PRAY FOR COLOMBIA
– Praise God for believers who come to faith in indigenous contexts.
– Pray for protections for Christians living in areas controlled by cartels.
– Pray for peace between guerrilla groups and the Colombian government.
WORLD WATCH LIST
Colombia
#46Christians in Colombia face intimidation and assault from criminal groups.
bottom"Because you preach the gospel, you aren’t considered part of the family. I no longer have the right to work because I have lost their trust."
– David*, an indigenous believer in Colombia
Country
Profile
- Region
- Latin America
- Sources of persecution
- Organised Corruption and Crime
- Population
- 52,341,000
- Christian population
- 49,693,000
- Religions
- Christianity
- Leader
- President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego
- Score
- 66
What’s Life Like For Christians?
The fragile peace between the government and guerrilla groups in Colombia has had limited impact. Although the violence has receded, guerrilla groups, often linked to drug gangs, have grown more powerful and control more territory. These groups often target Christians for attack, especially if they perceive that believers are opposing the ‘business’ of the cartels or gangs. Church leaders are particularly at risk because they are seen as competing for influence over the young people who make up much of the guerrilla groups’ ranks.
Further, in some communities, Christian preachers and indigenous converts can face hostility because they are seen as traitors who have betrayed their tribe or community. These believers live at risk of expulsion from the community, imprisonment, ostracism, and other punishments.
And finally, there are signs that Colombia’s public sector is less committed to true pluralism. Christians speaking in public about their beliefs are sometimes targeted for supposedly being discriminatory or promoters of hate-speech. For this reason, some choose to self-censor.
Who Is Most Vulnerable To Persecution?
Christians who live in areas controlled by guerrilla groups or drug gangs (sometimes the same thing) are often pressured or targeted because their faith goes against the aims of the cartels. Church leaders are particularly targeted if they are seen as opposing the drug trade.
Christian women in some indigenous communities may be forced to marry non-Christian men to eradicate their faith. Or they may be abandoned by their husbands, separated from their children, threatened, ridiculed, and ostracised by their community.
Church workers may also be at risk of being killed, while pastors or priests may be physically assaulted, kidnapped, extorted for financial gain, or forced to leave their regions.
What Does Open Doors Do To Help?
Open Doors strengthens the persecuted church in Colombia through Bible distribution, training, trauma care, community development projects, emergency relief aid, and assistance in legal proceedings.
