Persecution Blog

Old Wrapping Paper Launches Mission Movement in India

Ancient Israel comprised 12 tribes camping around the tabernacle. In the same way, Christianity has always contained various camps, tribes and denominations, often closely related and working together for the Kingdom. One of the fastest-growing in early America was the Freewill Baptists of New England, started when New Hampshire’s Benjamin Randall was converted in 1770. Freewill Baptists aggressively pursued evangelism and education in Northeast America and were among the loudest voices against slavery.

The extension of the movement overseas was ignited by a handful of old wrapping paper.

The General Baptists of England had sent Amos Sutton to India in 1830 as a missionary doctor. The load was too great, and his American wife, worried about his health, suggested he write to Freewill Baptists, appealing for help. Sutton immediately penned a long letter ending with, “Come, then, my American brethren, come over and help us.”

Unfortunately, Sutton had no address for the Freewill Baptists, so his letter rested in his desk many months. One day he received a package and, opening it, saw a fragile item wrapped in discarded newspaper. The paper proved more valuable than the gift, for it was the Morningstar, publication of the Freewill Baptists. Dr. Sutton immediately posted his letter to the listed address. The Freewill Baptist Foreign Mission Society was soon established, and Sutton made a dramatic visit to New Hampshire. Pale and emaciated, he told 3,000 assembled Christians, “As I arise to speak, I seem to see the millions in India with bended knees and tearful eyes, saying, ‘Sir, plead our cause—plead it effectually!’” He did, returning to India with 21 workers. Many of them died, others suffered greatly, but still more followed. And on April 14, 1839 the first small Freewill Baptist chapel in India was dedicated to Christ to accommodate the new converts.

“Could the friends of missions have witnessed our little assembly quietly seated on their mats, listening to the Word of eternal life with serious attention,” wrote a missionary, “they would have rejoiced with us, and would have praised the name of that God who had here made room for us.”

The person that mailed the gift to Dr. Sutton may have never known the impact of the discarded paper that he wrapped it in. Yet in God’s sovereignty that “trash” led to souls being won in India. Has God ever used something unique or something the world would see as rubbish to guide you or assist you in finding His will? Please share your story in the comments to this post.

Story excerpted from “On This Day in Christian History: 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes” by Robert J. Morgan. Disclosure: VOM is part of the Amazon Associates program. If you click on the links in this post and purchase the book from Amazon, VOM will receive a very small percentage of your purchase as a referral fee.

EGYPT: Prayer Request

Each week VOM posts a new prayer need at www.iCommitToPray.com, the online prayer meeting for our persecuted brothers and sisters. This week's request is for the family of a young woman brutally killed by radical Muslims in Egypt:

Mary Sameh George, a 25-year-old Christian who lived with her parents and sister in Cairo, was brutally attacked and killed on March 28 by pro-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators. As she does each Friday, Mary was on her way to deliver groceries and other necessities to a poor family in the Ein Shams area when she was stopped by a group of protesters. When protesters spotted her gold cross necklace, they dragged her out of her car and repeatedly stabbed and choked her to death. Her family was devastated when they learned of her murder; her fiancé's mother was so grief-stricken that she died shortly after learning of Mary's death.

Will you commit to pray for Mary's family as they grieve her loss? Add your voice online to pray for Mary, and invite your Christian friends to join in also.

Christians Concerned as India Elections Open

Christians in India are fearful that the country's general elections, which begin this week, may lead to a rise in persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. About 815 million people are expected to cast ballots in the elections, which take place in several phases ending May 12. Results are expected to be announced May 16.

Opinion polls suggest a victory for the opposition National Democratic Alliance, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, is currently chief minister of Gujarat. He was widely criticized for failing to prevent the massacre of more than 2,000 Muslims in his state in 2002. Modi, 63, has been denied a visa to enter the United States for more than 10 years.

Most incidents of mass violence against Christians have taken place in states under the rule of the BJP. Rev Richard Howell, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, says Modi's rise has led to 'fear and insecurity' among Christians. 'The perception… is that the scale of persecution of Christians will increase,' he says.

While Modi is seen by many—especially those outside India—as a radical Hindu nationalist and a human rights abuser, he is seen by many in India as a capable leader who has improved the economy in Gujarat and brought 24-hour electricity to its people.

