Executive Introduction: The Shadow and the Light
In the year of our Lord 2025, the global Body of Christ finds itself navigating a paradox of profound proportions. On one hand, the statistics of suffering have reached unprecedented heights; on the other, the resilience of the faithful has never shone more brightly. This report serves not merely as a compilation of data or a catalogue of grievances, but as a solemn witness to the reality facing our brothers and sisters across the globe. It is written for you—the free church—to awaken your spirit, to inform your prayers, and to galvanize your advocacy.
The sheer scale of the crisis is difficult to comprehend. Current data indicates that over 380 million Christians now live in nations where they face high levels of persecution and discrimination. To put this figure into perspective, if the persecuted church were a single nation, it would be the third most populous country on Earth, surpassing the United States. This is not a fringe phenomenon; it is a global reality that affects one in seven Christians worldwide. In Africa, the ratio rises to one in five; in Asia, two in five believers walk a daily path of discrimination, harassment, or violence.
The year 2025 has been defined by the intensification of two distinct but equally destructive forces: the suffocating grip of high-tech authoritarianism and the brutal chaos of unchecked militia violence. In the East, particularly in China and North Korea, the state has refined the art of repression, utilizing digital surveillance and legal bureaucracy to strangle the church. In the South, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, the collapse of security has unleashed a wave of physical slaughter, kidnapping, and displacement.
Yet, amidst this darkness, the light of the Gospel persists. The reports from the field are not just stories of victimhood; they are testimonies of victory. We hear of Nigerian widows who forgive their husbands’ killers, of Chinese pastors who preach the Gospel in prison cells, and of Nicaraguan bishops who choose chains over compromise. These are the modern heroes of the faith, the “great cloud of witnesses” described in Hebrews 12, living and dying in our time.
This comprehensive report will take you into the heart of the five most critical flashpoints of 2025: Nigeria, Nicaragua, India, China, and Armenia. It will explore the mechanisms of persecution, the stories of individual believers, and the spiritual implications for the global church. It is a call to remember those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Part I: The Theology of the Cross in 2025
Before delving into the geopolitical specifics, it is essential for a Christian audience to ground this reality in a biblical framework. Persecution is not an accident of history; it is a predicted component of Christian discipleship. The apostle Paul, writing to Timothy from a Roman dungeon, established a fundamental truth: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
The Inevitability of Conflict
The events of 2025 serve as a stark reminder that the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world are often in conflict. Whether it is the exclusive claim of Christ challenging the pluralistic nationalism of India, or the ultimate allegiance to God challenging the totalitarianism of the Chinese Communist Party, faithful Christianity inevitably provokes the powers of the age. Jesus warned His disciples, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:18-20).
The persecution we witness today is the result of a clash of value systems. The Gospel preaches the sanctity of life, the freedom of conscience, and an authority higher than the state. Authoritarian regimes and extremist ideologies find these claims intolerable. As we analyze the laws in Nicaragua or the violence in Nigeria, we must recognize the spiritual undercurrent: it is a battle for the heart and soul of nations.
Suffering as a Seed
History bears testimony to the counter-intuitive nature of persecution: it often strengthens the church rather than destroying it. Tertullian, the early church father, famously declared, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” In 2025, we see this principle in action. In regions where the pressure is highest, the church is often the most vibrant.
Consider the “Refugee Church.” In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 16 million Christians have been forcibly displaced. While this is a humanitarian tragedy, it has also led to the scattering of the Gospel. Just as the early church in Acts 8 was scattered by persecution and “preached the word wherever they went,” today’s displaced believers are carrying their faith into new territories, refugee camps, and foreign lands. The intent of the enemy to silence the church often results in the amplification of its voice.
The Mandate to Remember
Scripture does not offer the option of indifference. Hebrews 13:3 commands us to “Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” The Greek word for “remember” implies more than a mental recollection; it suggests an active, compassionate mindfulness that leads to action.
As we read the harrowing accounts that follow, we are invited to enter into “co-suffering” with our family. We are called to pray not merely for their safety, but for their faithfulness. We are called to use our freedom to advocate for their justice. We are called to let their courage inspire our own walk with Christ.
Part II: Nigeria – The Killing Fields of the Middle Belt
Nigeria stands today as the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. The statistics are numbing in their magnitude, but each number represents a life, a family, and a story cut short. In the reporting period for 2025, approximately 3,100 Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria alone. This nation accounts for nearly 70% of all religiously motivated murders of Christians globally.
