We Persevere – January 2017

America’s foreign policy and interests affect much that’s happening around the world. Here are three regions to watch in the coming months:

Why Sudan Matters

Over the last five years, South Sudan was born as a new country with the help of the US. When it split from Sudan, it became the youngest country in the world. Neglect of promises to help establish this new country has resulted in South Sudan gliding toward a genocide on a scale larger than the Rwandan genocide. Christian communities in the region have suffered greatly. This video helps us understand how we got here so quickly.

Humanitarian leaders have called on the Obama administration to intervene in the final days of his presidency with this strongly worded letter published in Huffington Post.

Why Russia Matters

Understanding our past relationship with Russia will be critical to assess global affairs over the next four years. In two words, it’s complicated. Foreign Policy Magazine has a five-part series on Russia’s development since the breakup of the Soviet Union, how Putin rose to power, and Russia’s role in the Middle East.

Why The Global Persecuted Church Continues to Matter

The annual report on global Christian persecution is out, and the numbers are staggering.

• 250 million Christians currently live under high levels of persecution.
• One-hundred percent of Christians in 21 countries around the world experience persecution for their faith in Christ.
• 2016 was the worst year of persecution on record.
• Nearly one in twelve Christians today lives in an area or culture in which Christianity is illegal, forbidden or punished.
• 1,329 churches around the globe that were attacked or damaged.
• Ethnic nationalism in India and other Asian countries now rivals radical Islamism as the main cause of persecution of Christians.

Morgan Lee and Editor-In-Chief Mark Galli hosted a compelling interview with David Curry, the CEO of Open Doors, on the Quick to Listen Podcast. Together they provide insight on why these numbers have risen so high. Why must this be a priority for the church in America? Read my 2014 article titled “One: Global Anti-Christian Hostility and the Case for Action.”

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We Persevere is a roundup of items of interest concerning foreign policy and religious freedom, at home and abroad. It is curated for RAANetwork by K.A. Ellis, Ambassador for International Christian Response.