A Record 388 Million Christians Face Persecution. How Do We Stand With Them?

By Dr. Layne McDonald

We stand with them by remembering them, praying for them by name and place, and refusing to look away. A record 388 million of our brothers and sisters faced persecution this past year. They are one body with us. When they hurt, we hurt, and we do not stay silent.

What happened

Open Doors, in its World Watch List 2026 report, says a record 388 million Christians faced persecution over the past year. That is about 8 million more than the year before. It means one in seven Christians worldwide now lives under this kind of pressure.

The report counts 4,849 Christians killed for their faith. Of those, 3,490 were killed in Nigeria, which the report calls the deadliest place for Christians. North Korea ranks as the hardest country in the world to follow Jesus.

These are not just numbers. Each one is a person. A mom. A dad. A child. A pastor. People who love Jesus like we do, and who pay a price we may never be asked to pay.

What does the Bible say?

God tells us plainly how to stand with them. Hebrews 13:3 says to remember those in prison as if we were chained with them, and to remember those who are mistreated as if we felt it in our own bodies. We are not called to forget them. We are called to feel with them.

First Corinthians 12:26 says that if one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it. The church is one body. A believer hurting on the other side of the world is not a stranger. He is family. She is family.

And Jesus Himself promised blessing over them. In Matthew 5:10-12, He said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." He told them to rejoice, because their reward in heaven is great. Their pain is seen by God, and it is not wasted.

How does a Christian go about this?

We cannot go to every prison or every village. But we are not helpless. Here is where we start.

Put it into practice

• Pray for persecuted Christians every day, even for one minute. Name a country out loud, like Nigeria or North Korea.

• Learn their stories. Read a report like the World Watch List and let real people become real to you.

• Talk about them at your table and in your church, so their names are not forgotten.

• Give when you can to trusted ministries that carry help, Bibles, and care to the persecuted church.

• Write your leaders and ask them to speak up for freedom of faith around the world.

• Thank God for the freedom you have, and use it well while you have it.

Carry this with you

Friend, you may feel far from a prison cell or a burned village. Heaven does not see it that way. When you pray, you stand right beside them. God hears, God sees, and God has never once lost track of His suffering children. Neither should we.

Questions people ask

Why does God allow His people to suffer like this?

The Bible never says following Jesus means an easy life. It says He is with us in the fire, and that no suffering for His name is wasted. We trust His heart even when we cannot trace His hand.

What is the one best thing I can do today?

Pray. It is not a small thing. Prayer is how a believer on the other side of the world gets held up by a brother or sister they will only meet in heaven.

Need prayer right now? Text 1-901-213-7341 and someone will pray with you. Boundless is an online church family for people who cannot get to a building. You can belong here, and we will help you find a local Assemblies of God church near you. Visit boundlessonlinechurch.org.