Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies (Hebrews 13:3).
These are the stories--including new, recent stories--of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have been imprisoned, mistreated, or killed because they chose to follow Jesus Christ and boldly proclaim His name.
Their stories inspire each of us to examine our heart and consider our own walk with Christ. Their stories inspire us to ask, How far am I willing to go in order to advance Christ's kingdom in my neighborhood? My city? My world? Is Jesus worth it?
Their stories MUST be told.
You may think of martyrs as those who gave their lives for the faith in the early church. But today, Christians around the world continue to stand boldly for Christ despite ongoing persecution. These are their stories.
- Pastor Han--Stabbed to death by North Korean agents for sharing the gospel with North Koreans in China
- Jean-Pierre Werner and Rod Groenewald--Killed in a Taliban attack on their home in Afghanistan
- Fatima Al-Mutairi--Killed by her brother after becoming a Christian in Saudi Arabia
- Habila--Survived being shot in the face by Boko Haram militants after refusing to renounce Christ
Persecution has always accompanied followers of Jesus, who invited His followers to come and die.
Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. --Hebrews 11:36-38
Faithful Christians around the world are still suffering and dying for the name of Christ. Their stories inspire and encourage each of us to follow Christ, no matter the cost.