“This is very close to God’s heart.”

Allen Macartney
Special to Spur Ottawa

Open Doors Canada released the 2019 World Watch List on Wednesday, January 30, at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, in Ottawa.

“Published annually, the World Watch List identifies the top 50 countries where it’s most dangerous being a Christian,” says Open Doors Canada’ executive director, Gary Stagg. The List is published as a tool for media to raise awareness, politicians to make informed decisions, and churches to support Christians on the front lines.

“About 245 million Christians, in 40 countries, are suffering under very high or extreme levels of persecution,” says Stagg. “That’s one in every 12 Christians in the world.”

According to Open Doors International, anti-Christian persecution is growing at an alarming pace—almost doubling over the last five years.

“In the north of Nigeria 3,731 Christians died for their faith in the last year.”

Speaking at the Ottawa event, Stagg said, “Last year over 1,000 Christians in China were either detained or unfairly arrested. We’ve also seen spikes in Christians being killed, particularly in the north of Nigeria, where 3,731 Christians died for their faith in the last year.”

Stagg says harassment and discrimination are the norm for Christians in many countries. From Pakistan to India, and North Korea to Egypt, well-documented cases of severe violence are increasingly common. The pain and damage of these attacks have a ripple effect on the Christian community.

“Not all persecution is violent. In many countries, persecution consists of a pervasive, constant emotional squeeze; day in and day out. It’s exhausting and very painful.”

Open Doors documents frequent cases of Christians forced from their communities into poverty. They are denied privileges; their children are expelled from schools; family bread-winners are sidelined into low-paying jobs, all because they follow Jesus.

Iran ranked ninth on the 2019 World Watch List. A notorious human rights abuser, Iran is especially brutal to its Christian population, even imprisoning and torturing teenage believers. Yet there is some hope.

“Persecuted Christians really teach us the meaning of living for Christ and what taking up your cross involves.”

“Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Christianity has been growing,” says Kiaa Aalipour, an Iranian Christian. “Even close family members of some senior leadership Ayatollahs are coming to Christ!”

Aalipour is living in exile, advocating for his fellow Iranian believers. He recently moved to Canada with his family. Open Doors Canada invited him to the Ottawa event to speak about the plight of persecuted believers.

“Persecuted Christians really teach us the meaning of living for Christ and what taking up your cross involves,” he explains. “You can’t help but be inspired when you see their unwavering faith in the midst of sometimes unspeakable emotional and physical pain. Seeing their great courage gives us greater resolve to follow Jesus.

“These are family members in the body of Christ. If one part suffers, we all suffer. This is very close to God’s heart.”

In the past couple of years, Canada has experienced some disturbing trends that some participants see as a sign of a kindling intolerance towards Christians.

“Hard won religious freedom can be lost quickly,” warns David Guretzki, Executive Vice President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. “Unless Canadians are vigilant, we can lose it too.”

What can Christians in Ottawa do?

Stagg says the first step is for Christians is to be informed. He says it is amazing how many believers don’t know that their brothers and sisters are suffering for the Faith. A good resource to start with is a copy of the Open Doors World Watch List.

Secondly, Open Doors encourages people to speak up for the persecuted; write to your Member of Parliament telling them of your concerns and write to imprisoned believers.

Most importantly, Stagg points to the very first thing persecuted Christians often ask: “Please pray for us!”

In the words of Brother Andrew, the founder of Open Doors who was renowned for his undercover missionary work in the Soviet Union, “Our prayers can go where we cannot. When we pray there are no borders, no prison walls, no closed doors.”