The Christian Digest [#3] Presents PERSECUTION: IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN HERE?
From the book by Jan Pit
(Santa Ana, CA: Open Doors with Brother Andrew, 1981.)
(Jan Pit works with Brother Andrew of Open Doors, a ministry to those who live in countries that do not allow freedom of worship or witness. It has bases in Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.)
FOREWORD
I RECENTLY RETURNED FROM visiting a number of Central American countries. There I had the privilege of meeting many spiritual leaders. I asked each one of them in these threatened nations, "Are you ready for revolution, change of power, closure of churches and Bible Societies? Also the expulsion of missionaries, as well as the murder, imprisonment or immobilisation of your own pastors?" Before they could reply, I also posed these further questions: "Are you now ready to not be able to evangelise children and young people? To work without literature and foreign funds?" Almost invariably the answer was, "No, we are not ready." Yet all the signs of imminent persecution are there for all to see in these countries.
Time is definitely against us; time is running out; time is not going to be produced any more, and the little there is left is mainly at the disposal of the powers of darkness. Both the Bible and the newspapers tell us this.
"IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN HERE!"
While reading this book you may experience a feeling of threat. "Preparation for persecution!" That sounds ominous. "Preparation for Heaven" sounds much better, for who wants to prepare for persecution? Yet the threat is real, and the words, "In the unlikely event of ..." do not apply to the contents of this book. The Bible says persecution is certain. It is not unlikely, not even likely, but it is certain. Second Timothy 3:12 clearly states, "All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
Is there hope? Do we have to be defeatist? No, we must not view persecution in the light of defeat, but in the light of victory. Persecution is the mark of true discipleship. There lies the hope.
Of course we know about persecution. The Book of Acts tell us much about it. The terrible persecution that occurred during the time of Nero, the Roman butcher, is well-known, as are the examples of persecution in the history of the Church. Stakes, guillotines, concentration camps in Siberia, killer prisons in Uganda, and murdered missionaries around the World bear witness to persecution. The courage displayed by martyrs in the face of death speaks clearly of victory and faith.
The mistake we make is in thinking that we will never suffer persecution. We are eager to apply the words, "In the unlikely event of ..." to our own situation. Yet the events in other countries ominously foreshadow what will happen in our own country.
The Lesson of Vietnam
It is not only laymen who convince themselves that persecution will not come; church leaders and missionaries have also been of the opinion that this horror would not happen in their countries.
During the appalling Vietnam war, church leaders from a certain Christian group held their annual conference. The southern Vietnamese city they were in resembled a fortress. There were soldiers everywhere, barricades, and a terrifying collection of weaponry. Daily attacks were being made on the city by the Communist Viet Cong, yet the pastors continued to discuss the various activities which they would embark upon in the ensuing years. They even adopted a ten-year plan. Despite all the evidence, no one there thought it possible for South Vietnam to be overthrown. All were convinced the country would remain open to mission work.
What happened? South Vietnam fell--not ten years later, but ten days after the conference. The leaders there in July 1976 had no insight into the situation. "It will never happen here," was their opinion. But ten days later they had to flee Vietnam. The Church remained--unprepared.
A German missionary stationed in Ethiopia for many years wrote, "We did everything we could in Ethiopia. We built schools and hospitals. We held conferences and leadership courses. We trained church leaders for pastoral duties. We forgot one thing: to tell leaders and their congregations how to function under persecution. I am back in Germany. I cannot return to Ethiopia. The church has remained behind--unprepared."
Skyscrapers and Church Buildings
After his exile from the Soviet Union, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the famous Russian author, asked, "Are we prepared to learn from the past? Are people living in freedom able to learn from those living in need? Can the lesson they have learned be taught to the free world? Yes, it can, but who wants to learn? Our proud skyscrapers point heavenward and they say: It will never happen here. But it will happen. The revolution will come. Tragically, however, the free West will only believe it when it is no longer free. To quote a Russian proverb, `When it happens you will know it is true, but then it is too late.'"
Yes, our skyscrapers and our beautiful churches point skyward as if to say, "It will not happen here." It can happen and, according to the Bible, it will happen.
Moreover, your land could be next. The Bible indicates persecution will be worldwide. Will we be prepared?
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF PERSECUTION
Persecution reveals who the true followers of Christ are. Nominal Christians will fall away. Only dedicated believers will remain faithful to their Master, even unto death.
In stories about martyrs, the remarkable fact is how they faced death with great courage. They looked upon persecution as an honour and not as punishment. Acts 5 depicts this clearly. The apostles were arrested and thrown into jail. Their crime? Preaching the Gospel and healing the sick in the name of Jesus. During the night an Angel set them free, charging them not to go into hiding but to continue preaching the Gospel. This they did the following morning. A second arrest followed. At the trial they were asked why they did not go home and keep quiet about Jesus.
"We must obey God rather than men," Peter answered.
The Jewish leaders could not misconstrue those words. It was a straightforward rejection of the established religious leaders. No wonder they were enraged and wanted to kill the disciples. Gamaliel, however, was used by God to prevent this.
