World Watch List: Egypt

Tracing the blood-stained walls of a church, standing on tiles black with the echoes of an explosion, walking in the footsteps of a suicide bomber, and finding a pocket of heaven atop a mountain of garbage. Join Joyce as she reflects with Joel and Elly on their trip to Egypt, the lasting impact that it had on their faith, and the lessons we as Christians in Australia and New Zealand can take from those counting the cost of faith in Egypt.

Imagine a place where every single person in your community is on high alert, watching and waiting for you to make a single misstep that will reveal something that could put your life in danger: you are a Christian. Join Joyce and Sarah as they explore the pressure of persecution across the region of Central Asia, and what life is like for believers in some of these countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Colombia might not be one of the first countries you think of when you think of the persecution of Christians, yet it consistently appears in the World Watch List top 50. What does persecution look like in a country where the overwhelming majority call themselves Christians? How do cartels and organised crime drive the persecution of believers? And how does Open Doors seek to strengthen the Church in this unique context? Join Nathan and Adam as they explore these questions and more!

Ever wondered what it looks like to serve the persecuted and strengthen the Church? How do we find the most persecuted? What does it look like to balance addressing immediate needs with longterm ones? How could suffering lead to victory? Join Anna and special guest, Jo Newhouse, from our Sub-Saharan Africa team as they unpack these questions and more on this episode of The Whole Story. If you've been moved by today's episode, please sign our global petition to stop violence against Christians: https://www.opendoors.org.au/make-your-voice-heard/

In Niger, Christians are roughly one in every few hundred people – a small remnant living under the pressure of extremist violence and deep poverty. In this episode, Nathan and Joel explore what persecution looks like in Niger today and share the story of a mother who fled with her children when militants reached her village.

Episode 30 | World Watch List: Central African Republic by Open Doors Australia & New Zealand

In the heart of Africa sits the Central African Republic, a country where around 75% of the population identify as Christian. So, how does a place like this end up as one of the most dangerous places on the planet to follow Jesus? Join Nathan and Steve as they share what persecution looks like for Christians in the Central African Republic.

Ever wondered how a Christian in Uzbekistan might experience persecution for their faith?  Join Nathan and Anna as we explore this landlocked country in Central Asia where only 1% of the population knows and follows Jesus. Hear what "squeeze" persecution looks like in practice for believers in Uzbekistan, including how many people are involved in surveilling every pastor in one region (hint: it's more than you think!).

"They tried to break me, but Jesus rebuilt me." In this episode, join Nathan and Steve as they explore what it's like to be a Christian in Bangladesh against a backdrop of political turmoil, riots that led to the resignation of a Prime Minister, and increasingly violent attacks against believers. Hear how the faith of a nine-year-old girl challenges the way that we can live in simple obedience to the teachings of Jesus.

Join Joyce and Steve in this episode, as we unpack Christian persecution in Sudan, a country navigating new waves of conflict and political unrest. Discover how believers are responding with resilience and faith, providing hope and discipleship in the fourth hardest country in the world to be a Christian.