Some time ago I stopped to ask myself…how do I picture a true Church of the New Testament to look like today? What would they see if someone were to stumble into it?
The picture that came to me was a church in prayer…but it wasn’t a church as we know it today… it was a darkened room…no furniture…no sound other than folk quietly praying.
I realised this was a picture of the persecuted Church…a group of believers who met together regardless of the fact that this act could cost them their lives. Would I be there?
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In a large city of SE China, a young girl hurries down the street weeping. She has just told her family she is now a Jesus follower and is no longer welcome in her home. Where will she sleep tonight?
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A young South Korean pastor translated the gospel for a missionary to distribute in Nth Korea. Both were arrested…the missionary was released but where is this faithful pastor …what has become of him?
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Two teenage sisters cling to each other as the bus crawls across the narrow bridge taking them from the village hidden in the highlands of PNG. They go on waving even though their loved ones are no longer in view. This village has been home for this missionary family as long as the girls can remember but now they must leave their family and go to Boarding School to complete their studies. The older sister wraps her arms around her sister determined not to show her own fear.
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A Pastor in Ethiopia takes a final glance back at his two small children clinging to their mother’s skirt as he, once again, is dragged away to prison. They know that, if he’s ever released, he’ll be back leading his faithful group of believers again….whatever the cost…
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The small group of believers huddle together around the back yard swimming pool in central China. They wait with baited breath on this icy Sunday morning as the soldiers search the home and yard. Will they believe them that this is a ‘pool’ party…that throwing apples in the pool for children to retrieve is the real reason they are all gathered here…or will they suspect the true reason?
Hebrews 13: 1-3
Pray for God’s weeping Church….