Another election season is upon us, and once again our mailboxes, inboxes, televisions, and social media feeds are filled with urgent appeals for our attention, our convictions, and our support. I believe Christians should be actively engaged in the political process. We should vote, speak with courage, defend what is right, and take seriously our responsibility as citizens.
I say that not only as the president of International Christian Concern (ICC), but also as someone who served in the military during the first Persian Gulf War. I understand that nations face consequential moments, and that freedom carries both a cost and a responsibility. But there is another crisis before us. One that does not rise and fall with an election cycle. Its consequences reach beyond a term of office, beyond a generation, and into eternity. It is the struggle for souls and the freedom of men, women, and children to know, follow, and boldly proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Around the world, over 380 million Christians are paying a real price for their faith. Churches are attacked. Pastors are imprisoned. Families are driven from their homes. Young girls are raped and forced into marriages and conversions. Believers face intimidation, violence, and loss of life. And still choose to remain faithful to Christ.
We cannot allow the urgency of what is happening at home to make us forget the eternal stakes confronting our brothers and sisters abroad.
Every week, ICC receives urgent requests from persecuted believers who need emergency relief, legal assistance, safe housing, education, discipleship, livelihood support, and advocacy. Those requests are not slowing down. In many regions, the need is accelerating.
During the past two months, like many ministries serving the Kingdom, we have experienced a decline in giving. We understand the pressures families are facing and the many legitimate demands on charitable dollars. But persecution does not pause when giving declines. A displaced family still needs a safe place to live. An imprisoned believer still needs an advocate. A threatened pastor still needs support. And a young Christian facing enormous pressure still needs to know the wider Body of Christ has not forgotten them.
This is where I want to challenge us. We cannot become so accustomed to hearing about persecution that it becomes background noise. Nor can we become so consumed with the battles immediately in front of us that we neglect a struggle with eternal consequences.
When church leaders receive training that strengthens an entire village, when a displaced Christian family gains the means to rebuild, when advocacy helps open a prison door, or when a young believer is equipped to share the Gospel boldly despite opposition, the impact reaches far beyond one person or one moment. Souls are reached. Churches are strengthened. The Gospel advances. The impact reverberates into eternity.
So, as you decide where your year-end giving will go, I ask you to make an intentional choice: make room for the persecuted church. The men, women, and children we serve are not merely victims. They are faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. They are sharing the Gospel in some of the hardest places on earth, planting churches, discipling believers, and advancing God's Kingdom under circumstances many of us can scarcely imagine. They are doing their part with extraordinary courage. We must ask ourselves whether we are willing to do ours.
Please pray for their protection, perseverance, and witness. And if the Lord leads you, make a special gift to support ICC's work of serving, strengthening, and advocating for persecuted Christians around the world.
Elections matter. Civic engagement matters. The future of our nation matters. But eternity matters more. Let us not lose sight of the souls at stake or the believers who are standing on the front lines of faith every day. Together, we can help persecuted believers move from survival to thriving and equip them to become bold witnesses for Christ in the very places where the darkness seems strongest. Together we can change the "dot" of this natural life AND the "line" of eternity.
Thank you for standing with the persecuted Church. Your prayers, generosity, and faithfulness remind believers under pressure that they are not alone. Let's help them carry the Gospel into places where following Christ can cost everything.
