(5–8 minutes, easy set-up)
For more information about Open Doors USA, go to www.opendoorsusa.org.
Share the following: Across the world, Christians who worship God openly are often threatened in many ways. Open Doors serves Christians in over 60 countries who are persecuted for their beliefs. A quick visit to the home page of their website reveals a number of articles detailing the stories of believers who currently find their desire to worship God restricted or forbidden.
Here are a few examples: Algerian Woman Given Fifteen Days to Renounce Her Faith. In February 2016, this woman’s family gave her fifteen days to turn from her faith in Jesus or the family would disown her. A March 2016 article, Killings of Christians in Nigeria has Increased by 62%, points out the extensive increase in murders of Christians in the northern villages of Nigeria since 2014. Because the threat is so widespread, they claim that defeating the Boko Haram will not alleviate the persecution of Christians. In February 2016, a pastor in Central Asia was ordered to stop holding church meetings or he would be arrested and imprisoned. The pastor must now choose between protecting his family or risking everything to continue to lead his church.
Ask: What evidence have you seen in these stories or in other accounts that the world frequently tries to prevent people from worshiping and serving God? Have you seen any evidence that believers in our area face restrictions when trying to worship God? How can believers respond in the face of such restrictions?
Emphasize that God’s followers have always faced similar restrictions and suffered persecution for worshiping God. Explain that learners will consider how three young men responded when their governing authorities required them to replace their worship of God with worshiping an idol.