Dismantling the “Farmer-Herder” Narrative
For years, the international community and media have often framed the violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt as a clash over resources—a dispute between “farmers” (who happen to be Christian) and “herders” (who happen to be Muslim/Fulani) exacerbated by climate change and land scarcity. However, the evidence from 2025 overwhelmingly refutes this as a primary explanation. The violence is asymmetric, ideological, and systematically targeted against the followers of Jesus.
If the conflict were solely about land, the violence would be indiscriminate. Yet, the pattern of attacks reveals a specific hatred for the symbols and people of the Christian faith. Attackers routinely burn churches while leaving nearby mosques untouched. They target pastors and church leaders for abduction and execution. Most tellingly, the attacks are frequently timed to coincide with Christian holy days. The Christmas massacres of 2023 and 2024, and the renewed violence during Easter 2025, demonstrate a clear intent to terrorize Christians during their most sacred moments. This is not a resource war; it is a religious cleansing.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have been vocal in rejecting the “land dispute” narrative. They point out that in the Muslim-majority north, where land and climate issues are also present, the violence is almost exclusively directed at the Christian minority. The objective of groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), and radicalized Fulani militants is not merely to graze cattle, but to eradicate the Christian presence from northern and central Nigeria.
The Industrialization of Kidnapping: Inside the “Rijana” Camps
One of the most terrifying developments of 2025 is the evolution of kidnapping from a criminal enterprise into a tool of jihadist terror. The forests of the Middle Belt have been transformed into safe havens for terrorists, with the “Rijana” forest emerging as a notorious epicenter.
Reports from survivors describe these camps not as temporary hideouts, but as established “secret villages.” One survivor, Maureen Mica, who was abducted in mid-2025, revealed the existence of nearly a dozen large camps, each holding up to 50 hostages, and smaller camps holding 30. These camps are organized and commanded by warlords; Maureen’s camp was run by a commander named “Sanda.”
The conditions within these camps are horrific. Hostages are starved, often going a week without food. Physical torture is routine. The psychological terror is constant, with commanders firing guns into the air and threatening execution daily. For Christian hostages, the treatment is particularly brutal. They are forbidden to pray in the name of Jesus and are often pressured to convert to Islam as a condition for better treatment or release.
The story of Esther Emmanuel and her 10-month-old daughter, Anita, captures the inhumanity of this persecution. Abducted from her home in the dead of night, Esther was marched into the forest. When her baby cried from hunger, a terrorist snatched the infant and choked her to silence her, rather than allowing Esther to nurse. Such cruelty is designed to break the spirit of the believer. Yet, Esther testified that in the midst of this darkness, prayer was their only consolation.
Targeted Violence Against Women and Children
The persecution in Nigeria has a distinct and agonizing gender component. Christian women and girls are not just collateral damage; they are specific targets. The abduction of women serves multiple strategic purposes for the terrorists: it provides “wives” for the militants, it humilitates the Christian community, and it alters the demographic future of the region through forced marriages and pregnancies.
Thousands of Christian girls are kidnapped annually. Many are forced to convert to Islam and married off to their abductors, effectively disappearing from their families forever. This “sexual jihad” is a weapon of war. Even when women escape or are released, they often face stigma and trauma that requires years of healing.
Children, too, are victims. The attack on schools has become a hallmark of groups like Boko Haram (whose name roughly translates to “Western education is forbidden”). In 2025, over 100 children were released from captivity in a single incident, but hundreds more remain missing. The goal is to deny Christian children an education, trapping the next generation in poverty and fear.
The “Silent Genocide”
Observers and human rights organizations have increasingly begun to use the term “genocide” to describe the situation in Nigeria. The deliberate targeting of a specific religious group, the mass slaughter, the displacement of millions, and the intent to destroy the group “in whole or in part” align with the international definition of genocide.
Despite this, the international response has been characterized by inertia. The removal of Nigeria from the U.S. State Department’s “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) list in previous years was met with shock by religious freedom advocates. While there have been renewed calls in late 2025 to reinstate this designation and impose sanctions, the diplomatic machinery moves slowly. For the Christians on the ground, the lack of international intervention feeds a sense of abandonment. They feel they are being slaughtered while the world watches in silence.
Testimonies of Unshakeable Faith
Yet, the story of Nigeria is not only one of death; it is one of defiant life. The Nigerian church is one of the most resilient communities on earth.
