21Wilberforce

09/02/2026

We are honored to announce the recipient of the 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award: Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley.

For more than 50 years, Rev. Medley has lived out a simple but profound conviction: faith calls us to pursue justice, defend our neighbor, and stand with those whose dignity and freedom are threatened.

His ministry has taken him from confronting racism and segregation in the American South to standing alongside Muslims facing Islamophobia, advocating for persecuted Christians and displaced communities in Burma, and bringing people of different faiths together in pursuit of peace.

His witness is marked by both conviction and humility—deep fidelity to his Christian faith alongside a willingness to listen, learn, and stand in solidarity with people of other faiths.

As 21Wilberforce President Wissam al-Saliby said:

“We need to learn from the steadfast and humble advocacy of Rev. Dr. Roy Medley—for religious freedom, for peace, for restoration, and for healing.”

The Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award honors those who embody the legacy of Congressman Frank Wolf, a lifelong champion of religious freedom and human rights.

Please join us in celebrating Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley and his extraordinary life of faith, courage, peacemaking, and service.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026
4:00–7:00 p.m.
Hoge Chapel, Columbia Church
Falls Church, Virginia

We hope you will join us for this special celebration!

Learn more and register to attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/frank-wolf-international-religious-freedom-award-program-tickets-1994078880611?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

And if you would like to learn more about Rev. Medley’s story, read our earlier profile, Blessed Are the Peacemakers: A Life Shaped by Faith and Moral Courage.
https://21wilberforce.org/blessed-are-the-peacemakers-a-life-shaped-by-faith-and-moral-courage/

08/19/2026

Our latest 21Wilberforce newsletter highlights Christian leaders responding to persecution, conflict, and insecurity with courage, compassion, and a commitment to peace—from Nigeria to South Asia. Read their stories, learn how 21Wilberforce is standing alongside them, and join us in honoring Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley with the 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award:

In this issue, we look at the many ways Christian leaders are responding to persecution, conflict, and insecurity with courage, compassion, and a commitment to peace. From Nigeria to South Asia, these stories offer a closer look at those working amid difficult circumstances, the challenges they face...

08/14/2026

Building peace before conflict becomes a crisis.

21Wilberforce recently worked with 27 church and community leaders in South Asia to explore practical approaches to peacemaking—and a new vision for locally led peace teams.

Read more about this emerging vision: https://21wilberforce.org/south-asia-leaders-explore-new-approach-to-community-peacemaking/


Photo credit: IMB.org

In parts of South Asia, communities face persistent conflict rooted in disputes over land, resources, and ethnic or tribal identity. These challenges often exist alongside significant needs for economic and community development. 21Wilberforce was recently invited to facilitate a peacemaking worksho...

07/30/2026

What will prevent the next attack in Nigeria?

In an article for WORLD, 21Wilberforce President Wissam al-Saliby explores the complex causes of violence affecting Christian communities in Nigeria. Drawing on investigations by our Nigerian partners, he argues that while religious persecution is often a factor, addressing insecurity also requires strengthening governance, policing, and the rule of law.

Read the full article:

Nigeria’s Christians and the crisis of governance

07/24/2026

Training. Partnership. Action.

What happens when local humanitarian leaders receive the training they need—and immediately put it into practice?

This short video highlights a recent humanitarian consultation in Abuja, where 21Wilberforce and Baptist World Aid trained six Nigerian Christian organizations in internationally recognized Sphere humanitarian standards. It also follows one participating organization as it distributes food and household supplies to families displaced by violence in Plateau State.

Hear is a short article and video offering a first look at the training and the humanitarian response.

What happens when local humanitarian leaders are equipped with the right training—and then immediately put those skills into practice? Last week, 21Wilberforce partnered with Baptist World Aid to strengthen the humanitarian capacity of six Nigerian Christian nonprofit organizations serving communi...

07/20/2026

Supporting Those Serving on the Front Lines

This past week, 21Wilberforce hosted a humanitarian capacity-building consultation in Abuja for staff from our six Nigerian Christian nonprofit partner organizations.

Led by Allen Chimombe of Baptist World Aid, the training explored the Sphere standards, humanitarian ethics, accountability, protection, and sound stewardship—helping equip participants to strengthen the assistance they provide to communities affected by violence.

We believe the strongest humanitarian responses are built alongside local organizations that understand their communities best. By investing in their knowledge and leadership, we are helping strengthen compassionate, accountable, and effective service where it is needed most.

07/15/2026

21Wilberforce President Wissam al-Saliby was quoted in Baptist Standard regarding growing concerns for religious freedom in Northeast India.

He urged India's authorities to ensure that security institutions protect every citizen equally and reject narratives that associate peaceful religious belief or conversion with violence.

"We call on the Indian authorities to listen to the concerns of Christian communities in Northeast India, many of whom have already experienced violence, displacement and discrimination in recent years."

Read the full story here:

A Hindu nationalist group leader blamed Christianity for insurgency in Northeast India, prompting concerns over religious freedom.

07/13/2026

The recent release of Pastor Ezra Jin after more than 250 days in a Chinese prison is encouraging news for all who care about freedom of religion or belief.

In this interview, his daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, shares her family's journey through months of uncertainty, the joy of his release, and a call for prayer for those still in prison for their faith.

Take a few minutes to watch this compelling conversation.

Pastor Ezra Jin has landed safely in the U.S. after being released ...

07/10/2026

Behind every report and every policy discussion are courageous people whose stories rarely make the headlines.

Across Nigeria, Eritrea, and the Thailand–Myanmar border, pastors, advocates, survivors, and community leaders are working tirelessly to defend religious freedom, care for those who have suffered for their faith, and build lasting peace in places where hope can seem out of reach.

Our Field Stories shine a light on these remarkable individuals and communities—from peacemakers and faith leaders to survivors who refuse to let violence have the final word. Their courage reminds us that religious freedom is not an abstract idea—it is lived out every day by people who continue to stand firm despite extraordinary challenges.

Take a few minutes to read their stories and be inspired by lives marked by faith, resilience, and hope.

Read our Field Stories: https://21wilberforce.org/one-family-under-god-rev-john-joseph-hayabs-pursuit-of-peace-and-religious-freedom/

A Baptist pastor, peacebuilder, and advocate for religious freedom, Rev. John Joseph Hayab has spent more than two decades helping communities across northern Nigeria choose dialogue over division. Growing up between a traditional village and a military barracks in northern Nigeria, Hayab learned ea...