Tag: persecution

As You Leave Your Church this Sunday Morning…

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

Most of us here in America take for granted the religious freedom we have. We can choose to go to the church of our choice, drive or walk there, and come back after the service to our homes. We will not face ridicule or brave threats to do so. And many times we don’t attend church as faithfully as we should.

In many places around the world, this is not true. Even attending church is a huge step of faith. And for some, they pay the ultimate price for being identified as a Christian.

Artur Suleimanov, pastor of the several-hundred member Hosanna church in Makhachkala, Dagestan (a republic of Russia bordering Chechnya and Azerbaijan), was returning to his car to go home after a church function Thursday night, just three days ago. When he got into his car, a masked gunman shot him in the head and fled the scene. Just like that, having left the “House of Prayer” as their church building was named, he was ushered into the presence of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Artur had pastored this largest and first evangelical Christian church of mixed ethnicities (with many formerly-Muslim believers) since the late 1990s. Death threats and intimidation were the norm for him. He must have known he was a marked man, yet he faithfully shepherded his flock all the same.

By way of prayer requests, Barnabas Fund lists the following:

  • That God will comfort and uphold Pastor Suleimanov’s family, and their large church family, in their distress and grief.
  • That the murderer and all those behind this horrendous incident will be brought to justice, and that they will come to faith in the Lord Jesus.
  • For protection over those attending Pastor Suleimanov’s funeral as well as the wider Church in Dagestan.
  • That Christians will not be intimidated by this act of violence.

I would add that we pray for the few churches in Dagestan to be able to use this latest outbreak of persecution as a means for spreading the name of Christ throughout the region (cf. Acts 8:1-4). Pray also for their unity, protection for the remaining leadership, and wisdom.

Most of all, as you return home from your churches this morning, and other days throughout the next few weeks, please remember the persecuted church. Some are too afraid to even go to a church. Others risk their lives for doing so.

For more on the martyrdom of Artur Suleimanov see this article by Barnabus Fund.

Nigerian Chuch Leader to Congregation: “Prepare to Die [for your Faith]”

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

3 Nigerian pastors were recently beheaded. In the aftermath of that tragedy, according to The Daily Sun, church leaders addressed their congregations:

Also delivering a sermon during the funeral rites for late Rev. Sabo Yakubu, slain COCIN Church pastor, the speaker, Rev Bulus Azi urged Christians to emulate the pastors who were killed because of their refusal to betray their faith. Quoting from the bible in Revelation 7: 9-15, the regional chairman of the church told Christians to prepare to die anytime as their calling demand.

American Christians, let’s ponder this advice as we prepare to go to our churches this weekend. Remember others are dying for the faith we so readily take for granted. May we be stirred up to boldly proclaim the name of Christ as we think of the faith of these Nigerian pastors and others.

Christmas Miscellanies

~ fundyreformed ~ 5 Comments

Wow, we’re talking about Christmas already. Time sure flies!

More and more businesses are removing “Christmas” from Christmas. Happy Holidays from Costco and others…. Personally, however, I’m not too disturbed when our secular nation rejects a Christian holiday. For the first 300 years of Christianity all secular nations rejected all Christian holidays, and they persecuted us to boot.

R.C. Sproul’s radio broadcast Renewing Your Mind is offering daily specials. Yesterday I gave a gift to receive a copy of Sproul’s new kid’s book, The Prince’s Poison Cup. They gave an audio cd of it along with the book. Today, for any gift, you can get a new Christmas music CD (The Word Became Flesh), with narration of the Christmas story. Check it out.

I read an interesting post over at Parchment and Pen challenging many of the traditional trappings to the Christmas story. You think Christ was born in a lonely stable built into a cave away from the town? With no happy relatives there assisting? They say think again. Makes me want to research this topic out even further….

Finally, I’m going to strongly suggest that you stay tuned to BibleGeekGoneWild.com. Shaun Tabatt has an announcement to make this weekend. Something about tons of free book offers in the 12 days before Christmas. It may be in your best interest to follow his blog over the next couple of weeeks 😉 . UPDATE: here’s the link to Shaun’s announcement.

