By Pieter Vermeulen, ICC Board Member, as part of a series, “Persecuted but not Forsaken.” Across the world today, millions of Christians gather to worship Christ under circumstances that most believers in the West can scarcely imagine. Some meet in secret apartments. Others gather in forests, deserts, or remote villages. In some places, churches cannot display a cross, ring a bell, or publicly identify themselves as Christian without risking harassment, imprisonment, or violence. For these believers, faith is not merely a cultural identity or a Sunday activity. It is a decision that carries real consequences.