Global prayer for persecuted believers on Nov. 14

Persecuted believers across the globe will be remembered on Nov. 14 as churches mark the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP).

Begun in 1996, IDOP is a day for intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted Christian communities worldwide.

There are an estimated 100 million Christians in the world today facing harassment, intimidation, arrest, violence, torture, imprisonment and even death simply because they believe in Jesus Christ.

Believers in India will be specially remembered and prayed during the event, participated by over half a million churches worldwide.

"It is important for the international church to pray for persecuted believers. Prayer for them is very necessary because they are under a lot of strain. Intercede and intervene for them where necessary," said Rev. Richard Howell, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI).

In India, he lamented that Christians were being killed and churches bulldozed for their faith. "But all too common are the burning of Bibles, the denigration of Christians and the hate speech against them in the mainstream media."

He says there is widespread "propaganda" against Christians, and the church in India is not equipped to respond effectively.

"Christians in the free world need to know what is happening to Christians in countries where religious freedom is limited," he said. "If more people were aware of the treatment they are receiving then that would minimise the propaganda against them."

It is estimated that more than 100,000 churches have taken part in IDOP activities since 1996, and churches in more than 130 countries have participated.