Open Doors Canada
An Urgent Call for Believers to Pray
June 27th, 2021, A Day for Christian Captives
Leah Sharibu
WATERLOO – May 12, 2021 – “Captivity” might seem like a word that belongs in Old Testament history, but the reality for many Christians around the world is that following Jesus means the literal loss of physical freedom. Last year alone, 4,277 Christians were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned because of their faith (Open Doors 2021 World Watch List). Another 1,710 Christians were abducted. It is estimated that there are 50,000-70,000 Christians in labour camps in North Korea. This is what prompted Open Doors Canada to launch, One With Them: A Day for Christian Captives, an urgent call for believers to set aside an annual day of prayer focused on Christian captives. On June 27th, believers across Canada will join in prayer for Christians held captive for their faith. Canadians of all denominations are being challenged to pledge to a day of prayer, adding their name, publicly, to the thousands of Canadians committed to praying for our persecuted family on June 27th. Those who pledge to pray will receive a One With Them bracelet, serving as a constant reminder to pray for those held captive for their faith. Captivity can take the form of imprisonment, forced marriage, abduction, and more. One heart wrenching example is 14-year-old Leah Sharibu who was kidnapped from her school in Nigeria by Boko Haram, along with 100 other girls. While all the other girls were released, Leah remains in captivity because she refused to deny her faith in Jesus Christ. Leah is one of many Christian girls missing in Nigeria and she needs prayers. “Our prayers can go where we cannot... there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray." (Brother Andrew, Founder of Open Doors). During the month of June, Open Doors Canada will be sharing stories, prayer requests and hosting a special Night with the Persecuted Church online event – all focused on educating the family of faith of the plight of Christian captives. All of this will culminate on June 27th when believers will stand united in prayer for our brothers and sisters who share our faith, but not our freedom. At this moment, many Canadian believers are not able to physically gather in their church. While we may be feeling disconnected and scattered, prayer gives us the opportunity to unite around our shared faith and direct our hearts to those facing a level of isolation and repression that is difficult to comprehend. Any individual and church wanting to join the movement can access tools from Open Doors Canada, including sermon outlines, prayer resources, graphics and more. Click here to download church resources.
For more information about A Day for Christian Captives, click here.
Interviews with Executive Director of Open Doors Canada, Rev. Gary Stagg, are available.
To download Rev. Gary Staggs’s high-resolution headshot here.
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Open Doors Canada
Gary Stagg
About Open Doors Canada
Open Doors Canada is affiliated with Open Doors International, a global ministry which has supported and strengthened persecuted Christians in over 60 countries for over 60 years. ODI raised approximately US $70 million last year to provide practical support to persecuted Christians such as food, medicines, trauma care, legal assistance, safe houses and schools, as well as spiritual support through Christian literature, training and resources. For more information visit www.opendoorsca.org.
About Rev. Gary Stagg
For more than thirty years, Gary has been involved in full-time ministry with an emphasis on the revitalization of Christian communities and the establishment of systems for assimilation and discipleship. Gary studied education and theology and has used that training to structure his passion for helping people stand firm in their faith and embrace a missional lifestyle.
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Media Contact: Shannon Mischuk; shannon@grafmartin.com or 519-342-3703