“It got kind of interesting here in the last two days,” said Peter Kirby. Oh, what was interesting? Something you did over the weekend? An adventure with the kids? A trip to the Emergency Room? Peter, what was interesting?
Peter, regional director for Lutheran Hour Ministries in Europe and Central Asia, continues. “Our distribution of radios, the new Kazakh programming and the general church outreach among the Kazakhs got the local Muslim leaders upset. They complained to our local leader during a mayor’s office meeting…. While we were having lunch the next day, some local thugs showed up and threatened physical violence against two of our ministry leaders and their families…. The thugs went on to threaten two other local leaders…. We have been in prayer and Bible study with them this morning, encouraging them with 1 Peter 3 on the role of suffering for Jesus.” (The Lutheran Layman, May-June, 2015)
“Interesting” is an understatement. Terrifying. You remember the picture of 21 Egyptian in orange jumpsuits, Christians martyred for their faith. 50 countries have been identified by Open Doors International as places of severe persecution. Slowly but surely persecution is getting into the consciousness of us comfortable American Christians. What to do? Become more aware. Pray. Financially support the mission. And most basically: Replace routine churchiness with the conviction that this is personal. We are followers of Jesus. “Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38)
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