Commentary on VOM's Special Issue 2006

     I was just reading my newest Voice Of the Martyrs (VOM) magazine (The Voice of the Martyrs Special Issue 2006) and I found something very interesting and thought provoking. This is what Tom White, the Director of VOM, said:

"Only Christians hold the answer for breaking the spirit of hatred wherever it exists. In John R. Bradley's book, Saudi Arabia Exposed, this secular reporter, who was allowed to travel around the country, writes about Muslims hating Muslims. There is no love. Mosques are burned with gasoline by other Muslim factions. Tribe hates tribe. Ismaeli high school students are given 800 lashes and four years in prison for expressing different views of Islamic doctrine. We forget the answer to this chaos is very simple. Jesus can save us. We all need teh Redeemer. Today many Saudis, Iranians and others are coming to Christ."

     This was very interesting for me to read. I immediately thought of all the factions in our country over differing doctrines (we call them denominiations). I thought of all the splits in churches because there is no love. The church of Christ in these countries of persecution seems to be more pure. They're not bickering over the newest revelations or demanding that every Christian follow puritan ways. They're just simply teaching about Jesus and watching Him change their world. Another thing I notice about these Christians is that they don't wait to share their faith. They don't look around at others who "just have that gift". They take it upon themselves and preach the gospel. They are filled with hope and joy and are eager to share that with everyone they meet. That's amazing to me. A part of me wishes I were able to experience their way of Christianity and leave the U.S. brand alone. The U.S. seems to be too comfortable. God warned the Isrealites about getting too comfortable in the lands they were in because then He knew they would forget Him. These Christians in foreign countries facing persecution seem never to forget Him. He's their constant source. Being perseucted and in a third world country seeems to have heightened their trust and dependence on God. We in America think we can do everything ourselves (that's why we fight for our "rights"). There's so much in American culture today that pulls at our dependence on God. I long for the purity in needing God for everything.

9:54 AM - Dec. 31, 2005 - post comment

Missionaries

Persecution