Christian persecution: Stories of faith under pressure across Africa and beyond

When we talk about Christian persecution, the systematic oppression of people because of their Christian faith. Also known as religious persecution, it isn’t just history—it’s happening now, in places you might not expect. In parts of Africa, believers are targeted for attending church, sharing their faith, or even refusing to renounce Jesus. It’s not always about bombs or prisons. Sometimes it’s a father losing his job because he won’t stop praying at work. Or a girl expelled from school for wearing a cross. Or a village cut off from water because the community converted.

This isn’t isolated. religious freedom, the right to practice one’s faith without fear of punishment or discrimination is under threat in over 50 countries, according to watchdogs tracking faith-based violence. In Nigeria, Boko Haram and bandits have burned churches and killed pastors. In Eritrea, Christians are locked in underground cells for praying. In Sudan, new laws force converts to face public trials. And in many places, the government stays silent—not because they support it, but because they’re afraid to act.

What makes Africa, a continent where Christianity is growing faster than anywhere else on Earth especially complex is that persecution often comes from within communities, not just from governments or extremists. A family turns on their son. A neighbor reports a Christian to local leaders. A chief bans worship on tribal land. These aren’t headlines. They’re daily realities. And they’re rarely reported outside the church walls.

What you’ll find here aren’t abstract reports or political opinions. These are real accounts—from mothers who hid Bibles in their skirts, to students who were expelled for refusing to recite prayers to other gods, to pastors who buried their congregants after attacks and then preached again the next Sunday. There’s no sugarcoating. No platitudes. Just truth, told by those who lived it.

If you’ve ever wondered why some Christians keep going when everything tries to break them, this collection shows you why. It’s not about courage in the Hollywood sense. It’s about showing up when no one’s watching. About praying when the lights are off. About believing when the world says you’re wrong. That’s the kind of faith that doesn’t make headlines—but changes lives.