The truth behind the persecuted Church

Believers across the world are increasingly facing discrimination

Imagine you chose to convert to a different religion and as a result your father and brother decided to kill you.

It seems inconceivable in the UK, but that was the reality for Bangladeshi believer Abhi when his family discovered his Christian faith and marriage.

His father and oldest brother – both Muslim leaders – gathered 500 villagers, dragged him home, chained him overnight and vowed to kill him the next day.

Thankfully, he escaped with the help of a friend and now works in Christian ministry with his wife in Bangladesh.

But it’s a story that’s all too common, says Open Doors UK chief executive Henrietta Blyth. She is discussing her experiences with Direction of meeting persecuted believers, in the week that Open Doors released its annual World Watch List, documenting global persecution of Christians.

“In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus warned the disciples of the persecution they would face,” she says.

“He talks about mothers being set against daughters, fathers against sons, mothers-in-laws against daughters-in-laws. That is exactly what is happening in Bangladesh.”

The story Blyth tells of increasing persecution in Bangladesh is mirrored throughout the latest World Watch List.

Overall findings show oppression of Christians growing in reach and intensity, with one in eight worldwide persecuted for their faith and 260 million experiencing persecution in the top 50 countries on the list.

Blyth points to the rise of Islamic extremism as a key trend highlighted in the report.

In West Africa, for example, radical Islamic groups are growing in power.