As the director of Voice Ministries at VOM, I have the privilege of helping connect believers in the United States with their persecuted family. In my conversations with believers, I have seen some common misconceptions about persecuted Christians.
1. They are Super Hero Christians
This is probably the most common misconception. When we hear powerful testimonies of believers standing with boldness in unthinkable circumstances it’s easy to put them on a pedestal and think they are “super Christians.” The way I hear some people talk about persecuted Christians is almost as though they think something magical happens when you are persecuted and you immediately become an angelic saint, untouched by the worst suffering. This is simply not the case.
The danger with this mindset is that it can be used as an excuse to slack off in our own dedication to Christ. I’ve heard, “Oh well, don’t worry, when the time comes, God will give you to strength to get through anything!” True, there is a special grace in suffering, but that does not negate the fact that we must chose to count to cost to follow Christ and take up our cross and deny ourselves daily. The believers who stand strong in the face of persecution made these decisions about Christ beforehand. You can choose now to build your house on the rock or on the sand.
2. They are a Case Study
While I was representing VOM at an event recently, I was sharing about our persecuted family with an individual who immediately launched into a full rant about how the United States was going down the drain and that the American church was weak and liberal. I’ve seen people use persecuted Christians as a platform to be critical and judgmental. In addition, they can use them to guilt trip others: “How can you complain about your car accident when people are dying for their faith overseas?”
Granted, we absolutely can learn from our persecuted family and be inspired and encouraged in our faith. Viewing persecuted Christians as a case study should never trump who they are first and foremost: our family. They are fellow members of the body of Christ. If your mother was dying of cancer, you wouldn’t go around criticizing others who have it easy or feel guilty that you don’t have cancer too. No, you would first use what you have—your health, your love, your prayers, your resources, to be family to your mother. That is what we are called to do with persecuted believers. The Voice of the Martyrs has lots of ways you can get involved with your persecuted family.
3. They Always Heal Quickly from Traumatic Experiences
This goes back to misconception number one. Our persecuted family are human. They are real people with emotions, hopes, dreams, doubts and weaknesses just like you. Occasionally we meet believers who miraculously are able to instantly forgive and find consistent joy in their lives again. But more often than not, our persecuted family walks through a process of healing. I remember sitting across from a sister in Malaysia who wept as she shared with me how her Muslim parents had thrown her out of her home for being a Christian when she was twelve years old. She was telling me the story 15 years after it happened, and yet she still must choose daily to forgive her parents for things they did to her. VOM is committed to meeting spiritual and practical needs of persecuted Christians and sticking with them on their journey.
Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the Director of Voice Ministries. She was first introduced to the ministry of VOM by her parents and grandparents, who received the VOM newsletter, and through the VOM book, Jesus Freaks. She has served in 12 different countries and is passionate about helping expand God’s Kingdom throughout the nations of the world.
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