July 2023 Persecution Magazine

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JULY 2023
PERSECU ION
MIDDLE EAST SPECIAL REPORT
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
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A SURGE
INTERNATIONAL
OF NEW BELIEVERS
CHRISTIAN CONCERN
REVITALIZES
CHRISTIANITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
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Contents
JULY 2023
ON THE COVER
Iraqi Christian women raise their
hands while participating in a service
at St. John the Baptist church (Ancient
Church of the East) in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Photo: Joel Carillet/iStock
FEATURES
10
HOPE UNDER THE
LORD’S WING
A Syrian priest’s mission
to share the love of Christ
in a country faced with
destruction.
12
THE DEATH AND
RESURRECTION
Christians’ love shines
bright and paves the way
for new believers.
18 22
THE JOURNEY OF A NEW
CONVERT
From curiosity to
conversion, new believers
find Jesus in the Middle
East.
THE WORLD’S FASTEST
GROWING CHURCH
When persecution fuels
the rapid expansion of the
church in Iran.
RECURRING
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06
07
08
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ICC NEWSROOM Your Source for Persecution News
WEST WATCH Issues Involving Christianity in the West
CROWNS OF COURAGE Inspiration from Memorable Martyrs
YOUR HANDS AND FEET ICC Projects Made Possible by Our Supporters
HOPE FOR THE PRESENT Find Hope and Victory in the Message of the Persecuted
@persecuted @persecutionnews @internationalchristianconcern International Christian Concern
OUR MISSION: Since 1996, ICC has served the global
persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of
advocacy, awareness, and assistance. ICC exists to bandage
the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church
in the toughest parts of the world.
DONATIONS: International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all
donations tax-deductible). ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to
their gifts. Occasionally, a situation will arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC
will redirect those donated funds to one of our other funds that is most similar to the
donor’s original wishes.
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Persecution | JULY 2023
© Copyright 2023 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted
provided attribution is given to ICC as the source.
STAFF
Publisher Jeff King
Managing Editor Alex Finch
Editor and Designer Hannah Campbell
Contributor Joseph Daniel

The Evil One Cannot Overcome God’s Church
Hope. A word we all feel the need for! Especially when you
read the news or think of that state of the world and the
church’s place in it.
As I look around the world, I can’t help but think of how fragile
the church seems. Battered and beaten, there is a reason for
despair everywhere.
After being in persecution ministry for so long, I’ve witnessed
the worst of what evil can throw at the church. Everything we
experience has all been done before. And yet, the gospel advances.
More importantly, I’ve come to understand the life and death cycle
of the church. I understand God’s strategy and methodology,
using Satan’s own schemes and violence to breathe new life and
power into the church.
The growth of the church doesn’t always seem to trend upward.
There are battles won, battles lost, and countless wounded and
fallen along the way.
But when I pull back and look at the expanse of history, I see
the steady expansion of the gospel. Deep within the depths of
my soul, I hear His whisper from Matthew 16:18: “Hell cannot
withstand or conquer my church.”
Just look at the Middle East. The loss of traditional Christians
in this region over the past two decades is shocking. And yet,
during that same period, Muslims have been coming to Christ in
numbers that would have seemed unfathomable 30 years ago.
God is always at work, even in destruction–this is His way. He
brings healing, life, and hope to everything He touches. And that
is really good news, because He works in the same way in your
life as well. The reaper may come, but the Lord is always sowing
and watering, ensuring that hope and healing will emerge unexpectedly.
Be blessed and thank you so much for your unwavering care and
compassion for your persecuted brothers and sisters.
JEFF
Jeff King, President
International Christian Concern
Author: The Last Words of the Martyrs and
Islam Uncensored
PERSECUTION.ORG 3

ICC Newsroom
YOUR SOURCE FOR PERSECUTION NEWS
Militants Kill Dozens of Christians in Nigerian
Farming Communities
Suspected Fulani militants, wielding AK-47s and machetes, killed 42
Christians and burned dozens of houses near Mangu in Nigeria’s
Plateau State. The attackers raided from midnight to early dawn
in Nigeria’s north-central region, about 55 miles from the capital, Jos.
Plateau State Governor-elect Barr. Caleb Mutfwang condemned the
Fulani militants and called on the federal government to do more to
help secure the state.
Fulani militants have attacked Mangu County multiple times this year,
killing more than 60 Christians in the district after Mutfwang and his
Peoples Democratic Party prevailed in the March election.
Mutfwang describes the attacks as “ethnic cleansing.” Radical Islamic
Fulani militants have targeted the mostly-Christian farming communities.
They have killed more than 50,000 Christians and displaced millions
over the past 20 years. Others say a growing scarcity of farmland for the
nomadic Fulani herders contributes to the attacks and conflict.
The Plateau State’s government imposed a curfew on the community
to stop people from traveling. Witnesses say the Fulani, however, get
a free pass from government and military leaders who are tied to and
mostly sympathetic toward the Fulani.
US Department of State Releases 2022 International Religious Freedom Report
The International Religious Freedom (IRF) report analyzes the status
of religious freedom in every country and is published annually. The
report is an important tool to increase understanding of persecution
in its many forms worldwide.
The IRF report raised deep concern for the situation in Iran and in
Nicaragua for the governmental and societal discrimination the
Catholic church faces and in Nigeria for the ongoing violence in the
northern region.
In November 2021, the U.S. Dept. of State removed Nigeria’s
Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation, a move that drew
widespread criticism from human rights watchdogs. CPC designations
are assigned to countries that engage in “systemic, ongoing, and
egregious violations of religious freedom.”
Under the International Religious Freedom Act, the President has 90
days following the release of the IRF Report to issue these designations.
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Persecution | JULY 2023

