North Korean Christians do not pray for regime change despite persecution

Jardine Malado Monday, October 31, 2016

North Koreans offer flowers to bronze statues of North Korea's late founder Kim Il Sung and late leader Kim Jong Il (R) at Mansudae in Pyongyang. | REUTERS/Kyodo

Although North Korea is currently known for persecuting Christians, believers in the Communist country are not praying for a change in the current regime. They are instead praying for Christians in other countries and they are hoping to have more of Christ in their lives.

Bibles, churches and prayer meetings are considered illegal in North Korea but many Christians living in the country have found creative ways to share the Gospel.

Dr. Eric Foley, head of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, has written a book titled "These are the Generations" to highlight the everyday struggles of North Korean Christians. He is also working hard to change Western perspectives of the Communist regime.

"Often radio hosts will introduce me by saying, 'This is the worst place in the world to be a Christian.' But I've never heard a North Korean Christian say that. Not because their life isn't difficult, but because they believe that God has drawn close to them in a real way, that the rest of us may not even be able to imagine fully," he told Hope 103.2.

A defector told him that North Korean Christians are praying for those in free countries like the U.S. and South Korea because they put faith in money and freedom. The defector pointed out that North Korean believers have neither but they consider Christ to be sufficient.

"They don't pray for a regime change. They don't pray for freedom and money. They pray for more of Christ and to mirror more of Christ in their life. That's what we should be praying for ourselves as well," he added.

According to the persecution watchdog group Open Doors, about 25 percent of the Christians in North Korea are currently in prison camps that are similar to those in Auschwitz.

Some Christian parents have chosen to keep their faith secret from their own children to avoid being accidentally exposed to neighbors and government officials.

The church continues to grow despite persecution and Open Doors is able to bring Bibles, Christian literature and other resources to the believers in the Communist country.