Join in the International Day of Prayer 2025

Sunday the  2nd of November 2025 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). A day observed annually on the first Sunday of November.

While most of us at King’s Church in Wokingham don’t face regular or severe discrimination, imprisonment, or violence for our faith, there are those among who have had to leave friends and familiarity because they used to live in parts of the world where these things do happen. I think particularly of Jamal who we Baptised three years ago but who has dropped out of contact with us and has disappeared with mental health concerns related to his personal history.

Please pray for Jamal, whether you knew him or not. I regularly pray for even though I don’t know exactly what to pray.
 
His story is not unique, we are delighted to host Arman and his family, also from Iran, and many of our Hong Kong-er Community faced forms of political intimidation and censure. Others in King's who have come from South Asia and parts of Africa are only one step removed from severe abuse.

The scale of suffering faced by our global brothers and sisters is immense. Globally, over 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination—that is one in seven believers worldwide. Last year more than 20 church buildings a day where attacked, more than 12 believers a day where arrested for their faith and a further 12 where murdered.

You can stay prayerfully informed by looking at the Open Doors World Watch List here.

Sadly, this persecution is not a rare phenomenon it has existed continuously since the day of Pentecost and the religious freedom that is seen as typifying the west is in fact the fruit of the Gospel in Europe and northern America.

It is relatively recent and shouldn’t or can’t be assumed without significant renewal and revival in these nations.

Please look at the Open Doors resources and other such as Release International or Christian Solidarity Worldwide to pray as we approach IDOP. And watch out for ideas and information as to how we will stand with our global family in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks,
Christen.