Wake, oh sleeper!

"In captive nations, the Son of Man and those who are His have nowhere to lay their heads. Many Christians there don't build houses for themselves. To what good? They will be confiscated at their first arrest. Just the fact that you have a new house can be a greater motive for you to be imprisoned, because the others wish to take your house. There you don't bury your father, neither do you say farewell to your family before following Christ...As for the natural ties, can they count anymore when it is a frequent occurence that the bride denounces the bridegroom, children their parents, wives their husbands? It is more and more the spiritual connection that remains.
The Underground Church is a poor and suffering church, but it has few lukewarm members."

-"Tortured for Christ", p. 84



The Underground Church in several countries are under intense persecution. Orissa State in India has seen more recent violence because the Dalits (Untouchables) are coming in droves to Christ. These brothers and sisters are considered dirt to their Hindu counterparts. They are considered unclean and have been harrassed and and beaten for their faith. To these beloved brothers and sisters, they have nothing else. Jesus is their only hope. In China, several pastors have been beaten and tortured for their faith in the Lord. Limbs are beaten with electric cords and metal pipes. Insults are thrown and slaps ring out. In Arabic countries, it is considered an honor to kill a family member who has chosen to follow Christ. In North Korea, there is a state religion called "Juche", which calls for the worship of the government's leaders. In this starving nation, indoctrination into the national cult begins early. Children are given one piece of candy a year. But in order to get this candy, they must bow and say a prayer to their nation's "gods". Believers in some nations are simply disappearing. Why are these men and women beaten, insulted, oppressed and killed?

They serve a Risen Savior.


They will not turn back to the old ways. They have found something better. Something that changed them forever. Something that made them realize that they were missing something HUGE. That "something" is Jesus. our risen Lord and Savior.


I am so thankful to live in a country that allows me to worship as I choose. I needn't fear being killed or abused for following Christ. Persecution isn't just an isolated event. It's happening in 52 nations around the world. We are called to "remember our brothers and sisters in chains" (Hebrews 13:3). Many of us are asleep. We care too much about our agendas and our programs, designed to keep us busy. We turn a blind eye to our brothers and sisters in these countries. Sadly, many say that the persecution doesn't exist.

What can we as a church do here in the West? We can acknowledge that we truly are blessed and be grateful. We can help these people with donations to freerice.org, Voice of the Martyrs (persecution.com), and several other charities. There are many ministries facing this challenge head on. There is so much still left to be done-we need to be disturbed from our slumber.

The Lord said in Revelation 3:2, "Wake up! Strengthen what little remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God".

Will we wake or continue to sleep? I choose to awake and do what I can.