Gary Fallesen / Tuesday, August 4, 2015 / Categories: Project Prayer, Prayer Updates, Pray for the Persecuted Church 2015 World Watch List Persecution going from bad to worse In releasing its annual World Watch List of the 50 countries where it’s most dangerous to be a Christian, Open Doors ministry claimed, “The year 2014 will go down in history for having the highest level of global persecution of Christians in the modern era.” But, on Jan. 7, 2015, Open Doors stated: “Current conditions suggest the worst is yet to come.” Fifteen of the worst 50 nations – led by Pakistan at No. 8 and Nigeria at No. 10 – are the temporary homes for brothers and sisters who are members of Climbing For Christ, and where C4C is working. These people and places need our prayers – as do those who persecute them. In 40 of the 50 nations those persecutors are Islamic extremists. “While persecution can take many forms, Christians throughout the world risk imprisonment, torture, rape and even death as result of their faith,” Open Doors said in its announcement of the World Watch List. The list was divided into four levels: extreme, severe, moderate and sparse. The 2015 World Watch List (with nations where C4C is serving and/or has members in bold and the 2014 ranking in parenthesis): Extreme persecution: 1. North Korea (#1 last year) 2. Somalia (2) 3. Iraq (4) 4. Syria (3) 5. Afghanistan (5) 6. Sudan (11) 7. Iran (9) 8. Pakistan (8) 9. Eritrea (12) 10. Nigeria (14) 11. Maldives (7) Severe persecution: 12. Saudi Arabia (6) 13. Libya (13) 14. Yemen (10) 15. Uzbekistan (15) 16. Vietnam (18) 17. Central African Republic (16) 18. Qatar (19) 19. Kenya (43) 20. Turkmenistan (20) 21. India (28) 22. Ethiopia (17) 23. Egypt (22) 24. Djibouti (46) 25. Myanmar (23) Moderate persecution: 26. Palestinian Territories (34) 27. Brunei (24) 28. Laos (21) 29. China (37) 30. Jordan (26) 31. Bhutan (31) 32. Comoros (42) 33. Tanzania (49) 34. Algeria (32) 35. Colombia (25) 36. Tunisia (30) 37. Malaysia (40) 38. Mexico (-) 39. Oman (27) Sparse persecution: 40. Mali (33) 41. Turkey (-) 42. Kazakhstan (39) 43. Bangladesh (48) 44. Sri Lanka (29) 45. Tajikistan (45) 46. Azerbaijan (-) 47. Indonesia (47) 48. Mauritania (36) 49. United Arab Emirates (35) 50. Kuwait (38) CLICK HERE to learn more about Open Doors’ World Watch List. The Word “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” – 2 Timothy 3:12-13 (ESV) DISPATCHES: Peru Mission Moments: Nepal Print 5666 Gary FallesenGary Fallesen Other posts by Gary Fallesen Contact author