 2009, over 45,000 Christians have been martyred in Nigeria for their faith.

These failures of religious freedom in Nigeria are getting a political spotlight as well. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari recently met with Rashad Hussain, the United States Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.

Hussain addressed Nigeria’s tolerance of religious persecution at the meeting, although there is no telling what kind of impact these discussions will actually have since Buhari’s term as president will be finished in just a few short weeks.

Meanwhile, World Mission has worked in Nigeria for the last 20 years, with an emphasis on reaching the northern part of the country with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

While southern Nigeria is dominantly Christian, the north is over 90% Muslim.

(Photo courtesy of World Mission)

Kelley explains, “You have majority people groups such as the Hausa and the Fulani and the Kanuri who are these majority Muslim people groups that are literally pushing out Christianity. They’re targeting many churches. Many Christian-oriented nonprofit organizations have all fled and these areas are being run out [and] sacked, their villages are being attacked, people are being killed [and] kidnapped.

“There’s all kinds of chaos going on in the north and the objective of it all is to sort of dismantle Christianity from those northern areas.”

With the help of indigenous Christian leaders in Nigeria, World Mission distributes Treasures (solar-powered audio Bibles) to unreached people groups.

“It’s a pretty crazy thought to consider that as we resource and send a Treasure, we’re putting it into the hands of a man or a woman who literally is taking their life in their own hands. If they get caught with these, if it’s in the wrong community, they could lose their life.”

Despite the danger to Nigerian Christians spreading the Gospel in turbulent areas, Kelley says, “They do it excitedly. They do it with an exuberance that you just can’t imagine because they’re so determined to take the Gospel into these areas.”

(Photo courtesy of World Mission)

It costs $50 to get one Treasure into the hands of someone in Nigeria. You can support World Mission by donating here!

Header photo courtesy of World Mission.

Eleven years of terrorist violence in Nigeria, mainly at the hands of Boko Haram, has displaced more than three million people. Now, Boko Haram is expanding its reach.

“Boko Haram would love to have a caliphate. I don’t know that they’ve cobbled together the ‘organizational know-how’ to do it yet, but they’ve effectively begun the process,” David Curry of Open Doors USA says.

“They have always worked as a terrorist group, but now they want to capture territory.”

More about Boko Haram expansion here.

“It’s not a surprise to Open Doors. We’ve been trying to ring this alarm bell for some time now,” Curry says.

“The government of Nigeria and, to some extent, the Western governments, have seen this as a ‘second-tier’ problem, but it’s not. It’s a ‘first tier’ issue.”

Boko Haram’s ruthless pursuit

Boko Haram follows the tenants of radical Islam, putting Christians high on the ‘hit list.’ The insurgency also places Nigeria at #12 of 50 countries on Open Doors’ World Watch List.

(Representative image courtesy of Open Doors USA).

Nigerian believers often seek safety in numbers. Unfortunately, this only makes it easier to find them. Militants identify villages with high Christian populations, then “attack these villages [and] burn them down,” Curry says.

“[They] blow up churches, kill Christians that might be walking around the street.”

Read our full coverage of Boko Haram persecution here. After invoking more than a decade of wrath in northeast Nigeria, Boko Haram violence “[is] escalating,” Curry says.

“They want to take over the territory. [Boko Haram is] doing incursions into Burkina Faso, which wasn’t happening 24 [or] 36 months ago. Now it is, and that’s a sign of the [growing strength] of Boko Haram,” he continues.

“They’re attacking into Lake Chad; they’re in the northwest. They test to see what the resistance will be, and then they run attacks, murders, raids.”

Find your place in the story

Pray for persecuted believers using the prompts listed alongside this article. Then, use the buttons below to share this story.

“We need to raise our voice and let people know this is happening. Sharing these stories on social media is part of it because they’re getting drowned out by everything else.”

Finally, send tangible help through Open Doors USA. “If these sorts of things stir your heart, I encourage people to adopt a project,” Curry says.

“Open Doors is working with partners in the region, [identifying] families who’ve been cut off from food or medical care amid the coronavirus.”

