Persecution Blog

“Is it right for you to be angry?”

The news this morning reported the death toll from the most recent attack in Baghdad has risen to 292 people. On July 2, ISIS targeted a Shia Muslim area during the Islamic month of Ramadan. An explosive-laden truck blew up outside a crowded shopping center. 

This was just one headline among many others, all seeming to contain some kind of death, violence or other tragedy, not only in the Middle East but in my own backyard. It’s easy to feel like the world is falling apart. Maybe if you’re like me, it’s also easy to feel angry. “How long Lord?” my heart cries out. It’s hard for me to fathom the darkness and depravity that people are capable of. In fact, anger, even rage, has been a consistent emotion and response from people in all the news stories I read or the posts I scroll through on social media. 

I recently read the account of Jonah in the Bible. After going through the ordeal with the whale, Jonah has finally been obedient to God and called a wicked nation, Nineveh, to repent and turn to the Lord. The people, in fact, do this and the Lord relents from bringing the planned destruction on them. Jonah became quite upset by this, because to him it seemed very wrong. (Jonah 4:1)

Jonah says, “Isn’t this what I said Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” To which God responds, “Is it right for you to be angry? “ (Jonah 4:2, 4)

Later Jonah goes outside the city to watch, maybe to see if the Lord will send calamity after all. God provides Jonah with a vine to give him shade from the heat. Then God causes the vine to wither and die and Jonah is left in the scorching heat, wishing he was dead and very angry. (Jonah 4:5-9)

God’s response to Jonah struck me:

“But the Lord said, ‘You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:10-11)

VOM contacts deliver aid to Christians displaced from Mosul by the Islamic State.

Modern-day Nineveh is located in Iraq, near the city of Mosul. Mosul is Iraq’s second largest city and the first major city in Iraq to be taken over by ISIS in 2014. It was the place where so many of our brothers and sisters were killed for their faith or had to flee for their lives. Controlled by ISIS, Nineveh, again it seems, is an area where many people don’t know their right hand from their left.

And I, so like Jonah, want to let my heart respond in anger and outrage at ISIS, at radical Islam, at many of the other issues facing our nation and our world. But God’s response to Jonah challenges me otherwise. Instead, I’m asked to call people to repentance. And not repentance to a God who will bring calamity, but repentance to a God who is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. A love that I also don’t deserve. A love that saved me from the wickedness I would be just as capable of on my own. This is the gospel.

My persecuted family members continually challenge me by their example. They respond with love and forgiveness, even when it’s undeserved. When everything in us wants to respond in anger, and it seems justifiable to want destruction to fall on wicked people, we can be reminded of God’s gentle reprimand to Jonah. And we can trust that ultimately God is sovereign over it all.

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the leader for women’s ministry and student outreach. She has worked in 16 different countries and is passionate about helping expand God’s kingdom throughout the world.

Finding God in a Refugee Camp

“Be careful! Slow down!” I call to the young Syrian refugee girl as she dashes after her friend, stumbling over rocks and trash as she goes. Not that she could understand my English; they all spoke only Arabic.

We’d had an interesting time explaining the game of “Duck, Duck, Goose” to the group of 20-plus refugee girls without a translator. They seemed to have caught on well, though, even if we did have to play the game standing up instead of sitting. There wasn’t enough room to sit between the tents, and the ground was littered with trash and sharp rocks.

My husband and I were with a Syrian VOM partner, “Samir,” at one of the schools they had opened for children in a refugee camp. My husband took the boys and I took the girls, and we played games until their lunch arrived. For many of them, I was told, the school-provided lunch was all they would eat that day.

The girls’ high-pitched laughter was contagious as they continued around the circle. “Daa, Daa, Gahh!” It didn’t quite sound like “Duck, Duck, Goose,” but throughout the rest of the afternoon, the girls had a great time patting each other’s heads and yelling “Gahh!” For a moment, they seemed to have forgotten they were refugees, that they have constant runny noses, dirty clothes, and have seen and experienced far too much for their young age.

