04/24/2019 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – Religious persecution is a worldwide problem, spanning hundreds of miles, thousands of cultures, and millions of people. Yet the cries of our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ often go unheard by the Western Church. The persecuted are silenced by their governments, denied access to media outlets, limited technologically, or misrepresented as threats. The persecuted Church needs your help to expand its voice to the West.
ICC has nearly 200 active volunteers across 37 states and 30 countries who represent the persecuted Church in a variety of ways. They attend awareness and advocacy events, distribute literature, pray for the Church, volunteer at ICC’s headquarters, and speak at events.
One of ICC’s faithful volunteers, Scott, serves the persecuted by sharing Persecution magazine with his church from the pulpit each month. He encourages the church to pray for the highlighted country, group, or cause and encourages them to subscribe to ICC’s magazine to bring awareness to those who “share our faith, but not our freedom.”
In March, Scott hosted two North Korean defectors at his church in New York. The testimonies of these two women were “heartbreaking and inspirational.” Scott says, “We are commanded numerous times in the New Testament to remember and pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Being part of a free nation where Christian resources are in abundance and churches [are] on every street corner, we are obligated to help in a [multitude] of ways, including giving, supporting, advocating, writing letters of encouragement, and speaking on behalf of persecuted Christians.”
Another volunteer, Sunday, still remembers his experience with ICC in 2015. He keyed in reports about insurgence in Nigeria for ICC and watched as they later developed into petitions.
He says, “The Bible calls us to be a voice for the voiceless in Psalm 82. As Christians, we are called to take a stand for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. Hebrews 13:3 says, ‘Continue to remember those in prison…’ We are to be a voice to the downtrodden and persecuted. We are like their eyes to the world.”
Another one of ICC’s volunteers, Pastor Vandi, has tirelessly educated the citizens of Sierra Leone about persecuted Christians all over the world. He developed a ministry to raise awareness about persecution throughout local schools, churches, colleges, and police facilities.
Pastor Vandi says, “The pain of the persecuted brothers and sisters can never be distant, since we are called to be one body in Christ Jesus…Since our brothers and sisters around the world are passing through horrible suffering daily, I felt their sufferings as a part of the body.”
If you care about ministry to the persecuted, you know that most of the Western Church is asleep on the issue since it’s not spoken of in the press.
That’s where you come in. We want to help you to become an ambassador for God’s persecuted Church by joining our new volunteer ambassador program.
We want to train and equip you to defend the persecuted Church and to be an ambassador on their behalf in your circle of influence, whether at church, among friends and family, or on social media.
Participants in our Ambassador program will be the first to hear about ICC’s new initiatives and projects overseas with the persecuted Church. ICC will provide you with free materials, including exclusive stories, prayer guides, literature, and more.
We want you to gather with like-minded believers where you can meet the persecuted, ICC leaders, and your fellow ambassadors from around the world. We will be launching the Ambassador program mid-year 2019, so please sign up now if you are interested. Signing up means you have an interest, not that you are committed, so please visit www.persecution.org/take-action/volunteer and fill out an application today.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org
