6 Lessons from Persecuted Christians

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I remember the old man shuffling across the stage toward the microphone. He was barely able to walk because of being tortured and imprisoned so many years. He was a pastor who had the audacity to stand for Jesus during the communist regime. I couldn’t imagine the terror of being arrested and beaten over and over. As a child, I sat in the audience transfixed by his story. This man was full of joy and refused to back down under constant opposition and threats. And he is not alone. There are—

100 MILLION

The number of Christians living in
Countries where they face persecution

Every day
Christians are tortured
Because of their faith in Jesus Christ
In more than 50 countries
Being a Christian
means being persecuted
In North Korea
Christians are sent to labor camps
To starve or be killed
In Saudi Arabia
Many Christians have been arrested
Or put to death in “honor killings” by their own families.
In Iran
Christians are discriminated against
And often cannot find or keep jobs
Their lives are on the line every day…
Yet they are joyous
They have courage
They have peace
What is the secret to being Strong in the Storm?
Persecuted Christians want you to know that they are just like you
Faithful, flawed, human.
Yet they know the six lessons about standing firm for Christ. This is what makes a difference for them.

  1. Sometimes you need isolation to grow in your faith.
  2. God is often working behind the scenes. Don’t take defeats at face value.
  3. Our weakness allows God to work powerfully in our lives.
  4. Overcoming is greater than deliverance.
  5. Extreme hurt requires extreme forgiveness
  6. Prayer is the ultimate fellowship.


Now you can hear the stories of persecuted Christians, and discover the lessons they’ve learned in a new Bible study that will change your life: Strong in the Storm.
It will help you have joy when life is tough and …
Increase your faith in God’s love
Help you know God’s power during times of suffering
The Strong in the Storm study also includes

  • Ways to help Christians in other countries
  • The one thing persecuted Christians want the most—prayer
  • Statistics about countries on the “World Watch List”
  • The Four Stages of Persecution

It tackles topics such as
Forgiveness, isolation, trust, weakness, and overcoming
Strong in the Storm is available as a 14-page full color pamphlet or as a PDF download that can be read on any computer (and even an iPad)
Ideas for use:

  • Personal study and growth.
  • A Bible study for International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (November 14, 2010)
  • A source of statistics for a sermon or lecture.
  • A small group or home fellowship study on being courageous during tough times. (After each section, ask the participants to share what they thought was most important and why.)
  • A guide for praying for persecuted Christians. (Quantity discounts available.)
  • A handout to raise awareness that Christians are being tortured, beaten, intimidated, and imprisoned.


Strong in the Storm is a joint project of Open Doors and Rose Publishing. ISBN 13: 9781596364172
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