“He is seen as having been a very competent, even successful chief minister in Gujurat with the one major exception of the 2002 riots,” Dr. Robert Hathaway, director of the Asia program at The Wilson Center, told NBCNews.com. “The economy there has grown remarkably well and he is regarded as the atypical Indian politician in the sense that he is not surrounded by allegations of corruption or enriching himself personally.”

Christians in India are requesting prayer for their nation as the elections go forward. Pray Christians will find strength and security in Christ as this process moves forward. Pray also for God’s will in the election process.

Learn more about the nation of India and persecution there.

Sources: Release International (VOM’s sister mission in the UK), NBCNews.com

Little Love Leads to Little Forgiveness

Luke 7:47 tells the story of Jesus at the home of the Pharisee named Simon. As they were eating, a woman of ill-repute slips in and proceeds to show gratitude and love to Jesus by anointing him with alabaster oil. Simon comments in a rather judgmental manner. If Jesus was really a prophet he would know the kind of woman who was performing these deeds of kindness to Jesus, implying that he would reject her. Simon was most troubled by the fact that Jesus told her that her sins were forgiven without having to perform rituals of the law to get forgiveness. Jesus responds to Simon’s criticism by telling a story about who was forgiven most, the one who had sinned a lot or the one who sinned little. The point Jesus makes is that since she had been forgiven a lot, she shows a lot of gratitude and love. Jesus was also speaking to Simon in an indirect manner. If you would recognize your sinfulness and ask forgiveness you, also, would show much love and gratitude because he who is forgiven much loves much. Conversely, he who loves much also forgives much. Simon lacks both love and forgiveness. He did extend a cordial welcome to Jesus as was custom for guests in one’s home.

Taking this truth (he who has been forgiven much loves much), we could apply this to the situation of those who are persecuted and the persecutors. The persecuted who forgive their persecutors have already experienced forgiveness in their lives and, because they have the spirit of forgiveness and love, they are able, out of gratefulness, to extend forgiveness to those who persecute them. For the persecutors, they like Simon need to experience forgiveness for their sin. The witness of those who are persecuted and are showing love and forgiveness is clearly seen by the persecutors, and this may be the first glimpse that such a spirit and attitude is even possible in this life. Through the acts of forgiveness and love the persecutor may begin to see their own sin and the darkness that pervades their heart.

Assuming that many of us are not being persecuted for our faith at the moment as many in our extended Christian family are, how do we apply this truth to our situation? It is here where our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted are an example and inspiration. If we cannot show love and forgiveness to people who wrong us, although not to the extent of persecuting us, then we need to hear the words that were spoken to Simon. Apparently we do not show love and gratitude because we have not been forgiven much. If the truth were known, we need to confess the extent of our sins and receive great grace and forgiveness from God. Then we would have the heart of forgiveness and gratitude.

Jesus also said that if we do not forgive others we will not be forgiven (Matt. 6:15) because it reflects an attitude and spirit that fails to show genuine gratefulness for the extent to which we have been forgiven. To have an unforgiving spirit will injure and destroy our relationship with God. If we graciously extend forgiveness to others, we are in fact expressing our love and gratitude toward God for lavishly pouring his grace of forgiveness upon us. To God be the glory!

Roy Stults, PhD, is the Online Workshop Coordinator and Educational Services Coordinator for The Voice of the Martyrs. He graduated from Olivet Nazarene University (BA and MA), Nazarene Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Doctor of Missiology), and The University of Manchester (England) with a PhD (theology). A Vietnam veteran, Dr. Stults served as a missionary for 19 years and pastored U.S. churches for eight years. Prior to joining VOM, he was a Professor of Religion at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Southeast Asia Trip Highlights

Last week VOM's Todd Nettleton appeared as a guest on In The Market With Janet Parshall, which airs nationwide each day on the Moody Radio Network.

Todd shared with Janet highlights from his recent trip to Laos and South Korea, where he met with North Korean defectors.

You can listen to the interview in its entirety by CLICKING HERE (a new window will open). To go directly to Todd's interview, go to the 25:00 mark in the file.

