The Courageous Pastors

Now on day six in Southeast Asia. This has been quite a journey. I must admit that I am getting homesick. I really miss my beautiful wife and comfortable bed. I knew that by this time in the trip I would begin to feel this way. Part of leaving is knowing that there will be sacrifices but my friends Jesus is always worth it.

Training

For the past two days we have been training the Pastors. It is amazing how the Spirit of God put this whole thing together. The theme was definitely how to Pastor in the midst of persecution. God gave each us this theme without us even knowing it. It was incredible. I taught three session on pastoring spirit-filled. The team that I worked with has done an amazing job of encouraging and strengthening these men as they will each go back to their own villages facing different levels of persecution.

The reality of persecution

Five years ago a young man in one the villages here was saved, and his family kicked him out. He moved away and ended up marrying a Christian girl. They started a family with a daughter of their own. Five years later (just recently) the father invited he and his new family to move back home so that he could receive his inheritance. The son thought his parents had softened. When they arrived home the father broke the news that he would not be receiving an inheritance unless he and his whole family converted back to Hinduism and renounced Jesus. Additionally, if he chose to refuse his fathers offer, he and his family would be killed. The son turned down his father’s offer and his father killed his wife and then nearly killed his daughter who is currently being treated in a hospital here.

Hope

Hope is what we receive when we know God. Without it we can only live desperate and superficial lives. Jesus is the hope that we long for and the hope that we all need no matter what we are facing. For these Pastors hope is carried with them all day everyday. They cannot go back home without it. This trip has made me realize how blessed I am to be a Pastor in a place where I don’t have to go to work and worry about someone beating me or killing me.  I can share the Gospel freely and my biggest fear is being rejected or made fun of. Pastoring is something that takes it out of you emotionally, physically, and spiritually no matter where you are called. I can’t imagine adding the daily stress of persecution. Hope is what we are all afforded as Christians and our hope is a sure hope. Praise God.

Intentionality

I want to encourage you to join me in daily praying for the persecuted church. The Lord has really burdened my heart for this. We cannot be apathetic to suffering that is going on with our brothers and sisters. They need our prayers and support now more than ever. Let’s be intentional about this and pray and if you get the opportunity come. Just being present here with them has been encouraging for them. Not that I am special, but guess what? They know that we love them as a Church because I am here. One pastor communicated this to me today. He knows that we all came because I came, so thank you from the persecuted church here in Southeast Asia.