On our way to the camp earlier that day, we passed multiple checkpoints. Samir told us that a month earlier a suicide bomber had blown himself up at one of those checkpoints. He explained that even though the Syrian refugees are now away from the immediate danger of ISIS and other radical groups, they are still not in a good situation. The children aren’t allowed to go to the country’s schools, the adults aren’t allowed to work and, being so close to the Syrian border, they are still exposed to kidnappings and other violence.

Samir then told us that all of this has provided an opportunity for Christians to reach out to Muslims with the love of Christ like never before. That’s why they have opened a school in the refugee camp. The school welcomes both Muslim and Christian refugee children, giving them the only sense of normalcy they have in the camp, even if “school” is in a tent. They are taught the Good News of Jesus, and Muslim parents and guardians who see Christians as the only ones caring for their children also become curious, asking Samir to meet with them and tell them about this Jesus.

I left the refugee camp knowing one thing for certain: God’s light is breaking through the darkest places, and He is doing it through His church — the body of Christ of which we’re a part. I’m honored to be in the same family as some of these incredible men and women of God. They value their pursuit of Christ’s calling over their safety or security. Samir knows he puts himself and his family at risk every time he goes to the refugee camp, boldly sharing the love of Christ with Muslims.

With everything we have heard about the Syrian refugee crisis, with everything we are hearing about terrorism and about ISIS, it’s important for us to remember that our God is never in crisis, that Jesus’ kingdom never falters or is afraid. Samir and his wife believe that when Jesus said, “Go and make disciples” that this is what He meant. “How could I not go?” Samir asked pointedly.

I could have left that trip wondering if I should even call myself a Christian compared with someone like Samir. But instead, I was inspired that this is who we are called to be as Christians, to “go and make disciples.” We are all a part of this kingdom; we are all ambassadors of Christ’s hope, love and freedom. When the world cries in confusion, turmoil and despair, we can remain steadfast because we know that our God is bigger, that His love is stronger than death and that there is always victory in Christ … even in a dirty refugee camp.

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the leader for women’s ministry and student outreach. She has worked in 16 different countries and is passionate about helping expand God’s kingdom throughout the world.

Three Misconceptions about Persecuted Christians

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.

Finding Hope in the Darkness

Hope is birthed out of some of the most surprising of places.

If you have been a Christian for even a small amount of time, you have heard the biblical Christmas story many times. We sing peaceful songs like Silent Night and Away in a Manger. You can feel the magic of Christmas when the lights are hung on the tree and the smell of cider is in the air. The reality is though, the first Christmas probably didn’t appear very peaceful or magical to those who lived in that time. Surely most of us are even aware of the absurdity of the King of Kings being born in a stable, of the strangeness of a manger instead of a cradle. 

But sometimes we forget the violence that also surrounded the first Christmas. The people of Israel were living under the cruel oppression of Rome. After King Herod couldn’t find this rumored Christ child he declared all children under the age of two to be executed. Children executed (Matthew 2:16-18). Joseph spent his first few years as a father, fleeing to another country through a warning he received in a dream that Herod was seeking to kill his son (Matthew 2:13-14).  Even those who associated with this young Jesus such as the wise men had to intentionally avoid the authorities (Matthew 2:12).

And in the midst of all this chaos, hope was born. Hope such as the world had never seen before.  The prophecy of Christ’s birth in Isaiah 9:2 says “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”

This, I believe, is encouragement for us and for our persecuted brothers and sisters. A Syrian Christian, “Brother John” recently shared with a group of us, “Be careful what you pray for. We were praying for revival in Syria. Revival came through a war.” The Israelites also were praying for a deliverer, a Savior. Hope didn’t come in the way they were expecting it.  Brother John also said to us, “The church here (in the US) might have a blurry picture of what is happening in Syria, not seeing clearly the kingdom of God. You need to know that tens of thousands of Muslims are coming to know Jesus during this war.” People living in death are seeing the light. There is hope in Syria.

God’s eternal plan is never intimidated or thwarted by the world’s worst wars, evil dictators, tragedy or persecution. We see this in all of the restricted and hostile nations that we work in. Christ’s church is growing and is beautiful, it is brave and strong.