Blessing and Hope

This week is my first week back in the office after a 12-week maternity leave. Our beautiful daughter was born Dec. 29 and I enjoyed spending the first weeks of her life concentrating on her needs. We named her “Rajah,” a transliteration of the word for “hope” used in Arabic Bibles when it refers to future hope. Here on earth we expect tribulation, enduring patiently, but we also rejoice in our hope for the future (Romans 12:12).

Though I’ve been out of the office, my thoughts have never been far from our persecuted family members. In the last three months, my husband and I have hosted VOM workers from Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Israel in our home. Each time we introduced Rajah to our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters, every one of our friends immediately offered a blessing over our baby daughter.

It was beautiful to witness and so amazing to consider how God will use her life in the future. She will likely face tribulation for her faith, just as our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters experience today, but I pray that she will continue to rejoice in hope and remain constant in prayer as she goes through persecution.

When our friends blessed Rajah, they weren’t blessing her flippantly or as a trite means of congratulations. These are men and women whose lives are dedicated to serving hurting Christians and reaching people for Christ in overwhelmingly Muslim nations. They prayed for God’s favor for Rajah in expectation that she, too, will be used by the Lord to point people to his truth.

This path might not be easy. We see over and over how God doesn’t always protect his followers from every evil, but he does use every circumstance for his glory. Our friend from Turkey was nearly beaten to death for being a Christian, but today he’s involved in a ministry that is sharing the gospel with large numbers of Turkish Muslims.

Our friend from Syria gets phone calls nearly every day detailing how Christians in his country are being expelled and entire villages wiped out. There are threats against his church.

Just this week, colleagues of our Lebanese friend were beaten as they passed out Christian literature and relief supplies to refugees. And the church of our brother from Israel has been bombed and burned on a number of occasions.

So when our friends bless Rajah, do they bless to request God’s favor and protection on her? No, they bless her to dedicate her to God’s service, a position they know from experience is not always pain-free, but they also know that there is no better place to spend a life than to spend it dedicated to God’s service.

That is my prayer for my daughter, for myself and for all of us as we work together to fellowship with the persecuted. We may need to make difficult choices, endure difficult circumstances, but we do so in hope that we will someday enjoy an eternity worshipping the only One who is worthy of our efforts.

Dory P. has worked with VOM for seven years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband, three-year-old son and infant daughter, they share seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

China: Bible Recipients Say THANK YOU

Since 1967, VOM has used innovative ways of getting Bibles to believers in nations hostile to Christ. From sewing Scriptures into the lining of clothes to carrying boxes of Bibles across rugged mountains on pack animals, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to get God’s Word to every believer. As our worker in China said, to “strengthen and challenge the local churches in the most difficult areas is my first priority. That begins with providing them with sufficient Bibles for their own use.”

In this nation that has been indoctrinated with communist ideology, the need for truth is great. “There were not enough Bibles when I just believed,” wrote a Chinese Christian who received a Bible from VOM. “There were a few believers who had Bibles. … I used to treat the words of Chairman Mao as the truth and I admired his words very much. But after I was saved and blessed by God, I threw the book of Chairman Mao away. The Bible is the most precious book in my heart now. No other books can compare with it.”

Here is another letter from a Chinese believer, thanking VOM for a recent Bible delivery:

Because that the number in the church increased recently and we lacked Bibles seriously, many brothers and sisters don’t have Bible and they just borrow from others. Thank God that your church helped us and donated many Bibles for us, which really saved us from the serious difficulties.

The church is the body of Christ and we are all body members in the Lord! Let’s help each other, encourage each other and pray for each other and wish we have the same mind in the Lord to revive the gospel! May God’s will fulfill in the church and then the church can spread the gospel and build more churches, and bring more people to repent, so that the name of the Lord can be glorified in every place! We wish that your church can continue to help us and we hope all people who come can have a Bible to read. Thank you very much! Thank God for making the church extended and thank God we lack nothing in Him! May the blessings, grace, peace from God and the fellowship of the Spirit be with all the churches! 

Yajin

You can read more thank you notes from Chinese Christians who received Bibles through VOM's efforts here. You may also choose to support VOM's efforts this month to deliver 191,267 Bibles to Christians in restricted and hostile nations.

Extreme Conquerors

ROMANIA: PASTOR RICHARD WURMBRAND

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

“My wife is sleeping in the other room because she has been ill,” Pastor Richard Wurmbrand began. “She and I are both Jewish. Her family perished in the same Nazi concentration camp where you just boasted of killing Jews with children still in their arms. Perhaps you murdered my wife’s family.”

