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According to the US Center for the Study of Global Christianity, at least 150,000 Christians died last year because they call Jesus, “Lord and Savior”. American Christians seem to think of persecution in terms of a co-worker making fun of them for having a Bible on their office desk. For some reason many evangelical Christians in America seem to believe that persecution cannot take place until the Anti-Christ is revealed. They may face an unwelcome surprise. Some experts predict that Christians will soon become more isolated and marginalized as the media, academia, and entertainment moguls build a popular hatred and prejudice against them. Wholesale persecution will soon follow.
Do Christians have a theology of persecution? How does the Bible instruct us to respond in the face of this possibility? In this lesson we will explore the subject in search of Biblical direction.
Description
According to the US Center for the Study of Global Christianity, at least 150,000 Christians died last year because they call Jesus, “Lord and Savior”. Open Doors, a non-profit organization focused on serving persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries, says that each month 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 Churches or Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 acts of violence are committed against Christians. Although American Christians seem to think of persecution in terms of a co-worker making fun of them for having a Bible on their office desk, fellow believers in seventy-five percent of the countries around the world fear for their lives.
Is the church in America exempt from what much of the rest of the church world faces on a regular basis? It appears that change has been taking place at such a gradual pace that many in the American church have not yet recognized that they are no longer in favor with the general public. Bishop Leo O-Reilly of Kilmore spoke of this when he said, “It is more subtle. It takes the form of gradual exclusion of church people or activities from the public space. There is denigration of religious beliefs, practices and institutions on radio, television and on social or other media. There is often a focus on bad news about the Church to the almost total exclusion of any good news.” Donal O’Sullivan-Latchford echoed this evaluation when he stated, “Christianity, no matter what form it takes, has now become unacceptable to the political and media establishments.”
What comes next? Is the church in the United States of America prepared?