Today when we think of the Christmas story, we seldom think of the hundreds of children murdered or the fleeing in the night to Egypt; we think of hope.  Christmas then, can be a permanent reminder that no matter how dark the circumstances are, there is still hope and God will have His Kingdom advance. It is as certain today as it was in the stable some over 2000 years ago that Jesus is the hope of all nations. 

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the youth & young adult coordinator. 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.

Photo credit: Hope by Heath Harrelson via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

Five Ways to Exploit Evil

The age old question of “Why suffering?” cannot be adequately answered for anyone facing pain. However, the Bible and the Christian faith are full of the testament that as believers we can do more than just get through suffering, we can actually exploit evil for our benefit.  Romans 8:28 says that “We are MORE than conquerors through him who loved us.” This is not an exhaustive list, but below are five ways that you can exploit evil in your own life:

1. Use Difficulties to Increase your Dependency on God

Unfortunately when our lives are going smoothly, it’s easy to think we have things covered on our own. There is the old saying that you don’t know God is all you need until God is all you have. Exploit evil by leaning on Christ’s strength when you face difficulties. This may help you realize all the things you leaned on before didn’t matter in the first place. C.S Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain says, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Romans 5:3

2. Use Others’ Suffering to Increase your Mercy and Compassion

The pain and suffering of others can allow us to experience what it means to be the body of Christ. Heroes wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the need of sacrificial love. If you have ever been to a third world country or even an inner city project in the USA, you know that after seeing the suffering of another person, our heart is changed and we are able to see the world with a renewed perspective and a renewed drive to share with people the hope we have in Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:7

3. Use your Trials to Point the Lost to Christ

Saved or unsaved, we can’t escape death, suffering, or pain in this fallen world. The lost need to see Christians suffer well. Everything in the world’s culture tells you that the accepted response to suffering is un-forgiveness, revenge, bitter resentment, self-pity or disillusionment. In Christ, we still experience pain but we have a resilience that they do not. As they see you walk through your trial, yet still full of peace and joy, they will be drawn to the hope you have. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

4. Use Pain to Produce Courage

Pain can give us clarity like nothing else. Why does the bible say we are blessed when we suffer or are persecuted? It is because of the Holy Spirit’s ability to exploit the evil, and use what was meant to destroy us as a tool to refine us.  VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand, after spending fourteen years in a communist prison, wrote “…Persecution has always produced a better Christian—a witnessing Christian, a soul winning Christian. Persecution has backfired and produced serious dedicated Christians such as are rarely seen in free lands. These people cannot understand how anyone can be a Christian and not want to win every soul they meet.” (From Tortured for Christ) Mark 16:15

5. Use Adversity an Opportunity for God to do a Miracle

Allow adversity to produce in you a faith that believes God for the impossible. It’s difficult to pray a prayer full of faith when we see another ‘out’ that we can accomplish on our own.  Exploit evil by believing for the healing, the salvation, the deliverance, knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you. (Romans8:11) Place your trust in the goodness and love of God and watch what He does. Mark 5:34

YOUR TURN: What other ways would you suggest that a Christian exploit evil to bring about good? Share your ideas and thoughts in the comments to this post.

5 Reasons Christian Persecution Matters to Millennials

As the Youth and Young Adult Coordinator for The Voice of the Martyrs, I have spent a good amount of time researching the trends and values among young adults. As a Millennial (people born from 1980 to 2000) myself, it is easy for me to see how I fit smack dab into the stereotypes and statistics about this generation. Thanks to technology, the Millennial generation is more aware of need than any before it; we get a Twitter update on our smartphones the moment something happens.  This is part of the reason why social justice issues have exploded with Millennial involvement.

Where does Christian persecution fit into the values of Millennials? There are many different reasons why I’m passionate about this but I’ll give you five of the main reasons why we care: 

1.     We are inspired by big vision.

We are inspired by the stories of persecuted Christians who take a courageous stand for the sake of the gospel. Most Millennials don’t believe they have to wait until they receive a certain degree or reach a certain age to do something significant. We see the stories of other young people who, against all odds, stood strong in the face of challenges, and we endeavor to do the same.

