Christians in Algeria have been increasingly persecuted by their government, and we are asking for everyone’s prayers. Over the last year, several large churches have been closed. These are the largest churches in North Africa with the exception of Egypt, with congregations of 1,200, 700, and 300 members—all of them converts from Islam. In 2012 they received authorization to function freely, but the current government is clamping down.
According to Open Doors, “Christian converts have become more open about their faith, leading to a backlash by Muslim families and the intolerant society, including converts’ immediate and extended families. The state also adds to this pressure. Restrictive laws regulating non-Muslim worship, banning conversion and prohibiting blasphemy put Christians at extreme risk.”
President and Founder of Horizons International, Georges Houssney, preached in one of these Algerian churches four years ago. The members during last Wednesday’s service were physically removed from their chairs and thrown out. Then the police shut the church building and sealed it with the government seal.
Please be praying with us for the churches to reopen in Algeria and for the believers to remain faithful and bold. The Algerian church has experienced a significant growth since the mid 1980s. Some estimate 200,000 converts from Islam fill many churches, especially in the Kabylie mountains.
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