Consider the testimony of “Timothy,” a believer whose village was attacked. While he felt helplessness as he thought of his family and church, his response was not to renounce his faith but to cling to it. Or “Naomi,” who stated that she was ready for persecution because her church and the Bible had taught her that “Persecution is God’s Word being fulfilled.”
There are even stories of redemption that seem plucked from the New Testament. “Moustafa,” a former leader of a terrorist group, snuck into a Christian meeting to cause trouble. Instead, he heard the Gospel and was pierced to the heart. He became a follower of Jesus. When his former comrades discovered his conversion, they tried to burn him to death. He was martyred for the Christ he once persecuted—a modern-day Paul who gave his life for the truth.
Prayer Focus for Nigeria:
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Pray for Protection: Ask God to be a shield around the villages in the Middle Belt and the North. Pray for the confusion of the attackers’ plans.
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Pray for the Captives: Intercede for Esther, Maureen, and the thousands held in the Rijana camps. Pray that God would sustain their lives and their faith.
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Pray for Comfort: Pray for the widows and orphans left behind by the 3,100 martyrs of 2025. Ask God to be their provider and husband.
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Pray for the Persecutors: In the spirit of Christ, pray for the members of Boko Haram and the Fulani militants, that they would encounter Jesus as Moustafa did.
Part III: Nicaragua – The Silenced Pulpit
In the Western Hemisphere, a different kind of persecution is unfolding. It is not the chaotic violence of militias, but the cold, calculated repression of a state apparatus turned against the church. Nicaragua, under the regime of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, has become a prison for the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations.
The State vs. The Church
The conflict in Nicaragua is rooted in the government’s desire for total control. Following the mass protests of 2018, in which the Catholic Church played a role as a mediator and a sanctuary for demonstrators, the regime identified the church as the primary obstacle to its power. The government views independent religious authority as a threat to its legitimacy.
The persecution is driven by “dictatorial paranoia.” The regime cannot tolerate any voice that speaks of justice, truth, or a King other than the President. As a result, the state has launched a systematic campaign to dismantle the church’s influence, employing police, the judiciary, and the legislature to silence the pulpit.
The Saga of Bishop Rolando Álvarez
The most potent symbol of this struggle in 2024 and 2025 was Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa. A fearless critic of the regime’s human rights abuses, Bishop Álvarez refused to be silenced. When the police surrounded his curia, he knelt in the street with the Eucharist, praying for the police officers.
The regime’s response was brutal. He was arrested, put on a sham trial, and sentenced to over 26 years in prison on charges of “treason” and “undermining national integrity.” He was stripped of his citizenship, becoming a stateless person in his own land. When the government offered him exile in exchange for his freedom, he initially refused, choosing to remain in prison to suffer alongside his people.
However, in January 2024, the regime forcibly expelled Bishop Álvarez, along with Bishop Isidoro Mora and numerous other priests and seminarians, to the Vatican. While this release ended their physical torture in prison, it achieved the government’s goal: the removal of the church’s leadership. This tactic of “exile or prison” has decimated the clergy in Nicaragua. Parishes are left without priests, the faithful are deprived of the sacraments, and the prophetic voice of the hierarchy has been physically removed from the country.
The Bible as Contraband
In a move that echoes the totalitarian regimes of the Cold War, the Nicaraguan government escalated its attack on the faith in 2025 by targeting the Bible itself. Reports from travelers and transport companies confirm that the government has banned tourists and travelers from bringing Bibles into the country.
Notices posted at border crossings and at bus terminals (such as the Tica Bus lines in neighboring Costa Rica) explicitly list “Bibles” alongside weapons, drones, and perishable foods as prohibited items. This is a staggering development in a nation with a deep Christian heritage. It signals that the regime fears the Word of God as much as it fears armed insurrection. By restricting access to scripture and religious literature, the state hopes to starve the people spiritually, severing their connection to the source of their faith.
The Bureaucratic Strangulation of Ministry
Beyond the headlines of arrests and bans, a quiet war is being waged through bureaucracy. The government has weaponized the legal system to shut down Christian ministries. Since 2018, the legal status of over 5,000 civil society organizations has been revoked. Among these are more than 1,300 religious groups.
These closures are not mere paperwork; they represent the seizure of assets, the closing of orphanages, the shutting down of church-run medical clinics, and the banning of charitable works. Even the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, were expelled from the country. The message is clear: the church is not permitted to do good. The state demands a monopoly on charity, lest the people’s gratitude be directed toward God rather than the government.
