Stories tagged with: world watch list

• 'Walking worship' new lifeline for Chinese Christians

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, January 16, 2020 (4 years ago)

  

  iStock

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- "Walking worship" is what the pastor calls it. After the Chinese government destroyed his underground church in Beijing, the congregation resorted to a new thing.

  "Without any place to worship, because any place we gather is not safe," Xiang En told Baptist Press Wednesday (Jan. 15), "we used a kind of unique form of worship in the church history. We call it 'walking worship,' WW." The church multimedia team records a weekly audio file of an entire service, from the call to worship to the benediction, and safely distributes it to congregation members. Read More

• Open Doors: Technology advancing Christian persecution

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, January 15, 2020 (4 years ago)

  

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The use of technology is advancing and strengthening Christian persecution, Open Doors CEO David Curry said Wednesday (Jan. 15) in releasing the ministry's 2020 World Watch List of the 50 countries where such persecution is most severe.

  "Christian faith is under attack and the methods of that persecution are becoming more sophisticated, and thus pose a greater threat," he said, "because they have the ability to oppress on a massive scale now, and I think it's a blueprint for others." Read More

• Christian women targets for persecution: Open Doors

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, January 17, 2019 (5 years ago)

  

  IMB file photo

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- Targeted Christian persecution tailored to hurt women is trending globally, Open Doors reported in its 2019 World Watch List of 50 countries most dangerous for Christians to practice their faith.

  "The data proves conclusively that Christian women are the most exploited group on the face of the earth today," Open Doors President David Curry said in a Jan. 16 press conference in Washington announcing the list. "While not minimizing the incredible violence against men, women are doubly persecuted. They're exploited for their vulnerability as females, and also for their faith.

  "And the shame culture within many of these regions of the world," Curry said, "makes sexual violence victims very cautious of how they rebuild their lives within these shame cultures." Read More

• Open Doors: Christian persecution up 14% worldwide

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, January 16, 2019 (5 years ago)

  

  iStock

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The number of Christians suffering high to extremely high persecution is 14 percent more in 2019, Open Doors reported, counting 245 million individuals globally.

  Persecution driven by Islamic extremism and Communist authoritarianism in the world's two most populous countries, India and China, marked the increase, Open Doors said today (Jan. 16) in releasing its 2019 World Watch List of the 50 countries with the most extreme Christian persecution.

  "Islamic radicalism continues to dominate and influence all spheres of life for Christians, and we are watching China and India very closely," Open Doors USA President and CEO David Curry said in releasing the latest findings. "The distressing impact of billions of people living in an environment in which the government oppresses freedom of religion is unraveling day by day as millions of Christians are being attacked, imprisoned or killed." Read More

• Christian persecution increases; N. Korea still No. 1

  by Tom Strode, posted Thursday, January 12, 2017 (7 years ago)

  

  Image: iStock/License purchase required

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- North Korea ranks as the most dangerous country for Christians for the 16th consecutive time after a year in which the persecution of followers of Jesus continued to rise, according to a new report.

  Release of the annual World Watch List from Open Doors USA came as religious freedom advocates call for President-elect Trump to act in the first 100 days of his administration to protect Christians and other people of faith overseas. Read More

• N. Korea tops persecution list for 14th year

  by Staff/Baptist Press, posted Tuesday, January 19, 2016 (8 years ago)

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- As North Korea once again held its spot for the 14th consecutive year as the most dangerous country for Christians, religious persecution on every continent has appeared to increase, according to a new report. Read More

• N. Korea remains atop persecution list

  by Staff, posted Thursday, January 08, 2015 (9 years ago)

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- While North Korea held its spot for the 13th consecutive year as the most dangerous country for Christians to live, a new report noted other countries are experiencing unprecedented levels of persecution. Read More