Watchman Wire

Watchman Wire

Dispatches for the persecuted church

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2026
“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.” —1 Peter 4:7
Daily prayer with the global church:

Daily Prayer · May 29, 2026

Most High God, thank You for Ebrahim near Borujerd, Iran, and for those he leads in houses of prayer. Thank You for calling them to seek Your face together. According to Psalm 32:10, mercy surrounds the one who trusts in You, we ask that You surround Ebrahim and the people he leads with that mercy. Let their prayer gatherings be marked by humility and faith, with repentance that leads them into worship. Guard them from apathy and from distraction, keeping them from division, and teach them perseverance in intercession as they learn to trust Your timing. Use their prayers to strengthen believers and open doors for the Gospel, bringing protection where it is needed. Give Ebrahim wisdom to lead steadily and without striving. Let houses of prayer become places of refuge where clarity grows and people are renewed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Latest dispatches

Bishops Raise Human Rights Concerns, Invite Pope to Pakistan

This month, Catholic bishops from Pakistan visited the Vatican for their special Ad Limina visit. The group included three archbishops, four bishops, and a cardinal. During the visit, the bishops went to different Vatican departments to submit their reports and meet with Pope…

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·8 hours ago

Full Conversion: From Christian Child to Muslim Child Bride in Pakistan

Though child marriage overall has decreased in recent decades in Pakistan, there has been a rise in the abduction of underage girls from minority faiths who then undergo a forcible conversion to Islam and ensuing marriage to a Muslim. Because of this trend, U.N.

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

Lawyer who defended Christians arrested again in Shiraz

A lawyer who has defended political prisoners including Iranian Christians has been arrested again in Shiraz, according to reports. According to the Emtedad website, Bahar Sahraian was detained on Saturday, 16 May, while following up on her cases at the Shiraz Revolutionary Co…

Article18·20 hours ago

India: Pastors Killed After Peace Gathering – How to Pray

At A Glance: Three Baptist pastors and their driver were killed in an ambush in Kangpokpi district, Manipur, on May 13. Reports said the group had been traveling after attending a peace-focused church gathering in Churachandpur.

Global Christian Relief·20 hours ago

ISIS Genocide Survivors: 3 New Businesses Built in Iraq

At A Glance: When the Islamic State invaded Iraq in 2014, Christians faced genocide and mass displacement. Families who had run businesses for generations watched their livelihoods crumble to rubble. Without a way to earn a living, many families planned to leave for good.

Global Christian Relief·20 hours ago

RSS Whitewashes Record Amid Growing Scrutiny Over Persecution in India

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu nationalist organization widely regarded as the ideological backbone of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has launched an international outreach campaign aimed at countering growing criticism over its role in religiou…

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

Report Highlights Rapid Erosion of Christian Freedoms in Australia

Australia’s first-ever Australian Christian Freedom Index (ACFI) was launched at the Australian Parliament in Canberra today. As reported by the Daily Declaration, the Index is a comprehensive audit and review of Christian and religious freedoms in Australia.

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

Christian convert released after two years in Evin Prison

An Iranian Christian convert has been released from Evin Prison after two years in detention on charges related to his religious activities. Amir-Ali Minaei, 32, was released on Wednesday, 29 April, as part of an annual amnesty of prisoners.

Article18·20 hours ago

‘No Matter What’: A Nigerian Refugee’s Journey to Peace

At A Glance: Violent attacks by Boko Haram forced Esther’s family to flee their village in Nigeria. Young Esther struggled, yet practical support and spiritual care brought her to a turning point. Esther completed her teaching degree and returned to the IDP camp where she had…

Global Christian Relief·20 hours ago

How the EU can impact FoRB in Iran

This paper, written by Iranian-Armenian journalist Fred Petrossian, was presented today at the 2026 conference of the Institute for the Study of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Leuven, Belgium.

Article18·20 hours ago

In Nigeria, a refugee mother loves her son steadfastly

At A Glance: Persecution forced Gladys and her son, Miracle, to flee their home. Yet with assistance from GCR supporters and partners on the ground, Gladys and Miracle have discovered “home” in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.

Global Christian Relief·20 hours ago

Fulani Christians Reject Violence, Bias in Nigeria’s Conflict Zones

Fulani Christian leaders and converts in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are calling for greater recognition of peaceful Fulani communities, saying they are increasingly trapped between attacks by armed militias and growing public suspicion tied to their ethnic identity.

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

20 Christians Still Held Hostage in Manipur

Hours after gunmen killed three pastors returning from a peace conference on May 13 in India, other armed groups started kidnapping Christians. Today, 20 believers are still being held hostage. The three Kuki-Thadou pastors had just attended the United Baptist Convention Assem…

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago
Daily prayer with the global church:

Daily Prayer · May 29, 2026

Most High God, thank You for Ebrahim near Borujerd, Iran, and for those he leads in houses of prayer. Thank You for calling them to seek Your face together. According to Psalm 32:10, mercy surrounds the one who trusts in You, we ask that You surround Ebrahim and the people he leads with that mercy. Let their prayer gatherings be marked by humility and faith, with repentance that leads them into worship. Guard them from apathy and from distraction, keeping them from division, and teach them perseverance in intercession as they learn to trust Your timing. Use their prayers to strengthen believers and open doors for the Gospel, bringing protection where it is needed. Give Ebrahim wisdom to lead steadily and without striving. Let houses of prayer become places of refuge where clarity grows and people are renewed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Surrounded by a Great Cloud of Witnesses: Faith That Endures Suffering

By Pieter Vermeulen, ICC Board Member, as part of a series, “Persecuted but not Forsaken.” Throughout this series, we have seen a pattern emerge across the pages of Scripture. From Abel, whose blood cried out from the ground, to the prophets who were rejected by their own peop…

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

180 Christian Families Denied Water, Economic Rights in Chhattisgarh

More than 180 Christian families in 32 villages across Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district in India have reportedly been denied access to communal water sources and livelihood opportunities for the past three weeks as punishment for refusing to leave their Christian faith.

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

Egypt Grants Legal Status to 191 More Church Buildings

The Egyptian government released an order last week granting legal status to 191 church buildings that previously lacked official recognition. In total, 3,804 churches and related buildings have been approved since the creation of a committee to review churches in 2016, accord…

International Christian Concern (Persecution.org)·20 hours ago

Relief Reaches 150 Families Fleeing Sudan’s El Fasher Crisis

At A Glance: Thanks to the quick response of the Church, emergency relief was delivered to 150 displaced families – 843 men, women, and children – who fled the fall of El Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region with nothing but their lives.

Global Christian Relief·20 hours ago

Iran — country profile

What does persecution look like in Iran? Christians in Iran are heavily and systemically repressed, as the authorities seek to root out what...

Open Doors·2 days ago

Eastern Chad is being pulled into Sudan's war

Crisis Group analyzes how the conflict in Sudan is destabilizing eastern Chad — with refugee flows, cross-border raids, and growing risks for Christian communities in the borderlands.

Crisis Group·2 days ago

‘Scapegoats’ – 2026 annual report

The “scapegoating” of Christians, especially after the 12-day war with Israel, is the focus of the 2026 joint annual report on “Rights Violations Against Christians in Iran”, published today by Article18 in partnership with Open Doors, CSW and Middle East Concern.

Article18·2 days agoPrayer
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