Hope for Persecuted Disciples

This past weekend we went to the annual conference for www.interserve.org.uk. The theme was “When Love Hurts.” We listened to a lot of speakers who moved our hearts and minds toward oneness with people who hurt. We learned that about 20 people are martyred for their faith every hour every day, about 450/day worldwide-- http://www.wordjourney.com/news/christian-news/contemporary-martyrs-christian-brethren/


We include a heart-breaking, heart-warming music video that will join your hearts with many-- 4.5 minutes long and worth your time to sit back and enjoy it.

One of the worst offenders is North Korea, the “Hermit Kingdom”. Self reliance is the state religion. Any other religion is highly subversive. If you don’t accept the Dear Leader as your supreme value you are likely to experience punishment. Life is about survival. Kim-Jong II, since 1994, has authority over all people; there is no freedom to speak.


We watched a video of a history high school teacher in Pyongyang as he talked about two of his students dying for hunger. He hugged them as they died and cried for them. After this he threw his text books on floor. Each of them had a picture of Dear Leader on them. The Party Secretary in the school walked by his office and witnessed this. She told him he was to be killed before day's end; he believed her. He fled, was arrested, beaten severely for days, escaped by jumping out of a 2nd story window, somehow made his way to the border, and swam the river into China. He's in South Korea now, a pastor; recently he learned that four brothers and his mother have been killed by government officials (see his video interview at www.releaseinternational.org/video

As he speaks there is no sense of this man feeling sorry for himself. He asks for prayer for food for the people there. Most Christians’ teeth are rotting, falling out due to lack of nutrition. He also asks we pray for  people might continue to have hope in Jesus--that they don’t give up. Pray North Korean guards would stop shooting escapees with high power rifles using sniper scopes as they climb out of the river in Chinese territory. Pray for effective lobbying for the North Korean ambassador in London by signing a petition for human rights improvements (sign it online by clicking on www.releaseinternational.org/current).

We listened to many other stories of people who are persecuted for their faith in countries around the world—Egypt, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Sudan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Prison, discrimination, loss of voting rights, property rights, rationing rights, death--this is the daily life of millions of Christians. We were told that among the persecuted there is a saying, “Every believer, a disciple; every disciple, a worker for Jesus”. We're reminded of our personal discipleship goals, expressed well by Ed Cole’s statement:

I am a Disciple

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line.

The love of God controls me. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple

of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or back away.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure.

I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning,

smooth and ease, colorless dreams, mundane talking, cheap giving, and

dwarfed roles.

I no longer need prosperity, position, promotion, preeminence, or

popularity.

I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or

rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk in patience, live by

prayer, and labor with power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is the Kingdom of God. My road

is narrow. My way is rough. My companions few. My guide reliable. My

mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back,

deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of

adversaries, negotiate at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of

mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up until I've stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, spoken up, for the cause of Christ.

I must go until He comes, give until I drop, teach until all know, run

until He stops me.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

        As I was thinking of posting this blog today this rainbow at the top of this page appeared in the sky over our backyard, the Good Shepherd statue from near this week's conference came to my mind, and the lambs below cuddled next to their mom outside our window. Hopeful, I’d say.