Instead of being killed, they were "only" beaten. They left the council with bleeding backs, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His [Jesus'] name" (Acts 5:41).
Persecution was familiar to the disciples. They knew that persecution was part and parcel of their Christian walk. They knew the Biblical principles. Their Master had prepared them: "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). A friend of Jesus will automatically be an enemy of the World.
"If you were of the World, the World would love his own; but because ye are not of the World... therefore the World hateth you" (John 15:19). Christ makes no exceptions. Nowhere does He say that some Christians will be persecuted and some will not.
Thermometer or Thermostat Christians?
Many Christians are like thermometers. Their temperature rises when it is warm and drops when it gets cold. A meeting can often make some of them warm. They sing, pray and look very spiritual until one day they get into the company of non-Christians, and the mercury quickly falls to the World's level. Thermometer Christians adapt to the circumstances surrounding them.
Christians should be like thermostats. The thermostat does not adapt to circumstances but regulates the temperature. So should Christians regulate the spiritual temperature around them. Their ability to do this will evoke criticism or hatred, but such persecution is a sign of true discipleship. "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you ... and shall reproach you ... for the Son of Man's sake! Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy ..." (Luke 6:22-23). Nowhere in the Bible is persecution given as a sign of defeat. In fact, being persecuted for one's faith is to be considered an honour.
Thermometer Christians will never be persecuted. They are Christians while with fellow-believers, but when they are among non-Christians they act as non-believers do. They will not be reviled by the World, but neither will they be honoured by God.
When Persecution Comes
What attitude should we adopt when persecuted? Here are some guidelines taken from the Bible:
1. Fear not. We need never fear, because God cares for us, especially in the day of trial and persecution.
2. Persecution is a mark of true discipleship. A Christian is never a victim of circumstances.
3. Persecution is directed at Jesus and not at the Christian. Saul persecuted the church, yet Jesus said, "Why persecutest thou Me?" (Acts 9:4).
4. Rejoice despite persecution. "Rejoice, inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ's sufferings ... If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf" (1Peter 4:13,16).
5. Pray for boldness in times of persecution. When the disciples were persecuted, they prayed for boldness to speak His Word (Acts 4:24-30). It was a noteworthy prayer. It contained no disappointment, nor did it ask that persecution be removed. The disciples prayed for power, which they received, because they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with boldness.
6. Do not be surprised when persecution comes. "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). " Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial ... as though some strange thing happened unto you" (1 Peter 4:12).
7. Persecution is a privilege. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you ... for My sake" (Matthew 5:11). "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy ..." (Luke 6:23). As strange as it may be, the reaction to persecution according to the Bible can only be, "Praise the Lord for persecution!"
Many people, when they suffer for their faith, say, "What does the Lord have against me? Why am I suffering in this way?" Instead, they should look upon it as a privilege, for the Devil only attacks believers who are really alive.
George, a butler at a stately English home, was one of those people who was always bemoaning the fact that he was being tempted and persecuted by the Devil. One day he confided in his master.
"Sir, I keep having these bad dreams that can only come from Satan himself," he said.
His employer laughed. "That's where I am lucky, George. I don't believe in God or Satan, so I never have a problem like that."
The conversation took place on a moor in a lonely part of Northern England where the British Lord had gone out for a grouse shoot. George's task was to carry the guns and look after the hunting dog.
He watched as his employer took aim and shot two birds in quick succession. One spiralled to the ground and lay dead a hundred yards away. The other game bird was hit but not fatally injured. It desperately flapped its wings trying to keep airborne. Slowly it lost height and finally fell to the ground, but was still alive.
"Quick, Rover, get the grouse," the master ordered the dog, which bounded enthusiastically towards the dead bird. Within a minute, tail wagging proudly, the dog came back with the lifeless bird in its mouth.
"No, you stupid dog, not the dead one! I wanted you to go and finish off the one that was still alive."
George looked at his master and said, "Now I know why the Devil wants me and not you."
You see, when we are spiritually dead, we pose no problem for Satan. It's when we are alive and active that we cause him so many headaches. So he attacks us in every way possible.
Rather than being upset with this, however, we should realise that this is a mark of a true Christian, a real disciple.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PERSECUTION
The Holy Spirit is the source of power of every Christian. This is particularly so in times of persecution, when unity and courage are vital. The apostles experienced this. Before Pentecost the disciples were afraid of the Jews. After Pentecost the Jews were afraid of the disciples! After they had been filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples were changed from being fearful to being full of courage.
Before Pentecost, a maid identified Peter as being one of the disciples. Fear made him deny his Master. Before Jesus' arrest, Peter vehemently denied that he would ever renounce his Master and added that he was willing to die for Him. A few hours later, however, he denied Jesus three times, because he was afraid that his life might be required of him. The price of discipleship turned out to be too high: "I do not know Him" was his response. Despite his best intentions, he was unable to make good his boast.
After Pentecost he was again recognised: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John ... they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). Peter did not hesitate but spoke with authority and power. "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you ..." (Acts 1:8).
Every child of God should receive the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that we are always automatically surrendered to the Spirit. Many people live off an experience of the Holy Spirit that occurred many years previously. When they give their testimonies, they talk about the great happening in their lives when they were flooded with the power of the Spirit. But what of now?
