Open Doors Joins African Christians in ‘Arise Africa’ Project to Turns Eyes and Prayers Toward the Escalating Brutality They Face
Call for 1 Million Petition Signatures Against the Intense Violence:
“We feel alone and unheard.”
NEWS SOURCE: A. Larry Ross Communications
SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 2, 2025 — Over the 11 days between August 13 and August 24, the Islamic State enacted the brutal executions of 76 Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite the savagery and severity of these killings, a cry for help and to witness the unspeakable suffering within the DRC was largely missing from international headlines. This most recent wave of violence followed the murder of over 49 Congolese Christians during a Sunday service on July 27, and as research from Open Doors’ World Watch List reveals, this targeted violence toward Christians is not the mark of a rare tragedy, but a testament to a frightening norm of religious persecution across the African continent that remains in the shadows.
“The violence against Christians in sub-Saharan Africa is overwhelming in its scope—systematic attacks designed to destroy the church combined with believers caught in conflicts simply because of their faith,” said Open Doors US CEO Ryan Brown. “This isn’t random tragedy; it’s a coordinated assault on Christians going largely unnoticed by the world that demands our attention and a response.”
According to the most recent Open Doors World Watch List research, the violence against Christians in sub-Saharan Africa far exceeds violent persecution in any other region around the globe. Four of the five countries ranked highest on the list for Christian persecution are found in Africa, and out of every ten Christians murdered for their faith across the world, nine are killed within Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite this ongoing suffering, few news outlets allow the tragedy to emerge from under piles of other topics and headlines, and cries for help go largely unanswered.
‘Arise Africa’ is a petition and fundraising project launched by African Christians to engender support and combat isolation. Believers from around the world are invited to fight this reality by coming alongside Christian communities in Africa and showing them that they are not alone. This campaign calls for prayer, support and worldwide attention on behalf of the suffering Christians not only in the DRC, but across the whole of Africa. Open Doors encourages anyone from around the world to sign the petition against the ongoing persecution continuing in sub-Saharan Africa, to declare to these Christians that their cries do not go unheard.
“Christians in the region are being persecuted on a scale never seen before,” noted the ‘Arise Africa’ campaign. “Murder, torture and kidnapping are an everyday threat. Islamic extremists want to destroy the church and are using unthinkable violence. What’s happening is unprecedented and it’s wrecking lives. The very survival of the church is at risk.”
From refusal of medical care and the boycotting of Christian businesses to the destruction of homes, displacement, violent assault, gang rape and murder, Open Doors details that the Christians of Sub-Saharan Africa face unimaginable suffering for their faith. Numbers from 2024 alone included:
- More than 1,700 Christian women sexually assaulted for their faith
- Over 7,100 Christian-owned businesses attacked or forced to close
In support of the Arise Africa project, Open Doors is also documenting sobering case studies and personal testimonies—offering further insight into these realities for Christian men and women across sub-Saharan Africa.
One such story could be found in mid-June, when Fulani extremists launched attacks across multiple communities in Nigeria’s Benue State. Over seven horrific days, the brutal violence killed over 200 people and left thousands of others displaced from their homes and villages, unable to return to homes left in rubble or occupied by killers.
“They invaded our village at night, and killed many of our people, including many of my husband’s family,” said one survivor from the Benue State. “Because of the chaos, we were just running helter-skelter.”
Most of the villages targeted housed an overwhelming majority of Christians.
While graphic and heartbreaking, these aren’t just tales or statistics; they’re real people, loved by Jesus, suffering for following Him,” said Brown. “We, as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, must support them through prayer, resources, advocacy and by coming alongside them in their suffering. We can’t just respond to a headline and move on—that’s why Open Doors stays with them for as long as it takes. That’s what family does.”
Through the generosity of donors who answered the cries of persecuted African Christians, Open Doors directly served more than 545,098 Africans in 2024, including socio-economic aid, trauma care, education/livelihood enrichment and biblical training.
Open Doors’ Key Statistics for Impact:
- 2.72 million people reached when including families and communities
- Goal: 4 million Christians supported by the campaign’s end
- 206,000+ people from 188 countries have already signed the petition
- Over $5 million raised in 2024 to support field work
To sign the petition, or to learn more about supporting the persecuted church in Africa, visit www.leavesofhealing.org. For more information on Open Doors US, including ways to learn more and support the global persecuted church, visit www.opendoorsus.org.
“These men and women are paying the cost for following Christ,” continued Brown. “We must share their stories and amplify their voices. This petition, along with our prayers and support, is just the first step.”
About Open Doors US
Open Doors works in the world’s most oppressive regions, strengthening Christians to stand strong in the face of persecution and equipping them to share the gospel in their communities. It also releases the annual World Watch List of the 50 countries where persecution is most extreme. Since Brother Andrew started the work in 1955, the ministry has mobilized prayer, support and advocacy for Christians living in places where faith in Jesus can be costly. Now working in more than 70 countries around the world, Open Doors is committed to standing with persecuted Christians through Bible distribution, training and socio-economic aid. Learn more at opendoorsus.org.