2.     We are unwilling to accept the status quo.

Millennials don’t accept doing things just because that’s always how they’ve been done. The answer “because I told you so” doesn’t work for this age group.  We are motivated by our beliefs and our passions, not by rules or systems. Our brothers and sisters who are persecuted challenge the status quo every day when they break the law by reading their Bibles or have an illegal underground church gathering. They are motivated by their belief and passion to live for Jesus.

3.     We are looking for something deeper.

Many Millennials feel starved for the living, active, risk-taking faith we read about in scripture. We want more than the American dream; we aren’t satisfied with traditional church or traditional Christianity.  We are not alarmed by the danger, the stories of blood and persecution; we are tired of apathy and know that just being ‘good people’ isn’t enough.  We want to live lives radically sold out to the cause of Christ. Millennials want to take risks for something that impacts eternity, such as the risk to share the gospel with a Muslim or Hindu extremist.

4.     We value authentic community.

Community is one of the highest values of Millennials; this is why coffee shops are so popular and why we are so influenced by our peers. Connecting with our persecuted family provides Millennials with more than meeting a need; it provides us with community, with fellowship with our brothers and sisters living in some of the most difficult places in the world.

5.     We want to make a difference and believe we can change the world.

People accuse Millennials of being too optimistic. But we serve a God who can do big things and who can use anyone that is willing to submit themselves to Him. Who would guess that Iran has the fastest growing church in the world, in a country where it’s illegal to convert to Christianity? Millennials don’t view their cultural challenges as a threat from the world, but as an opportunity to reach the world for Christ.

YOUR TURN: Are you a Millennial too? What would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in a comment on this post, as well as your ideas about how VOM can best communicate the testimonies of persecuted believers to people in your age group.

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as youth & young adult coordinator. 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.

What Battle Are You Fighting?

Sometimes it’s easy to get our battles twisted. What are we really fighting for? What are we really fighting against? Christians in Nepal reminded me of the answer.

During the first part of a recent trip to Nepal I helped distribute VOM’s Christmas Care and Village Outreach packs. VOM readers give to provide these packs each year around Christmas time. Nepal was a recipient of these packs last year.

During the distributions in the churches I got to meet many Nepali believers. I was astounded by their faith in spite of the odds their society stacks against them. Christians are only 1.3% of the population in this majority-Hindu nation.  One pastor I met served in a radical Hindu community where they have been repeatedly threatened and told to leave. Three years ago, his home was broken into by the radicals and he and his wife were beaten nearly unconscious and then had every item they owned stolen or destroyed. I asked this pastor why he continued to stay in the village and pastor even after that traumatic experience. This is what he told me:

“To needy people my church has become a house of hope. I see people dying, crying, how Jesus gives them hope. I have seen rapists and drug addicts changed by the love of God. This gives me courage. I am convinced there is no better job in the world then to serve God this way.”

This pastor’s powerful testimony was one of many I heard in Nepal. On the last day of my trip, our contacts took us to see the largest Hindu temple in Nepal. As I walked in I could smell the awful stench of burning flesh. Hindus believe that if their loved ones are burned on altars in this temple after they die they have a better chance of being reincarnated into something noble. We saw temple prostitutes and Hindu priests who cover themselves in the ashes of the dead bodies. And we saw people wailing and sobbing over all the burning bodies.

I know I have painted an ugly picture, but this was a reminder for what life is like without Jesus in Nepal. It was devoid of hope. I started to understand better what the pastor was talking about. It brought home for me the power of Christ’s church and what it means that God’s people are the hope of the world.

Sometimes it’s easy for us to lose sight of the real battle. When I was in that Hindu temple, I was reminded of the real battle. The primary battle of believers in Nepal is not fighting against persecution or trying to stay safe. Their primary battle is fighting to rescue peoples’ souls from the deepest darkness. They recognize that Jesus is the only answer. That darkness can reveal itself in different ways, whether it’s Hinduism in Nepal, Islam in the Middle East, or Juche in North Korea. Christians in these countries are, as we say, on the ‘frontlines’ of the battle to lead people to Jesus.

