Sunday is the annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church – and a reminder that God is at work in the worst places on earth

Churches across America and around the world are encouraged to remember the more than 7,000 Christians who were killed last year because of their faith, and to pray for those in more than 60 countries still facing persecution.

David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA, encourages prayers for persecuted churches to be strengthened and to be able to meet together in freedom.

“A lot of people don’t have that freedom,” he points out. “As much as we take it for granted, there are people all over the world who cannot for themselves decide what their faith will be. They can’t decide to change their faith Muslim to Christian except at great cost and potential loss of their life.”

Despite the great difficulty, he further says, persecuted Christians are leading many people to faith in Jesus Christ, and their faith amidst persecution has become part of the Church’s history.

“That in the midst of the tragedy they’re reaching out to people – they’re being salt and light in the midst of tragedy – and it’s making a huge difference,” he says.