Persecution Blog

“I had prepared myself…”

I knew that I faced questioning, ill-treatment, possibly years of imprisonment and death, and I wondered if my faith was strong enough. I remembered then that in the Bible it is written 366 times—once for every day of the year—"Don't be afraid!": 366 times, not merely 365, to account for Leap Year. And this [the day of my arrest] was February 29—a coincidence which told me I need not fear!

The interrogators showed no hurry to see me, for Communist jails are like archives, to be drawn on at any time when information may be needed. I was questioned again and again over the whole fourteen and a half years I spent in prison. I knew that in the eyes of the Party my connections with the Western Churches were treasonable, but there was much else of importance which they did not know and must not learn from me.

I had prepared myself for prison and torture as a soldier in peacetime prepares for the hardships of war. I had studied the lives of Christians who had faced similar pains and temptations to surrender and thought how I might adapt their experiences. Many who had not so prepared themselves were crushed by suffering, or deluded into saying what they should not.

Priests were always told by interrogators, "As a Christian you must promise to tell us the whole truth about everything." For my part, since I was sure of being found guilty whatever I said, I decided that under torture I might incriminate myself, but never betray friends who had helped me to spread the Gospel. So I planned to leave my interrogators more confused at the end of their investigation that at the start. I would mislead them to the hilt.

My first task was somehow to get a message out to warn my colleagues and let my wife know where I was. I was able to suborn a guard to act as intermediary, for at that time my family still had money. He received about 500 pounds for carrying messages over the next few weeks. Then everything we owned was seized.

Excerpted from In God's Underground, written by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs. You can order a copy of the book here; it is also available for Kindle and Nook e-readers.

“That prayer hasn’t been answered…”

Nepali Pastor "David" wanted to better equip Sunday school teachers at his church, so late last year he invited three trainers from another country to teach a two-day training seminar. The trainers had no idea the spiritual battle they would encounter would also become a physical one. David hosted the three visiting trainers in his home. On the first night the trainers were there, a congregation member called saying he was sick. Immediately the pastor left to go and pray with the sick person. While he was gone, seven people—three carrying sharp knives—arrived, asking for the pastor who was "converting people" away from their religion. The leader of the group was a well-known local official, a former high-ranking officer in the Nepali army and a strong Hindu.

The pastor was gone, but the angry Hindus turned their fury on the male trainer instead. They attacked him, beating and threatening him. They also damaged the church building and completely destroyed a motorbike.

David returned very late that night and was shocked to find his guest badly injured and his family cowering in fear. David grew more fearful when he learned he was the target of the attack.

Pastor David reported the attack to the police, and after a couple of days they came to "investigate." But they made no arrests, even though the family told them exactly who led the attack.

"Every day Christianity is growing in my village," said David. "That is why non-believers try to harm me. They are thinking that once we finish the pastor, once the pastor will die, the believers will scatter; there won't be Christianity."

When a VOM team met with Pastor David, his church had 70 baptized members, plus children, in a village of 2,000 people. As a former Hindu, he shares the gospel very clearly in a way Hindus can understand. He also prepares his new converts to face persecution.

"Even Jesus went through tremendous persecution in the Bible," he says. "So when you become a believer, the persecution is obvious. It is confirmed that you will have pressure and persecution. Even the Word of God says that when you believe in Christ that persecution comes to you. I encourage them with Bible verses and taking lots of testimonies from the Bible."

The threats and attacks have come. His fear is real. Pastor David prays daily that God will take the fear away. "But so far," he says, "that prayer hasn't been answered." God hasn't taken away his fear, yet the pastor continues to serve and minister and evangelize. Why?

"Because God has called me to do this," he said. "I have a vision for God's people. If I die also doing this work, God's work will continue. When I die for this one, God will give me a crown. I'll be crowned by Jesus."

David continues his work. But he fears for the safety of his wife and his three children, ages 5, 7 and 10.

"I'm very worried about them. But I teach them from the Word of God. For God, we have to bear all the consequences because we are called to this."

Before the attack, Pastor David would often go on ministry trips for several days. Now he tries to be home with his family each night so they aren't left without protection. When he needs to draw strength and inspiration, the pastor turns to the book of Daniel.

"When Daniel was given all the opportunity, he never bowed down his head to idols. And [Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego] were ready to go through fire. When I read this, I don't feel that the persecution I'm going through is huge—comparing to these guys, comparing to the book of Daniel."

David asked for prayer, but his requests were not for himself. "When I go outside to preach the gospel, to bring the gospel among the non-believers, pray for my family so they'll be safe. And pray for my church believers, that when the persecution comes, they will be very strong, that no fear would come among their hearts."

YOUR TURN: What fears do you have about sharing the gospel with friends and family? Are you willing to share Christ in spite of your fears?

“I have to forgive”

Last month I visited Nepal to meet with and interview persecuted Christians. One of the brothers we met was a young pastor who'd been attacked by radicals just months before our visit. He was beaten up for trying to perform a Christian funeral and burial for a member of his church who'd died. I want to share a portion of our conversation, where he talked about the challenge of forgiving those who had attacked him:

Todd: Have you forgiven the people who beat you?

"Brother S": Yes, I forgive them.

T: How?

S: It is very difficult to forgive anybody that I am knowing and receive forgiveness from people. When I was praying and I understood, when reading Bible I understood that I have to forgive because the Lord says if you don't forgive others you will not be forgiven. So at that time the words were pricking my heart. Because…I have also done some other wrong things, some mistakes, so the Lord is working so I have to forgive. The compulsion was coming from [my] heart and I said okay Lord – the Lord was speaking to me: "Forgive them. [Those who attacked you] have to come to the Lord – they have to come to Me." The Lord was speaking to me. Then I said yes, they have to come – I have to work with them so they will come to Christ. I said okay – I forgive.

T: How long after the attack was that when you were able to forgive them?

S: For one week, I couldn't sleep. But after one month I could forgive.

T: So for one week afterwards you couldn't sleep. Then after one month you were really able to forgive from your heart?

S: Yes.

One of the amazing things I find as I meet with persecuted Christians is their ability to forgive those who attack and persecute them. And beyond even forgiveness, they show love and pray for God's blessings on them.

In Brother S's case, this was a month-long process involving much prayer and wrestling with God before he came to the point of forgiving. I remember meeting the widow of a martyred Christian who said she never felt anger or hatred for the men who killed her husband; forgiveness came to her as a gift from God almost instantaneously.

Most American Christians don't deal with persecution first-hand. We are not attacked for our faith, beaten for our beliefs or forced to bury martyred family members.

But all of us are called to forgive. All of us must ask God to help us work through the pain and frustration of being wronged and come to the point of forgiving. Next time you face that challenge, I hope you'll remember Brother S and be encouraged by his example.

Todd Nettleton is the Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs. More stories of persecuted Nepali Christians will be featured in VOM's February, 2013 newsletter. If you are a U.S. resident, you can click here subscribe to the newsletter.

Persecution Quotable from Tortured for Christ

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