VISIT OUR WEBSITE, PERSECUTION.ORG, FOR THE LATEST NEWS
US Concerned About Religious Freedom in India
India was called out by the U.S. Dept. of
State in its recent International Religious
Freedom (IRF) report. Radical Hindu
nationalists have caused unprecedented
violence against Christians and religious
minorities.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Mod
took office in 2014, violence against
religious minorities in India has
escalated. The ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party’s nationalist ideology prioritizes
Hinduism, marginalizing other faiths.
Modi has consistently curtailed the
political and civil rights of religious
minorities, particularly targeting
Iran Executes Two Men Convicted of Blasphemy
Iran executed two Iranian men for
alleged charges of blasphemy. Yusef
Mehrdad and Sadrullah Fazeli Zare were
sentenced to death by hanging after
authorities arrested them in May 2020
for sharing content that “insulted Islamic
sanctities” and “insulted the prophet.”
Muslims who make up only 14% of the
population. The Christian population
has remained a steady 2.3%. Despite
being an important strategic partner to
the U.S., India’s deteriorating record on
religious freedom has strained relations.
India has not been designated as a
Country of Particular Concern (CPC) or
included in the Special Watch List (SWL).
India has not traditionally been included
on these lists, despite concerns raised
by human rights watchdogs and the U.S.
Commission on International Religious
Freedom.
The executions follow months of unrest
in the country after the arrest of 22-yearold
Mahsa Zhina Amini for improperly
wearing the hijab; Amini died in police
custody. Iran has seen nationwide
protests calling for increased human
rights and an overthrow of the Islamic
government.
Sudanese Church
Attack Leaves Five
Christians Injured
Five worshipers, including a
priest, were injured during Mass
on Sunday, May 14, during an
attack on the Mar Girgis Church in
Omdurman.
Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
blamed the paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces (RSF) for the
attack, while the RSF said that an
“extremist” affiliate of the army
was responsible.
Fighting broke out between military
units loyal to General Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan and the paramilitary RSF
headed by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan
Dagalo. The United Nations
reported that in the first month of
the fighting, at least 676 people
have been killed and 5,576 people
injured.
Please join us in praying for those
suffering from the violence in
Sudan.
PERSECUTION.ORG 5

West Watch
ISSUES INVOLVING CHRISTIANITY IN THE WEST
Teenager Arrested in Canada for
Handing Out Bibles in Protest
Canadian police arrested a 16-year-old boy after he handed
out Bibles on a public sidewalk. Josh Alexander, a former
student of St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Ontario, was
participating in a walkout demonstration to protest his school’s
transgender bathroom policy when counter-protesters arrived.
The teenager offered free Bibles to the group carrying transgender
flags and LGBT-related signs; until things started to escalate.
Video footage shows a scuffle break out between Alexander
and the pro-transgender group, with the teenager being pushed
around by protesters. After police stepped in, Alexander was
arrested for “provoking violence” because he had initially
approached the larger group. Alexander was eventually released,
but the police informed him that if he returned, he would be
arrested and charged.
Alexander’s arrest comes shortly after he was expelled from his
local high school for his religious beliefs. St. Joseph’s Catholic
School adopted a policy which allows males identifying as
females to use the women’s’ restroom—a policy that made many
of Alexander’s female friends uncomfortable. Alexander publicly
voiced his concerns with the school’s policy on social media, citing
scriptures that refer to the traditional religious view that only two
genders exist.
Photo: Standing for Freedom
School administrators found concern with Alexander’s belief and
suspended him for “bullying” transgender students at the school.
When Alexander tried to return to the classroom, he was expelled
on charges of trespassing and barred from completing his junior
year.
Alexander said that his issue was not with individual students, but
with the “system that encourages this form of misbehavior.” He
said he, “sympathize[s] with the confused transgender students
because they’ve been wronged by their parents and by society…
but at the same time that doesn’t mean I’m going to condone
their wrongful behavior, especially when it’s a violation of my
female peers’ privacy.”
The high school issued a statement in response to the situation,
reemphasizing that they stand by their decision to allow students
of opposite genders to use bathrooms they identify with.
The Ontario Human Rights Code mandates that schools should
allow students access to bathrooms that align with their perceived
gender identity.
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Persecution | JULY 2023

