Prayer Diary: International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP)

Pastors Rodian and Kelly know the cost of following Jesus. Their home in Colombia was where they held their church, in the city of Santa Marta, until it was burnt to the ground in August 2024. The leader of an armed criminal group had ordered its destruction after hearing Rodian preach from the Bible.

When we come together to pray on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, it’s people like Pastor Rodian and Pastor Kelly that we stand alongside. We not only pray for them, but with them — and many others facing injustice around the world.

You join with the wife waiting for news of her disappeared husband; the parents fighting for their daughter’s safe return; and the child who just wants an equal chance in school.

You echo the voices behind bars in Iran, in isolation cells in Nicaragua, and in shipping containers in Eritrea. 

You join the hushed prayers of the household in North Korea, whose only church is their family. And you join the defiant prayers of Pastor Ezra Jin from China, who said before his impending arrest: ‘Hallelujah. The Gospel will spread.’

Together we stand with people just like these, raising their cases before the God of justice. So let us pray urgently. Let us pray faithfully. And let us pray without ceasing, as Paul encouraged while he himself was an ‘ambassador in chains’: ‘Always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.’

1. Read: Ephesians 6:10-20 (The Armour of God). 
   
2. Pray: Ask God to strengthen, encourage, heal and guide those who are suffering for their beliefs — covering them with his full protection. Pray that they may stand firm, and that God would powerfully transform their situation. You could end with Paul’s closing blessing: ‘Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.’
   
3. Gather: Could you pray with your church, small group, or a few friends on Sunday 1 November? You could watch our video of Rodian and Kelly’s story, invite a guest speaker, or simply pray through the verses above. 

Find resources and get involved at csw.org.uk/idop

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