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“Remember those in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). 

I do not remember precisely when I began to be exposed to the plight of the persecuted. The Persecuted Church, that is (though I surely think we ought to have compassion on all who are truly mistreated around the world). Perhaps it was in the late 1990s. I recall a visiting pastor preaching in our local church in Jacksonville, NC. He had served for some years in South Korea, and had stories of those Christians who had escaped the tyranny of North Korea. I distinctly remember the Spirit of God moving my heart as that brother preached of the bold endurance of believers under extreme duress. And I remember the conviction of the Spirit, as I was challenged to ask myself if my faith in Christ could or would endure such atrocities. 

But I think it was all brought home to me through the influence of Dr. George Martin, Professor of Missiology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. As he taught, Dr. Martin routinely shared stories of the persecuted Church around the world. He introduced us to ministries like Voice of the Martyrs. And he grounded us in the history of martyrs and martyrdom. He assigned books by Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, for example. Their story is so well-known that even Hollywood retold it in the movie End of the Spear (2005). It was there, in those classrooms, some 20 years ago, that the Lord knit my heart to those in chains, those in prison, those oppressed, those tortured for Christ.

Perhaps what struck me most was the realization of just how unique the western Church was in all of human history. Granted, the first 200 years after the Reformation were rough. What with Lutherans drowning Baptists, and Presbyterians in the New England colonies prohibiting Catholics from holding political office. But, in time, the Lord showered grace. And for the last 200+ years, we Christians of the western world have enjoyed religious freedom and physical comforts and political protections heretofore unheard of in world history. And what must strike us, is how we still to this day are an anomaly. 

Think of it. The vast majority of the peoples of the world live in regions dominated by Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Atheistic Communist Socialism. To be a devout follower of King Jesus in these contexts is, to vastly understate it, very hard. Uncomfortable. Risky. Oppressive. Regardless of what internet and television talking heads and influencers might quip, the aforementioned religions and political systems are anything but friendly towards genuine Christianity. As I write this blog from the comfort of my home office, my forever family in Christ are being harassed, tortured, imprisoned, mistreated, and outright hunted and slaughtered like animals. In Nigeria. Sudan. Syria. Gaza (though I pray this is changing now). Iran. Syria. Afghanistan. Cambodia. Myanmar. China. North Korea. Venezuela. Cuba. India. And far too many other countries to list here. 

Normal Christianity is persecuted. Normal Church is risky, even life-threatening. Always has been. Why do you think God speaks so often of it in both Old and New Testaments? Why do we think Jesus so often warned of persecution upon His followers and encouraged endurance in the faith? Our Lord even said “a person’s enemies shall be those of his own household” (Matt 10:36). And in context, Jesus said this was an inevitable product of His saving reign on earth! And He went on to exhort His followers to take up crosses in order to follow Him. 

So, I promised God two decades ago that if He ever allowed me to pastor a church, I would seek to inculcate within that body a heart for the Persecuted Church. A love for the suffering saints. And that I would lead that church to find ways to serve and bless our brothers and sisters around the world who suffer significantly for the cause of Christ. And after 13 years here at Corydon Baptist Church, by God’s amazing grace I have seen this body do just that. No need to detail all the ways we are connected to and serving and encouraging suffering saints in very hard places. It is enough to simply give God glory and praise, and ask Him to continue to allow us the precious privilege of not just having a “distant sympathy” for our persecuted family, but to find even more ways to directly and personally engage with them to see the gospel spread, to see more enemies of the cross repent and trust Jesus, to see Jesus’ kingdom come, to witness and be inspired by the genuine grace of endurance the Holy Spirit grants to His people, and to celebrate and see thousands of baptisms in polluted rivers and desert mud holes.  

At CBC, God has given us a front row seat to watching Jesus build His Church in places that are rightly described as hell on earth. And we are a better church, a more Christ-like church, a more compassionate church, a less entitled church, a more missional church, a more generous church, by regularly seeing that “the gates of hell shall not prevail” against the Bride of Jesus. Hallelujah! Our God reigns!

A few years after coming to CBC as the Preaching Pastor, I introduced the International Day of Prayer (in November each year). I played the video produced each year by Voice of the Martyrs. Then we had a time of devoted prayer for the Persecuted Church. It was the starting point. My heart was so thrilled. I went home after that worship service with dreams in my heart of what God might do if this body of American Christians actually got the heart of our Savior for those who, like the Apostle Paul, bear in their bodies the marks of Jesus (Gal 6:17). But I quickly discovered not every member of CBC shared my enthusiasm. 

A young couple, especially the mom, called me a few days later to tell me how upset they were with me for showing that video. The Mom said with angry sarcasm, “Thanks, Pastor, for giving my children nightmares.” I inquired more, and discovered that because the video showed a man with a bloody mouth and nose from the beating he had endured for the sake of Christ, this couple thought it totally inappropriate to show in a worship service, and to young children. 

I don’t think I responded as graciously back then as I might today (sanctification is real). But, the sentiment I expressed back then to that young couple, who left our church a year or so later, still beats passionately in my heart. I said something to this effect: 

Just because we have a luxury in our society and churches does not mean we are right to use it. Perhaps you should use this as a teaching moment to help your children appreciate how good they have it, and to encourage them to start to care for and pray for children of this world who are being raped and tortured simply because they dare to sing, “O, how I love Jesus.”            

I then reminded this couple that if they plan to obey God and teach the Bible diligently to their children, they will inevitably have to help their children deal with far more nightmarish realities than a bloody nose. I mean, have you read the Bible?

“Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about destitute, afflicted, mistreated – of whom the world was not worthy – wandering about in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:36-38). 

“Then he [Pilate] released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified” (Matthew 27:26).

by Keith McWhorter