We must be more concerned with what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives today than in what happened years ago. We are to be continuously filled by the Holy Spirit.
Christians who have experienced persecution testify to the necessity of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Laotian church leader Brother Soeban was interned in a Communist brainwashing camp on three different occasions. They tried to break his spirit by indoctrinating him with atheistic propaganda for weeks at a time.
"At times it seemed almost too much for me," Soeban, once a former Captain in the Royal Laotian army, told me. "That I could remain steadfast was only possible because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When things became too rough, I would often hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. He would encourage me and point me to Jesus, Who had suffered more than I. He assured me that He would keep me from falling. This gave me power and joy. I knew I was not alone. The Comforter was always with me."
Soeban heard that still small voice of the Holy Spirit in a concentration camp because he learned to listen to His voice while he was still a free man. If we surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit and learn to walk in His power while we still live in freedom, then the Holy Spirit will guide us now and also in the future.
Soeban was a fiery evangelist. I had the privilege of working with him for a few years. In fact, we both lived in the same town. Wherever he went, he witnessed and he led many Laotians to Jesus. Because he used his freedom to work for the Lord, he was able to continue to witness in the concentration camp. Whoever is ashamed of Christ now will be even more ashamed of Him during persecution. Those who live for Him now will continue to live for Him when scorned and persecuted.
Soeban also witnessed to his Communist guards. One of them accepted the Lord Jesus. A miracle happened the next day. The Communist leaders came to the conclusion that they would not be able to break Soeban's spirit, despite their indoctrination and torture. Soeban had survived three terms in concentration camp and still witnessed for Christ. The leaders then decided that they would have to kill him.
In the room where this decision took place there were only the Communist officers. At the door was a guard. He overheard the conversation. This soldier was the same man Soeban had led to the Lord the day before. The Lord had arranged for this man to be on guard that morning, and on hearing the decision he was afraid but said nothing. Then the Holy Spirit said to him: "I saved you through Soeban yesterday. Now I want to save Soeban through you." That night the guard helped Soeban escape.
The Holy Spirit is the Comforter in times of persecution. He does not keep us trouble free but imparts power so that, in spite of trials, we can remain faithful.
The Lord permits us to go through persecution because He knows that Christ's Love and the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to be more than conquerors. But whoever does not live in the Holy Spirit during freedom will have difficulty remaining faithful in times of persecution. The price of discipleship will be too high.
When we are truly surrendered to the Holy Spirit, we have a new boldness that nothing can quench. I remember a visit to Uganda with Brother Andrew at the time when Idi Amin was still terrorising the country with his Satanic excesses.
A woman believer had come to see us at the Kampala International Hotel, which at that time was infested with Amin's so-called secret police. (Actually they were easily identified because most of them wore flowered shirts, dark glasses, bell-bottom trousers and platform-heel shoes.)
As we all stepped into the elevator I noticed that we were joined by one of these policemen, who was taking a great interest in us. He obviously wanted to know what a Ugandan woman was doing with two foreigners. I felt my heart flutter a little, knowing that there was the possibility that one or all of us could be hauled off to prison.
Suddenly the woman believer smiled at the policeman, opened her purse, took out a tract and handed it to him.
"Brother, please take this. Jesus loves you and wants to save you," she said softly. He was startled, but as her smile burst into an all-consuming grin, he took it. With a flustered look, he stuffed it into his pocket.
She had a boldness that could only have come from the Holy Spirit. Do you have that same boldness? You can have it, if you allow God's Spirit to fill you.
THE BIBLE AND THE SUFFERING CHURCH
During the Vietnam War, a number of American soldiers were captured and taken to the North's capital, Hanoi. After they had been kept under strict surveillance for a few weeks, they decided to read from the Bible to one another. They asked one of the guards for a Bible, but the man just shook his head.
They then decided to write a Bible for themselves, from memory. Each soldier quoted verses he knew from the Bible.
It started off with a flourish. One after another they quoted Bible verses, as one POW (prisoner of war) acted as secretary, writing all the verses on a piece of paper.
Too soon they realised how limited their Bible knowledge was. Except for John 3:16, Psalm 23, the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, they could remember only a few more verses. They stared at one another dejectedly; in an hour they had perhaps twenty verses. They kept on trying, only to discover that they were confusing one verse with another.
It was obvious. The Word of God did not dwell in them richly. No matter how hard they tried, they could not quote any more verses correctly. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly ..." (Colossians 3:16). (Editor: A good reminder to hide the Word in your heart by faithful memorisation.)
A Banned Book, and Bible Memorisation
The Bible is a banned book in times of persecution. In China, Laos and Vietnam, the Communists either burned or confiscated thousands of Bibles. When the Christians assembled, they could do little more than the American prisoners of war. They tried to quote the Bible but did not get very far. The reason was simple. While they lived in freedom they had not seen the need for Bible memorisation. Why exert yourself by learning Bible texts if you have a Bible on your bookshelf?
