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A Call to All Believers: Remembering the Persecuted Church

Quiz Time

What do the following names and terms have in common?

The Spanish Inquisition. Nero. Diocletian. Stephen. Bloody Mary. The Catacombs.

Hint: Only one of them is an alcoholic beverage, so that's not the answer, smart alec. And yes, you've probably seen all of them in history books. So what's the common theme? All of them have to do with the persecution of Christians throughout history.

Then and Now

It's a well-known fact that Christians have often suffered for their faith; the right to worship is not something that has always been freely granted. Throughout history, Christians have often been viewed as threats to the authority of the government and the status quo. We've all heard of believers being burned at the stake, imprisoned, beaten, stoned, fed to wild animals in the Roman Colosseum and tortured in inhumane ways for things as simple as gathering to worship or sharing their faith.

But that's all history, right? I mean, we don't exactly see headlines about autos-da-fe anymore, and when we walk out the door on Sunday mornings, we're not afraid that our dapper outfits will give away the fact that we're off to worship. Our churches (which are on every corner) have steeples and signs out front that boldly proclaim that they are places of public worship. We gather there to openly worship our God, unconcerned of any need to hide our fellowship from the government. We go to the local coffee shop to have our daily quiet time, or maybe to meet and pray with a mentor; the worst reactions that praying and toting our Bible around in public might receive would be a glance or two.

How Easily We Forget

This is true for a lot of Christians today, particularly those in America or other Western countries. However, these freedoms are completely unknown to many believers who live in countries hostile to Christianity. "Yeah, I know. Everyone knows that we have it good here in America," you might be saying.

I write this article not because it is a little-known fact that severe persecution still takes place in this world, but rather because it is a little-remembered fact. I'm ashamed to admit that I often get completely wrapped up in my own American life where many times my biggest dilemma of the day is that my latte was not hot enough. I get so lost in the details of my own problems that I easily forget the sufferings that my brothers and sisters around the globe endure every day because of their commitment to Jesus Christ.

Time For A Reminder

For example, a friend who is a missionary in Nepal told me the story of Manja Tamang, a young Nepali pastor who is being held in prison on false charges of murder. Manja and some friends found a body on a riverbank while fishing and brought it in to the local authorities. Some opponents of Manja's ministry framed him for the murder and he was arrested a few days later. In an attempt to force him to confess to the murder, the authorities brutally tortured Manja. He was stripped and beaten nearly to the point of death and had his fingernails pulled out. Eventually, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Four years later, he is still in prison, separated from his wife and two children. Appeals for his release have been made to the Nepali Supreme Court and the king of Nepal, with no success. Manja faithfully continues to minister, though, and has brought several of his fellow inmates to Christ. His wife also has remained involved with ministry in her village.¹

I'm Here; Nepal is There ... What Good Can I Do?

Manja's story is one of hundreds — maybe thousands — that could be used to illustrate the ongoing persecution of Christians. I wish I could share more accounts like his, but hopefully his story will accomplish my goal: to motivate you, his fellow believer, to action.

Odds are that you're not the Nepali ambassador and therefore can't negotiate Manja's release, and you're probably not Rambo or Chuck Norris and therefore can't storm the prison and set him free. So what's a broke college student to do to put an end to the violence that our brothers and sisters endure?

This is going to sound cliché, but please stick with me. As fellow members of the body of Christ, the ultimate thing that we should be doing for our persecuted brothers and sisters is praying. No, it's not that we should be praying. We must be praying for them.

Our Charge

When I was preparing to write this article, it suddenly occurred to me that while I knew that I should be in prayer for my persecuted fellow believers, I couldn't think of any Scripture passages that specifically command such intercession.

As I searched out the Bible, I first discovered that we're commanded to have a heart of compassion for those in need. Matthew 25 contains Jesus' famous discourse in which He declared that, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (v. 40, NIV). Romans 12 also admonishes us to "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (v. 15). This passage addresses the way in which Christians are to relate to one another; in context, this mandate is given as an essential to the body of Christ.

Next, I discovered numerous occasions on which Paul urged various groups of believers to pray for him. Many times, his requests for prayers dealt directly with persecution. Paul endured almost constant persecution; he was beaten, imprisoned, and eventually executed because of his commitment to preaching Christ. In his letters, he asks his friends to pray for rescue from unbelievers, for his ministry to be accepted (Romans 15:31), for courage and wisdom in proclaiming the gospel (Ephesians 6:19), and that opportunities for sharing the gospel would arise (Colossians 4:2,3). Paul also admonished the churches to pray for all believers: "With this [the intense spiritual battle that is raging] in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18). Finally, Paul thanked and commended his spiritual brothers and sisters for sharing in his troubles (Ephesians 4:14).

Paul didn't just ask for prayers, though. Many of the churches that he planted suffered intense persecution, as well. He continually prayed that perseverance, hope, and the grace, love, and fellowship of Christ would rest upon the churches (2 Corinthians 13:14). He prayed that the believers of Philippi would come to a deeper love and knowledge of God (Philippians 1:9). He prayed that God would use the Thessalonian believers for His purposes, for the glory of the Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 1). Even Jesus prayed that His followers would be protected from the evil one (John 17:15).

In case you're feeling that your prayers might not do much to help our suffering friends, consider James 5:16: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Give a Little Bit, Give a Little Bit of Your Love to Me…

It's one thing (a very important thing!) to pray for our spiritual family; it's another thing to tell them that we're praying for them. It's sort of the cherry on top. It isn't always possible to do so, of course, but as I researched for this article, I discovered a really neat way to communicate with persecuted believers. Voice of the Martyrs, a ministry dedicated to aiding the persecuted church, has a program called Prisoner Alert. By visiting their Web site,* you can write letters to believers who are in prison because of their faith. The site translates your notes into the native language of the prisoner and even provides postage information. Imagine the joy that it must bring to these prisoners to receive mail from Christians around the world telling them that they are not forgotten!

Prisoner Alert also provides useful information about how to actually raise your voice on behalf of Christians in prison. When possible, they provide contact information where you can write to the governments of other countries, petitioning for the release of Christians imprisoned because of their ministry.

In addition to Prisoner Alert, Voice of the Martyrs provides updates concerning urgent prayer requests, practical ways to help the persecuted church through donations, and information about educating others about the oppression of believers around the world. Voice of the Martyrs also produces a free newsletter to help keep you informed about the needs of Christians in hostile countries.

In Conclusion

C O F F E E  S H O P

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What do you believe are some of the best ways to remember and do something for believers suffering around the world?

Join the discussion!

Obviously, this article is addressed primarily to the American believer. Religious freedoms enjoyed in America are nearly unparalleled elsewhere in the world.² Should we have other believers reading this, though, especially in countries hostile to the gospel: Be encouraged. You are not forgotten. We are lifting you up to our heavenly Father and praying for His protection and peace over your lives. "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).