As I sat down with my Asian brother to have a conversation about his life, his ministry, and his faith, worry, curiosity, and compassion fueled my questions. My friend, Jon*, does ministry in a part of the world where it is not safe to follow Christ. Religious persecution affects his ability to worship in song, his access to Christian literature, and the number of people allowed to gather in the name of the Lord. Jon has been questioned by police on numerous occasions as they use unconventional tactics as they attempt to gain intel. His young family has been under surveillance and a few members of his ministry team have been scared away by government threats.
Their fears are valid. You see, if anyone is arrested for proselytizing and openly sharing the gospel with others in Jon’s country, they would be quietly taken away to a “re-education facility” for an undetermined amount of time. An undetermined amount of time — what does that even mean? When I asked Jon, what the sentence would be, when they would be released, he solemnly said, “Whenever their minds work differently, when they think differently.”
“What if they never think differently?” I asked.
“Then they are never returned to us.”
STRENGTH THROUGH TRIALS
Despite these real threats, Jon believes his faith is worth the risk. Many years ago, when Jon became a Christian through the sharing of brave foreigners, he learned everything he could about Jesus. His enthusiasm and education led to his involvement in youth ministry and the start of his own home church. Although Jon does ministry in a careful way, he risks his life and his freedom every single day.
Jon’s faith is constantly tried, but unbeknownst to his persecutors, this only makes it stronger. Christ is his only hope, the source of his strength, and his entire purpose in life. God’s profound love for Jon overflows from within and Jon sees no other option than to share it with those around him. To Jon, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Absolutely inspired, I asked Jon how I and other Americans could pray for him and his people. He shared some requests one might expect: Pray for the safety and protection of the body of Christ in his country. Pray for more hearts to be open to the transformative message of the gospel. Ask the Lord to move in the lives of those persecuting them. Pray for Jon’s ministries and for more workers for the harvest.
I was nodding with compassion and willingness when Jon said something I’ll never forget. Locking eyes with me, Jon said, “There is something important that we want you and the Western church to know.”
HUMBLE URGENCY
I picked up my pen, anticipating another prayer request that I could pass along to my church and my prayer team. “We want you to know that we are praying for YOU,” Jon stated with a sense of humble urgency.
Jon proceeded to explain that our brothers and sisters in his country were genuinely concerned for the Western church. They pray that our comforts and conveniences would not become our idols that distract us from relying on God and faithfully walking wherever he calls us. In prayer, they battle against the enemy who is constantly trying to lull us to sleep and sedate us with immediate gratification and numbing coping mechanisms. While many of us are worried about buying the next iPhone we want, or removing the lines in our face we don’t want, fellow Christians are desperately memorizing lines of Scripture in fear their Bibles will be confiscated.
They pray we hold onto divine truth when our culture attempts to distort our logic or claims Christianity is an intolerant and unacceptable viewpoint. The persecuted church is praying against division and asking the Lord to bring peace and unity within his church in America and around the world. The persecuted church is on their knees for me and brothers and sisters they’ve never met.
Humility washed over me as I realized how deeply grateful I was for their prayers. Jon was right in his concerns. Although we don’t face the same dangers as those in more restrictive countries, we are being attacked with different tactics. I recognize the truth in his words every time I turn on the TV, scroll through social media, or hear about a new church scandal. The Western church is not in a superior position to the rest of the world. As I look around with new eyes, I see the sobering truth that many of us unintentionally place our faith, hope, and desires in many other things. Anytime our hope is not found in Christ alone, we are in trouble.
This message is not meant to be one of condemnation but of hope! Western church, whether we recognize it or not, we need prayer and we are being covered in it. Praise the Lord! Remember the entire body of Christ in your prayers. Pray for those in the persecuted church and those in the Western church. Pray for your brothers and sisters on the other side of the world and for the ones in your neighborhood. All of us together make up one holy church. Together, we live for Christ.
*Name changed for safety.