The general opinion was that the revolution would not take place. When it did take place, the Church obviously was not prepared. When the Christians saw the necessity of Bible memorisation, it was too late. One cannot attempt to learn Bible verses once the Bibles have been confiscated or burned. It takes time and it must start while there is still freedom.
For us, the obstacle is not the effort but the thought that persecution will not come. It came to Russia, China and Vietnam. The Bible became a banned book. Many Christians there did not even possess a Bible, let alone being able to memorise it. They had never seen the necessity of Bible memorisation during the time of religious freedom. Even when the Communist revolution had begun, they still believed that the Bible would always be available. This was a false hope. Bibles were impounded and burned. It was too late to start Bible memorisation.
God's Word must be kept in our hearts instead of on the bookshelf. Then we will know from experience that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Jesus knew this. When the Devil tested Him in the desert, He used the Scriptures. Every time the Devil tempted Him, Jesus answered, "It is written." He quoted the Word of God.
The Devil's tactics have not changed. He knows the Bible, but when he quotes it, he takes it out of context (Matthew 4:6). We should not be ignorant of his designs (2 Corinthians 2:11). He will tell us that it is not necessary to memorise the Bible, that it is enough to have it in the house, in case it is needed. God's Word tells us differently. It reminds us to let it dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16), to enable us to manage the spiritual battle now and in the future.
CHILD EVANGELISING
After an evangelistic meeting in the United States, a man approached Dwight L. Moody, the well-known American preacher, and asked him if anyone had been converted that night. Moody smiled and answered, "Yes, two-and-a-half were saved."
The man looked puzzled. Then, as if the light had dawned, he said, "You mean two adults and a child?"
"No," Moody corrected him, "I mean two children and one adult."
This puzzled the man even more, so the evangelist went on to explain, "Children have their lives ahead of them, while adults are already past the halfway mark."
Moody was right. Children do have their lives ahead of them. The Communists know this too. Their motto is, "Give us children until they are twelve, then you may have them." During those twelve years the children can be fully indoctrinated with atheistic propaganda. Children are more receptive during these years. That is when their characters are formed. This is the reason Sunday schools are forbidden. Great efforts are taken to bring the children up in an atheistic way of thought.
Indoctrination starts very early. Not only do the men work, but the women too. Children are sent to state-run day-care centers and are reared in a Godless climate. The state is aware of the mother's influence on a child, so it compels her to work all day. Back at home in the evening, she is too tired to devote much time and attention to the child.
It is my opinion that we, who live in a materialistic world, follow the same tactic as the Communists. The number of working women has increased drastically over the past few years. We need to examine this trend carefully in order to find the correct balance. Our children should not be left to their own devices.
To prevent parents from giving needed love and teaching to their children, Communist governments compel women to work all day; and in the western world Mammon (the money god) keeps mothers out of the homes. In both cases the children suffer as a result.
Who Makes the Decision--the Children?
Some time ago I had a talk with a young couple. They had two children, and we discussed the importance of a Christian upbringing. The husband totally disagreed with my view that the children should be reared "in the fear of the Lord."
"There is no question about it," he said. "I will allow my children to make their own decisions. As far as I'm concerned, they don't have to say grace, they don't need to attend a Christian school, nor do they have to attend church or Sunday school. This way they will develop freely and independently. When they are bigger, they can decide what they want to do. I don't want to force them to go. They can choose for themselves at a later stage."
He seemed to forget that his children live in a World which is sinful. While keeping them back from places where the Gospel is preached, he exposes them to the influences of the World. You cannot allow your children to grow up neutral, because there is no such position. That is why the Communists say, "Give us the children until they are twelve."
That is also why Jesus said, "Suffer little children to come unto Me" (Matthew 19:14); "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6); and, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth ..." (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
Liberalism and humanism have pervaded our school systems. Many youth workers and even some Sunday school teachers don't even know Jesus as their Savior.
Much youth work is done only to keep the children off the streets. That is not enough. Children should not only be entertained; they must be renewed. They need Jesus. We must present the message of the Gospel to each child now, so that "when he is old he will not depart from it."
The Communists realise that the battle for the minds of children is equally as important as the battles fought with guns and missiles.
This was forcefully brought home to me during a visit to the once proud land of Ethiopia, which until a few years ago had been a unique Coptic Christian state, isolated from 300 A.D. The revolution came there in 1974 after army officers deposed Emperor Haile Selassie. The army officers ruled through a committee called the Dergue, which announced in 1975 that it would pursue Socialist (Marxist) policies.
I discovered that, over a three-year period, the Communists there had imported two million books on Marxism and published internally more than 8 million pieces of literature on atheistic beliefs. Almost all of this propaganda was aimed at young people.
"Brother Jan," one Christian leader told me sadly, "the Communists have spent more than 50 percent of their time and effort since taking over the country in indoctrinating the children."
Often their methods are extremely subtle, like the time when a group of Communist officials walked into a Sunday school in the capital of Addis Ababa. They didn't disturb the meeting, but patiently waited until it was finished. Then one of them rose to speak.
