The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) has been scheduled for Nov. 14. On that day, millions of Christians from all over will be one in prayer for the over 200 million Christians who are being persecuted for their faith. IDOP is one of the largest prayer events and has been held since 1996.

Dr. Carl Moeller, President/CEO of Open Doors USA, says, “the world is becoming more and more hostile to Christianity. It is critical that we

stand together in unity in support of our persecuted brothers and sisters worldwide. And praying for those suffering for their faith – whether in Iraq or China or Colombia – is the most important action believers can take.”

Currently, prayers are greatly needed for the safety of Christians living in Iraq and for the country’s violence to end. In North Korea, prayers are needed for the thousands of Christians held in labor camps and for the estimated 400,000 Christians who worship God secretly. In Colombia, prayers for needed for the more than 2 million internally displaced refugees. They are in the midst of relocation, violence and intimidation. And in the small African country of Eritrea, prayers are needed for hundreds of Christians who have been arrested, interrogated and tortured over the last year for gathering in unregistered churches.

Open Doors USA has free kits for pastors to assist churches in supporting the Persecuted Church. The kit will have materials that can be used throughout the year. To get a free 2004 IDOP Pastor’s Kit, call Open Doors USA at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (524-2535) or order it at www.odusa.org

It is estimated that 200 million Christians in the world are interrogated, arrested and even die because of their faith. Another 200 to 400 million Christians face discrimination and alienation. Open Doors helps the most persecuted areas in the world through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development and prayer and presence ministry.

To partner with Open Doors, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (524-2535) or go to our USA web site at www.odusa.org. To request a complimentary six-month subscription to our monthly newsletter Frontline Faith, call

888-5-BIBLE-5 or register online.