Photo: Alliance Defending Freedom
Christian Mother Denied Adoption for
Religious Beliefs in Oregon
A Christian mother is suing the state of Oregon after she was barred from
adopting a pair of siblings due to her religious beliefs.
Jessica Bates, a widowed mother of five, was several stages into the adoption
process when she discovered a state policy that required adoption applicants
to “respect, accept and support the … sexual orientation, gender identity
[and] gender expression … of a child or young adult.”
When Bates informed the agency she could not support actions such as taking
a child for cross-sex hormone injections due to her Christian beliefs, her
adoption application was denied. Bates filed a federal lawsuit in April against
Oregon’s Department of Human Service, claiming that the state’s actions
infringed upon her First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, assembly,
and religion.
England School Bans Christian Teacher
After Refusing to Deny His Biblical
Views on Sexuality
School officials banned Joshua Sutcliffe, 33, for “inappropriately sharing his
religious beliefs” with students.
In a letter sent by England’s Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), authorities
cited a case in 2017 when Sutcliffe declined to use the chosen pronoun of
a female student who identified as a boy. Sutcliffe said he refused to “…go
against [his] conscience and cause a child harm.” The TRA accused Sutcliffe
of failing to uphold the student’s dignity and respect, despite Sutcliffe’s
belief that “affirming children who are in gender distress in the classroom is
psychologically damaging.”
The agency also raised concerns with Sutcliffe’s traditional views on marriage,
which he occasionally shared with his students during Bible classes. Sutcliffe
will appeal the TRA’s decision, but if upheld, the ban cannot be reviewed for
another two years.
Crowns of Courage
Crowns of Courage: Inspiration from
memorable martyrs shares the incredible
testimonies of both historical and
modern-day believers who have paid the
ultimate price for their faith.
Esther John, born in 1929 as Qamar Zia,
grew up in a Muslim family. At the age
of 17, she attended a Christian school
and her curiosity about Christianity
grew as she studied Scripture for herself.
Eventually, she and her family moved to
Pakistan, where she connected with an
Indian missionary. As Qamar’s faith grew,
she made the difficult decision to flee
when it was proposed that she marry a
Muslim man.
Qamar began to work for an orphanage
in Karachi, where she changed her name
to Esther. In the years that followed, she
teamed up with a group of American
missionaries and served faithfully as a
village missionary, teaching women to
read and tending to the villagers’ cotton
fields with them.
Though she remained in contact with
her family, her Christian faith remained a
source of tension in the relationship.
In February 1960, Esther was found
brutally murdered in her home. While her
assailant was never captured, Esther was
remembered as a devoted believer. She
was buried in a Christian cemetery and a
memorial was built in her honor in front
of the mission hospital where she lived.
While Esther’s story was never widely
broadcast to the world, she left behind
a legacy of humble service and enduring
faith in the face of opposition.
PERSECUTION.ORG 7

Your Hands and Feet
ICC PROJECTS MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR SUPPORTERS
AFRICA
Love and Loss in the Face of Terror
In the arid lands of northeastern Kenya, a chilling tragedy
unfolded for four families as al-Shabaab, the notorious Somalibased
Islamic terrorist group, executed four Christian workers.
As the early morning sun struggled to pierce through the darkness,
terror descended upon the workers. The al-Shabaab terrorists,
driven by their twisted ideology, ambushed them as they were
drilling wells, shooting them mercilessly at close range. Four lives
were extinguished in an instant. Among them was a husband and
father of six, Joseph.
Left behind in the wake of the brutal attack was his grieving wife,
Catherine, burdened not only by the immense sorrow of losing
her beloved husband but also by the weight of the pregnancy of
their sixth child.
“I lost him when I needed him most,” she lamented. “Not that
he was unimportant before I conceived our baby but because we
needed his support during the pregnancy and after the delivery of
the baby. But the Lord had other plans.”
Hearing of this tragic event, ICC staffers came to the victims’
families to offer support, including food, clothes, cooking gas, and
more.
Catherine expressed her heartfelt appreciation to those who saw
her grief and offered their help. “Thank you for extending your
generosity to me and my baby,” she said. “Just over a month after
delivering her, we were going through a difficult period, and I was
wondering how we were going to survive. Now I have food in the
house and money to buy her clothes and take her to the clinic. I
will also keep part of the money to start a grocery shop after she
grows up in a few months.”
“Thank you for extending your generosity to me and
my baby...I was wondering how we were going to
survive. Now I have food in the house and money to
buy her clothes.” - CATHERINE
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Persecution | JULY 2023

