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If following Jesus can cost you everything, why would anyone choose it?
Jesus never hid the cost of following him. He warned his followers they would be hated, and he called them to count the cost before they started. Yet he also promised that what they gain is worth far more than what they lose. Last term we followed the good news from an empty tomb to the ends of the earth. This term asks what it looks like to keep following Jesus when it's hard, starting with Christians around the world who are paying a real price for their faith right now.
What you'll learn
- What persecution is, and the different forms it takes
- Where and how Christians are persecuted today
- What the Bible teaches about persecution, and why so many believers have decided Jesus is worth the cost
What is persecution?
Persecution is hostility or ill-treatment directed at people because of their identity or beliefs. For Christians, it means being targeted because they follow Jesus, not simply suffering hardship that everyone faces.
Persecution sits on a spectrum. Most of it is everyday pressure; the most extreme forms are violent.
| Form | What it looks like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Social | Mockery, exclusion, being cut off by family or community | A teenager disowned by family after becoming a Christian |
| Economic | Losing a job, business or inheritance; being denied services | Shops boycotted, promotions blocked |
| Legal / political | Laws restricting worship, conversion or Bible ownership; arrest | Unregistered churches raided; pastors imprisoned |
| Violent | Attacks, destruction of churches and homes, kidnapping, killing | Villages attacked by armed groups |
Is being teased at school for your faith "persecution"? It sits at the mild end of the spectrum, a long way from prison. But Jesus still takes it seriously: he said people are blessed when others insult them because of him (Matthew 5:11).
Persecution today
About 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. That's roughly 1 in 7 Christians worldwide, and a record high. These figures come from Open Doors' World Watch List 2026, covering 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025 (Baptist Press).
| In one year | Number |
|---|---|
| Christians killed for faith-related reasons | 4,849 (3,490 in Nigeria) |
| Christians detained, arrested or imprisoned | 4,712 |
| Christians abducted | 3,302 |
| Churches or Christian properties attacked or closed | 3,632 |
| Attacks on Christian homes, shops and businesses | 25,794 |
| Christians forced from their homes | 224,129 |
The 10 most dangerous countries to be a Christian (2026):
- North Korea (top of the list for the 24th year)
- Somalia
- Yemen
- Sudan
- Eritrea
- Syria (up from 18th, the biggest one-year jump in the list's history)
- Nigeria (the deadliest country for Christians)
- Pakistan
- Libya
- Iran
Of those affected worldwide, about 201 million are women or girls and 110 million are children under 15 (Catholic Connect). Open Doors' CEO argues that persecution is rising because the church is growing.
These numbers are confronting, and behind every one is a real person. If you have family connected to any of these countries, this may feel close to home. The point isn't to frighten you; it's to help you remember and pray.
What the Bible says about persecution
The Bible teaches that persecution is expected, that God is present in it, and that it can be met with faithfulness, love and even joy.
"Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Timothy 3:12)
| Theme | Key passages | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Expect it | John 15:18–20; 1 Peter 4:12–13 | The world hated Jesus first; his followers shouldn't be surprised to share in that. It's not a sign God has abandoned you. |
| God is with you | Romans 8:35–39; 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 | Nothing, not trouble, danger or the sword, can separate believers from the love of Christ. "Struck down, but not destroyed." |
| How to respond | Matthew 5:43–44; Romans 12:14, 17–21; 1 Peter 3:14–16 | Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Don't repay evil for evil. Be ready to explain your hope with gentleness and respect. |
| There is blessing and reward | Matthew 5:10–12; Acts 5:40–42; Revelation 2:10 | The persecuted are blessed. The apostles even rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus' name. |
| God uses it | Acts 8:1–4; Philippians 1:12–14; Genesis 50:20 | Persecution scattered the Jerusalem church, and the gospel spread with them. What others intend for evil, God can use for good. |
| Our part for others | Hebrews 13:3; 1 Corinthians 12:26 | Remember those in prison and the mistreated as if you were suffering with them. |
Faithful witnesses
For 2,000 years, ordinary believers have chosen Jesus over safety. Each story shows a different side of faithfulness under pressure.
