It matters because it is the most trusted measurement of religious persecution in the world today.

But even more important, the list matters because it’s a spiritual EKG showing the strength and vulnerability of the global Church—the body of Christ.

It’s easy to move through life disconnected from what happens to believers in other parts of the world. But this report helps us close the gap between us.

The World Watch List helps us understand how to pray, to support, to empathize and to stand with persecuted Christians when they suffer—and rejoice with them when conditions improve.

After all, the World Watch List isn’t about the numbers, but the people these numbers represent. I hope you see their stories of victory and resilience, and — more than anything — I hope you see the powerful Kingdom work God is accomplishing in some of the most difficult countries in the world.

In over 60 countries, Open Doors supports persecuted Christians with Bibles, emergency aid, discipleship training, vocational skills, trauma counseling, advocacy and a host of other ways so that they know they’re not forgotten and can stand strong to serve their communities. So that they can give life.

At Open Doors, we’re committed to those who suffer for following Jesus, and we believe the persecuted Church is part of the DNA of every Christian.

And we want them to know they’re not alone… that the worldwide Church stands with them.

This is our family. This is our responsibility. This is our mission.

The World Watch List is an annual report on the global persecution of Christians ranking the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Released at the beginning of each year, the list uses data from Open Doors field workers and external experts to quantify and analyze persecution worldwide.

How are the countries ranked?
Countries are ranked by the severity of persecution of Christians, calculated by analyzing the level of violent persecution plus the pressure experienced in five spheres of life. Pressure, Violence, Degree of pressure in five spheres of Christian life, Amount of violent incidents against Christians and the Church, Church life,Violence.

Max score is 16.7. 215 million Christians experience high levels of persecution in the countries on the World Watch List. This represents 1 in 12 Christians worldwide. North Korea is ranked #1 for the 16th consecutive year (since 2002). During the World Watch List 2018 reporting period: 3,066 Christians were killed; 1,252 were abducted; 1,020 were raped or sexually harassed; and 793 churches were attacked.

Islamic Oppression fuels persecution in 8 of the top 10 countries.

1. Spread of Radical Islam
Islamic oppression is one of the most widely recognized sources of persecution for Christians in the world today—and it continues to spread—aiming to bring many parts of the world under Sharia law.

The movement, which often results in Islamic militancy and persecution of Christians, is expanding in Asia (Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia) and Africa (Egypt, Nigeria, Somalia).

2. The Rise of Religious Nationalism
In an effort to preserve power, insecure governments are using the country’s majority religion to marginalize Christians and other religious minorities. This phenomenon has been observed in some parts of Asia with Hindu nationalism (India, Nepal) and Buddhist nationalism (Myanmar, Sri Lanka) both gaining ground.

3. Intense Persecution in Central Asia
Persecution in Central Asia is on the rise in countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan—and Azerbaijan is new to the list at #45. There is a grassroots revival of Islam in Central Asia, and that means more pressure from the nationalist pro-Islamic governments and within society—causing increased persecution levels on two fronts.

4. The 50 countries where it is most dangerous to follow Jesus
As you read through the 2018 World Watch List, you’ll see themes and stories that emerge from the research and country context. We pray these important details will help you understand the situations your Christian family faces across the globe—and, most importantly, we hope these critical insights will help fuel your prayers for the worldwide Church.