"Children," the man said in a soft voice, "we want you all to take part in a nice demonstration in the square. Each one of you will get the gift of a toy gun. All we want you to do in return is to march like soldiers and learn a few slogans."
Naturally, a buzz of excitement swept through the room.
"Hands up, all of you who'd like to come." Every hand shot up.
The believer who told me about this said that the Sunday school teachers were helpless and shed tears later that day as they saw their charges proudly marching along with thousands of other children, shouting parrot fashion Communist slogans that they didn't understand.
The harsh truth is that the Christian teachers could not match the excitement that the Communists had offered their children. The comparison between the deadly dull Sunday school and the exhilarating occasion in the square caused many of the youngsters to leave for good and join an all-action Communist youth group.
THE CHURCH OF THE FUTURE
What will the Church of the future be like? That is a very interesting question to which many answers have already been given. There will be revival and unity among the children of God, says one. There will be persecution, says another.
To define our subject we must differentiate between "the Church of the future" and "the future of the Church." We can argue over the Church of the future but not over the future of the Church. That future has been fixed. When Christ comes again, the whole church will undertake a space trip and meet her Lord in the air.
But what will the local churches look like before the Second Coming? Let me present a few thoughts:
1. Countries which have been sending out missionaries will become mission fields themselves.
2. Missionary work will not be done by professional missionaries, but by laymen who will preach the Gospel. If countries close their doors to mission work, then doctors, nurses, teachers and technicians will have to do the work of missionaries.
The above was speculative, but the following is known to us from God's Word:
1. The Gospel will be proclaimed to all nations before Christ's Second Coming. This does not mean all will be converted but that all nations will hear the Gospel (Mark 13:10).
2. Many Christians will backslide. "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another" (Matthew 24:10). They are not prepared to be persecuted or hated for the name of Jesus. The price of discipleship is too high. It is a sad thought that nominal Christians will hate and deliver one another up, hoping that in doing so they will escape persecution and death.
3. Because wickedness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. Love of God will be replaced by love of the World. It won't happen to a few Christians only, but to the majority. In the end times only a minority will remain faithful to the Lord (Matthew 24:12).
4. Christian persecution will increase worldwide (2 Timothy 3:12). That is why we must prepare. Only Christians who draw their strength from the Holy Spirit will be prepared to live and suffer for God and will remain steadfast. They will refuse to serve the World government and World religion, even though they know that their obedience to God will mean persecution, suffering and perhaps even death.
The above statements are not imaginative fiction but Scriptural accounts of what will happen. There is hope for the future in spite of persecution. The Church of Christ is in fact the only group in the World which has a future. She never loses her members. "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). We must think realistically--or, rather, Biblically.
House Churches and Their Advantages
In countries where atheistic governments are in power and Christians are persecuted, many church buildings have been confiscated and nationalised. When the "Cultural Revolution" broke out in China in 1966, all churches and Christian schools were closed. But that did not mean the people of God were unable to meet. They met secretly in homes, and they still do. The size of these groups varies from place to place; sometimes only five to ten people gather, although sometimes there are many more.
Traditional Churches
1. Only a few can take up the office of "minister" or "pastor."
2. Large numbers allow little contact with one another.
3. Money is needed for salaries, church buildings and upkeep.
4. Nominal Christians are not easily noticeable among the numbers.
5. It is difficult for the gifts of the Spirit to function.
6. The church needs much organisation.
7. Services are highly structured, with little variety.
House Churches
1. There is the "office of the believer."
2. Close fellowship is experienced.
3. No money is needed; no one receives a salary and there are no church buildings.
4. There are no nominal Christians.
5. The functioning of the gifts plays an essential part.
6. There is little organisation.
7. Variety occurs as all members take part in the service.
The church of the future will be confronted with persecution, apostasy, a World religion and a World government. The church has to prepare for the difficult times lying ahead. It does not mean simply survival, however. We have to prepare churches not just to survive but to stand and to overcome despite circumstances.
SPIRITUAL OR CAPABLE LEADERS?
Weak People--Powerful Leaders
Jesus chose simple fishermen, not those from the Sanhedrin, to represent His Kingdom. "When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it" (Acts 4:13-14).
Peter and John did not belong to the Sanhedrin, but they had qualifications which the Pharisees (the "qualified" leaders) did not have. They had been with Jesus and were filled with the Holy Spirit. That was the qualification. The proof was the man who had been healed. They could not say anything against this. When the excited crowd gathered around them, Peter did not claim honour for himself but asked them, "Why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" (Acts 3:12).
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the World, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence." (1Corinthians 1:26-29).
God chooses His ambassadors from this group. Through being filled with the Holy Spirit, people who know they are weak in themselves are made powerful men of God. They do not tout their honour and glory, but give it to Him who reveals His strength in the weak. "For when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10). "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities ... in persecutions...." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Natural and Spiritual Leadership
The late U.S. President, Harry S. Truman, described a natural leader as "a person who possesses the ability to make others do something they themselves would not like to do, and actually enjoy doing it."
Li Hung Chang, an old Chinese leader, phrased it this way: "There are three types of people: those who are movable, those who are immovable, and those who are able to move others. The latter are the leaders."
