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Thousands Shed Light on Christian Persecution with One Powerful Song

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More than 2,000 churches in 48 countries will raise awareness of global Christian persecution with one powerful hymn on Feb. 21.

Thousands of churches around the world will unite in an unprecedented effort to shed light on Christian persecution. A hymn called "Facing a Task Unfinished" will the be rallying cry of those who participate.

OMF International, an interdenominational Protestant missionary society, has organized the event.

The hymn, "Facing a Task Unfinished," was originally written by missionary Frank Houghton in 1929 as a call for Christian missonaries to move to China despite the dangers of persecution. Hundreds responded to the hymn's call, resulting in an estimate of 80 to 130 million new followers of Christ.

Today, musicians Keith and Kristyn Getty have revived the hymn with a new chorus. They hope the hymn will become a new anthem to unite Christians around the world today.

"Songs have the ability to unite and move us as groups," Keith Getty said. "Frank Houghton understood this and in response to great turmoil in China, turned to writing hymns to encourage those who were witnessing martrydom around them."

"'Facing a Task Unfinished' provided inspiration to a generation of missionaries when it was first written, and it urges us on still, even as we also live amid persecution and martyrdom, both at home and around the world today," he said.k

"Into these situations the call of Christ and His Kingdom is our only hope. His gospel is the window of light pouring into the darkened corners of this world," he concluded.

Churches around the world are invited to register their involvment in the movement at Getty Music.

Registered churches are asked to commit to singing the hymn and are encourged to share videos of their congregations singing it on social media.

Churches will receive free fully orchestrated sheet music, choir parts, hymn charts, and other audio resources to help their congregations join in song for the persecuted Christians of the world.

OMF International was orginally founded in 1865 as the China Inland Mission, an organization dedicated to bringing the gospel to communist China when Christian persecution was at a record high.

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