| Who | When and where | What happened | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen | c. AD 34, Jerusalem | The first Christian martyr; stoned after preaching, he prayed for his killers (Acts 7). Saul, later Paul, watched. | Forgiveness, and God working through suffering |
| Polycarp | c. AD 155, Smyrna | An elderly bishop told to curse Christ to save his life. He replied that he had served Christ 86 years and Christ had never wronged him, so how could he curse his King? | Lifelong faithfulness |
| Perpetua and Felicity | AD 203, Carthage | A young mother and her pregnant slave refused to sacrifice to the emperor and died together in the arena. | Faith above family pressure and social status |
| William Tyndale | 1536, near Brussels | Translated the Bible into English so ordinary people could read it. Strangled and burned; his last prayer was "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." | The cost of getting God's Word to people, and the namesake of our school |
| Dietrich Bonhoeffer | 1945, Germany | A pastor who resisted the Nazis; executed weeks before the war ended. Wrote The Cost of Discipleship, warning against "cheap grace". | Discipleship that costs something |
| Jim Elliot | 1956, Ecuador | Killed with four other missionaries by the Waorani people. His wife Elisabeth later lived among them, and many became Christians. | "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." |
| Richard Wurmbrand | 1948–1964, Romania | A pastor imprisoned for 14 years under communism, much of it in solitary confinement. Later founded Voice of the Martyrs. | Endurance, and speaking up for the persecuted |
| Brother Andrew | 1955 onward, Eastern Europe | A Dutch missionary who smuggled Bibles behind the Iron Curtain and founded Open Doors. | Serving and supporting the persecuted church |
Most persecuted Christians today are not famous. They are farmers in Nigeria, house-church members in China and converts in Iran: people who quietly keep following Jesus at great cost.
Counting the cost
Jesus asks people to weigh the cost before they follow him, and he is honest that it may be everything. He is equally clear that what is gained outweighs what is lost.
"What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36)
An important distinction: we don't pay a price to earn salvation. It is a free gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8–9). Counting the cost is the response of a person who has found a treasure worth everything. Bonhoeffer put it this way: grace is free, but it is not cheap.
| What following Jesus may cost | What following Jesus gains |
|---|---|
| Popularity and fitting in (John 15:19) | Belonging to God's family, a worldwide church (Mark 10:29–30) |
| Control over my own life and choices (Luke 9:23) | True life, "life to the full" (John 10:10) |
| Comfort, money and possessions (Luke 14:33) | Treasure in heaven that can't be lost (Matthew 6:19–21) |
| Safety, freedom, even my life (Revelation 2:10) | Eternal life and the crown of life (John 11:25–26) |
| My reputation (Matthew 5:11) | Knowing Christ himself, worth more than all of it (Philippians 3:8) |
Key words
- Persecution: hostility or ill-treatment directed at people because of their identity or beliefs.
- Martyr: from the Greek martys, meaning "witness". Someone who is killed because of their faith.
- Apostasy: abandoning or renouncing the faith.
- Blasphemy laws: laws punishing speech judged to insult a religion; sometimes used against Christians.
- Underground (house) church: a church meeting in secret where worship is restricted.
- Endure / perseverance: continuing faithfully under pressure (Greek hypomonē).
How this points to Jesus
Jesus himself is the pattern. He was rejected, falsely accused, beaten and crucified, yet for the joy set before him he endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Christians who suffer are following in their Lord's footsteps (1 Peter 2:21–23), and they never suffer alone.
Think about it
Why do you think Jesus warned his followers in advance that they would be persecuted?Show answer
Because he was honest with them. Telling the truth up front meant they wouldn't think God had abandoned them when trouble came, and it gives us good reason to trust him.
Why might persecution grow where the church is growing?Show answer
When more people follow Jesus, those who oppose him notice and push back harder. Jesus said the world would treat his followers the way it treated him (John 15:18–20).
Your friend says, "If God loved Christians, he wouldn't let them be persecuted." How could you answer?Show answer
Jesus himself suffered, and he warned his followers they would too, so suffering doesn't mean God's love has failed. Romans 8:35–39 says nothing, not even the sword, can separate believers from his love, and God can use even evil for good (Genesis 50:20).
Take it further
Jim Elliot wrote: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." What do you think he meant? What might following Jesus cost you, at school, at home or online, and do you think it would be worth it? If you're not a Christian, think about what this claims and what you make of it. Honest questions are welcome.
This week, choose one country from the World Watch List top 10 and pray for the Christians there. You could also pray for courage to follow Jesus faithfully yourself, and, as Jesus commanded, for those who persecute (Matthew 5:44).
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
Want to find out more? Open Doors (including Open Doors Australia) and Voice of the Martyrs (including VOM Australia) share stories, country profiles and prayer guides. God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew is a great read.
Your worksheet helps you sort the persecution spectrum, explore one faithful witness, and weigh up the cost and the gain for yourself.
Sources: World Watch List 2026: Christian persecution at all-time high in 15 nations (Baptist Press, 14 January 2026); Persecution of Christians worldwide reaches new high, Open Doors reports (Catholic Connect, 17 January 2026).