The Persecuted Church

[Marycita]

Kevin said the word persecution in the what's on your mind thread..and it got me thinking about it.


One of the first weeks at Ellerslie held one of my favorite nights of the whole semester - Persecuted Church night. We were told not to bring anything with us - not a Bible, not a water bottle, nothing (which doesn't seem like anything, but was weird because we normally took both of those things everywhere on campus with us)... And we were led into the Everitt center, which had all the tables and chairs removed, the lights were out, the windows shut, and a few candles lit. That was it. Then we heard stories of brothers and sisters in Christ under persecution. There were tons of us crammed in that small space and at one point, someone reached for a fan. They were told to leave it off - that we were trying to take as little comforts as possible. We had a time when we just said whatever Scripture verses/passages we felt led to share, sang whatever songs came to our hearts, etc. We then had a time of prayer - anyone who wanted to prayed for our brothers and sisters.

It was the first time in my life that I have thought to pray for them that way. To be sure I had prayed for them - but in the "Lord, keep them from this kind of way"... I had to hang my head in shame, for I had neglected to pray for them to have His strength as they stood in the face of it all. I hadn't prayed that they would showcase His glory through their faithfulness. And I certainly hadn't prayed that He would strengthen their faith to the point it would turn the hearts of the persecutors. This is how I pray for these siblings in Christ now.


This night also got me to thinking about the lack of reverence for His Word (in my own life so far and as His church in general). There are brothers and sisters all over the world who literally risk their lives in order to copy one chapter of the Bible if they are lucky, by candlelight in a space barely large enough for a person to fit in. Do I love His Word that much where I would do that - for a small passage? Am I hungry for His Word like that?


Anyway...I guess this thread is just to post thoughts, stories, prayers, stories and/experiences that have impacted your life about this, etc

 

[Marycita]

A church I attended in high school had a night like that. And one of the things we did was try to see how much scripture we really knew from heart. If you are without a Bible how much do you really know.

Right?!

I had memorized quite a few verses before this, but out of it happening just naturally...after this night, I made a resolution to deliberately memorize Scripture.

To think of all those who are in prison or elsewhere without being able to daily open up His Word....and yet they still have His solid foundation to stand on and be strong...yet one more reason we are told to hide His word in our hearts.

 

[trentlogain2]

that they had you all do that at your college is interesting. that really sounds like a good idea.

i dunno. paul and moses basically wished their lives accursed from God if only the unbelieving and wicked could be saved. that's extreme. for me, i'm happy to evangelize and one day die for the faith. but to spend eternity in hell for family members and loved ones to live..wow!

 

[Marycita]

that they had you all do that at your college is interesting. that really sounds like a good idea.

well it was a very intense discipleship school more than a college, but yes..such a good idea..I think youth groups all over should do something like that

really, though, they should!

i dunno. paul and moses basically wished their lives accursed from God if only the unbelieving and wicked could be saved. that's extreme. for me, i'm happy to evangelize and one day die for the faith. but to spend eternity in hell for family members and loved ones to live..wow!

This made me think of

John 15:12-13 - "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

 

[white dove]

What came to mind upon reading the OP is something my mom continues to warn me about. She's told me throughout my adult life that we need to take full advantage of being able to go to church while we still have the ability to do so. Parents - I don't care how old you are - have this way of knowing things you don't. So, I do think about this on occasion. It is a blessing to be able to go and worship freely as we do. We really don't know how good we've got it here.

I know a few missionaries and have heard some amazing stories about the state of Christianity abroad. I love hearing stories and seeing pictures. I love putting faces to them. What I love even more is seeing the faces of those who believe in other countries - countries that are so impoverished and yet they shine with all the glory of God on their faces. Why can't we be like that? Why does it take that kind of poverty and desperation to see(k) God's face?

 

[Marycita]

What came to mind upon reading the OP is something my mom continues to warn me about. She's told me throughout my adult life that we need to take full advantage of being able to go to church while we still have the ability to do so. Parents - I don't care how old you are - have this way of knowing things you don't. So, I do think about this on occasion. It is a blessing to be able to go and worship freely as we do. We really don't know how good we've got it here.

That's wonderful!

That is definitely something I think about. And some Sunday mornings it hits me so hard - I don't know how to word what God does in my soul on those mornings.

