Dear John,

This week, families across America will gather around their tables to give thanks to the Lord for His goodness.

But as we prepare for Thanksgiving, we cannot ignore the stark contrast between the blessings we enjoy here at home, and the staggering suffering faced by many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world -- simply for their belief in the Gospel.

While we are still free to live out our faith for the most part, millions of believers face intense pressure, discrimination, or outright violence for their Christian faith.

In China, pastors from churches like Zion Church continue to be arrested in coordinated crackdowns. In North Korea, believers risk execution simply for owning a Bible, and more surprisingly, in South Korea, many pastors are being intimidated and even arrested.

In Syria, the Druze community and Christian enclaves still face threats from extremist groups. And in Nigeria, entire Christian villages live in fear of terrorists who burn churches and kidnap believers in the night. Just last week, another church was targeted, leaving two dead and their pastor kidnapped.

While these things are hard for believers in America to fathom as everyday realities, we should never assume that persecution couldn't happen here. As Americans, we must not take our freedoms for granted.

At Family Research Council, we believe that true gratitude drives action. That's why FRC is standing with believers like Pastor Luke Ash who lost his job for refusing to use the biologically incorrect pronouns, creating petitions of solidarity for believers like Pastor Andrew Brunson who spent over 2 years in a Turkish prison for preaching the gospel, and Finnish member of parliament Päivi Räsänen who is still facing lawsuits for tweeting Scripture verses.

Our policy team is continually educating lawmakers on the threats to religious liberty both here at home and around the world through our policy briefs and research, so that they can make informed and God-honoring decisions.

When you partner with FRC, you are joining us in stewarding the extraordinary blessings God has entrusted to His people in America.

I SUPPORT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

The freedom to live out our faith in God, without fear, lies at the heart of our heritage, both as Americans and as followers of Christ. The Puritans, fleeing religious persecution, came to the New World seeking a place where they could order and center their lives around God, and establish a shining "city on a hill." Now, centuries later, it is up to us to emulate their example and use our freedoms to advocate for the religious liberty of others.

That is exactly what FRC is doing:

• Through Washington Watch and The Washington Stand, we expose persecution in places like China, Nigeria, Sudan, and Syria -- and elevate the voices of survivors, advocates, and global church leaders.
• Through our Center for Religious Liberty, we work to ensure the Trump administration and Congress continues pushing back against governments that repress religious freedom.
• Through policy engagement, we are urging action on global atrocities -- such as China's human rights abuses, North Korea's prison camps, and the violence terrorizing Christians in Nigeria.
• Through our Stand on the Word Bible reading plan, we are leading thousands of believers to spend time in the Word, helping them better understand its application to their lives, and giving them confidence to stand for Christ.
• Here at home, we are fighting back against efforts to undermine religious expression in schools, workplaces, and public life -- ensuring the blessings we enjoy remain protected for future generations.

When the Left seeks to silence the Church or intimidate us into submission, FRC will keep standing, refusing to capitulate or back down.

This work is only possible because of believers like you who understand that freedom is not an accident -- it is a gift entrusted to us by God. And like every gift, it must be stewarded.

Will you help us defend religious liberty this Thanksgiving?

HELP FRC DEFEND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

John, as you gather with your family this week, I hope you will pause to reflect on the extraordinary blessings God has placed in your life -- your loved ones, your church, the blessings of liberty, and the peace and freedom you enjoy in Christ.

But I also hope you will remember the believers in China, Korea, Syria, Nigeria, Sudan, and across the world where it costs everything to proclaim Christ. If you have not already, please take a moment to sign FRC's prayer pledge for the persecuted church in Sudan.

True thanksgiving looks outward as well as upward. Our freedom gives us the responsibility to speak boldly for those who cannot speak for themselves.

This year, join me in praying for the persecuted church and stewarding our blessings well.

As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 106:1: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!"

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