A Message from Newt Gingrich: Persecuted simply because they love Jesus
Friend, this is Newt Gingrich.
Forty-six years ago, in the shadow of Soviet tanks and communist oppression, Pope John Paul II stepped onto Polish soil for the first time in thirty-one years and spoke three simple words:
“Be not afraid.”
Millions had gathered there in Warsaw’s Victory Square. The regime trembled. And within a decade, the Berlin Wall lay in rubble.
Paired together with courageous political leadership from Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, faith – spoken boldly – had triumphed over fear.
Today, that same spirit is under siege – not in Poland, but in places like Nigeria, Sudan and even South Korea.
Consider Leah Sharibu, a brave 15-year-old Christian schoolgirl in Nigeria. In 2018, Islamic State barbarians abducted 110 girls from her school. While 104 were returned and five tragically killed, they kept Leah – as punishment for her unyielding refusal to renounce Christ and convert to Islam. Now, over seven years later, she remains in captivity with ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), who threaten to hold her as a “slave for life.”
And yet, this is just one example facing Christians in Nigeria. Since 2009, there have been a reported 19,000 churches destroyed, over 100,000 killed and at least 5 million more displaced. The data reveal that for every one Muslim, 5.2 Christians are killed.
In Sudan, Islamist paramilitaries known as the Rapid Support Forces have been on a rampage, bombing churches, and killing priests and worshippers sheltering inside while forcing survivors to convert or be killed – in some cases, crucified. Over 150,000 have died in the conflict, many hunted and targeted for their faith. This ongoing conflict has resulted in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, including mass displacement, severe food insecurity, and the complete collapse of public services.
In South Korea, a nation we rebuilt and have defended for 75 years, the new government with communist sympathies has been arresting pastors, seizing church records, and even jailed an 82-year-old religious leader for leading prayer.
And if you think this is only an international problem, I ask you to think back just a couple of years, when pro-life grandmothers – women in their 70s and 80s – were handcuffed and imprisoned by Joe Biden’s DOJ for peacefully praying outside abortion clinics.
I don’t share these tragic, gruesome facts to paralyze you with despair, but to rally you to act. And here’s how…
Save the Persecuted Christians has been effectively fighting on the front lines of this battle – leading a 200+ group coalition to amplify survivors’ voices, awaken the public and policymakers, and drive direct action to hold the perpetrators accountable.
In fact, with your help, they played a key role in the successful effort to encourage President Trump to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), officially laying the groundwork for targeted sanctions and other measures.
Since its founding in 2018, the efforts of Save the Persecuted have been wide-ranging, to include:
- Targeted media and awareness-raising campaigns
- Facilitating meetings with government officials at home and abroad
- Hosting educational events and conferences
- Producing documentaries
- Managing coalition letters and other community outreach
I’ve often referred to Pope John Paul II’s 1979 pilgrimage back to Poland as “nine days that changed the world” because they showed the power of faith to topple an Evil Empire.
Today, 380 million Christians continue to face evil across the world. They are being maimed, abused and deprived of their lives and livelihoods simply because they love Jesus.
They need our prayers, but they also need our voice. We cannot be silent. It is incumbent upon us as Christians and people of goodwill to share their stories, impact policy, and help hold their persecutors accountable.
Thank you for your leadership.
Your friend,
Newt Gingrich
Former Speaker of the House