But that's why it breaks my heart when I hear of brother and sisters who are fully able to take advantage of church, but don't for whatever reason.

I know a few missionaries and have heard some amazing stories about the state of Christianity abroad. I love hearing stories and seeing pictures. I love putting faces to them. What I love even more is seeing the faces of those who believe in other countries - countries that are so impoverished and yet they shine with all the glory of God on their faces. Why can't we be like that? Why does it take that kind of poverty and desperation to see(k) God's face?

Ughh..yes...why indeed?


oh we are a selfish, spoiled people....

 

[Wren]

The only experience I've had even resembling that is growing up in a Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination church. Every so often (at least yearly, but I think more than that probably) we had missionaries talk about people in other countries who don't have the things (Bibles, study aides, etc) we have here.

I don't know if this is what you want in this thread, but I'd like to share a persecution that I read about yesterday and have been praying about/over. Right now Coptic Christians in Egypt are being persecuted. They are saying it's the worst violence against Christians there in a long time. Christians are being killed, churches set on fire and destroyed, harassment. I'll see if I can find the article again for those interested.

 

[Marycita]

The only experience I've had even resembling that is growing up in a Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination church. Every so often (at least yearly, but I think more than that probably) we had missionaries talk about people in other countries who don't have the things (Bibles, study aides, etc) we have here.

I don't know if this is what you want in this thread, but I'd like to share a persecution that I read about yesterday. Right now Coptic Christians in Egypt are being persecuted. They are saying it's the worst violence against Christians there in a long time. Christians are being killed, churches set on fire and destroyed, harassment. I'll see if I can find the article again for those interested.

I would love to see the article if you can find it!

That's exactly the kind of thing I want...in fact, I'm going to have to see if I can find the info on North Korea, and post that....

 

[Wren]

Okay, here it is. I know some might not be a fan of Huffington Post, but it's a decent article: Egypt: Coptic Christians Under Siege.

 

[kevlite2020]

I'm glad you posted this Mary. For me, persecution is... unknown. Call it spoiled or ignorant, but I don't know that I'm capable of imagining what persecution is like. The book of Daniel stands out to me, where his friends were thrown in the fire. It's an incredible story to me, but to be persecuted to that level is unimaginable.

My last church used to do a lot of mission trips in India. Every week we would get updates on the persecution there (which was widespread and extremely violent). It's just awful.

I guess for me though, all I seem to be able to do is have compassion for the situation and give prayers to the hurting. Personally, I don't really feel anything about persecution because it is so unimaginable to me that I can't wrap my mind around it and get emotionally invested. I'm sure that perspective would change if I was persecuted myself in a violent/extreme way, but until then, it's hard for me to connect with.

And yes you can call me selfish and ignorant, because I suppose that's what it is. But I've always been that way about many things; unable to emotionally connect until I feel it for myself.

Also, I love what you said WD. The ability to worship freely is a privilege that not all have. We should look at it as such, understanding that it is a gift that we wouldn't get to have if we lived in many other places. And it may not always be a right of ours anywhere. We must always be aware and grateful.

 

[Marycita]

Kev - unfortunately you don't have to imagine it, you have to research it Not that being thrown into the fire happens today perhaps...but there are still so many people (including Christians) put in concentration camps in North Korea, for instance

And just because you don't connect emotionally doesn't mean you can't spiritually..

other than that - I guess I don't fully get what you mean...especially since you say you do have compassion and pray for them...

 

[kevlite2020]

Kev - unfortunately you don't have to imagine it, you have to research it Not that being thrown into the fire happens today perhaps...but there are still so many people (including Christians) put in concentration camps in North Korea, for instance

And just because you don't connect emotionally doesn't mean you can't spiritually..

other than that - I guess I don't fully get what you mean...especially since you say you do have compassion and pray for them...

What I'm saying is this. I have researched it, I've seen pictures and videos... It's just, I can't imagine what it's like to be in the shoes of somebody who is going through persecution. It is just outside the range of my imagination.

So yes, I do connect spiritually. But emotionally, I am completely numb and ignorant to the whole thing. I just don't have any concept of what that would be like and how I would react in that type of situation.

Sorry if I'm not being clear. I'm at work and feeling rather rambly today

 

[Marycita]

What I'm saying is this. I have researched it, I've seen pictures and videos... It's just, I can't imagine what it's like to be in the shoes of somebody who is going through persecution. It is just outside the range of my imagination.