MIDDLE EAST
Flicker of Faith
Farah had endured more hardships in her young life than most
people could ever imagine. The invasion of ISIS had turned her
world upside down, shattering her dreams and tearing apart her
family’s stability.
Her father’s medical conditions only added to their burdens,
requiring visits to doctors and costly medications. Even as ISIS
invaded their area, Farah defied the odds and completed her
exams, earning her diploma in mechanical engineering. But
the aftermath of the conflict had left her family in dire straits,
relying solely on food aid to survive.
Farah’s heart ached as they returned to their once-devastated
home, hoping to find solace within its familiar walls, only to
discover that nothing remained. Through the help of their
extended family members, they were able to rebuild their home.
After moving back home, Farah searched for a way to support
her family. By the end of 2020, Farah started a scented candle
business. But Farah lacked the necessary resources to produce
high-quality candles.
ICC supplied her with the proper equipment needed to
flourish in her online business. Gratitude overflowed from her
heart as she held the tools in her hands, realizing that they
represented so much more than mere objects. They symbolized
an opportunity–a chance to break free from the chains of her
financial constraints and create a business that would not only
sustain her family but also empower her dreams.
“I was very happy that I now have the tools I need because I
could not afford to buy them due to my financial situation,”
Farah expressed. “I used to face difficulties in making the
candles because of the bad quality of items, but I will no longer
worry in this regard, and I will focus on developing my business.
Thank you so much for helping me to get the tools to produce
better quality candles.”
MIDDLE EAST
An ICC Lifeline in the Middle East
In their war-torn Middle Eastern country, Muhammad and Afra
dedicated their lives to a perilous mission of providing aid to
Christians and churches amid the chaos. As converts from Islam,
they knew the risks involved, but felt overwhelmingly compelled
to help their brothers and sisters who were suffering at the hands
of radical Islamists.
Last year, amid the ongoing turmoil, they received joyous news:
they were expecting a baby. However, this blessing also brought
forth new challenges, as the financial pressure they faced
increased. Their current occupation of supplying Christians with
Bibles and aid didn’t bring in a lot of money. The couple found
themselves wondering how they would continue their ministry
while raising their child.
In their time of uncertainty, Muhammad and Afra were granted
a lifeline. ICC provided them with a small grocery business that
would not only sustain their family but also enable them to
continue their vital work.
Thanks to the collective efforts of compassionate ICC donors,
Muhammad and Afra’s story became a testament to the power
of solidarity and long-term support. Your support ensured that
Muhammad, Afra, and their unborn child could continue their
mission of light and love in their country.
PERSECUTION.ORG 9

Front Lines of Ministry
A DEEP DIVE INTO THE LIVES OF CHURCH PLANTERS AND PASTORS
A SYRIAN PRIEST’S MISSION TO SHARE THE LOVE OF
CHRIST IN A COUNTRY FACED WITH DESTRUCTION
I
came into the Christian faith at the
age of 16 and was drawn to Eastern
church music and oriental art, which
reminded me of the Apostles Peter and
Paul, founders of the church in Antioch,
the Bible state. I studied the Bible with
my friends in Sunday school. That’s when I
sensed that Christians living in the Middle
East had lost their attachment to the Bible
and the Church for many reasons.
One of the main reasons was their
presence in a non-Christian society that
does not give much freedom for Christian
education. Society intimidates Christians
and views them as inferior. My family
as well had faced and dealt with that
situation. I felt a responsibility toward
this issue and decided to start studying
theology at a university in Lebanon.
Later I took additional courses in Greece
for a year and a half to graduate in 2005.
At that time, I returned to my city to work
in the field of Christian biblical education,
ready for any challenge.
The next year, I got married to a Christian
woman who also served at church working
with teenagers at Sunday school. She had
agreed to support me in my mission, and
we are still serving together along with our
three children. From 2007 to 2009, I was
the general director of Christian education
in my city, and later in 2010, I became
responsible for the educational curricula
in the church as well as the auditor for
the religious educational curricula in the
Ministry of Education in the country.
“Love should not only be expressed
by words and preaching, but also by
living together in peace, partaking
in the bread of mercy, and helping
the sick. Thus, the message of Christ
is completed in a wounded world.”
In 2011, the armed conflict started–the
conflict the Church has long rejected
because our Lord is LOVE and He came for
peace and mercy for all.
During that time, I continued my
educational work and organized ministry
teams to assist the displaced. I started
this work formally in 2013, and I am still
working with my youth team in helping
widows, the displaced, and the poor
whose situations are the result of war.
Then, when the recent earthquake
occurred, the pressure increased and
the need became great; however our
capacity to help was limited because of
the international economic sanctions
imposed on Syria . And unfortunately,
the poor have suffered the most from
these sanctions. I was ready for this
challenge—to be a servant in a land where
the martyred saints have lived since the
first century—but I did not imagine the
magnitude of difficulties to face.
The needs grew beyond material things
to become psychological and, of course,
spiritual. Thankfully, our Lord granted
us success because, “The God of heaven
crowns our work with success, and we, His
servants, rise and build” (Nehemiah 2:20).
With all these challenges, you can
understand the difficulties the church in
Syria faces.
The long war and the economic sanctions
undoubtedly contribute to weakening the
spirit of hope and faith among Christians.
Moreover, preaching in this case requires
double efforts and different tools.
For example, we try to follow the Lord
Jesus as He was teaching the crowds, but
while teaching with His word, He also gave
them food to eat and healed their diseases.
The spiritual message was accompanied
by physical miracles which allowed them
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Persecution | JULY 2023