Header image depicts Boko Haram militants. Photo courtesy Open Doors USA.

Open Doors USA CEO David Curry says believers pay the price for this insurgency. Nigeria is 12th on Open Doors’ World Watch List, a ranking of 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution.

“Every day, I get tragic stories of families who’ve lost their husband, pastors who’ve been killed; there’s a very real human effect.”

Last month, the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) moved from military to human targets. As described here, jihadists executed five aid workers and sent a chilling threat to Christians. Violent events involving militant Islamist groups in Africa have spiked 31-percent since last year, USCIRF reports.

A decade of turmoil

Over the past decade, Nigeria has gradually become a hotbed for terrorist activity. Boko Haram began targeting Christians in July 2009; ten years later, the danger tripled. In July 2019, believers faced threats from three Islamic terror groups: Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani herdsmen. Read our full coverage here.

Boko Haram
(Photo courtesy of Think Defence via Flickr/CC2.0)

At the height of ISIS’s insurgency in the Middle East, Boko Haram became Islamic State affiliates in West Africa.

“When the Islamic State was in control, Boko Haram was happy to say, ‘look, we have the same ideals of imposing Sharia law; we would be happy to make you look more powerful by being a node in your network. In return, we’d like some bombing expertise; maybe send your people down here [and] some cash to help buy weapons,” Curry says.

“Those sorts of arrangements have been happening. We’ve heard that on the ground. Many years ago, I was feeding this information back to the State Department and others.”

Tides eventually turned; Boko Haram and the Islamic State went their separate ways as ISIS lost power. Weak government rule in Nigeria failed to stop ISWAP from resurfacing a few years ago.

“This has been a very ineffectual government, not just one administration, but over the last few,” Curry says.

“They see [attacks as] ‘little problems,’ but that’s the same thing I heard in northern Iraq right before ISIS took over. Unfortunately, the government would overlook the problem until it gets so bad that it causes global chaos.”

How to help Nigeria

Believers may not have much influence on government action, but we know the God who controls world events.

Ask Him to intercede on behalf of His followers in Nigeria. Pray the Nigerian Church will be able to withstand pressure and have the grace to respond to their challenges in a way that glorifies Christ.

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“There are so many things going on right now; I understand that, but our calling to pray for and to advocate for our brothers and sisters in faith is important,” Curry says.

“Pray for these people, their protection, and that the Gospel is heard in the midst of this.”

Header image courtesy of Open Doors USA.

What’s behind Mali’s unrest?

Protests began weeks ago following spring elections. Today, demonstrators call for Keïta’s resignation, saying he has failed to address jihadist violence, corruption, and Mali’s economic challenges.

The stakes are high. If Mali’s political unrest continues, it could undermine efforts to keep terrorists at bay in West Africa. “This high-level mission is a clear illustration of the importance of Mali [and] the fear from neighboring countries,” says Illia Djadi, Senior Analyst of Religious Freedom and Belief in Sub-Sahara Africa with Open Doors.

Militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have expanded from Mali into Niger and Burkina Faso. Their reach is ever-growing, and Christians are in the cross-hairs.

Mali is #29 on Open Doors’ World Watch List.
(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“Northern Mali [and] central Mali have become a haven for terrorist groups,” Djadi continues.

“Their aim is to eradicate Christianity in that region. As believers, we need to pay attention. What is happening in Mali will have repercussions for the whole region.”

Mali: a ticking time bomb

Following two decades of peaceful democratic rule, a Tuareg ethnic rebellion in 2012 threw northern Mali into chaos. “Then, they [were] overrun by a jihadist group. At that point, all the Christian churches were destroyed, and Christians [had] to flee to neighboring countries,” Djadi says.

The UN called global attention to West Africa several months ago. Refugees from neighboring Nigeria and Mali fled to Burkina Faso, and extremists quickly followed. In June, fighting forced nearly one million people to escape – a 92-percent increase over 2019 figures.

Pray for political leaders as they work to resolve Mali’s crisis. Sign up for email updates here to follow this story.