When God gives orders, He opens doors--with or without a visa. The only condition? Be ready to go and perhaps never return.
An Open Doors employee went to Mozambique with me a little while ago at the request of a group of Christians there. We went as far as the border by car, and from there the seventy-three-year-old coworker and I crossed the Mozambican border on foot.
It was a dangerous venture for two whites--one a South African minister. The actual border crossing was a stream. There were no guard posts; at least none was seen. The journey was difficult; uphill, downhill, deeper into Mozambique. It was dangerous, the more so because a man had been murdered the previous day in that area. Frelimo* soldiers were everywhere. Any shrub could have concealed one of them, but it never entered our minds. Our thoughts were with the Christians awaiting our arrival beyond the next hill. *(Frelimo: Mozambique Liberation Front, a Marxist guerrilla army that overthrew the former Portuguese government of Mozambique in the early 1970's.)
Eventually we saw the village. The Christians were on the lookout for us. As soon as they spotted us they waved their hands, and we received a hearty welcome.
Suddenly another man walked toward us. "It is the Frelimo representative for our area," one of the Christians said. What was his intention? The Frelimo representative was so surprised that white men had come walking over the hill. But he did not arrest us. Instead he gave the white South African minister a bunch of bananas! The Christians' faces beamed with joy and happiness. Even the Frelimo man stayed to attend the meeting.
Christians came from all directions to greet us. They slaughtered a goat for a feast in honour of their guests. It was a remarkable experience.
The meaning is clear. You don't necessarily need a visa. But you do need a vision and faith. And, of course, the willingness to be caught. "To wait for a visa takes too much time," the South African minister said. "My visa is in Matthew 28:19: `Go therefore!"' And he added with a little laugh, "That visa is two thousand years old, but is still valid today."
CHRISTIANS PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS
"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30).
The worst kind of persecution is Christians who persecute Christians. It sounds dreadful, but it is true.
The Bible gives repeated warnings. They will "betray one another and hate one another" (Matthew 24:10). What a sad thought, and this will increase as the end draws near. Many Christians, hoping to avoid persecution and save their own lives, will betray their fellow Christians. Not only does this apply to the end times, but it is already happening.
Jesus Christ was not condemned by the Romans but the "pious" Jews, Pharisees, chief priests and scribes. They hated Him although He proclaimed the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The reason they hated Him was simple: their positions were threatened. The people followed Jesus instead of them. To prevent their self-established kingdom from falling, they decided to murder Jesus. Even Pilate realised that the chief priests delivered Jesus up because they were envious (Mark 15:10). Pilate, even though a heathen, wanted to protect Jesus from these "pious" Jews who demanded His death.
The apostles also experienced the same persecution. Although they were sent into a heathen world, they were persecuted by the religious Jews. They were thrown out of the temples and synagogues only to be later thrown into prisons.
The first martyr was a deacon, Stephen. Saul, the religious Jew, looked after the clothes of his fellow Jews so that they could move more freely while stoning Stephen. "And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem ... As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison" (Acts 8:1,3). The pious Saul had only one aim: to murder the Christians. "For ye have heard ... how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it" (Galatians 1:13).
THE CHURCH THAT CANNOT BE DESTROYED
The Battle Is Not Over
Satan is a conquered foe, but he still has not given up the battle. He knows his time is short, and therefore tries to bring as many people to a fall as possible. That is why he uses all types of weapons. His greatest concern is for the "unreached people." He realises that he has to hand over many people (Christians) to his opponent, Jesus Christ. If the Christians obey the commission of God and spread the Gospel to all nations, then he will lose even more people. That is why he tries to rock the Church of Christ to sleep, so that the "unreached people" will remain unreached. Or he blinds our eyes so that we are concerned only about our own church instead of the whole World. Another tactic is to encourage discord among Christians so that they will fight one another instead of the Devil.
Satan also makes use of other religions, such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc., so that people will believe in "saving themselves" instead of accepting redemption through Christ. He infiltrates Capitalism, which allows Man to think he does not need God; Mammon takes the place of God.
Wealth can be a blessing, but it is also a curse. This was proved to me when I had a conversation with a rich businessman about Christ. I told him that he should seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and that all the other things would be given to him. The man looked at me disdainfully and replied, "But I have all the `other things' already. Why should I seek after God?" His possessions took the place of God.
The Higher You Are...
I recently visited Laos again. It is now a Communist country, and I was afraid the Communists would recognise me. While still in the plane I prayed and confessed my fear to the Lord. It was as if the Lord said to me, "Do not fear. Trust in Me." This gave me peace.
When we were above the Vientiane airport we were advised that we could not land immediately. There were thousands of Communist soldiers on the airfield, busy with an exercise and using the only landing strip available. We circled the airfield several times while the pilot remained in contact with the control tower. Finally the landing strip was cleared, and the Communist soldiers stood on either side of the airstrip as we came in. I looked through the window and felt the same as Elisha's servant. "O Lord, what now?" Then God opened my eyes. "You are not seeing right. Look at the people as I see them." It changed everything. I looked again and saw the Communists were like tiny grasshoppers!