Public expressions of faith have also been criminalized. Processions, a staple of Nicaraguan Catholic culture, have been banned. Outdoor masses are prohibited. The police monitor homilies, and priests who speak on issues of justice or human rights face immediate harassment or arrest.
Prayer Focus for Nicaragua:
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Pray for the Exiles: Lift up Bishop Álvarez, Bishop Mora, and the exiled priests. Pray that God would use them in the diaspora and comfort them in their separation from their flocks.
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Pray for the Remnant: Pray for the priests and lay leaders who remain in Nicaragua. Ask God to give them wisdom to navigate the surveillance and courage to continue ministering.
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Pray for Access to the Word: Pray that despite the bans, the Word of God would not be bound. Pray for creative ways for Bibles to enter the country and for the digital distribution of scripture.
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Pray for the Leaders: Pray for a change of heart in President Ortega and Vice President Murillo.
Part IV: India – The Saffron Wave and the Crisis of Pluralism
India, the world’s largest democracy, is undergoing a profound transformation that threatens the existence of its religious minorities. The driving force behind the persecution of Christians in India is “Religious Nationalism,” specifically the ideology of Hindutva. This worldview asserts that to be truly Indian is to be Hindu, and that other faiths—particularly Christianity and Islam—are foreign, colonial impositions that must be purged from the nation.
The Violence in Manipur: A Case Study in Cleansing
The horrific violence that erupted in the northeastern state of Manipur in May 2023 has continued to fester through 2024 and 2025. While the conflict is complex, involving ethnic tensions between the majority Meitei community (predominantly Hindu) and the Kuki-Zo tribal community (predominantly Christian), the religious dimension is undeniable.
In the course of this violence, over 380 churches and Christian institutions were vandalized, burned, or leveled. The destruction was not random; mobs specifically targeted places of worship. Tens of thousands of Kuki Christians were forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in the hills or in neighboring states. The state government, and the central government in New Delhi, have been accused of inaction and complicity.
The violence in Manipur serves as a grim warning of what happens when religious nationalism is allowed to run unchecked. It has resulted in a de facto partition of the state, with Christian tribals unable to return to the valley for fear of death. It is a modern form of ethnic and religious cleansing occurring within a democracy.
The Weaponization of the Law: Anti-Conversion Acts
Across India, the legal noose is tightening around the neck of the church. As of 2025, twelve states have enacted “Freedom of Religion Acts,” commonly known as anti-conversion laws. The most recent addition is the state of Rajasthan, which passed a stringent bill in late 2025.
These laws are Orwellian in nature. While they claim to prohibit “forced” conversions, their definitions of “force” and “allurement” are so vague that they criminalize virtually all Christian activity.
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Allurement: Offering free education, medical aid, or even a meal can be interpreted as “allurement” to convert. This criminalizes Christian charity.
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Force: Warnings about divine judgment or hell can be interpreted as “threat of divine displeasure,” constituting force.
In practice, these laws empower vigilante mobs. Extremist groups disrupt prayer meetings, assault pastors, and drag believers to police stations, accusing them of forced conversion. The burden of proof is often reversed, requiring the accused Christian to prove their innocence. In states like Uttar Pradesh, pastors are routinely arrested and denied bail, languishing in prison for months without trial.
The new bill in Rajasthan takes this a step further, requiring anyone who wishes to convert to give the government 60 days’ notice. This effectively invites harassment and pressure from family and state officials to prevent the conversion. It turns a private matter of conscience into a public, bureaucratic process subject to state veto.
The “Ghar Wapsi” Campaigns and Social Boycotts
Beyond the laws and the riots, there is the daily grind of social persecution. Hindu nationalist groups conduct “Ghar Wapsi” (Homecoming) campaigns, designed to forcibly “reconverting” Christians back to Hinduism. These campaigns target the most vulnerable—often Dalit and tribal Christians.
In rural villages, Christians face intense social boycotts. They are denied access to community wells, barred from buying goods in local shops, and, most painfully, denied the right to bury their dead in village cemeteries. Reports from 2025 highlight instances where Christians have been forced to dig up the bodies of their loved ones because the community refused to allow a Christian burial.
This social pressure is designed to make the cost of following Jesus too high to bear. Yet, the church in India continues to grow, particularly among the lower castes and marginalized groups who find in the Gospel a dignity and hope that the caste system denies them.
