When 21Wilberforce opened its doors in January 2015, little did I realize that the wisdom I would gain from the persecuted would far exceed anything I could offer them.  As we near the end of 2019, I want to share seven insights the persecuted have taught me. First, I experienced joyful worship from 1800 Chinese house church pastors our team met in …

Eritrea brutally oppresses its people and has more than earned its being called the  “The North Korea of Africa,” with an estimated 2,000 Christians, along with others, incarcerated for their faith. The State Department has designated Eritrea  a Country of Particular Concern since 2004 for its religious freedom abuses. USCIRF reports that individuals in Eritrea who protest government actions or …

The Cuban government last week prevented several church leaders affiliated with the Alliance of Evangelical Churches from leaving the island to attend the Alliance’s general assembly in Indonesia. But that action was only the tip of the iceberg. One pastor, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said that in addition to harassment, intimidation and interrogations, the …

Nonpartisan Pew Research Center data reveals that government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion – including violence and harassment by private individuals, organizations, or groups, is increasing around the world.  Christians in Nigeria, Rohingya in Myanmar, Yazidis in Iraq, Uyghur in China-entire communities across the globe are persecuted based on their religion or beliefs. Given this rising trend, have you …

In February of 2018, Boko Haram insurgents abducted 110 students from a girls’ boarding school in Dapchi, Yobe state, Nigeria. Five students were killed while being held captive and four weeks after the abduction, 104 of the girls were released. One student, 14-year old Leah Sharibu, did not return and is still held captive because of her refusal to renounce …

Turkish forces launched a bombing campaign across northeastern Syria on Wednesday, targeting civilian areas and killing Syriac Christians. The bombing campaign, launched less than 48 hours after a phone call between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appeared to target Christian and Kurdish enclaves in the cities of Qameshli, Kobani, and others. Shelling also hit the border …

Christians and other minority faiths suffer worldwide. Believers are targeted by extremist groups, social hostilities, and government oppression. Collectively more people are persecuted for their faith than any time ever. 215 million Christians experience high levels of persecution globally – which is 1 in 12 (Open Doors World Watch List). 83% of people live in a place with high or …

The Chinese government is engaged in cultural genocide. Xinjiang, in northwest China, is home to 22 million people with an estimated 13 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities residing in the region. At least one million Uyghurs are being held in counter-extremism centers and another two million Uyghurs and Turkic Muslim minorities have been forced into “education camps” for political …

Religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq are living at the edge of extinction. They are marginalized and under threat from the genocidal actions of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq resulting in the purging of religious and ethnic minorities from their historic homes. If immediate action is not taken, the existence of religious and ethnic minority communities such as Christians …

The United States recently convened the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the  largest human rights gathering ever held at the State Department. Government, religious and civil society leaders from 106 countries discussed challenges facing religious freedom, and identified means to address religious persecution and discrimination worldwide. The diverse group focused on concrete outcomes  that reaffirm international commitments to promote …