That is the secret: the higher you are, the smaller the people. It is the same from a spiritual point of view. The problems become smaller as we take up our position in Christ. He "made us sit together with Him in heavenly places" (Ephesians 2:6). Things look different from there. Then our problems change into God's opportunities.
SPECTATORS OR PARTICIPANTS?
Once on a tour through Russia and Siberia I met many fanatical Communists. The impression I received was that they were totally dedicated to their ideology.
When I spoke to one of them about the Gospel, he laughed. "If you really believe Jesus is your Savior, why don't you win the World for Him? We Communists really believe in our ideology, and in the sixty years we've been in existence we have already won half the World. A few more years and the whole World will be at our feet."
Then he said something which made my flesh crawl: "Shall I tell you what the difference is between us? You Christians are spectators, and we Communists are participants."
He was right; in the Christian world we have many spectators and few participants. This is our big problem.
The Lord wants us to be involved in His Kingdom. God's Church is not a pleasure launch but a cargo boat. There is no place for passengers, only a crew.
The great English missionary, C. T. Studd, put it so well: "Let us not glide through this World and then slip quietly into Heaven, without having blown the trumpet loud and long for our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Let us see to it that the Devil will hold a thanksgiving service in Hell when he gets the news of our departure from the field of battle."
We need to be participants, witnesses of the salvation of Christ, to give the Devil a nervous breakdown because of our continued witnessing. The reaction of Satan when we die should be, luckily, one less witness for Jesus.
Those who are spectators now will be the first to fall away during times of persecution. "Whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven" (Matthew 10:33). If we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us.
The opposite is also true. "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in Heaven" (Matthew 10:32).
Dedication to the Revolution
Mao's little Red Book of quotations was found on the body of a dead soldier in Zimbabwe. He had received it from a Chinese advisor and had obviously studied it thoroughly. On leafing through the book I found that the guerrilla had underlined many of Mao's statements. And on the first page he wrote something every Christian should write in his Bible: "Every sentence, every word of this book is true. It is a mighty weapon. Forward to victory, fear no sacrifice. One spark out of this book can cause a mighty fire."
That is the language of a dedicated guerrilla. No sacrifice is considered too great for his revolution. He was prepared to die for it, and he did. Many Christians would rather remain spectators; it is safer.
To Divide Is to Multiply
The best form of defense is still attack. This applies in the spiritual realm as well. We cannot sit back and bemoan our lot; we must look forward and push forward.
There is a law which exists in the Kingdom of God but is unknown to the World. That law is simply: "To divide is to multiply." When Jesus fed the crowd of five thousand, He had only five loaves of bread and two fish. He did not complain about the impossible situation; neither did He send the crowds home. No, He gave the disciples instructions to distribute the food to the crowd. They looked at Him in bewilderment: "We have here but five loaves and two fishes" (Matthew 14:17).
"Bring them here," Jesus said. He blessed them and began to break the bread. Then the miracle happened! The more they broke off and shared, the more they received. Finally, all five thousand men were fed, as well as the women and children. And there was still bread left over.
Paradoxically, in the Christian life, to divide is to multiply. The person who has little but dares to give it to Jesus, will quickly see the wonders Jesus is able to perform with it.
A Missionary Diet
The World must be reached with the message of the Gospel. This is harvest time; we cannot permit ourselves to be forever busy with our own problems, for "he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame" (Proverbs 10:5). This is why we should reach beyond the borders of our own church and country.
John Wesley said, "The World is my parish." Unfortunately, today too many ministers switch this around: "My parish is my World." They do not see beyond their own churches. They say, "There is so much to be done in my own church that it is impossible to think about missionary work."
Why do we have to minister to the same people Sunday after Sunday without becoming involved with missionary work? If we do not activate the Church, but only keep preaching to the same people every Sunday, they do not become more spiritual but only fatter--so fat that God cannot get them into action anymore.
A fat church is a sick church. The best medicine for a sick church is to put them on a missionary diet! The more we share, the more we will receive--in the spiritual as well as in the financial aspect. A church which is alive is a church doing missionary work. And a mission-oriented church is a financially sound church.
The Need for Dedication
On a visit to friends in Vietnam we rode in a jeep to an isolated village. The way seemed impassable. There had been a heavy downpour, and the sand road resembled a quagmire instead of a road. We continually got stuck; the wheels made deep tracks in the mud. Halfway, we felt like giving up. The road went through a forest, and it would have taken us at least another hour before we would arrive at the village. There wasn't a person or house in sight, and because of the war it appeared to be safer to return home. That, however, was not feasible. While we could hardly move forward, it would have been practically impossible to turn around. We decided to try once more.
At a curve in the road we saw a young boy pushing his bicycle. He was walking ankle-deep in mud and was pushing his bicycle with difficulty. On the back of the bike was an icebox containing ice cream. The boy was going to the same village we were. He had been on the road for many hours and was only halfway. Yet he smiled when we chatted with him. Yes, he considered it worth his while, because he wanted to earn a few cents.
He actually was willing to walk through the mud, because he had something to sell. We, who were taking the Gospel to the next village, found the road too difficult and wanted to turn back!
