“Pray for Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi school girl still left in Boko Haram captivity. She refuses to renounce her Christian faith.”

“Pray for the safety of Yousef and his family in Egypt. They escaped their home just before an attack.”

“Praise the Lord for persevering believers like Sharik in Syria, who face threats from neighbors.”

My 8-year-old daughter has the job of reading prayer requests during family worship. The requests come from a monthly calendar sent by International Christian Response, a group that offers spiritual and material assistance to the persecuted church. Every evening, her small voice announces the trials and victories of God’s people around the world.

Religious persecution is a daunting problem with long-standing historical, cultural, socio-political, and spiritual entanglements. Recent Pew Research shows increased hostility against religious minorities worldwide, and between 2007 and 2017, Christians are listed at the top, with recognized persecution across 143 countries.

Reports like this can be disheartening. What can people like us do about a seemingly big and complex challenge? And why involve our children in it?

Continue at Christianity Today.