Become an advocate for the persecuted
- Join many other Christian Reformed Churches in participating in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church each year. Click here for worship resources!
- Write letters to and on behalf of persecuted Christians worldwide to fulfill the scriptural directive to ‘Bear one another’s burdens…’ (Gal. 6:2), and to ‘Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you are also in the body’ (Heb. 13:3). In Canada, visit www.vomcanada.com; In the US, visit www.prisoneralert.com, www.persecution.com
- The CRC is a member of Churches for Middle East Peace, a Washington DC based advocacy group that focuses on promoting a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, ensuring security, human rights, and religious freedom for everyone in the region. Visit their page to get involved.
- Fortify Rights is a human-rights non-profit organization that focuses on human rights abuses in southeast Asia. Specifically, they investigate and document the abuse of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, a small, heavily persecuted religious minority. See their website for more information.
- Religious persecution is one of the many drivers of displacement. To learn more about the growing issue of displacement and to faithfully advocate for refugees, visit the OSJ’s Refugees webpage.
- Want to learn from persecuted Christians first hand? World Missions, in partnership with CRCNA's Office of Social Justice and Faith Formation Ministries are sponsoring an 11- day trip to the Holy Land to explore biblical sites and meet the people who are ministering, living, and struggling in this part of the world today. Click here for more information!
Remember the persecuted church in worship
- Participate in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP)! It’s typically observed on the second Sunday in November. This year, some communities will be commemorating the day on November 6 and some on November 13. Visit our IDOP webpage for worship resources!
- Want to hear from those working in the field? Read these stories from some of the CRCNA’s ministries.
- How has your church been engaging the issue of religious persecution? We want to know! Send your stories to ashort@crcna.org.
- Need some help framing your worship service or study group? We’ve got you covered. Our worship resources provide you with scripture references, reading and prayer ideas, and suggested songs!
- Click here for worship resources about interfaith understanding and peace.
Connect with helpful organizations
Shoulder to Shoulder
Shoulder to Shoulder is a campaign that links Christians and Muslims in the United States in an effort to combat anti-Muslim bigotry. Visit their website to learn more and sign their pledge!
Evangelicals for Peace
Evangelicals for Peace (EfP) is a group of organizations that represent diverse range of evangelical approaches to force and non-violence. For the EfP, peace is framed through the Hebrew word, Shalom, implying wholeness and full human flourishing. They seek to advance solutions to violent conflict, encourage foreign and security policies that advance justice and peace, and work for the reconciliation of global enemies.
Public Faith
Public Faith is a bi-partisan organization that advocates for a Christian and civil engagement in the political sphere. While they address many issues, one of their larger issues is religious freedom. Visit Public Faith’s website to learn more!
Center for Public Justice
The Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance with the Center for Public Justice promotes government policies, public attitudes and organizational best-practices that safeguard institutional religious freedom so that faith based organizations can make their vital and uncommon contributions to the common good.
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan American "fact tank" based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. In addition, it provides research and information on religion--particularly restrictions on religion, and religion and society. Visit their website here.
Henry Institute at Calvin College
The mission of the Henry Institute is to “promote serious reflection on the interplay between Christianity and public life.” They do this by promoting scholarship on the connection between Christianity and politics, targeting the learning of students, and engaging the church and broader community.
Header image: Flickr user Beautiful Faces of Berlin.