The International Day of Prayer
for the Persecuted Church
Sunday, November 3rd, 2024
Rev. Richard Wurmbrand, founder of the Voice of the Martyrs internationally, approached his mission with deep compassion. He recognized that for Christians behind the Iron Curtain, true hope lay in their relationship with Jesus Christ rather than just escaping to the West. He believed that God's Word and the support of the faithful church provided them enduring strength and solace amid their struggles.
Rev. Wurmbrand urged Christians in the West to pray for imprisoned believers and support other followers of Jesus who were encountering various forms of persecution in their oppressive nations. He emphasized that such giving should be rooted in love and prayer, knowing it might lead to an increase of their persecution. Yet, many steadfast Christians were willing to face this challenge to spread the Gospel message and counter the deceptive philosophies of the world.
Today, prayer continues to be an essential core value of our ministry to persecuted Christians. As members of Christ’s body, we are called to regularly intercede on behalf of our suffering brothers and sisters – not only personally, but also corporately with fellow believers. Therefore, November 3rd has been designated as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
We invite you to set some time aside this Sunday to prayerfully remember our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who share our faith but not our freedom. A full resource kit is available for free download to help your church pray more effectively. This resource kit includes a three-minute video, bulletin inserts, children’s resources, sermon outlines, and more!
This year’s theme is Remember Her. While all followers of Jesus can suffer for their faith, the various forms of persecution that Christian women encounter often look different than the ones Christian men face. For women and girls, persecution is complex, hidden and violent. It is characterized by sexual violence and forced marriage, as well as by insidious, invisible abuse behind closed doors.
Let's pray for the members of our global family in Christ who are living with immense pressure due to their faith, and please remember our Christian sisters in particular for the hidden persecutions they endure.
Thank you for praying,
Floyd A. Brobbel
Chief Executive Officer
Voice of the Martyrs Canada Inc.
On behalf of the IDOP Canada Team