“This is our only hope in Syria: to live under the wing
of the Lord and by the grace of the Holy Spirit.”
Photo: Mahmoud Sulaiman/Unsplash
to feel the presence of the Lord with them
on every level of their being.
The love of Christ is not hindered by
circumstances, but it becomes more
difficult. We spread love to all religions and
sects because the Lord Jesus taught us to
consider every human being as a brother.
However, the practical obstacles are huge;
even the cost of transportation has become
difficult for Syrian families due to the high
cost of fuel, and organizing activities to
bring together the youth and families
in the church is a challenge because of
rising prices that are too expensive for
the families to sometimes afford. Love
should not only be expressed by words
and preaching, but also by living together
in peace, partaking in the bread of mercy,
and helping the sick. Thus, the message of
Christ is completed in a wounded world.
The earthquake was destructive in some
areas; however, my area was safe, so it
received and embraced the displaced.
It was essential to help those people
financially, medically, and spiritually.
Unfortunately, we could not do much
because of the economic sanctions and
the international communities’ fear of
violating those sanctions in sending help
to Syria, but according to His faithfulness,
God sent sufficient help.
This is our only hope in Syria: to live under
the wing of the Lord and by the grace of the
Holy Spirit. This country has gone through
long destructive wars and persecutions
throughout history.
Through it all, evangelism and the gospel
continue because Jesus is in the midst of
the Church, “so it will not be shaken,” as
the Bible says.
What I want the Christian people in the
West and the whole world to know is
that we are brothers in the Lord Jesus,
regardless of the color of our skin, our
language, the way we sing, or our place.
We are in great financial and spiritual
hardship, and we are in great need of the
moral, psychological and spiritual support
of our brothers in the West.
ICC has poured tens of thousands of dollars
into parts of Syria and Turkey to help Christians
recover from this year’s devastating
earthquake and tremors.
PERSECUTION.ORG 11

Story and Photos by Joseph Daniel, ICC MENA Regional Manager
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Persecution | JULY 2023

CHRISTIANS’ LOVE SHINES
BRIGHT AND PAVES THE WAY
FOR NEW BELIEVERS
The headlines coming from the Middle East in
the past few decades have seemed anything
but comforting and hopeful: war, terrorism,
social upheaval, natural disasters, and stories
of intense persecution of Christians. Yet, so much
negative news makes one wonder, is there anything
good that can come out of the Middle East? Is there
any resurrection out of all the death?
For the past five years, I have had the wonderful
privilege of living and traveling throughout the
Middle East. In this beautiful region where the
events of the Bible took place, you can find records
from the earliest human civilization and where
Christianity itself originated.
I can certainly attest to the generous hospitality and
rich cultures represented by its people, wonderful
pictures of hope and life. But I also have come faceto-face
with the pain, sorrow, and death present in
this region. I have walked dusty roads with dear Iraqi
friends mourning for those lost in recent genocides
of their people at the hands of ISIS. I have sat with
the Syrian refugee recounting the immeasurable
destruction of their beloved country after more
than a decade of war. I have taken phone calls with
reports of Christian brothers and sisters arrested
and condemned to death in Iran and North Africa
simply for the “crime” of choosing to follow Jesus
Christ.
From Istanbul to Jerusalem, Aleppo to Alexandria,
from Beirut to Baghdad, cities once centers of
early Christianity are now symbols of Christian
communities silently vanishing into their final
generations amid all the turmoil in the Middle East.
A town in the Nineveh Plains that was once
occupied by ISIS during the war.
PERSECUTION.ORG 13

A BLEEDING CHURCH
Multiple reports in the past several years reveal
the unprecedented decline in the number of
Christians in the Middle East, with a sharp decrease,
particularly in the past two decades. In addition,
several nations have seen high emigration rates
from intense persecution, conflict, and economic
crises, along with lower birth rates.
Turkey has seen its Christian population shrink from
more than 20% of its population to less than 1% in
the past 100 years since the Ottoman genocide of
Christians and the founding of the modern state of
Turkey. Perhaps the most striking example is in Iraq,
where around 80% of Christians left the country in
the past 20 years, leaving it with an approximate
mere 200,000 Christians (less than 2% of the
population).
Internal crises in Syria and Lebanon have left the
two nations with a similar downward trend. As one
Christian Syrian leader described it, the past decade
of war has resulted in Syria’s Christian population
“bleeding,” with around 50% fewer Christians left
in the country. Lebanon’s Christians, which at its
founding in 1943 was a majority Christian nation,
now comprise only about 35% of the population,
with continued high emigration rates due to the
nation’s prolonged economic crisis. Israel-Palestine’s
Christian population, the birthplace of Christianity,
has drastically declined to less than 1% of the
population.
Despite the unprecedented loss of Christians,
a remarkable movement of new believers has
emerged among the people of the Middle East.
God has been working through the region’s upheaval
to cause many from the region’s majority religion,
Islam, to question their faith and be attracted to
the love and hope of Jesus. In many ways, God is
uniquely using a shrinking, persecuted remnant of
Christians to advance the gospel.
“We ought always to thank God for you,
brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because
your faith is growing more and more, and
the love all of you have for one another
is increasing. Therefore, among God’s
churches we boast about your perseverance
and faith in all the persecutions and trials
you are enduring.” - 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4
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Persecution | JULY 2023