The scripture says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV). It’s important to remember this battle is the same for us in the United States. No matter what your trial is, your ultimate battle is not a political battle, a financial battle or a battle with your boss or your spouse. You are called in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) to a different fight. God has asked us to join Him in his endeavor to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Save your energy to fight in the battle that impacts eternity. And the best part is that you can count on victory in the end (John 16:33, Galatians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 15:57). 

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the youth & young adult coordinator. 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.

Go dig your own well!

On a recent trip to Nepal, I met Pastor “Gyan”, who VOM supports. Pastor Gyan was honored by all of the pastors in the area as a grandfather and hero in the faith. Nepal is made up almost entirely of first generation Christians, so a man of his age is seen as one of the first builders of the church in Nepal. We asked them how he built up the church. They told us that Pastor Gyan built his own well.

Gyan had grown up in a remote Hindu village. After he was saved and converted to Christianity, the radical Hindus in his village were furious.  All of the villagers shared one well where they got their water, so these Hindus stirred the people up to keep Gyan away from the well. They told him that as a Christian he would have to go and dig his own well. They hoped he would die of thirst. Eventually they drove him from the village, threatening his life if he returned. So Gyan did exactly as they said: he dug his own well, deep in the ground outside the village. He found clean water.

Some months later a severe drought came across the area and the well in the village dried up; the people thought their gods were angry with them and feared they would die of thirst. Gyan’s well did not dry up. When he saw the drought, he went back to the village he had been forced out of and invited villagers to come and drink from his well. Gyan was welcomed with open arms this time.

That same day, Gyan shared the gospel and many people in the village converted to Christianity. The first church in that area was born. Today Pastor Gyan has a thriving church, his son pastors another church and Gyan encourages the pastors in difficult areas facing persecution to stand strong.

When I heard this story I couldn’t help but think of the number of times we depend on the wrong ‘wells’ as our source. In the United States, where we are so blessed, it’s easy for us to depend on our finances, our jobs, even our relationships as our source. None of these things are bad, but ultimately we must know that Jesus alone offers us the living water that never dries up. And as Christians we are called, like Pastor Gyan, to share with people the source of this water, because eventually they will find their well, literal or figurative, has dried up.

Please pray believers in Nepal, like Pastor Gyan, would always know God’s faithfulness and provision, even during very difficult seasons. 

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the youth & young adult coordinator. 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.

REPOST: Islam: Purchasing Converts

Today we repost one of the most-read posts of the first half of 2014, a post on the truth behind the growth of Islam:

As I have learned more and more about Islam, I’ve often wondered what its appeal is to people. Islam is growing rapidly, partly because so many people are born into the Muslim faith, but also because so many people are converting to Islam. 

I now have a better idea of the answer to that question in Malaysia. On a recent trip for VOM, I was surprised by what I learned from our contacts and the believers there. A tactic used widely by Muslims to gain converts is bribery.

Muslims in Malaysia are notorious for offering those of other faiths money, job positions, housing, even full-ride scholarships to college;  all contingent upon their conversion to Islam. Sometimes, in the more remote villages, it’s even as simple as Muslims from the city driving out to the village and offering bags of money to any family that is willing to convert. You can imagine how difficult this is in countries wrecked with poverty and where a high percentage of the population faces the constant fight to survive.

The interesting catch is that these conversions are very one sided. In Malaysia every person is born with an identity card, similar to a birth certificate. On this card it says your religion, for example “Muslim” or “Christian.”  Christians, or any other religion besides Islam, are welcome to change their identity card at any time from their birth religion to “Islam.” However, it is illegal and impossible for a Muslim to ever change their identity card. Literally, until the day they die; even if they professed Christianity and are buried in a Christian graveyard, the Muslim representatives of the communities will come and dig up the body to give it a Muslim burial.

Of course, it is also illegal for any other faith to “proselytize” (witness) to Muslims.