Intolerance, the Dali Lama, and the Bible

~ fundyreformed ~ 4 Comments

ks–this is cross posted at Kingdom Surge, my missions blog.

No one is more known for peace and tolerance than the Dali Lama. At least that’s what the world at large thinks of him. A Tibetan Buddhist, he crusades for world peace and harmony.

Sunday at our church, one of the leaders of an Indian church planting organization (directed and funded by Indians primarily, he did not ask for or even tell us how to give money) told a fascinating story about the Dali Lama.

A 17 year old girl from Australia felt that God had laid it on her heart to give a Bible to the Dali Lama. Not to witness to him or anything dramatic, but just to place a Bible in his hands. She came to India and visited this mission and went on a short term trip with them near where the Lama lives. She found a way to stay in that region longer than the others she was with and found a 15 minute audience with the Dali Lama.

She gave the Bible to him, encouraging him to read it as it will help him rule his people better and make wise decisions. The Dali Lama examined the book for a while and when he noticed it was a Bible he became furious. He said he would never allow that book into his kingdom. He felt it was responsible for many of the world’s problems. He then tossed it into one of the incense burning bins near his elaborate seat (almost like a throne).

But he did more than just insult the Holy Bible and the Christian God. He had this Australian girl thrown in prison without notifying the Australian embassy. Members of the Indian Christian mission mentioned above, regularly visited the prisons in that area seeking to provide help to any who needed it. They found the girl and heard this story as her explanation for why she was in prision. It was almost like a dungeon cell, and she was in poor physical shape, too.

They contacted the Embassy for her and she was soon released. Although she never can return to India and see the Lama again, her testimony has had an impact. The Indian leader said they have had more Tibetans come to know Christ Jesus in the past 2 years then ever before in their 30 years of ministry.

Praise God for those who follow His leading and hold forth His word.

“…in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life….” (Phil. 2:15b-16a NASB)

Jesus, The Devil and Suffering

~ fundyreformed ~ 3 Comments

Christians, like everyone else suffer pain and sorrow in this world. Many blame such suffering on the devil, from a praiseworthy desire not to blame God. Other Christians do blame God and doubt his provision and love for them. How could God let this happen to me? She was such a good person, it just doesn’t seem fair!

Worldly-wise secularists take a more intelligent position, they think. God isn’t there; or if He is, He isn’t concerned enough or able to interact in such a way to help prevent us from suffering. They grin and bear suffering, and encourage those friends and family who are suffering. And really, most Christians do this as well. But they won’t say God can’t intervene, rather they will credit God for helping them through the suffering.

With the recent tragedy of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, my pastor John Piper gave an explanation of the Reformed view of suffering. God controls all things and has a purpose in everything that happens. He wasn’t surprised by the bridge collapse, and He is at work helping the grieving and suffering, as well as working out many other hidden designs in and through this single tragic event. Most Christians generally agree, although they might hesitate to affirm that God plans and causes such tragedies to happen.

On the opposite spectrum, Greg Boyd, also a Minneapolis area pastor, spoke out against Piper’s view. Boyd, representing the open theist position, claimed that God was surprised by the event as well, and in no way planned or caused it to happen. As I said above, in some respects Boyd’s position is noble. He doesn’t want anyone to blame God for the evil suffering caused by the bridge collapse. But as Denny Burk has shown, in his response to Boyd’s post, Boyd’s position doesn’t stack up with Scripture. Most of evangelicalism would also agree that God certainly knew of the event before it happened (the traditional view of God’s omniscience). [For several Reformed responses to open theism click here.]

But even for those of us who affirm God’s exhaustive foreknowledge and omniscience, we still struggle with how God can let evil happen to Christians. Isn’t the devil to blame too?

I bring up all of this as background to an excellent new article by John Piper which is available online. He discussed the roles of Jesus and the Devil in suffering with his daughter, and shared his conversation with us. The verse in question is Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

I encourage you to check out the article and ponder this issue now, before suffering comes your way. “When Satan Hurts Christ’s People: Reflections on Why Christians Suffer Losses” by John Piper.

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