NGPT 04/18/23 Thomas C Walker

There is a silent genocide. Every day Christians are being targeted for their faith. For the seventh consecutive year Christian persecution is on the rise. In 2020 alone the number of Christians persecuted for their faith increased over 30% and the number of Christians killed for there faith increased over 60%. There are now over 360 million Christians around the world who face historic levels of persecution for their faith. Thousands of Christians are being slaughtered in Nigeria. One third of the world faces religious oppression and an over welling 80% of the oppressed are Christians. We are living in an area where this is more persecution now than another time in church history. These numbers are shocking and devastating. Why does the world remain silent as Christians are targeted and executed for there faith in Christ. Now more than ever the persecuted church needs your voice.

† At least 5,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria in 2022 and over 1,000 were killed in the first three months of 2023, according to estimates released this week by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety). The Anambra-based civil society organization run by Christian criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi released a report Thursday generating estimates based on statistics from local and international media, religious, community, security, research, intergovernmental, nongovernmental, international parliamentary organizations or diplomatic institutions. The report suggests that 5,068 Christians were killed in 2022, while more than 3,000 Christians were abducted. MORE

† A private Christian elementary school in Nashville becomes the target of a deadly shooting spree, leaving three children and three adults dead in a suspected anti-Christian attack.

Nashville, TN – A sense of profound sadness and outrage has swept through the community following the tragic shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, on Monday morning. The lives of six innocent individuals, including three young children, were brutally taken by 28-year-old Audrey E. Hale in a violent and targeted anti-Christian attack.

The Covenant School became a battleground just after 10 a.m. on Monday when Hale opened fire inside the church building, which houses the school. According to authorities, the shooter was well-prepared, leaving behind chilling writings and detailed maps of the school and its security protocols. MORE

† Horrifying Growth of Persecution': Christians Are Under Attack Across the Globe, 'No End in Sight

Christian persecution continues to rage across the globe, with believers facing killings, kidnappings, chaos, and crises at the hands of governments, extremists, and even family members. Among the persecution trends unfolding today, Open Doors, an organization monitoring Christian persecution worldwide, warns that "Sub-Saharan Africa faces catastrophic collapse" as Islamist violence breaks out in the region. The organization's 2023 World Watch List, which ranks the 50 nations where persecution is the worst, warns of the "horrifying growth" of these terrors. As it has for many years in the past, the report ranked North Korea as the most sinister place for Christians. The nation's newfound "anti-reactionary thought law" reportedly cracks down on any foreign materials, putting residents in danger for simply possessing or sharing outside content. One report indicates three minors were reportedly executed for sharing South Korean TV shows, offering a lens into the diabolical nature of these regulations. "North Korea returns to No. 1, with its highest levels of persecution ever," Open Doors said in a press release. "Over the 30 years of the Open Doors World Watch List reporting, the global phenomenon of Christian persecution has grown alarmingly." Lisa Pearce, the interim CEO of Open Doors' U.S. office, reflected on the dire nature of these findings. In an interview with CBN's Faithwire, she stressed the importance of Christians knowing and understanding the full scope of global persecution, citing biblical commands for believers to offer love, support, and prayer for one another. MORE