“It’s a big security threat for the whole region, which has clear repercussions for the security of Europe and the rest of the world,” Djadi notes.

“It’s not only about the Sahel; it’s not only about Sub Saharan Africa. We should all be concerned about what is happening.”

More about Christians in Mali here.

Header image is a representative stock photo obtained via Pexels.

Isaac Six of Open Doors USA says there’s more to this issue than meets the eye. “The concern here is that the rights across China are eroding. There [are] major human rights and religious freedom violations,” he explains.

“A lot of the great ministry work being done in China could face some pretty serious challenges in the years ahead.”

Believers in China already face significant difficulties. Learn why China is #23 on Open Doors’ World Watch List. Things like sharing the Gospel or meeting with fellow Christians are problematic. Nonetheless, Chinese believers take bold risks to share their faith.

(Photo courtesy Open Doors USA)

“There’s just a vibrant love for the Gospel. It’s liberating [them] from a lot of the government oppression that takes place in China,” Six says when describing Chinese believers.

“The amount of commitment and the willingness to risk freedom to share the Gospel – it’s unprecedented.”

China holds an estimated 100 million believers, “which is exponential over the last couple of decades,” Six adds.

Politics, religion face-off in China

Various developments and political brouhaha have kept China and the US in the headlines for weeks. Six outlines two situations with ties to religious freedom.

“There’s been so much back-and-forth over the last few weeks; it’s probably easiest to [group] it in two categories. You have a dispute over Hong Kong and the status of Hong Kong, and then you have a major dispute over what’s happening in Xinjiang with Uyghur Muslims,” he explains.

“Both Congress and President Trump’s administration are trying a strong approach here, and China seems to be just hitting us back with reprisals.”

Use today’s headlines to guide your prayers.

“Pray for the believers in China, that they would have perseverance, but also for political leaders, that they would have a change of heart,” Six requests.

“This is an unprecedented time for the US and China, so we need to [pray] for leaders on both sides. We pray for our leaders here in the US, but we need to pray for Xi Jinping; we need to pray for Chen Quanguo. He leads the repression in Xinjiang. And, you know what? I’ve seen so many people who were once persecutors become faithful, faithful believers; I think that’s possible for anyone.”

Header image courtesy of Open Doors USA.

“There’s a lot of substance to this,” says Isaac Six of Open Doors USA. “It really does prioritize religious freedom, and in sort of a new way.”

Six points out two ways this order helps religious freedom globally. “One is the increase, and it is an increase, of about $50 million per fiscal year towards programming for international religious freedom. That will go to the State Department and the US Agency for International Development. A portion of that is going to be spent in various countries around the world, trying to protect religious minorities and promote programs that bring religious freedom to these countries.”

“Religious Liberty” was commissioned by B’nai B’rith and dedicated in 1876 to “the people of the United States” as an expression of support for the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Six says this amount of money being spent on religious freedom is something he hasn’t seen before.

This order also helps by requiring government officials working in countries of particular concern to do more about religious discrimination that just filing a report. “I’ll ask [them] ‘Have you connected with this church? Or do you know, what’s going on with that church?’ And they’ll say, ‘No, I’m sorry, I just don’t have time for it. We’re working on a lot of things here.’ This is a clear prioritization . . . and that’s going to mean meeting with faith leaders. It’s going to mean understanding what’s going on around them. Then that can help them to provide support, especially when there’s actually persecution taking place.”

Protection for only certain groups?

While the president may have political motivations for protecting Christians overseas, Six says, “The order itself is pretty careful with language to support people of any belief. A lot of people I work with in Washington, on the hill, USCIRF, and other agencies are mostly trying to go out of their way to make clear that they are standing up for religious freedom for everyone.”

That said, Six says government officials working on the ground in these countries will have to work hard to make sure they are supporting religious rights for all, not just a certain group. Christians can pray these leaders will take this order and turn it into action. If it is carried out well, Six thinks the order can help a lot of people globally.

The world has a long way to go in the struggle to promote religious freedom, Six says. “The vast majority of people do not live in countries where they are basically free to practice their faith.”

