A new Report by Open Doors International details just how surprisingly gender-specific the persecution of Christians can be. Sexual violence is the chief weapon used against Christians women. Overt physical violence is most common against Christian men. And, in Open Doors’ words, the violence against men is “focused, severe and visible.”

In other words, when Christian men are beaten and their homes and businesses attacked, it is done openly. The goal is intimidation and terror. 

Young Christian men are also often conscripted into militias or other armed groups. Not only does this force them to violate their Christian beliefs and values, it usurps the Church’s role in the moral and spiritual formation of its young men and therefore weakens its future. 

Many of us can’t imagine this kind of threat. Our persecuted brothers and sisters need our prayers. To pray more knowledgeably, please come to BreakPoint.org for a link to the report from Open Doors.

This commentary originally aired on December 10, 2020