Upon hearing this, the pastor’s guest, a soldier, became very angry and stood to leave. But Richard stopped him. “Wait. I want to propose an experiment. I want to tell my wife who you are and what you did. But my wife will not curse you or even look at you angrily. She will accept you.”

The man sat with his mouth open, but speechless.

The pastor continued, “Now if my wife, who is only human can forgive you-then how much more will Jesus love and forgive you?”

The man buried his face in his hands. “What have I done? How can I go on living with the guilt of so much blood? Jesus, please forgive me.” The soldier went on to give his life to Christ.

Then Richard went and woke his wife Sabina. “This is the murderer of your sisters, your brothers, and your parents,” he introduced the man. “But now he has repented.” She wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

“Love conquers all” is a popular saying. Christians, however, know the truth of this saying first hand. When we are at the mercy of our anger, we are consumed with hatred. But when we have allowed God (who is love) to control our lives, we find that our natural emotions like anger submit to him. We don’t even feel like getting upset over situations that used to enrage us. Love must conquer anything within us that is contrary to the character of Christ. The end result is that we are so consumed with love that even our worst enemy benefits from our transformation. Are you experiencing victory over bitterness and vengeance? Ask the God of love to conquer your anger today. 

This is one of the readings from the book, Extreme Devotion, available from VOM’s online bookstore. You can also receive devotional thoughts daily via email. Sign up here.

Freed Captives Recount Boko Haram Abuse

Many have been killed or kidnapped by Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group, but six girls who managed to escape their brutality are now living in Christian centers, where they are putting the pieces of their lives back together. The girls—Anna, Hajja and four others—were kidnapped in separate attacks. Hajja was held for three months, while others were held for several days.

On May 15, 2013, Anna boarded a bus in Maiduguri, Borno state, along with five other passengers. When they reached their destination, they were attacked by Boko Haram as they got off the bus. Anna watched as the militants killed the other five passengers, all men. The lone survivor, she was taken to the Boko Haram camp as their hostage. While in captivity, she saw more than 50 others killed by the militants. Those brought into the camp were quickly identified as either Christian or Muslim by their ID cards. The Christians were immediately executed, and the Muslims who refused to join the Boko Haram were also killed.

On May 26, Anna was told by one of her captors to be ready to convert or face death the next morning. That same day, one of the hostages tried to flee in an unoccupied vehicle. As he started to drive away, others, including Anna, ran to get into the vehicle. Only Anna and another young man made a successful escape, finally walking a distance of more than 160 miles to safety.

Another abductee, Hajja, was held captive for three months after being abducted in July 2013. One of the Boko Haram members planned to marry the young girl, but they still beat her mercilessly, demanding that she convert to Islam and wear a hijab. After finally managing to escape, Hajja was taken in by a Christian center, where her hope is gradually being restored. The home of the girl’s parents was burned by Boko Haram during an attack on their village shortly after the girl’s escape.

Like Anna and Hajja, the other four girls were abused and told that they must convert or face death. All of them were terrorized by Boko Haram as they watched loved ones and others die around them. Three of them, including two young sisters, were forced to marry their captors.

Each of the six girls managed to escape, and because their villages and homes have been destroyed and their families displaced, they are living in Christian centers supported by VOM. They are all reportedly in good physical health and are also very happy to have hope for a future.

(This story first appeared on VOM's primary web site, www.Persecution.com.)

I'd Rather Have Jesus

This morning in the VOM chapel service for staff and volunteers, we sang a song that relflects so clearly the heart of our persecuted brothers and sisters that it is worth offering as today's blog post. Perhaps you know it and have sung it many times; perhaps you've never seen these words before. Either way, the song's lyrics invite us into reflection about where we place Jesus on our life's list of priorities and values:

• I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
  I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
  I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
  I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
  • Refrain:
    Than to be the king of a vast domain
    And be held in sin’s dread sway;
    I’d rather have Jesus than anything
    This world affords today.

 

• I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
  I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
  I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
  I’d rather be true to His holy name

 

• He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
  He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
  He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
  I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead

~Rhea F. Miller, 1922 (Public Domain)