The Voice of the Martyrs has released the 2025 Global Prayer Guide, detailing daily life for persecuted Christians living and serving in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places.
VOM Vice President Todd Nettleton noted this tool “helps every reader better understand what our persecuted family members face, and therefore pray with more knowledge and more passion for these dear brothers and sisters.”
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Since 1997, VOM has tracked and designated nations where Christians are persecuted as either “hostile” or “restricted.”
VOM’s “restricted nation” designation identifies countries, such as China, Iran and Eritrea, where government-sanctioned persecution and anti-Christian laws lead to Christians being harassed, imprisoned, killed or deprived of possessions or liberties, as well as countries where policies or practices prevent Christians from obtaining Bibles or other Christian literature.
VOM’s “hostile area” designation identifies nations or large areas of nations, such as Nigeria and Colombia, where governments may attempt to provide protection for Christians but Christians are still persecuted by family, friends, neighbors or political or terrorist groups.
Last year, VOM added a third “areas of concern” designation for hotspots around the world where Christian persecution is increasing.
Prayer guide changes
VOM’s 2025 Global Prayer Guide includes changes to a number of countries’ profiles as persecution around the world continues to rise.
Hostile:
- Bangladesh — formerly Restricted
- Comoros — formerly Restricted
- Malawi — formerly Area of Concern
Newly Restricted:
- Western Sahara — formerly Undesignated
All Areas of Concern:
- Venezuela
- Burundi
- Chad
- Guinea
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Russia and Areas Under Its Control
Newly Undesignated:
- Cote d’Ivoire – formerly an Area of Concern
VOM noted that the prayer guide “provides in-depth information about the daily plight of persecuted Christians around the world, including the types of persecution faced in a given country, how difficult it is to get Bibles, and other information.”
A digital version of the VOM 2025 Global Prayer Guide is available for free at www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide. (Voice of the Martyrs)
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