When the persecuted church is divided

Local leaders making it possible.

        Source:                     www.21wilberforce.org
Date:                          October 13, 2026

October 13, 2026

These stories are about people doing hard work close to home: feeding displaced families in Plateau State, getting government and church leaders to talk in Nigeria, building peace in South Sudan. We're glad to share them with you. And we hope to see you at the award event honoring Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley on October 26th.

President's Blog

Four Pivots for Advocating When the Persecuted Church is Divided

Christian advocates for religious freedom should not fall into the trap of idealizing the persecuted church.

To recognize the courage and faithfulness of Christians who endure persecution does not mean assuming that their communities are free from the divisions, rivalries, and human failings that affect the church everywhere. For those of us who advocate for religious freedom for people of every faith, this presents a particular challenge when we work alongside persecuted Christian communities. How do we advance religious freedom without allowing divisions within those communities to undermine our efforts—or allowing our advocacy to deepen those divisions? Read more here.

21Wilberforce: Turning Mission into Impact

Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley to Receive 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award

For more than five decades, Rev. Medley has lived out a conviction that faith cannot be separated from the pursuit of justice or the defense of our neighbor. From confronting racism and segregation in the American South to standing alongside Muslims in the face of Islamophobia, advocating for persecuted Christians and displaced communities in Burma, and building relationships across religious differences, he has demonstrated that interfaith cooperation can be a powerful force for peace. Read more here.

21Wilberforce Joins African Baptist Leaders in Nairobi to Advance Good Governance and Religious Freedom

Baptists from across Africa gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, this month for the 2026 General Gathering of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship (AABF). Held under the theme “Beyond Jerusalem” (Acts 1:8), the Gathering celebrated the diversity of the African Baptist family and its shared calling to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.

21Wilberforce President Wissam al-Saliby took part in the Gathering. He contributed to the launch of a new initiative on faith and public life and met with Baptist leaders to discuss religious freedom across the continent. Read more here.

Wissam al-Saliby at the Global Religious Freedom Gathering

21Wilberforce President Wissam al-Saliby joined fellow religious freedom advocates on Sept. 29, 2026, for a panel at the Everett Center for Global Religious Freedom’s Global Religious Freedom Gathering at Dallas Baptist University. The session, “Advocacy in a Broken World: Faithful Action in Times of Conflict,” was moderated by Scot Bower of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Read more here.

Equipped to Serve: Emergency Aid Reaches Displaced Families in Plateau State

Local leaders making it possible.

In Nigeria’s Plateau State, years of violence have left rural Christian communities like Miango struggling to recover — homes destroyed, farms abandoned, families repeatedly displaced. This summer, 21Wilberforce partnered with Baptist World Aid and the Nigerian Evangelical Fellowship (NEF) to respond, combining hands-on training with immediate action. Read more here.

Field Stories

“Keep Hope Alive”: Dr. Dawari George on Building Bridges for Religious Freedom in Nigeria

A former lawmaker turned advocate explains why lasting protection for Nigeria’s vulnerable communities depends on government and grassroots working together.

Dr. Dawari George has spent his career moving between worlds that rarely speak to one another: the university lecture hall, the executive offices of government, the floor of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, and the pews of his Baptist church in Rivers State. Today, as Executive Director of Global Freedom Network (GFN) Nigeria, he is working to get those worlds talking. Read more here.

The Questions That Drive Godwin Adeboye

In 1996, when he was still a child, Dr. Godwin Adeboye lost his biological father and grandfather on the same day, at the same hour. Neither death was caused by an illness or an accident. No one ever fully explained what happened. People offered different interpretations, leaving a young boy with more questions than answers. Read more here.

Lorna Merekaje: Building Peace in South Sudan

At 21Wilberforce, we know that defending human dignity and freedom isn’t just about international advocacy. It depends on courageous people who step up to change their own communities—even when the stakes are incredibly high. Lorna Merekaje is one of those people.

For more than ten years, Lorna has been working on the ground in South Sudan, advocating for human rights, democracy, and political reform. Read more here.

Quick Takes

Join us for a memorable in-person event celebrating Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley as the recipient of the 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award. The program will include a panel of distinguished religious freedom champions, followed by the award ceremony and reception. Registration is free here.

In September 2026, 21Wilberforce President Wissam al-Saliby spoke in Pasadena, Texas, at South Main Baptist Church; in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Church at Wieuca and Heritage Preparatory School; and in Dallas, Texas, at Park Cities Baptist Church and the Global Religious Freedom Gathering hosted by the Everett Center for Global Religious Freedom.

21Wilberforce is walking alongside churches and Christians in some of the world’s most challenging places, where faith is tested by persecution. By investing in leaders and local congregations—the frontline workers—we are helping to strengthen indigenous, sustainable advocacy for religious freedom. We invite you to join us in this journey of faith, fellowship, and unity with those who suffer, standing together as one body to advance hope and freedom.