persecution Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

Diving Deep for the Gospel

Despite opposition and personal sacrifice, global workers exemplify “Passionate Service” that goes well beyond surface level.

Jun 01 2023

Author’s Note: Here on the blog for the past few months, we’ve been featuring stories that exemplify each of TEAM’s Defining Values. As we came to the value of “Passionate Service,” I knew I wanted to share a story about a TEAM missionary with a passion for cross-cultural service. Here’s what God showed me in the meantime. A New Adventure I held my breath and kicked hard for the surface. Snorkeling in the teal blue waters off the coast of the Philippines was a new adventure for me. For the first few minutes, I had stayed close to the…

Over half the world’s population lives within a 2,500 mile radius of Yuxi, a city in southern China. For this month’s Prayer Focus, please join us in praying for Gospel reach in Asia.

Mar 14 2023

With concerns over aerial surveillance, military aid to Russia, and increasing tensions with Taiwan, it seems that China is constantly in the news. Asia as a whole remains largely in the throes of economic upheaval caused by supply-chain disruptions and other aftershocks of the pandemic. And yet the Gospel spreads. Christianity grew twice as fast as the general population in Asia during the 20th century, and that trend continues in the 21st. According to sources cited in this article from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Christians now make up 8.2% of people living in Asia. How can we, as the global…

For Harriet, following Christ means struggling to feed her family and facing threats — but she wouldn’t trade Him for anything.

Apr 15 2021

What does a new Christian do when she has to choose between following Jesus and earning a living? Harriet made her living as a religious teacher and healer in the town of Goz Beïda, Chad. Her beliefs were a blend of Islam and traditional folk religion. Three or four evil spirits would regularly come to Harriet, providing undisclosed details: This person has this illness. This person’s brother has cursed them. This person needs this specific treatment. Harriet would then provide a traditional herbal remedy or potion to solve her clients’ problems. And because she was well-versed in the Quran, she…

This month, we're praying for missionaries who serve in countries that are hostile to the cause of Christ. Discover how you can lift them up in prayer!

Jun 01 2020

When we think of sharing our faith, a lot of different things come to mind. We think of everything from inviting our neighbors to church, to sharing our faith with strangers at outreach events. We think of reading our Bibles in public and having conversations with others. All of these things have one thing in common: They require us to be able to talk openly about our faith. For missionaries in certain parts of the world, talking openly about their faith comes with severe consequences. Evangelizing in these parts of the world can mean deportation or even prison. In some…

In Khaan and Shaima’s country, sharing the Gospel is a crime punishable by death. But by God’s grace, they’re finding ways to minister!

Nov 21 2018

Zarak* had been a student at Khaan’s* Bible correspondence school for months. But when the two men finally met in person, Zarak said something completely unexpected: “Aren’t you afraid of me?” Khaan lives in an Islamic country, where direct evangelism is punishable by death. So, the TEAM correspondence school he worked for had to be discreet. They placed ads in newspapers, offering to educate people on the lives of the prophets. When people responded, the school took them through a series of lessons that came straight from the Bible. Khaan’s role involved connecting students to the correspondence school. Every so…

Italian church service, like the one Serena attends now that she's not a persecuted Christian.

Serena knew following Jesus was dangerous in her country, but she had know idea how far God would take her!

Nov 08 2018

If you want to know what it feels like to be a persecuted Christian, read the Psalms. At least, that’s what Serena, a young believer from the Middle East, says. While in hiding for nine months, she says, “I was just reading Psalms. … Like, I’m surrounded by enemies. People want to kill me. People want me. Every situation is really hard for me. But [Jesus said], ‘OK, but you know that I’m yours. … I will save you.” Serena was raised by Christian parents, but she didn’t know that until she was 15 years old. When she asked her…

Across the globe, millions of Christians are fighting for their lives — and the Gospel. This month, discover how you can pray for the persecuted Church.

Nov 01 2018

It started out like any other day for Aasiya, one of the only known Christians in her town. The Pakistani wife and mother of two had gone out that morning to gather falsa berries with some other local women. When they asked Aasiya to get water for them from a nearby well, she did. But she was parched, so she also took a sip for herself. Enraged, the other women accused Aasiya of blasphemy and claimed she had defiled their water. Later, more of her neighbors raided her house. They left her bloodied and bruised when the police finally intervened….

Tag - persecution

Diving Deep for the Gospel

Together for the Gospel: Praying for Asia

Facing Persecution, But She Has Peace

Serving Where Christians Aren’t Welcome [June Prayer Focus]

When Sharing the Gospel is a Crime

Living the Psalms: A Persecuted Christian’s Story

Bloodied and Bruised for the Gospel [November Prayer Focus]