TURKEY
SYRIA
LEBANON
IRAQ
21ST CENTURY EXODUS
TURKEY
Christians accounted for nearly 20%
of the population pre-genocide.
Today, less than 1% remains.
IRAQ
Around 80% of Christians left Iraq in
the last 20 years, leaving 2% of the
population of Iraq as Christian.
SYRIA
Nearly 50% of all Christians have left
in the past decade due to the war.
LEBANON
Though Christians made up the
majority of the population in 1943,
they now only account for 35%.
PERSECUTION.ORG 15

AN EXPLOSION OF CURIOSITY
Christian media, Bible access, and dreams
fuel Muslims’ interest in the gospel. With
the majority of Muslims in the Middle East
and North Africa not knowing a Christian
personally, these seekers then desire to
find a church or a Christian where they can
have their questions answered. While some
Christians fear association with seekers
due to persecution, there are also many
courageous front-line workers helping to
guide and support these seekers in their
Christian journey.
IMITATING CHRIST
God uses Christians’ unconditional love and
charity amid the turmoil that society has
endured in the past few decades. Christians’
charity for the poor, the refugees, the sick,
and the outcasts has been an irrefutable and
irresistible light for the watching world.
Church leaders in places like Lebanon and
parts of Europe have shared how opening
their doors to help Middle Eastern refugees
has created new opportunities to be the
hands and feet of Christ and brought about
revivals of a living faith among their churches.
Even governments and societies in Syria,
Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey have recognized the
peace and positive influence their Christian
minorities contribute during recent conflicts
and national crises, helping to guard the
historical mosaic of religious co-existence
in the Middle East that political movements
and radical Islamic terrorist groups threaten.
REFINING THROUGH FIRE
God uses persecution to grow the faith
of Christians and birth new churches and
believers. Numerous testimonies of Christians
shared that before the conflict with ISIS, they
were cultural Christians in name, without any
vibrant connection to their faith, community,
or desire to pass on their Christian faith to
their children. However, through the fires
of persecution, such as displacement and
economic loss, these people share how their
trust in God grew, and Christian communities
forged into greater unity and life.
Another example is from North Africa, where every time there is a church
closure or publicized arrest of Christians, internet data points to sharp
increases in searches about Christianity from locals curious about what it is
and why it is considered so “dangerous” by their governments and societies.
As more people, particularly the younger generation, interact with and
are exposed to Christians through friendship and understanding, the more
they ask why there should be such division and persecution towards their
Christian neighbors.
THIS PAGE: A 5th century steeple in Iraq stands damaged after it was used as a sniper tower by ISIS during the war.
The church that was used as ammo storage has resumed services. OPPOSITE: Mar Mattai monastery in Iraq was
started in the 4th century in the mountains as a refuge for Christians fleeing Roman persecution. Recently, it was used
as a refuge again when ISIS emptied Mosul of Christians.
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Persecution | JULY 2023

ROOTS OF THE FAITH
So why is it important to support persecuted Christians so that
they persevere and remain a living light in the region? Among
the seeming death of Middle Eastern Christianity, what can
we do to be a part of a new resurrection by supporting our
persecuted brothers and sisters?
From a Christian mission’s perspective, we have seen how
God is using this courageous remnant to hold on to the faith
while being a guide to new first-generation Christians from
non-Christian backgrounds in the world’s most unreached
places. International Christian Concern (ICC) actively equips
Christians in the Middle East to be effective guides to new
believers and helps support the first-generation in the
early days of their newfound faith who experience great
persecution for deciding to follow Christ.
For supporters of religious freedom everywhere, ensuring
the preservation of the world’s oldest Christian communities
that date back to the first centuries after Christ remains an
important part of the rich global Christian heritage—including
its contributions to the world in areas such as education,
charity, advancements in science and culture, and Middle
Eastern societies based on peace and understanding.
The continued presence of the world’s oldest Christian
communities, particularly in the West, brings a shining
example that Christianity originated in the Middle East
before spreading to become a global faith for all people in
every nation. Christianity’s profound influences on Western
civilization is increasingly being disregarded and even
despised as oppressive symbols of Western colonialism, but
through examples like the Church in the Middle East, we are
reminded of the roots of our faith.
ICC assists these Christian communities by supporting
livelihoods for Christians who suffer economic loss from
attacks and pressures for their faith, advocating for the release
of detained Christians, and blessing persecuted Christian
leaders and families through biblical leadership training and
spiritual retreats.
“
Despite the unprecedented
loss of Christians, a
remarkable movement of
new believers has emerged
among the people of the
Middle East.
PERSECUTION.ORG 17

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Persecution | JULY 2023

The Journey of a
New Convert
From curiosity to conversion, new believers find
Jesus in the Middle East.
By Joseph Daniel
In one of the world’s most persecuted
regions, the church is experiencing a
remarkable surge of new believers.
Despite the persecution and pressure
from Islamic families and culture, an
unprecedented number of Muslims
across the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA) turn to Christianity.
When Muslims convert in this region,
they know persecution will immediately
enter their life. Because of the unique
backgrounds and situations of these new
brothers and sisters, we refer to them as
Muslim-background believers (MBBs).
These courageous people endure great
hardships throughout their journey, from
the time they first explored Christianity to
the beginning of their new Christian life
and beyond.
It is International Christian Concern’s
(ICC) privilege to support MBBs as they
navigate their new faith. We rescue
some from life-threatening situations
and restore livelihood opportunities for
families that lost everything for their
conversion.
In carefully coordinated work with
partners across the MENA region, ICC
has helped dozens of MBBs relocate to a
safe living situations, build a sustainable
livelihood source, and connect them to
opportunities to grow holistically in their
new faith in Jesus.
PERSECUTION.ORG 19

