Around the World

A Devastating Question

Rod Dreier asks a devastating question to Christians: Why don’t you care about fellow Christians suffering in Syria?

“If you are a Christian, why don’t you care? And if you do care, have you spoken to your pastor, your friends, and most importantly, your Congressman and Senators, about it?”

Historic Persecution?

In August, about 10% of Egypt’s Christian church buildings were attacked and burned in a mere 48 hours.  David Alton, remembering the holocaust of the Jews in Germany, calls this two-days of terror “Egypt’s Kristallnacht.”
Christians Eradicated?

The situation in Syria is so bad for Christians that terms like eradication and ethnic cleansing are being used.

Most puzzling of all, though, is why the United States seems so determined to eradicate Christianity in one of its oldest heartlands, at such an agonizingly sensitive historical moment…

Around the world, scholars and intellectual leaders are debating how to commemorate the approaching centennial of that cataclysm [Armenian Genocide] in 2015. Through its utter lack of historical awareness, the United States government may be pushing towards not a commemoration of the genocide but a faithful re-enactment.

Nigeria: Most Dangerous Place for Christians

The militant Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram is still actively killing Christians in Nigeria. Though their activity has decreased since the government declared a state of emergency and unleashed an offensive attack to eradicate their terrorism, Boko Haram is still actively targeting Christians. This latest attack happened in Dorawa, Yobe [state], Nigeria. A pastor and his two children were killed when the church building was attacked and burned.

Syria (and Hebrews)

This story from Syria speaks of how Muslim leaders have issued a fatwa giving Muslims the right to confiscate the property of Christians in order to use that property to buy weapons.  Just as described in Hebrews 10, Christians are having their property confiscated by their local rulers.  Not much has changed for Christians since the first century.  The world is still fallen and under a curse.  The redemption of Christ is still unfolding.  And the followers of Christ are still suffering and groaning, awaiting with creation itself the full redemptive purposes of God.  Christians in Syria and Nigeria have need of endurance, and I think we would serve them well by praying for them in accordance with Hebrews 10:32-39,

32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God,you may receive what was promised.

37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.

38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.