USCIRF keeps track of which countries abuse their citizens’ freedom to practice any religion they see fit. (Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA on Facebook)

Tomb of Esther and Mordecai – Hamadan – Western Iran
(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

David Curry of Open Doors USA says, “It’s not entirely clear who’s the villain in this except to say the Iranian government so devalues the Christian faith that they seem to either be looking the other way or be behind it.”

Fires ignite in three religious sites

Iranian activists reportedly described the incident to Simon Wiesenthal Center, one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations. In a May 15 statement, SWC leaders warned history was repeating itself:

“The torching of this Jewish holy site is reminiscent of the Nazis, who not only killed the living but desecrated the dead. The attack took place against the backdrop of the Mullahocracy’s drumbeat of genocidal hatred against the Jewish people, its state-sponsored policy of Holocaust denial and denigration. In such an environment a violent attack against Jews, Judaism, and Jewish heritage should surprise no one.”

A number of anti-Semitic tweets were posted using the hashtag #covid1948 following the fire, along with calls for a “free” Palestine. In February, a paramilitary group threatened to destroy the tomb and replace it with a Palestinian consulate.

“Iran has tried to maintain some kind of grandfather policy towards religious sites, historical sites; the tomb of Esther and Mordecai is one of those,” Curry says. “Yet now we have these attacks and the discussion around whether or not they’re going to make it into some sort of government epicenter.”

After the arson at this ancient site, Article 18 reports, fires broke out at a Hindu temple and Christian cemetery. Iranian authorities persecute most religious minorities, but Jews receive much of the authorities’ attention.

Last week, the Iranian Parliament passed a new “anti-Israel” bill and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned an Iranian foreign minister’s Tweet promoting genocide.

Keep praying for Iran

(Photo courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)

Ask the Lord to protect religious minorities in Iran. “The government is widely unpopular; they can sometimes use Christians as a wedge to drum up support from the more radical parts of the Islamic faith,” Curry explains. “Pray that Christians won’t be used as pawns.”

Pray Iranian authorities would come to a saving knowledge of Christ. “The people of Iran are welcome and open to the Gospel. There’s a strong Church… so, I think it’s really about the government,” Curry says. “We can, hopefully, through prayer, see some changes in the attitudes and the rules there towards Christian faith.”

Finally, support Iranian Christians here through Open Doors USA.

Header image is a representative stock photo obtained via Pexels.

David Curry of Open Doors USA says this “blame game” is part of a wider trend in India.

“Prime Minister Modi is part of the political party that’s putting the ‘Hindu first’ agenda forward and emboldening radicals to blame religious minorities. Right now, you see them attacking Muslims, blaming them for the coronavirus outbreak; you also have some groups blaming Christians,” Curry says.

“People are using religious minorities as scapegoats or they’re targeting them, or they’re withholding aid.”

COVID-19 doubles believers’ difficulties

As previously noted, India’s Prime Minister put the world’s second-most populated country under lockdown in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Churches haven’t been able to meet since then, so pastors don’t have the financial support that normally comes through tithing. More details here.

Furthermore, as reported here, some states won’t let Christians receive government food rations. “Christians in India largely come from the lowest caste, the Dalit. That means that they’re deeply affected by these sort of lockdowns because they’re living hand-to-mouth,” Curry explains.

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“You can certainly see that there’s going to be issues of starvation. Open Doors has a Rapid Response Program to help feed Christians in India and throughout Asia who are from these low caste systems.”

Learn more about Open Doors USA’s Rapid Response Program here.

This isn’t the first time religious minorities face pressure from India’s government and society. “India has risen on our World Watch List to number 10, which means it’s one of the most difficult places for Christians to practice their faith. There’s a radical Hindu agenda that has developed since 2014,” Curry explains.

Earlier this year, Hindu radicals created a “spy network” to monitor Christian activity nationwide. Last week, the USCRIF urged U.S. officials to designate India as a “country of particular concern.”

“We need to continue to challenge Prime Minister Modi to control religious extremists within his country. He’s doing an exceptionally poor job of this,” he adds.

