On Sunday, Nov. 13, Christians in more than 130 countries will set aside a special time to pray for persecuted Christians worldwide.
There are more than 200 million people around the world who are facing violence, imprisonment and death for their faith, according to the website of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP), which organizes the annual event.
The IDOP was started in 1996 by the World Evangelical Fellowship, in partnership with a variety of denominations and faith-based groups.
“We believe that prayer changes things…God invites us to present to Him our requests and to pray without ceasing,” says the IDOP’s website. “…As a human rights issue, the persecution of Christians dwarfs all other forms of religious injustice.”
The IDOP cited the bombing of church buildings in Iraq, the harassment of Christians in China and the killing of believers in Nigeria and Sudan, as examples of religious persecution occurring today.
In Canada, the Day of Prayer is led by The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Open Doors with Brother Andrew, The Voice of the Martyrs (Canada), Intercede International and International Christian Response.
For more information, visit the IDOP Canada website.
