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The NCC joins the Nigerian Baptist Convention for prayers after the massacre at a Catholic church in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Baptist Convention is a long-time member of the Committee on the Uniform Lessons Series (CUS) and they have alerted us to this attack as well as to others on Christians in the past few weeks. A representative has told us, “It is tough being a Christian in Nigeria today. We leave home in the morning not having hope of coming back home.”

Rev. Dr. Tammy Wiens, NCC Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation and who also directs the work of CUS, reflected on the tragic news, saying, “I am blessed by a deep friendship with colleagues from the Nigerian Baptist Convention through our shared work in developing the CUS outlines used to develop Sunday School curriculum both in the US and abroad. Hearing that our brothers and sisters in Christ are victims of kidnappings, vandalism, and murder is even more heart-wrenching when you have a personal relationship with those who report living under a constant threat of violence. Our hearts are heavy with grief upon receiving word of this attack, and the call for prayer out of Nigeria is yet another reminder of the suffering that many in this world endure. Our hearts unite in prayer and wrap around our neighbors near and far.”

We will continue to monitor with alarm the growing, lethal violence against Christians in Nigeria. Credible sources are beginning to characterize the violence as genocide including Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Jubilee Campaign for Religious Freedom, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), International Christian Concern (ICC) and the Lift Up Now grassroots foundation led by Southern Baptist Nigeria native Adeniyi Ojutiku.