By Salt 106.5 Network Tuesday 26 Mar 2024Christian LivingReading Time: 3 minutes

As Easter approaches, it’s important to consider the blessing of living in a country which is essentially free from Christian persecution.

Key points

• “Churches will be burnt, or Christians will be persecuted at Easter,” said Adam Holland, CEO of Open Doors Australia and New Zealand.
• Adam invites us to pray for individuals who will suffer persecution this Easter.
• “The fact that persecution exists is evidence that the Gospel knows no boundaries,” Adam said.

350 million (or 1 in 7) Christians around the world experience persecution and sadly, it often intensifies around Easter.

Adam Holland, CEO of Open Doors Australia and New Zealand, says there are some simple things we can do to support those who are suffering persecution, this Easter.

“The numbers get overwhelming at times because it just feels like, how do you engage with that number?” Adam said of the findings of the Open Doors World Watchlist.

“But the numbers are important because it communicates scale, and 1 in 7 is confronting, to think that many Christians around the world face persecution.

Why is it so difficult for us to comprehend the numbers?

“It’s challenging to engage with, for us in Australia, we often do have a comfortable bubble, I know that’s true for me.

“A question I often ask myself is – how is my discipleship to Jesus different because of persecution?

“And that’s not from direct persecution but understanding that we’re part of a global body, we are unified and when one part suffers, the other part suffers.”

“Churches will be burnt, or Christians will be persecuted at Easter,” Adam said.

There are different categories of persecution, Adam explained and said that while many Christians are ‘squeezed’ by being edged out of the employment or property market because of their faith, others are ‘smashed’ by blatant violence.

“At one level, we know persecution will happen,” Adam said.

“Churches will be burnt, or Christians will be persecuted at Easter.

“At Easter historically there’s always been a spike.”

How can we pray this Easter?

Adam invites us to pray for individuals who will suffer persecution this Easter:

We’re invited to pray for individuals who will suffer persecution this Easter.

1. Pray for those who boldly gather together to worship Christ, knowing that they may be persecuted for doing so.
2. Pray that they would know that they’re not alone, they we’re one as a global body.
3. Pray that Open Doors is able to respond to instances of persecution this Easter, when their team is often stretched.

“Much of the work that Open Doors does is in trauma care and support after events, and we know that to be true of Easter,” Adam said.

“As devastating as it is to think through, that will happen this year.”

“The fact that persecution exists is evidence that the Gospel knows no boundaries,” Adam said.

Incredibly, there is hope amongst the devastation of persecution.

“We know God is at work around the world, and in many ways, the fact that persecution exists is evidence that the Gospel knows no boundaries,” Adam said.

“It’s not bound by nation, by kingdom.

“To co-labour with Christ is a joy and a privilege.”

A precious reminder for all of us, what an honour it is, to be celebrating Easter this year, and everything Jesus did, to invite us to be a part of His church.

Learn more about the work of Open Doors at opendoors.org.au.

Feature image: Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash