Stand up for persecuted brothers and sisters

As American Christians head toward the important midterm elections, we should not forget the plight of our brothers and sisters facing persecution in many countries around the world.

The latest report from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom offers a sober assessment of the worst violators of religious freedom. This commission, a bipartisan commission put in place by Congress in 1998, is tasked with monitoring the state of religious persecution around the world. In 2026, in many parts of the world, the situation is dire.

In Nigeria, Christians face daily deadly attacks from Muslim militants. In China, the communist regime’s latest crackdown has seen house church pastors jailed for their faith. In Afghanistan, the disastrous U.S. withdrawal has led to persecution and death of confessing Christians. This is just a snapshot of the terror rained down on believers around the world.

The commission has two designations for countries: “Countries of Particular Concern” and “Special Watch List.” The first designation is a rogues gallery of nations, such as China, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia, that systemically persecute religious minorities. This year, the Commission suggested adding Afghanistan, India, Libya, Syria, and Vietnam to the list. The second designation applies to nations that don’t rise to the level of particular concern but are raising alarms. This year, the Commission urges including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Central African Republic, and Comoros.

This report is important because it not only publicly shames nations that deny their people religious freedom, but it gives the U.S. State Department tools and information as it negotiates with other nations, including ammunition to sanction countries based on their bad behavior. What’s more, it allows the United States to use its massive bully pulpit as the world’s superpower to pressure nations to advance religious freedom.

American Christians should take this report seriously. Scripture tells us to “remember those in prison as if you were bound with them” (Hebrews 13:3), referring specifically to persecuted members of the body of Christ. We should not only pray for our brothers and sisters in peril in these nations, but we should urge our government to take action.

First, we should urge the U.S. Senate to confirm Cissie Graham Lynch, the daughter of evangelist Franklin Graham, to the important post of ambassador at large for international religious freedom. Second, we should press the U.S. government to take appropriate action against nations that persecute believers. And third, we should urge the U.S. government to consider admitting refugees fleeing persecution. A recent report by Open Doors, a Christian organization that advocates and cares for persecuted Christians, showed that for the first time in decades, the United States is admitting zero refugees from the worst persecuting countries.

Not only is this at odds with President Trump’s own promise that the United States would be a haven for persecuted Christians, it is at odds with the views of most conservative evangelical Christians who voted for him. Recent surveys indicate conservatives are in favor of accepting persecuted believers as refugees. Trump has been a vocal champion for religious freedom. He was wise to reverse President Biden’s disastrous border policies, but Christians should urge his administration to reconsider this refugee policy. The United States cannot take in every person fleeing persecution, and we must weigh a lot of factors with our immigration policies, but continuing our historic policy of being a beacon for those who flee Christian persecution would be in keeping with America’s Christian heritage.

Most of all, we, as American believers, must not close our ears and eyes to the peril of our brothers and sisters around the world who do not enjoy the religious freedom we enjoy here in the United States. God has given us a voice we should use on their behalf. We are commanded to “work for the good of all, especially those of the household of faith” Galatians 6:10. When one part of the body of Christ suffers, we all suffer.

Let’s not forget persecuted Christians.