Remember Ambassadors

Sometimes, in all the statistics on persecution, we forget the faces behind the numbers.  It is almost unbelievable that 160,000 die each year because they stand for Christ, but let us not forget that each one of those is an individual, a person with hopes and dreams, feeling the pain, and sacrificing everything for the cause of Christ.  And so many leave behind them families, women and children with no breadwinner to turn to, who live in abject suffering because of their faith.

I was reminded of the amazing importance of all of this by a simple picture, taken from the inside of a church building in an IDP camp outside of Khartoum.

This is why we serve. 

We're in the final editing stages for a couple of new "Country Focus" Bulletin Inserts, one of which is on Vietnam, focusing on the situation of the Degar Montagnards.  The research I have done for that bulletin insert has been very eye-opening, and a bulletin insert is too short to share the whole story!

The persecution of the Montagnards is nothing short of brutal.  The name "Montagnard" comes from the French for "mountaineer," which should give you some idea of the living conditions that these villagers have even without the persecution; they are in poverty to begin with, and the persecution from the communist government adds untold suffering to their existence. 

Despite diplomatic and United Nations visits to the region, the Vietnamese government continues to persecute Central Highlanders out of view of international observers. The most harshly treated are evangelical Christians who belong to independent house churches, and supporters of a non-violent movement for independence or autonomy and for protection of and greater control over ancestral lands.  (From "No Sanctuary," Human Rights Watch Report 2006; emphasis added.)

The persecution can range from "small" to great.  A "small" persecution could be forcing a Christian to spend days tending to government buildings, mowing the grass, and doing other menial chores, placing a great strain on the ability of the Christian to grow the food he needs for survival.*

And that is only the beginning.  Christians are routinely imprisoned and tortured if they are caught worshiping together.  Because of the great danger, many house churches hold their worship services between 2 a.m. and dawn–the "sleeping time for police."*

In spite of all of this, Protestantism is the fastest growing religion in Vietnam.*  In the face of communism, in the face of corruption, and in the face of poverty and suffering of every kind, these believer are more than just standing strong–they are spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ!

What a testimony. 

For More Information–

Degar Christian's Home Burned 

Vietnam Continues to Force Degar Montagnard Catholics to Renounce their Faith

The Montagnard Foundation

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Footnote

* From "Repression of Montagnards," Human Rights Watch Report, 2002. 

Have you ever wondered how a person can stand for his faith in Jesus Christ in the face of persecution?  I wonder that every time I read suffering for the cause of Christ, of horrific torture, of agonizing martyrdom.  How can these men and women, even these children, forsake literally everything in this life and embrace the pain of being a Christian?

That question was running through my mind all weekend, as we remembered Christ's unimaginable sufferings and celebrated His glorious resurrection.  Christ is certainly the example of fortitude in persecution; his full humanity felt the agony of every lash, every thorn, and every nail.  He felt the rough cross re-open the wounds on His back as its weight shoved Him into the stones of the street.  Why?  Why would He do that?

He suffered so that we could follow Him.  Our following must start in the streets to Golgotha, as we take up our own crosses.  (Matthew 16:24)  But our following does not end there, even though we follow Him to death!  Death is merely the beginning; when we follow Christ we follow Him to eternal glory.  The power of Easter is the power of salvation, but it is more than that–it is the power to follow through the pain that leads to the glory.

I will admit that I am grateful I have not had to face torture, imprisonment, or death in order to stand for Jesus Christ.  But I have seen those that have, those that have found and exercised the power of Easter.  If that day ever comes for me, that day when taking up my cross means facing the ultimate sacrifice, I pray that I will turn to the power of Easter.

He is risen!

Last month, The Weekly Reminder ran a series based on 1 John 4.  It is an amazing passage of Scripture, especially in dealing with our relationships with other members of the Body of Christ.

1 John 4:1-6 

1 John 4:7-11 

1 John 4:12-16 

1 John 4:17-21

While I was writing those, there was one phrase in the chapter that just never seemed to make sense.  In the middle of John's writing on love, and why we love God, there is a seemingly unrelated sentence: "No man hath seen God at any time."  Right after saying that, the apostle goes on talking about love, talking about how God's love is perfected in us when He dwells in us:

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

This morning, as I was meditating on the passage, this phrase jumped out at me again, only this time I realized why it is there.  It is not random–in fact, it fits perfectly.  You see, we ought to love one another, as we are told in verse 11.  But why is that important?  Because although no man has seen God, it is entirely possible to see God's perfected love in the lives of His children.

What a responsibility that is.  No one can physically see God, not the believer, not the unbeliever.  But both can see God reflected in us.  Does demonstrating our love to the Body of Christ matter?  It absolutely does–it is how people see God.

Just off the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka is a country of amazing beauty, and a rich history.  Christian persecution has been sporadic in this island nation, but it appears to be growing.

While Sri Lankan history can be traced back further than the arrival of Buddhism, in the 3rd century BC, it's modern history revolves around the island's declaration of independence in 1948.  Since that time, the nation has been wracked by civil war, with the government in Columbo facing opposition from the LTTE, more commonly known as the "Tamil Tigers."  Though there have been breaks in this violence, they have never brought a lasting peace.

About 70% of Sri Lanka's 20 million people are Buddhist.  In fact, Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism among all Buddhist nations.  The other 30% is divided among a variety of religions, including Islam and Hinduism, with Christians comprising around 6% of the total population.

It appears that hostilities towards Christians is growing.  In just the past couple of weeks, there have been a number of attacks against Christians and their church buildings.  Though these may be unrelated incidents of persecution, it could be that this marks an escalation of violence against Christians in general!

Sri Lankan Christians Face Massive Attacks, Investigators Say

Let's pray that these attacks are not a foretaste of further violence to come, and let us also pray for the Christians that have been attacked.  And while we pray that their wounds would heal and their pain subside, let us not forget to pray that their light would shine out in the darkness as a witness of the truth that they live for.

For more information—

CIA World Factbook: Sri Lanka 

Wikipedia Article: Sri Lanka 

*** Update ***

Friday's news has this story of fighting in Sri Lanka, illustrating the volatility of the situation. 

Mission Network News is reporting how this violence is affecting Christians. 

China: 70 House Church Leaders Detained in Shangqiu City

70 Christians are being detained under charges of "making use of a cult to violate law enforcement."

Gaza Strip: Murder of Gaza Christians Unresolved as  Threats Continue

We normally think about the turmoil in the Gaza Strip in the terms of the conflict between Israel and the Arab world.  But let us not forget the Christian minority caught in the crossfire!

India: Answers to Prayer Amid Danger

News from India continues to be full of stories of persecution by radical Hindu mobs.  Pastors, especially, have been targeted and persecuted.  But our God answers prayers!

Nigeria: Church Looted and Demolished in Kano State

Nigeria is on the cutting edge of Muslim expansion, and has been the scene for more and more persecution over the last few months.  This is one more example.

Sri Lanka: Pastor Brutally Murdered