Prayer Focus for India:
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Pray for Manipur: Ask God to bring peace and justice to the northeast. Pray for the rebuilding of the 380+ destroyed churches and the return of the displaced.
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Pray for Pastors: Intercede for the pastors imprisoned under false anti-conversion charges. Pray for their release and for the dismissal of these unjust laws.
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Pray against Nationalism: Pray against the spirit of Hindutva that seeks to divide the nation. Pray that Indian Christians would be seen as a blessing to their country, not a threat.
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Pray for the Village Churches: Pray for believers in rural areas facing social boycotts. Ask God to provide for their physical needs and to give them strength to stand firm.
Part V: China – The Digital Panopticon
In China, the persecution of the church has entered a new, dystopian phase. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, is pursuing a policy of “Sinicization.” This is not merely an attempt to control the church, but to fundamentally reshape Christianity so that it serves the interests of the Socialist state.
The “Smart Religion” and the 2025 Internet Regulations
September 2025 marked a turning point for religious freedom in China with the implementation of new, draconian “Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services.” These regulations have effectively created a digital blackout for the unauthorized church.
Under these new rules:
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Content Ban: No religious content—sermons, hymns, Bible verses, or theological teaching—can be published online without a government permit.
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Streaming Ban: Livestreaming of religious services is strictly controlled and limited to state-approved “Three-Self” churches.
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Youth Ban: It is illegal to evangelize to minors or organize youth religious activities online.
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AI Ban: The use of Artificial Intelligence to generate religious content or sermons is prohibited.
For the “house church” movement, which has relied heavily on apps like WeChat and Zoom to connect, teach, and organize, these regulations are devastating. The “Digital Iron Curtain” has descended. Algorithms and AI censors now scour the Chinese internet for religious keywords, instantly blocking content and flagging users.
The surveillance extends into the physical world as well. “Smart Religion” apps are used to monitor attendance at registered churches. Facial recognition cameras are installed in sanctuaries to track who attends services. The state aims to make it impossible to be a “secret” believer.
Sinicization: Rewriting the Faith
The goal of Sinicization is to ensure that the church is loyal to the Party first and God second. Clergy in state-sanctioned churches are required to attend political indoctrination sessions. Sermons are expected to integrate “Xi Jinping Thought” and socialist values.
Physical symbols of the faith are being removed. In many provinces, crosses have been torn down from church rooftops. Inside sanctuaries, portraits of Christ are often removed or placed alongside portraits of Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping. The Bible itself is under review, with plans for a new translation that aligns more closely with Chinese socialist culture.
The Vatican-China Deal: A Controversial Renewal
In 2024, the Vatican renewed its provisional agreement with Beijing regarding the appointment of bishops. This deal remains a source of deep division and pain for many Chinese Catholics. While the Vatican argues it is necessary to maintain a dialogue and ensure the sacramental life of the church, critics argue it has sold out the underground church.
The case of Bishop Zhang Weizhu highlights the failure of this diplomacy to protect the faithful. A bishop of the underground church, he was detained by authorities. The government refused to recognize his authority unless he joined the Patriotic Association, which implies independence from Rome. His detention and the harassment of priests who refuse to sign loyalty pledges demonstrate that the agreement has not ended the persecution. Instead, it has emboldened the state to force all Catholics into the party-controlled structure.
Prayer Focus for China:
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Pray for the House Churches: Pray for wisdom for leaders as they navigate the digital ban. Ask God to provide new, creative ways for them to communicate and disciple believers.
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Pray for the Youth: With evangelism to minors banned, pray that Christian parents would have the resources and courage to disciple their children at home.
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Pray for Prisoners: Lift up the church leaders, including the 18 from Zion Church arrested in late 2025. Pray for their release and for their testimony within the prison walls.
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Pray for Purity: Pray that the Chinese church would resist the pressure of Sinicization and hold fast to the true Gospel, untainted by political ideology.
Part VI: Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh – The Erasure
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh) represents a distinct and tragic form of persecution: the total erasure of an ancient Christian civilization.
The Exodus of 2023-2024
Following the military offensive by Azerbaijan in September 2023 and a grueling nine-month blockade that starved the population, the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh was forced to flee. Over 120,000 Christians left their ancestral homeland in a matter of days. By 2025, a region that had been Christian for over 1,700 years was virtually empty of its indigenous people.
