Persecution

Every year, Open Doors releases its World Watch List, ranking which nations are most unsafe for Christians. In 2012, just over a decade ago, India ranked #32. But now, it has spiked much higher.

When people in India come to faith in Christ, they risk being persecuted verbally, violently, and socially. We’ve seen church services disrupted. Families expelled from their communities. Households cut off from the local water supply. Even pastors killed. Sadly, we’ve seen children face opposition, too, whether it’s from neighbours laughing at them or parents beating them for going to church.

In 2021, Open Doors estimated that an average of 73 Indian Christians per day experienced persecution because of their faith—whether psychological, emotional, physical, or spiritual.

Believers can be persecuted from all directions. On a personal level, new believers may be kicked out of the house, or prevented from going to church. Meanwhile, Christians face persecution at a higher level, too.