The Soft Western Church
Manipur Church, India — burning
When your faith is questioned!
Well? What say you?
I’ve often written about the fact that the Western Church knows little these days about persecution.
The Eastern Church, on the other hand, knows persecution as a daily occurrence; an old acquaintance!
There is a tradition, even today, for those being baptised to make a public confession of their faith.
However, before a candidate for baptism is accepted, he or she, regardless of age, must show the leaders who will baptise them that the faith they confess is genuine!
Typical questioning is like —
Have you made Jesus Christ LORD of your life?
When was this?
Who led you through this?
Why do you now want to be baptised?
What does baptism mean to you?
There may be more, or less, questions.
It doesn’t seem to be a very rigorous process does it — and in the majority of cases, it’s not!
And that’s because we are part of the rarely persecuted Western Church!
Compare your baptism process to that of a persecuted Church.
This is the baptism questionnaire from a church in South Asia
- Are you willing to leave home and lose the blessing of your father?
- Are you willing to lose your job?
- Are you willing to go to the village and those who persecute you, forgive them, and share the love of Christ with them?
- Are you willing to give an offering to The LORD?
- Are you willing to be beaten rather than deny your faith?
- Are you willing to go to prison?
- Are you willing to die for Jesus?
That made me stop and think!
Would I really be prepared for all of that?
How would I answer even question 1?
Many would be prepared for #2.
A few would do #3, although the vast majority would baulk at the suggestion !
Everyone would answer yes to #4!
And, if we’re honest, it’s downhill from there — at least, it is for most people!
Our faith has grown soft!
The apostles and members of the first Church would, I fear, mock our excuse laden idea of a profession of faith in 21st century Christendom!
Don’t get me wrong! Don’t misunderstand or misinterpret what I’m saying.
There are many wonderful faith filled saints today, doing what they feel they can to fulfill Mark 16:15-19 and Matthew 28:18-20.
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” Mark 16:15-19.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20.
There are some wonderful evangelists going out into hostile places with the Gospel.
There are many apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers joining the evangelists.
I’m not referring to them.
I’m referring to the millions of every day ordinary Christians, and some five-fold ministers, who have never faced, or even considered facing, persecution of any tangible kind.
Compared to the original Church — we are ‘soft’ — faith untested, untried, unstretched, and often unused!
All of this is about to change!
So, many of us, myself included, are about to be tested — persecuted, prosecuted, and possibly imprisoned for our faith.
Will we stand with our Eastern Church counterpart brothers and sisters?
Or will we bend and break, like a reed in the wind, at the first hint of troubles?
Pray for the courage to do what’s righteous in God’s sight — not in our own sight — in God’s sight!
~ Chris G. Bennett
Chris Bennett came to salvation in 1962 but didn’t begin ministry until 2007 — a late-comer! Now mandated by The LORD to prophesy and open old wells of revival in the U.K., but especially in Wales. He has also operated Healing Rooms, and worked with deliverance teams, all with his wife, Linda. Happily now doing whatever The LORD asks of them! Founder, with wife Linda, of their ministry The Upper Room Encounter.
I have always had such compassionate draw to contend for, ache for, shed tears for, talk to Jesus about underground churches… When I heard they would undercover graves to retrieve bibles and carefully separate the pages from the binding, memorize them, and covertly pass the around to other villages, I was affected profoundly and it never leaves my heart how fortunate we are to have His Word with FREEDOM to live it out loud, speak it, share it… Thank you Chris for posting.
Yes, the persecuted church has so much to teach us about enduring with faith!