ICC Note:

With a population of Christians that only come from Muslim convert backgrounds, Christians in Afghanistan face certain persecution. In Afghanistan, the fundamentalist ideology that individuals who turn away from Islam should be killed is widely believed. For Afghan Christians, that means to convert to Christianity and to follow Christ is truly a life and death decision. With a very small and secretive community, the survival of the Afghan Church is something that needs prayer on a daily basis.  

11/03/2016 Afghanistan (MNN) – The representation of Christians in Afghanistan is so small that to be one means certain persecution. With the majority of the population Muslim, these new Christians aren’t just deciding to follow Christ. They’re abandoning an old faith and the safety that comes with it.

According to the Joshua Project, 99.8 percent of the population follows Islam. Only .03 percent of the population could be described as Evangelical Christians.

Bob Blincoe of Frontiers USA says that fact presents some unique challenges, ones their team has come up against in their work in Afghanistan.

“The mission of Christ in Afghanistan is unusual because there’s no Christian Church to start out with. There’s no place to start your Christian ministry alongside local Christians.”

Without local Christians, who can a believer fellowship with? Who will encourage them? No longer are their families, friends, and communities there to support them.

Blincoe explains, “The Islamic doctrine is clear and incontrovertible that a person who comes to faith and leaves Islam should be killed. This is not up for discussion in Islam.”

He says we can hope and pray for great numbers to decide to follow Jesus in order to throw off the oppression of Islam in Afghanistan. And, we can work to support them from the outside.

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