“He (Modi) has instigated a lot of the attacks against Muslims and Christian minorities in India. There’s no question about it.”

How to help Christians in India

Click here to send tangible support to persecuted believers through Open Doors USA. Most importantly, pray. “Pray for Christian leaders in India who try to find ways, even while they’re suffering themselves, to help their flock: people in their church who might be without food, without jobs, without access to medical care,” Curry requests.

Indian believers receive much-needed emergency aid due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
(Photo, caption courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“Pray for individuals who are on the frontlines helping people.”

Pray into the global coronavirus crisis here.

Header image courtesy of Open Doors USA.

Isaac Six with Open Doors USA says the coalition could create opportunities for Gospel workers by making religious freedom a global priority. “Where are the missionaries at, and what’s keeping them from being able to share their faith with others?” he asks.

“Often, there are either societal or governmental pressures or regulations that really, really inhibit the freedom of people to share the Gospel.”

What is the International Religious Freedom Alliance?

The International Religious Freedom Alliance launched last week at the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. It’s the first group of its kind, with 27 countries committed to five principles.

Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally (Photo courtesy of American Life League via Flickr)

“Honestly, most countries don’t bring this issue (religious freedom) up as one of their top priorities,” Six explains. “So, anything you can do to make this a part of the normal discussion [between countries] is great.”

Efforts to secure global focus on religious freedom came up this summer during the U.S. Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom.  Additionally, President Trump underscored U.S. commitment to the issue in September. Alliance members continue this emphasis.

“The Alliance determined to be proactive in their work, not just… ‘We all agree on these principles and will sort of passively make sure everything’s fine’,” Six says.

Instead, Alliance members decided “we’re going to pro-actively work on promoting religious freedom, not just in our own countries, but in other countries as well.”

Why does it matter?

Last year, the Pew Research Center highlighted a significant rise in religious restrictions worldwide. “I think Secretary Pompeo said… eight out of 10 individuals [worldwide] still aren’t free to choose their own religious beliefs without government coercion, or pressure from family or the public,” Six notes.

“Religious Liberty” was commissioned by B’nai B’rith and dedicated in 1876 to “the people of the United States” as an expression of support for the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.
(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Teaching leaders and everyday citizens about religious freedom can help a society learn why it’s a fundamental human right.  People must first identify what and why problems exist before they can be part of the solution.  Some countries and cultures perceive religious oppression as “normal” behavior.

“I can remember talking to [believers in] Chinese house churches,” Six describes as an example.  These believers said “everything is fine” but when Six asked if they could share their faith with others, their response told a different story.

“They said, ‘Oh, no, why would we do that?! We would never do that. You’d be arrested right away’,” he recalls.

“It didn’t even occur to them that they should have the ability to go out and give someone a Bible without being arrested. And, that’s because of government policy.”

So… what’s the problem?

While the Alliance has widespread support, some find fault with the coalition. This critic warns of unintended consequences connected to interfaith dialogue.

Others fear policy decisions will make the Alliance ineffective. “The main obstacle to the U.S. role in this alliance is simply that the administration of President Donald Trump has implemented the tragic travel ban,” Philippe Nassif, the Middle East and North Africa advocacy director for Amnesty International, told Voice of America.

“… how can the U.S. be taken seriously when Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, or Sudanese Christians, or other persecuted groups are unable to enter the U.S. due to this ban?”

How can I help?

Surround this new initiative in prayer. Ask the Lord to guide decision-makers. It’ll take some time, Six says, but pray believers worldwide will benefit as the Alliance gains traction.

“Things, especially in international diplomacy tend to move at the speed of an iceberg. It can seem like there [are] endless meetings and discussions, and… it’s hard to sometimes translate that into impact on the ground,” he says.

“Over the years to come, I think you’re going to see action that leads to people who’ve been in prison for their faith being set free, that leads to religious minorities facing severe persecution getting a little bit of relief.”

Subscribe to our daily email to keep tabs on this issue and more.

Header image depicts Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Ambassador-At-Large for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback at the International Religious Freedom Alliance dinner at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., on February 5, 2020. [State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]