THE ANATOMY OF MUSLIM-BACKGROUND BELIEVERS
The experiences of MBBs differ greatly from one another.
Some MBBs grow up in close-knit Muslim communities, cherished
and respected by their families and tribes. Choosing to love Christ
more than their family (Matthew 10:37) can be excruciatingly
painful and heartbreaking for both the new believer and their
Muslim loved ones.
In North Africa, for example, a father gave his MBB son 12 days to
renounce Christianity, and when the son did not, his father and
the whole village arranged a funeral for him to symbolize that for
them, he was dead; he was no longer a part of the tribe because
he had become a Christian.
Other MBBs come from broken families marked by abuse, divorce,
extreme poverty, or the traumas of conflict and war. ICC especially
helps MBB women who have experienced not only persecution
because of their new faith, but also gender-based violence in their
Muslim community before they found hope in Jesus.
PERSECUTION IN THE SEARCH
Muslims who ask too many questions about their religion
are seen as threats to the broader Muslim community. In the
deeply religious cultures of the Middle East, to lose faith in
God and religion is not only an internally troubling thing for
the questioner, but is also seen as the seed of apostasy (to
question and explore answers outside of Islam). They must
explore Christianity in complete secret with great sensitivity.
Many MBBs are young people who, after trying to find peace
in Islam, ultimately encounter confusion about who God
really is. Many of them become atheists or agnostics until
they dream of Jesus, stumble across a Christian social media
page, or meet a Christian friend to whom they turn to find
their answer and hope in Jesus.
Tragically, when family members learn of their curiosity,
MBBs often face disownment, assault, and even lifethreatening
attacks, as their Muslim family tries to rid itself
of the shame that an “apostate” new Christian brings them.
PERSECUTION IN BELIEF
Most MENA countries have anti-conversion laws in
place that persecute converts to Christianity.
Apostasy laws in some countries criminalize
conversion from Islam to Christianity, making it
punishable by imprisonment or death.
Anti-proselytization laws restrict or prohibit any
effort to share the Christian gospel, bringing great
pressure to new converts and Christians who agree
to meet with a seeker to help answer their questions
about Christianity.
Many MENA countries regulate identification and
inter-faith marriage. Throughout the Muslimmajority
world, one’s religious identification from
birth is included on identification documents. It is not
possible to change one’s ID from Muslim to Christian.
This leads to several challenges throughout the rest
of the MBBs life, including restrictions on marriage
and the education of children in the public school
systems who will also be registered as Muslims.
20
Persecution | JULY 2023

PERSECUTION, PROTECTION, AND PROVISION
When an MBB decides to follow Jesus, society sees them as
a threat to the social fabric and cultural norms of society. They
may be physically and verbally assaulted, exiled from their town
or country, imprisoned, or separated from or rejected by their
family. They may face imprisonment, be a fugitive from relatives
who try to kill them, or be condemned to execution for choosing
Jesus instead of reverting back to Islam.
Other times, MBBs lose their jobs, or have their possessions,
home, or business taken from them. ICC steps into the lives of
these persecuted brothers and sisters to protect them and restore
what they have lost for Christ’s sake. Some of them need to be
relocated to a safe place. ICC also helps them find new jobs and
start small businesses to provide for their families.
PERSECUTION WHILE GROWING
Restrictions and punishments in many MENA
countries often deter Christians from relating to
Muslim seekers or new believers in Jesus to help
them in their new journey.
Many MBBs find it difficult to build relationships
with other Christians due to a lack of trust and a
fear of bringing further persecution to both sides.
Unfortunately, there have been cases of MBBs
returning to Islam when under pressure, many times
citing a lack of both physical and spiritual support
to help them stay the course in their new faith. ICC
connects new believers with on-the-ground partners
who help their faith grow and get the physical
assistance they need to experience the tangible love
of Christian family and community.
PERSECUTION.ORG 21