The Malaysian government used this tactic with a group of refugees from the dangerous island of Mindanao, in the Philippines. The group was trying to flee from Mindanao, away from the violence of Muslim terrorist groups there, but the Philippines wouldn’t recognize them as citizens because they lived in Mindanao. The Malaysian government stepped in and offered them asylum on one condition: convert to Islam. They readily agreed.

Where are these new Muslim converts now? They are refugees living in extreme poverty is a slum I visited in Malaysia, with no help from the nearby mosques or the Malaysian government. 

Our contacts support young church leaders who go into this slum every Monday-Friday bringing food, meeting with families, and teaching the children English. Slowly, they are starting to teach them Bible stories and tell them about Jesus. I will never forget the look of joy on the dirty faces of these children as they sprinted across piles of trash to embrace their teachers coming to the slum to be with them.

Eventually, the truth comes out. Islam in Malaysia, though it may seem to promise freedom from poverty through bribery, ultimately causes bondage. Christianity, though it seems to promise persecution in many restricted and hostile nations, ultimately brings freedom.

As believers, it’s our responsibility to offer the world something much greater than a bag of cash.

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the youth & young adult coordinator. 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.

Is Christian Persecution a Social Justice Issue?

In order to answer that question, let’s look at the definition. Merriam Webster dictionary defines social justice as: “A social philosophy advocating the removal of inequalities among people.”

In the last few years the social justice movement has exploded; it’s become trendy to have a social justice issue you champion. My peers are seen sporting their Tom’s shoes or writing love on their arms. Human trafficking, clean water and child soldiers are some of the most popular causes, to name a few. I think it’s safe to say all of these causes are striving to eliminate some kind of injustice. Seeking to “remove an inequality” as the definition above states.  And so they should: we want to see an end to these atrocities.

So where does Christian persecution fit into the social justice noise? I would submit to you that maybe it doesn’t, at least not in the way most other causes do. Based on the definition of social justice, it would lead us to believe that we are trying to remove or eliminate the injustice of Christian persecution.  However, that shouldn’t be the goal, and it’s not the goal at The Voice of the Martyrs. II Timothy 3:12, Philippians 1:29, John 15:19-20 help explain why this can’t be our goal. The Bible says Christians will always be persecuted and suffer for their faith and it won’t end until Jesus returns.

In fact, what we do at VOM can even make persecution worse for Christians. If we didn’t deliver Bibles to believers in hostile and restricted countries, there might be less arrests. If we didn’t equip believers to share the gospel in Muslim countries, there might be less converts, which would mean less persecution, ostracism or honor killings.  Whenever light and darkness collide so forcefully, there is a reaction. There are nations and areas where Satan has a stronghold of people in bondage and he won’t give it up easily.

A Christian boy in Nepal received a back pack of school supplies from one of VOM’s recent distributions.

In one sense, persecution can actually be seen as a specific Kingdom strategy. Persecution is a classic example of how what Satan means for evil, God uses for good. Often, persecution actually causes the church to grow and be built up. Paul says in Philippians 1:14 that because of his chains, other believers have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. The fastest growing church in the world is in Iran, a nation where it is illegal to convert to Christianity!

So what is our goal for persecuted Christians? It’s to be the body of Christ to them and with them. Persecuted Christians are not a cause, they are our family. You are standing with your family and saying, “yes I agree with you, Jesus is worth it all. And I will support you in this endeavor, whatever that looks like.” Maybe it’s that they are in danger and need to be in a safe house or maybe they need medical care from an attack or a pool to conduct secret baptisms or motorbikes to reach remote villages with the gospel. Whatever it is, we are their family and we are with them. And all of this is not with the hope of ending persecution; it’s with the hope of advancing God’s kingdom.

As you stand with them, you will start to notice you are not only giving but you are receiving as well. Your own faith is challenged and inspired by their lives and testimony. We start to ask ourselves the hard questions: “Have I also counted the cost to follow Christ?” So it’s not just one sided, it comes full circle; this is the beauty of the global body of Christ. 

Brooke Parks serves on the staff of VOM as the youth & young adult coordinator. 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.