". . . that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this." 1 Thessalonians 3:3
Scripture has made it very clear that the single greatest evangelistic tool of all-time is persecution (See the entire book of Acts).
Americans have it easy, don't we? I recently was asked to drop off a friend's child at an elementary-aged Sunday school program. There were indoor slides, jungle gyms, wall-sized flat screens with video games going. There were basketball hoops, life-sized animal/dinosaur sculptures crawling out of walls and doorways. I asked the child I was with if he had his bible with him. He said they don't need bibles; they put the words on the big screen.
Polls about American Christians say that less than 16% read their bible every day (Gallup). . . Yes, I did say Christians. 22% of Christians in America do not read it at all. Another 30% read it once or twice a week (Barna) . . . must be self-proclaimed Christians. Gee, you think this might have something to do with the bible illiteracy that has come to be expected in our churches? (We don't need no steenkin' bible; they put the words up on the big screen).
American church congregations have come to think of our pastors as nothing more than another paid profession. If you need a doctor, you go to his office and pay for his services. If you need a mechanic, you go to his shop and pay for his services. If you need a pastor, you go to his building and pay for his services. And, by golly, if none of these professionals deliver the service you expect, you'll take your business elsewhere! The discouraging thing is that the pastors are buying into it.
It's no wonder why we have packs of pastors huddling together in leadership conferences trying to apply the correct business model to their "body of Christ!" It's no wonder our Sunday schools are filled with Disney theme-parks. People are paying good money for their children to have the most extreme youth group. It's no wonder that we have major, mega-churches tidily packaging up and marketing their multi-step approach to making your church just like theirs. It's no wonder that so many children's Sunday schools purchase pre-fabricated curricula (of course, every year in late Spring the three or four nationally marketed Vacation Bible School-themed banners decorate the front lawns of churches across the coutry like holy azaleas).
American church leaders will continue to be led around by economic-sustainability strategies, leadership-formation formulas and "seeker-sensitive" programming because we are soft. We are so soft that our aim is to grow our churches bigger in order to make our auditorium seat cushions even more comfortable (how else could we draw "seekers" in?). You see, we consider it persecution when some idiot puts a crucifix upside-down in a jar of urine and labels it art. Yet, early church leaders considered it a humble honor to be crucified upside down while preaching that Jesus Christ is Savior. We think it's persecution when they tell us we can't pray in school. Try walking outdoors in any communist or Muslim ruled country carrying a bible.
In China, to claim faith in Christ could get a person beaten to death. Crowds of faithful believers pack themselves into one-room underground churches in order to be together in fellowship. The risk they take just to own a bible could mean the death of them or their entire family. In China, and other countries where being a Christian is not tolerated, a believer's faith probably looks a bit more like a first century follower of Christ. Having the right amount of foam on their cappuccino is the least of their worries.
These faithful, sincere followers of Jesus Christ literally cling to their bibles because they understand what faith is: "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." As they cling to their bibles, they also cling to their heavenly hope, much like our early Christian leaders who, "all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Hebrews 11:13
These faithful, sincere followers of Jesus Christ literally cling to their bibles because they understand what faith is: "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." As they cling to their bibles, they also cling to their heavenly hope, much like our early Christian leaders who, "all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Hebrews 11:13
I wonder how it will all shake out if this country ever experiences true persecution. As the authorities are dragging us out of church, will we cling to our cushioned seat while looking up at the big screen for the scripture reference? There are many who would be insulted by my writing this, but I sincerely fear for many people who are of the mind that playing evangelical church makes one a Christian. Well, how about this: if you are insulted by this, then you might want to start bringing your bible to church and reading it daily; in the meantime, surrender your life to Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote to the early church about being "appointed" to the persecution they were experiencing. By the faith the early church displayed through their persecution, we can have even greater confidence in the truths written within His word. Do you think Jesus expects the same of the Christians sitting in our congregations today? Oh, He knows His faithful followers. He knows those who would be "shaken by these afflictions." The question then falls to you (and me). If God "appointed" you to first-century-style persecution for your faith in Jesus Christ, would that faith "be shaken?"
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