So yes, I do connect spiritually. But emotionally, I am completely numb and ignorant to the whole thing. I just don't have any concept of what that would be like and how I would react in that type of situation.

Sorry if I'm not being clear. I'm at work and feeling rather rambly today

No, you're being perfectly clear..I guess it was just that you kept saying how it was spoiled and ignorant and such, and I didn't get it.

It's not really about connecting with it emotionally anyway...

But, I will be praying that despite being "numb", you will just make the decision on how you would respond to that situation

 

[Rhamiel]

I spent 6 months as an exchange student in Morocco
it was illegal to try to convert muslims and it was not uncommon for churches to get hasseled because it was assumed they were trying to convert people
Morocco is a relitivly free and liberal nation, my arab muslim standards anyway, it was legal for people to change their religion, so leaving the muslim faith is not agianst the law but it might come with all kinds of persecution, loss of job, being totaly cut off from your family, i heard stories of people getting beaten by off duty police

but there were churches people could go to
on campus there was a non-denominational christian service because the school had a lot of exchange students and western teachers

there was a Catholic Church in the next city over that was taken by the state and turned into a small library, but they allowed a franciscan from Italy to hold Mass in the back room, it was very small, it was normally me, a young moroccan couple, a small family, and an old french guy who was the head concierge at a nice hotel, the service was in french but that was ok.
I had a great time there, I did not feel percicuted or anything, just saying what it was like in a muslim country

Okay, here it is. I know some may not be a fan of Huffington Post, but it's a decent article: Egypt: Coptic Christians Under Siege.

thank you so much for posting on this
there is a coptic church in columbus that i have been to before, it is a very lovely church with such kind people, it is so sad how they are treated in their homeland

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

I've heard stories of the persecuted church and I get newsletters from a couple of missionary societies who work with the persecuted but I've stopped reading them because I guess I've also become selfish and lazy and I need to open my eyes and ears to what's really going on around the world.
One prayer request from the persecuted church always blows me away when I think about it, they don't ask for prayer for the persecution to stop, but they ask for prayer so they can be strengthened to withstand it.
How challenging is that for those of us who are free to worship and probably have more than one Bible.

 

[Blank123]

its pretty convicitng when you realize what our brothers and sisters around the world endure for the sake of the gospel. meanwhile we're over here crying persecution because retailers wish us happy holidays instead of merry Christmas. Or because so-and-so doesn't support conservative politics *facepalm*

 

[Tink]

subscribing to the thread.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Blind post: When you wrote the Persecuted Church I immediately thought of this -

Seattle WA : Mass genocide of Mohawk children by UK Queen and Vatican uncovered in Canada

This is what a persecuted church does...

 

[Wren]

Blind post: When you wrote the Persecuted Church I immediately thought of this -

Seattle WA : Mass genocide of Mohawk children by UK Queen and Vatican uncovered in Canada

This is what a persecuted church does...

While that is incredibly sad and disturbing*, we are not talking as much about the persecution of a religious organization (like the Church of England), but of regular Christians. Yes, some Christians have done some awful things, but there are many innocent Christians who are being persecuted (including killed) just because of their faith and practicing it.

*and I do understand. We have several Native nations here in Wisconsin and I took a class on Menominee history, where we learned (more, I know about them somewhat from other classes and my own reading) about residential schools and their associated horrors. I am in no way condoning them. But let's stay on topic.

 

[Marycita]

One prayer request from the persecuted church always blows me away when I think about it, they don't ask for prayer for the persecution to stop, but they ask for prayer so they can be strengthened to withstand it.
How challenging is that for those of us who are free to worship and probably have more than one Bible.

Amen Amen Amen!!!

its pretty convicitng when you realize what our brothers and sisters around the world endure for the sake of the gospel. meanwhile we're over here crying persecution because retailers wish us happy holidays instead of merry Christmas. Or because so-and-so doesn't support conservative politics *facepalm*

It *does* bother me so the whole "don't use Merry Christmas" thing ..

BUT Yes...it's incredibly convicting...

it's also incredibly convicting in the sense of what we let in our lives...and settle for in our lives (whether it's sin, compromise, luxury) and what we attach ourselves to...the only thing so many of our brothers and sisters cling to is Him - as it should be...puts our faith here to shame..absolute shame...