Teddy James
AFA Journal staff writer
December 2014 – The father looked at his children and said, “Kids, we want to let you know something. Our home has been marked as a house of Christians. That means people will knock on our door soon. They are going to ask both of you if you are Christian. We want you to tell them the truth that you believe in Jesus. Then we want you to say you forgive them. What they are going to do…it’s going to hurt. But after that pain, we will be together in heaven.”
In September 2014, as that father predicted, Islamic State warriors knocked on the Syrian family’s door and asked if anyone inside was Christian. They said yes. All four were beheaded. The children’s uncle survived and fled to a refugee camp where he relayed the story to a relief team from Open Doors USA.
“Human rights violation” seems too vague and sterile to describe the scene above. But that family lost the basic human right to life.
Thousands of other families are in similar situations right now. “Someone should do something!” we shout to heaven, before turning aside to see what’s on TV.
Why we should get involved
Even with all the violence in entertainment, people still have a sense of injustice when we see human tragedy. Humans are hardwired to recognize the responsibility of caring for others.
But Christians have a special responsibility to help and care for others, especially those who cannot defend themselves.
Todd Nettleton, director of media and public relations for Voice of the Martyrs (persecution.com), told AFA Journal, “As Christians, we believe mankind is created in the image of God and therefore has reflections of His glory. If we truly believe that, we also have to believe each person has intrinsic value that comes from being created by a loving and living God.”
David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA (opendoorsusa.org), added, “Christians have a unique responsibility to care for those whose basic human rights are violated. As Christians, part of our faith is our knowledge that every life has value and that God created every person individually. He knows and cares for them.”
In addition, Christians have a family duty to care for their brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering around the world.
Nettleton said, “The Bible makes it clear in passages such as 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 that we are part of a body. When one part of the body suffers, the entire body should feel the pain. If someone steps on my toe, my whole body responds to get my toe out of the way. That’s how it’s supposed to be with the body of Christ.”
How do we get involved?
Stories of persecution often bring feelings of helplessness. But Nettleton and Curry give simple, practical steps to help.
Both said the first way to help is pray. “A sense of encouragement needs to be one of the most urgent pleas in our prayers,” Nettleton said. “Hebrews 13:3 says, ‘Remember those who are in prison as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.’ So if you picture yourself in prison because you got arrested at church last Sunday, and you’re not sure how long you’re going to be there or what’s happening, how would you want people to pray for you?”
Curry said, “Let’s pray for their safety, that they stay strong in the face of the storm, that people find safe harbor. Lastly, let’s pray for the persecutors. We need to pray they find Jesus. We have to pray for Islamic State warriors and people who are affected by them. It’s hard, but it is something we are commanded to do in Matthew 5:44.”
Nettleton echoed this sentiment. He said, “Every time I think about the Islamic State or radical Hinduism in India, I also think about a radical named Saul who was on his way to Damascus to hunt down Christians when he was radically changed into Paul the Apostle, the missionary who took the gospel around the entire known world.”
Nettleton said praying for the persecuted church will lead Christians to educate themselves about those suffering for the gospel. “Learn the countries where this is happening,” he said. “Get some names and faces to pray for. That is going to help you pray more effectively, more passionately and more persistently. For pastors, it can lead to teaching about the persecuted church more regularly.”
In their years of frontline experience fighting human rights violations around the world, Curry and Nettleton have found and created opportunities for believers to enter the fight as well. (See sidebar.)
VOM and Open Doors say it is important to speak with government officials to let them know what Christians expect. Curry said, “Representatives need to know Christians expect the American government to support human rights around the world, especially inside the borders of our allies, because that is not happening today.”
Nettleton agreed: “We need to make it clear that we vote for people who stand up for human rights, not only for our brothers and sisters, but for everybody. We have a great privilege in voting for our leaders. We need to take advantage of that privilege and communicate that we will not compromise on this issue.”
Curry said, “Serving the persecuted church and praying for them is one of the truly selfless things the body of Christ can do because there’s nothing these people can do for you. They can teach us something. I learn from the stories of Christians in Syria and Iraq and North Korea, but they can’t do anything for me, so I’m going to have to do what I do for the right reasons.”
In reality, we are serving a part of our own body we will never see this side of glory. In Matthew 25, Jesus says that in the final judgment the King will look at the righteous and say He was hungry and they fed Him. He was thirsty and they gave Him drink. He was in prison and they visited Him.
Not knowing how or when they did these things, they will ask, “When did we see You hungry, thirsty or in prison?”
God will answer, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me." 
Connect, encourage, contribute
At VOM’s prisoneralert.com website you can select an imprisoned Christian to whom you want to write an encouraging letter. The site provides all the needed contact information and postage costs. Select Scriptures and encouraging statements can be translated into the native language of the recipient.
Nettleton said, “One of my favorite stories came from an Uzbekistan pastor. He said when the letters started coming, he was beaten less. I wish when the letters came the beating stopped, but I tell people that if you can give five minutes you can save one of our brothers or sisters a beating today.”
Open Doors USA is helping refugees flee the Islamic State. Curry said, “Right now, we’re supporting several camps in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. We are asking supporters to donate $50 to buy food, cooking fuel, utensils, mattresses, clothes and anything else families need. Many of these people left with nothing but their clothes and shoes, and they had their shoes taken when they crossed the borders.”
