I was in the Charlotte 24-7 prayer room last Thursday for a prayer meeting we call KILN. It's a great group of folks who inspire discussions which draw me ever nearer to the heart of the Father. Every week we walk in without an agenda and let the Spirit lead, no small task for this control freak.
We were discussing Haiti last Thursday - the destruction, the callousness of our own hearts, and, yes, the comments made by a certain televangelist. We spoke openly, freely, sifting through our own feelings and thoughts and confusion. We questioned where forces of good meet forces of evil in this world and how to distinguish their works from each other. We read aloud from the Bible, discussing how Old Testament law has relevance for us today. And we prayed, aloud - one by one and altogether - for the brothers and sisters in Haiti who were suffering and grieving, and for the brothers and sisters in that very room.
I closed my eyes as we prayed, and wondered at how lucky I am to do that without fear. The doors were not locked, anybody could come or go as they pleased, and indeed a stranger came in at one point and stayed without engaging us. Here we were, a group of 10 or so modern-day disciples, boldly proclaiming our faith out loud for anyone to walk in and hear and we did so without fearing for our physical safety if someone should find us or know us as Christ followers.
Friends, how blessed we are to be in a country where we can state our beliefs - on t-shirts, on bumper stickers, out loud on street corners, in the quiet rooms of an urban monastery. So many Christian brothers and sisters across the world do not have that security and indeed acknowledge the possibility of martyrdom just by accepting Christ.
So today, I wanted to share some of the truths of just how hard it is to be a Christ follower in some parts of Africa. How often we forget that Christ called us to give our very lives to the Kingdom (Mt 16:25) - let this be a reminder to all of us how present a reality that is for others across the world.
*As a general rule, I do not mention names and countries when talking discussing the work of the church in restricted nations. However, the following information has been published in wide release and therefore, I feel it acceptable to continue the dissemination. All of the following information is taken directly from Voice of the Martyrs' "The Persecuted Church: Global Report 2010." It can be found online (along with many other resources) at www.persecution.com.
Algeria (restricted) - An era of relative liberty to practice Christianity ended in 2006. A new law was passed stating that house churches were not permitted. The law, ordered by the nation's court, is an effort to stop evangelism and church growth in Algeria. Even churches with licenses had to stop meeting. One contact reported their church stopped meeting briefly, seeking God's desire for their church. But they decided to keep meeting and face any consequences. The police came many times to threaten the church, but the believer reported that gathering together melted their fear and renewed their courage.
Comoros (restricted) - Persecution against Christians generally takes the form of social discrimination. There are fewer than 200 Christian nationals in this country of 750,000 people who live on three islands. There are two Catholic churches and one Protestant church, but only non-citizens may use the buildings. There are no official churches for Comorian people. Christians are forbidden to witness in public. In some areas, local authorities limit the practice of Christianity. One believer who left Islam had his travel documents revoked. In 2006, authorities arrested Comorian believers in a Bible study and discovered Christian materials. Four of the believers were sentenced to three months in prison but were released after six weeks. Christian workers report being verbally attacked at a local mosque for leading Friday prayer meetings. During Ramadan this year, one of the local believers was jailed for five days for not fasting and praying as required by Islam.
Egypt (restricted) - The country's constitution gives preference to Muslims. Christians are treated as second-class citizens, denied political representation and discriminated against in employment. On June 13, 2009, a Cairo judge denied a Christian convert's request to change his religious status on his identification card from Muslim to Christian. The man, Maher El-Gohary, has been attacked on the streets and has received death threats for legally pursuing his case. In addition, several riots have occurred between Coptic Christians and Muslims. Unprovoked, three Muslim men stabbed a Coptic Christian man as he left a wedding service, sending him to the hospital with severe internal injuries. On May 9, 2009, a car bomb exploded outside of St. Mary Church, a holy site for Copts.
Eritrea (restricted) - In 2002, the government ordered all independent Protestant churches closed. In the past three years, religious repression has escalated. At least 3,000 Eritrean Christians are currently imprisoned for their religious beliefs. Some have been held in underground cells or metal shipping containers in an effort to pressure them to recant their faith. Mehari Gebreneguse Asgedom, 42, died in solitary confinement at the Mitire Military Confinement Center on Jan 16, 2009, from torture and complications from diabetes. In October, Teklesenbet Gebreab Kiflom died while imprisoned for his faith at Wi'a Military Confinement Center. He reportedly died after prison commanders refused to give him medical attention for his malaria.
Ethiopia (hostile) - In Ethiopia, Orthodox Church members harass evangelical Christians. In one case, the body of a Christian baby boy was dug up in the middle of the night and placed on the steps of the evangelical church. The local Orthodox church would not allow the body of the boy to be buried on their church grounds. In addition, young people who receive Christ are sometimes driven from their Orthodox families. In another incident, a man lost his teaching job at a government school after converting to Christianity.
Part two will come tomorrow(ish). Surely your eyes are tired by now.
The information on Ethiopia made me particularly sad, the news of Christians persecuting Christians. My prayer today is that across the world, we as Christ followers will come understand the truth of this passage and join hand-in-hand to bring in the revolution of Kingdom Come:
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
-Ephesians 4:3-6
-Ephesians 4:3-6
No comments:
Post a Comment