We can learn much from the World--from the Russians and the Chinese, the Cubans and this Vietnamese boy. We will have to make a decision: to be a spectator or a participant.
A SPIRITUAL BATTLE, A SPIRITUAL VICTORY
On the Waiting List
In 1976, Brother Andrew and I visited Uganda for the first time. We were invited by the Anglican Church of Uganda to see what we could do for the believers there. There was a great need and, after many discussions with church leaders, we decided to send in 50,000 Bibles.
It was a dangerous trip, but we knew we had many prayer groups who were one with us in the battle. Their intercession bore fruit as there was a tremendous victory. The day before our departure we went to the travel agency in Kampala to confirm our flight. Although our air tickets were in order, it appeared that our names were on a waiting list. We advised them that our return flight was booked in Kenya and that they could verify this via their computer. The lady just smiled and told us that there were no computers in Uganda. Our names were right at the bottom of the waiting list, with sixteen others above ours.
The problem was that our visas would expire the following day. If we could not board the plane in due time, the following day we would be in Uganda illegally. Friends told us it was probably a ruse of Idi Amin's government to get us into trouble; our names probably were put on the waiting list for that reason.
We went back to the hotel room and knelt before the Lord. We knew this was a spiritual battle. Idi Amin did not want to let us go. Our thoughts went to our prayer partners. "Lord, lay it upon their hearts to pray for us," we asked the Lord.
We also claimed His promise that He would bountifully supply all our needs. Were we not His ambassadors? Then we should be treated like ambassadors. The plane would be leaving at five that afternoon. We decided to go to the airport at Entebbe as early as possible to see if anything else could be done.
When we arrived we saw no one else except two passengers who also had decided to come early. They were standing at the counter where all luggage was to be weighed. A half hour later more passengers came and stood behind us. Soon the line became longer and longer. The lady who was to give us our seating tickets did not turn up. It was five o'clock and she still wasn't there. Fortunately, we could see the plane, ready for its departure.
At half past five the lady came, together with an Ugandan soldier. Standing behind the counter, he called out for silence. Immediately it was quiet. "Ladies and gentlemen, please listen carefully. I don't want you to panic. There is a problem. We do not know where the passenger list is. We will start in front. Those who came first will be helped first."
Brother Andrew and I were the first to enter the plane. I asked the stewardess where we could sit.
"Take any seat, sir," she said. "The plane is yours." That was true ambassador treatment! "Thank you, Lord--uh ... miss," I said and sank into the first and best seat.
Later on we heard how the Lord had laid it on the hearts of our prayer partners to pray for us. "I thought so much about you and knew you were in trouble," one sister told me.
That is the reality of a spiritual battle. Our prayer partners were not with us in Uganda, but they knew of our need. They prayed--and the passenger list disappeared.
In Prison
The Devil has no answer for the prayer of faith in a Christian. In times of persecution and need, prayer remains the mightiest weapon. Christians in Communist countries experience this daily. Georgi Vins, the unregistered Baptist Church leader who has been banished from the Soviet Union, testified to it on his arrival in the United States. "When the Communist guards, without reason, treated us better, we knew it was because of the prayers and intercession of our friends in the West," Vins said.
A Ugandan minister, Pastor Joshua Musoke, also testified to this. His congregation prayed continuously for him when he was arrested by the infamous State Research Bureau, men from Amin's Gestapo. The news of his arrest reached us on the same day. We immediately informed some prayer groups, which came together to intercede for him.
The Lord answered their prayers in a wonderful way. Pastor Joshua was taken to the notorious headquarters of the State Research Bureau at Nakasero in Kampala. Hundreds of people were killed in the most gruesome ways.
Musoke was locked up in this underground prison. He stood ankle deep in water mixed with urine and the blood of former victims. The stench was unbearable. When the door closed behind him, he found himself alone in this dark hole. Fear gripped his heart, and in his desperate need he called out to the Lord: "O Lord, help me. I am not afraid to die, but I am afraid of the suffering. Let the soldiers come and kill me immediately, but let the suffering be short."
The Holy Spirit comforted him and reminded him of Paul and Silas in prison at Philippi. With tears still in his eyes he began to praise and glorify the Lord. His guards, standing outside the door, heard him and thought he had lost his mind. They opened the cell door and pulled him outside and took him to the prison commander. He stared at Musoke in surprise. "What is wrong with you?" he asked.
Musoke lifted his hands heavenward and again began to praise the Lord. "You can kill me if you want to," he told the commander, "but I will continue to praise the Lord." And this he kept on doing.
The commander looked at Musoke and shook his head. "Totally mad," he said. "Let him go so he can die at home."
A few minutes later Musoke stood outside, a free man. He ran home, where the Christians were still on their knees praying. When they saw him, they embraced him. Tears of joy flowed down their cheeks. Then they lifted up their hands and praised the Lord.
"There is real power in intercession and praise," the beaming Musoke told me later.
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man" has great power (James 5:16). This power is always at our disposal, in times of need and in times of freedom. Prayer bridges distances--not only between God and us, but also between us and others who are suffering.