Living in the relatively calm southern part of Nigeria often makes us oblivious to the terrible suffering and persecution faced by fellow Christians just to the north of the country. Hostility, starvation, rape, and forced conversions are the fare of so many. And yet we often do nothing. My friend, Pastor Femi Osunnuyi, recently brought this to my attention in a recent sermon, highlighting our responsibility as Christians to our brothers and sisters who face persecution.

Lest we sit back and wonder what we can do, here are some definite actions believers can and should take:

1. Pray – Pray that God would intervene and bring about a change
2. Give – Connect with organizations that are devoted to the cause of the persecuted and provide relief
3. Advocate – reach out to government authorities to do more. Many of them are in areas that are of little economic interest, hence the unfortunate oversight from their own leaders.

Can we call ourselves by the name of Christ, yet close our eyes and ears to the needs of those who suffer for His name?

To learn more about the challenge and how you can help, please visit Open Doors