The World’s Fastest Growing Church
22
Persecution | JULY 2023

WH EN PERSECUTION
FUELS TH E RAPID
EXPANSION OF TH E
CHURCH IN IRAN
By Joseph Daniel
Photo: Idin Ebrahimi/Unsplash
To be a Christian in Iran 50 years ago meant to be a part of
small ethnic groups of Armenians, Chaldeans, or Assyrians–
communities of a few hundred thousand that had lived in Iran
for centuries.
Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, there were only a
few hundred converts to Christianity from the country’s majority
religion, Islam. When the revolution successfully overthrew the secular
monarchy, or Shah, it was reasonable to expect that the tiny Christian
populations would diminish and that Christianity would be stifled under
the newly applied Sharia law of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
For the past 44 years, there has been wave after wave of persecution
against Iranians who decide to become Christians. To own a Bible in
PERSECUTION.ORG 23

the national language of Farsi, is prohibited.
Sharing the Christian faith with others is
outlawed. Christian leaders have been arrested,
interrogated, and imprisoned in the nation’s
notorious Evin prison.
Iran’s regime has even sentenced some to
death under charges of apostasy and as spies
threatening its Islamic system. The Iranian
government refuses to acknowledge Iranian
converts to Christianity and denies them all
religious freedom.
With such an environment, it would seem
surprising to hear that in the past decade Iran has
been one of the fastest-growing churches in the
world. Some estimates point to a million or more
Iranian converts to Christianity. Neighboring
Afghanistan rivals Iran as the fastest-growing
church–influenced by Iranian Christians whose
similar language and cultural connections have
built bridges for the spread of the gospel.
God used the Armenian, Chaldean, and Assyrian
churches as a source of light, especially in the
early years after the revolution, for Iranians who
became disillusioned with the Islamic Republic
and were searching for answers. Though these
communities’ numbers inside the country have
dwindled to only around 100,000, the number of
new Iranian coverts has surpassed it as much as
perhaps 10 times the number!
24
Persecution | JULY 2023

Christianity is also growing in Iran
through believers simply telling
their friends and family about their
new-found faith. House church
movements have begun all over
Iran, providing deep fellowship that
has helped many Iranian believers
to remain firm in their faith amid
great persecution.
These converts come from all sectors
of society–from street vendors
and taxi drivers to intellectuals,
artists, and public servants. House
churches, online media gospel
programs, and person-to-person
connections continue to be conduits
of the spread of the gospel all over
the country.
Persecution threatened to eliminate
Christianity from Iran. However, the
opposite happened; persecution
only seemed to spur the growth of
the church.
Today, the church in Iran still faces
great challenges. As it grows so
rapidly, there is a great need for
discipleship of new believers.
There is also a deep need for
unity as continued persecution
for their faith seeks to divide and
isolate believers from one another.
Pray for Christians in Iran under
persecution.
Blessed are those who
are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
MATTH EW 5:10
Opposite: Women protesting during the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
This Page: Underground believers gather for church services in Iran.
ICC works with MBBs and other Christians in Iran to provide aid to help
persecuted believers and grow the church.
PERSECUTION.ORG 25

Hope for the Present
FIND HOPE AND VICTORY IN THE MESSAGES OF THE PERSECUTED
How I discovered God’s
economy of giving in
remote Vietnam
BY JEFF KING
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Persecution | JULY 2023

In the heart of Vietnam, many years ago,
I embarked on a journey to meet with
victims of persecution. It was a perilous
undertaking, as the pastors accompanying
me knew that if discovered, they would
face imprisonment (and likely lose their
lives behind bars).
With great caution, I requested the
gathering of imprisoned pastors’ wives
from all corners of the country. Our
purpose was to provide aid and support
to these courageous women who bore the
weight of their husbands’ unjust captivity.
As they entered the meeting place, the
depth of their suffering etched across their
faces told a profound story.
These wives had endured years of brutal
persecution, reaching unimaginable
heights of cruelty. Their husbands,
confined within prison walls, experienced
gruesome and inhumane torture. Some
would return broken, requiring years for
healing, while others faced sentences so
lengthy that survival seemed impossible.
I shared with them our plans to assist
them and presented a financial gift. And I
watched as an indescribable burden lifted
from their weary shoulders. Tears mingled
with smiles, as they embraced one another
in joyous gratitude.
To our astonishment, more wives arrived
than we had anticipated, and our
resources dwindled. It was at this critical
moment that I decided to contribute some
of my personal funds to support several
families. Though the sum was seemingly
insignificant to me, its impact on the lives
of these women was immeasurable. The
rescue of a family required only a modest
amount, yet in the act of giving, I received
a profound gift myself. The truth in Jesus’
words resounded within me – “Truly, it is
more blessed to give than to receive.”
This experience became one of those rare
moments in my life where I lived out this
lesson in an unparalleled manner. As I
poured out my resources, the presence of
God poured into my heart like a river, and
the blessing I received far exceeded any
“financial loss” I had contributed.
It is so easy to read passages like this
in scripture and know it’s true. Even
Jeff on a trip to southeast
Asia meeting with
persecuted brothers and
sisters, circa 2004.
nonbelievers know how good it can feel
to help those in need. But still, our culture
incessantly preaches the pursuit of money,
asserting that it is the path to fulfillment,
success, and blissful existence.
Yet, those who have tasted financial
prosperity, sitting atop their accumulated
wealth, understand the emptiness it
brings. Money can give you choices and
lots of fun, but it can never provide true
life.
The reason we experience such profound
joy when we give is that we align ourselves
with God’s economy and His very nature.
In His upside-down kingdom, it is through
giving that we receive, through losing
that we gain, and through dying that we
discover life.
Our culture incessantly preaches the pursuit of money, asserting
that it is the path to fulfillment, success, and a blissful existence.
PERSECUTION.ORG 27

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