International Christian Concern

10/19/2026

Please join us in praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Malaysia.

In order to be a Christian in Malaysia “I essentially have to live a double life,” said “Deborah,” a young ethnic Malay Christian woman.

Malaysia has long had a reputation as a relatively moderate, majority-Muslim country. For ethnic Malays themselves, however, there is essentially no freedom of religion. Malaysia’s own constitution defines all ethnic Malays as Muslims.
So, technically speaking, it is all but impossible for a Malay to leave Islam. And yet some do.

“I essentially have to live a double life,” said “Deborah,” a young ethnic Malay Christian woman.

Growing up Muslim, Deborah followed what was taught and expected of her. “But deep down, there was always a feeling that something was missing,” she said.
Nobody persuaded her to change her religion. She explored Christianity on her own, and it felt like “I was finally finding something my heart had been searching for.”
The pastor at her church knows about her background. Although her presence is accepted, she has not been able to be baptized.
“That is something I personally wish I could experience,” she said. “But my legal status makes it complicated.”

Deborah also must avoid church activities that require participants to provide their Malaysian ID card, which specifies a person’s religion. Displaying her ID card in this context would be risky.
After all, an openly practicing Malay Christian would stand out. There are a small number of cases in which Malaysian Muslims reportedly obtained legal recognition of their conversion to Christianity. But these cases are extremely rare exceptions.
Penalties for apostasy in Malaysia vary by region. But under the existing laws, it is virtually impossible for Malay converts to receive a Christian wedding or burial, no matter what part of the country they reside in.

Heavenly Father, we lift up our brave brothers and sisters in Malaysia. They are proud Malaysians but their government does not recognize their true religious beliefs, creating a situation where there is a lot of hiding and pretending. Lord, we pray for a change in the country of Malaysia. We ask that the way that the Malaysian believers live in the future be one of transparency, light, and honesty. We know that there are many ways in which they are pretending currently to be someone whom they are not, and we ask for that to change. Lord, the opportunity for change in South East Asia is big, and we ask that the Malays be front and center with that change. They love you, they want to continue to lift up your name, and we thank you for being the leader of their lives! In the name of Jesus, the Risen Savior, Amen!

"The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will." Proverbs 21:1

https://persecution.org/2026/10/14/forced-into-a-double-life-as-a-malay-christian/

10/19/2026

Despite a primarily Christian population, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is witnessing a surge in anti-Christian violence.
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Swipe through to learn what believers are facing, how you can pray, and how ICC is helping persecuted Christians in the region.
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Join us in praying for protection and healing for our brothers and sisters in the DRC.

10/18/2026

If you've been looking for God's will for your life, He lays it out plainly in 1 Thessalonians: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances.

10/16/2026

Sixteen people a day. That's how many Christians are being killed in Nigeria this year. And by one measurement, that's on the low end.

At least 28 people died in Plateau State on Palm Sunday. In January, armed men took more than 170 people from a village in Kaduna State, many of them worshippers. A parish priest was taken from his rectory at 3:20 a.m., and nothing has been made public about the ten others taken with him. The list goes on.

Why it's happening is debated. Some say Christians are being targeted for their faith, and others point to fights over land and water. Washington has taken notice, and Nigeria is now on the State Department's list of countries of particular concern.

Read the full story of what's happening, including what groups working through Nigerian partners are doing to help, in the Reject Apathy section at RELEVANTmagazine.com. Link in bio.

10/16/2026

Bassem has been working as a blacksmith since the age of 15. He has worked diligently to excel in the trade and support his wife, five children, and elderly parents. However, when ISIS overtook his hometown of Qaraqosh in 2014, the stability of his business crumbled.

Bassem scraped by for the next few years until Qaraqosh was liberated and he was able to return home. He returned to find his house burned and his shop looted, but he was grateful to be back, even though he had lost everything.

The local church generously helped Bassem repair his home and, thanks to your giving, we helped him restore his business. We provided him with the tools and equipment to bring his blacksmith shop back to life.

"Every nail and every weld in my workshop now carry the mark of your support. I’m thankful, and I promise to keep growing and help others," Bassem said.

“It felt like I was working with new hands. Thank you from all my heart,” he added. “Your organization didn’t only support me with tools; you supported me with new hope and a strong start for a better future for me and my family.”

Over the next few weeks, we are raising support to provide 4,000 believers just like Bassem as they rebuild after persecution. Will you join us? https://vist.ly/5npe7

10/15/2026

Human rights advocates in communist nations are often fighting a difficult battle against a government determined to silence them. Will you take a moment to pray today for Christians in Cuba who are speaking up for the voiceless?

For more on the latest persecution trends around the world, check out the Global Persecution Index: https://vist.ly/5nhm6

10/14/2026

A proposed bill in Pakistan could strengthen protections for Christian marriages, including setting the minimum age at 18 for both partners and safeguarding free consent.

Join us in praying for Christian girls to receive the protection and dignity they deserve.

Full story: https://vist.ly/5ncm3

10/13/2026

“They tied me up and ordered me to deny Jesus. When I saw them holding swords, ready to slaughter me, I knew I was about to die.”

This is what happened to Ismail, a Muslim-background believer in western Uganda, who survived a violent attack after choosing to follow Jesus Christ.

“I was carrying a Bible; they tore it into pieces,” he said. “They held me tight, took me to a cocoa plantation, tied my hands, and told me to deny Jesus, or else I will die... I knew that my life was finished. They were shouting, ‘Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!’ I pushed one of them and started running helplessly.”

With his hands restrained, he ran for his life, screaming desperately for help until his cries eventually attracted the attention of neighboring Christians, who intervened and rescued him from the attackers.

After the attack, Ismail reportedly took refuge in another village. “I cannot go back home,” he said. “These people are still looking for me. I survived because Christians came to rescue me, but I do not know what will happen if they find me again.”

Full story:

Mugambo Ismail, a Muslim-background believer in Bundibugyo, Western Uganda, survived a violent attack after choosing to follow Jesus Christ.

10/12/2026

Will you join us in praying for the persecuted church this week? Swipe through to pray with us each day this week.

To help you pray more specifically and intentionally, each of the corresponding news stories are linked below.

- Morocco: https://vist.ly/5mzs6
- Nepal: https://vist.ly/5mzs8
- China: https://vist.ly/5mzs3
- Nigeria: https://vist.ly/5mzs7
- India: https://vist.ly/5mzs5

10/10/2026

ICC's president, Shawn Wright, and Director of Impact, Nick Baker, recently sat down with our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs - USA to share about ICC's ministry and how they are recognizing and responding to the needs—visible and invisible—of persecuted Christians.

In this episode of VOM Radio, you'll hear about a new effort by ICC to protect young Christian girls from forced marriage and forced conversion.

They both share a story that grabbed their hearts when they first started working with persecuted Christians, and how they see the Lord working even in the midst of persecution.

Listen now:

Persecuted Christians have physical needs, like food, shelter, and medicine. They also have mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Listen this week as Shawn Wright, President of International Christian Concern, and Nick Baker, ICC's Director of Impact, join VOM Radio to share about ICC's ministry a...