Glenn Beck’s humanitarian organization, Mercury One, is prioritizing efforts to assist Christians facing violence and persecution in Nigeria, as the conservative radio host warns that growing threats to religious freedom worldwide could eventually affect the United States.
Founded by Beck in 2011, Mercury One provides humanitarian aid and supports persecuted Christians through partnerships with Save the Persecuted Christians and The Nazarene Fund, established in 2015.
During an interview with The Christian Post, Beck identified Nigeria as the organization’s most urgent current concern. At Mercury One’s 15th anniversary gala in Irving, Texas, last month, he personally contributed $5 million to its maximum-impact fund.
He said the organization is "trying to figure out a way to help" Christians facing violence in the West African nation, where thousands of believers have reportedly been killed in recent years.
Mercury One has previously undertaken large-scale rescue operations in conflict zones. During the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the organization arranged private flights to evacuate thousands of people from Kabul, including American citizens, Special Immigrant Visa holders and Afghan Christians facing threats to their lives.
Drawing on that experience, Beck said Mercury One is collaborating with a partner to develop an alert system that could help endangered Christians in Nigeria escape imminent threats. However, he emphasized that providing opportunities for evacuation should not mean forcing Christian communities to abandon their homes because of violence by Islamist militants, Fulani militias and armed bandits.
"We've moved thousands of Christians out of the Middle East to different countries around the world who were targeted for death," he said. "But we've got to give people ways to stand their ground, or we're going to lose all of that territory. That's what the Muslims want. They want you to move so they can have it, and so we're trying. And most of [the Christians] don't want to leave."
"We need eyes to be opened. We need countries to be opened. We need the United States to take a bold stand on this, as well."
He further cautioned that Americans should not assume their geographic isolation will protect them from the religious persecution and ideological conflicts occurring elsewhere. He expressed concern that many Christians in the United States underestimate the seriousness of current global developments.
"Why is it that religious people don't understand what we're facing? I don't understand how people are not seeing the time in which we live. I mean, it could be me: I just think Jesus is coming in my lifetime. Maybe not; people have thought that for thousands of years. But the times we live in are serious, and I think we've been protected by these oceans, and nobody thinks anything could happen here, but it very well could," he told CP.
Beck concluded by encouraging American Christians to become involved in efforts to protect persecuted believers overseas, presenting such assistance as a way to remain aware of threats to religious freedom.
"And one way to stay aware of it is to get involved and help save Christians elsewhere. Because who's coming to save us?" he added.
