Bible/Advice/Resources

By Summer Lane

Photo: Deposit

All around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering. As many as one in seven Christians are persecuted worldwide, and it is up to us in America to make sure we are equipping these souls with the things they need to stand firm even in the face of great harm.

In America, we are insulated from religious persecution, for the most part. We are extremely blessed with freedom of religion and freedom of speech – rights given by God, and not to be taken lightly. But it can be easy amid all of the luxury of First World living to forget how much Christians are suffering around the world in places like Nigeria and Afghanistan.

Remember Hebrews 13:3 says, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

Jesus also tells us to love one another (John 13:34-35), and so ministering to persecuted members of the global church is certainly one of our most sacred duties as believers. It’s so incredibly important to understand how blessed we are to live free, but to use that blessing appropriately to help others – whether it’s by donating financially, giving our time, or simply stopping to pray every day.

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith,” says Galatians 6:10.

To add to this, it’s also integral to note that helping the persecuted or the hurting is something Christians are promised to be rewarded for in eternity. While treasures and money here will certainly rot away, heavenly rewards are forever. “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,” says Matthew 25:40. This is a reminder that how we treat others should be viewed through a lens of how we are treating Jesus Christ himself.

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life,” Revelation 2:10 proclaims, and this applies to both the persecuted and to those who are reaching out their hands to helping them, too.

Let’s come together as believers and commit to praying for our brothers and sisters worldwide, and in your conversations with the Lord, you can determine how else you may be led to minister to suffering believers globally or even locally.

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Reaching the lost in countries rife with persecution

Helen Todd was a child living under the iron-fisted tyranny of Soviet Russia when she received a gospel tract smuggled into the country by two American missionaries. The message of Christ’s sacrifice and love transformed her life. Today, she is the vice president of World Missions Alliance, with a vision for bringing the good news of the Gospel to all people, just as it was brought to her. Helen helps people achieve their goals of going on short-term missions and connect with their God-given mission in Christ. Helen explains how critical it is to give Christians the opportunity to experience the Great Commission firsthand and have their hands in the harvest fields. She also talks about how having a mission-mindset starts in the home, with the way we raise our children and live out our lives following God’s commands.

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and editor who is covering the White House and Trump administration. She owns Write Revolution News.

Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing on women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.

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