This was not a voluntary migration; it was ethnic and religious cleansing. The Armenians fled because they feared for their lives under Azerbaijani rule, citing a long history of atrocities. They left behind their homes, their fields, and, most painfully, their holy sites.
The War on History
With the people gone, the persecution has turned against the stones. Reports from 2024 and 2025 document a systematic campaign by Azerbaijan to destroy or appropriate Armenian Christian heritage. Satellite imagery reveals that churches have been bulldozed, cemeteries desecrated, and crosses (Khachkars) smashed.
Where destruction is not possible due to international scrutiny, the government employs historical revisionism. They claim that the Armenian churches are actually “Caucasian Albanian” (an ancient, extinct people) and “restore” them by removing Armenian inscriptions and architectural features. This is a “cultural genocide” designed to erase the evidence that Armenians ever lived there.
The silence of the international community regarding this tragedy is deafening. Despite the clear violations of human rights and the destruction of cultural heritage, the world has largely moved on, leaving the Armenian refugees to mourn the loss of their homeland alone.
Prayer Focus for Armenia:
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Pray for the Refugees: Pray for the 120,000 displaced Armenians now living in Armenia proper. Pray for housing, jobs, and healing from the trauma of displacement.
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Pray for the Heritage: Ask God to preserve the ancient monasteries and churches of Artsakh. Pray that the truth of their history would not be erased.
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Pray for Justice: Pray that the international community would hold perpetrators accountable and that the right of return for these Christians would one day be realized.
Part VII: Data Summary and Tables
To understand the scope of the crisis, we present the following data compiled from reports covering the 2024-2025 period.
Table 1: Global Persecution Overview (2025)
| Metric | Statistic | Context |
| Christians Facing High Persecution | > 380 Million | 1 in 7 Christians worldwide. |
| Christians Killed for Faith | 4,476 | 3,100 of these were in Nigeria alone. |
| Churches/Properties Attacked | 7,679 | Includes arson, vandalism, and closure. |
| Christians Detained/Imprisoned | 4,744 | Without trial or on false charges. |
| Forcibly Displaced (Africa) | 16.2 Million | Due to violence and instability. |
Table 2: The Mechanisms of Persecution by Country
| Country | Primary Driver | Key Tactics (2025) |
| Nigeria | Islamic Extremism / Militia Violence | Mass slaughter, kidnapping camps, sexual violence, burning of villages. |
| Nicaragua | Dictatorial Paranoia | Exile of clergy, banning Bibles, closing religious NGOs, banning processions. |
| India | Religious Nationalism (Hindutva) | Mob violence (Manipur), anti-conversion laws, social boycotts, false arrests. |
| China | Communist Ideology / Sinicization | Digital censorship, AI bans, rewriting theology, removal of crosses. |
| Armenia | Ethnic/Religious Cleansing | Total displacement of population, destruction of cultural heritage sites. |
Part VIII: Conclusion – A Call to the Free Church
As we survey the landscape of 2025, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the darkness. The sophisticated technology of China, the brutal machetes of Nigeria, the cold bureaucracy of Nicaragua—it all seems so powerful. Yet, we must view this reality through the lens of the Cross.
The story of Christianity is not the story of avoiding suffering; it is the story of overcoming it through faith. The persecutors may have the weapons, but they do not have the final word.
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In Nigeria, the blood of the martyrs is crying out, not for vengeance, but for the redemption of the land.
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In Nicaragua, the silenced pulpits are shouting louder to the world than they ever did when they were free.
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In India, the prisons are becoming seminaries where pastors grow in fortitude.
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In China, the digital blackout is forcing a return to the organic, relational discipleship that fueled the early church.
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In Armenia, the stones may be crushed, but the living stones—the people—survive.
The question remains: What will we do?
We cannot claim ignorance. We know the stats. We know the stories. We know the names—Bishop Álvarez, Esther, Timothy, Zhang.
We are called to action.
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Pray Fervently: Use the prayer points in this report. Put them in your church bulletins. Pray for them at your dinner tables.
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Speak Boldly: Be a voice for the voiceless. Share this information. Contact your representatives. demanding that religious freedom be a priority in foreign policy.
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Give Generously: Support the organizations that are on the ground providing food, trauma counseling, and legal aid to these believers.
Let us close with the words of the Apostle Paul, a man who knew the inside of a prison cell well:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35, 37)
The church is struck down, but not destroyed. It is persecuted, but not abandoned. It is suffering, but it is victorious. May we be found faithful to stand with it.
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