Don't Try This At...Church!

1st Peter chapter 4 helps to give us some perspective on suffering, and our response to it: 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

Suffering is a fact of life - because we live in a fallen world populated with human beings who sin, we are going to encounter suffering.  We're told that the enemy is roaming the earth seeking whom he may devour - he will bring suffering.   Putting to death the deeds of the flesh and struggling against sin - that will bring suffering.   And, being reviled or ridiculed for our faith will result in suffering.   But, we can be confident that God is working through the pain, through the persecution we encounter - and even in the midst of our suffering, we are called to identify with others who are in need, to communicate hope in our Savior.


In 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1, we see into God's heart regarding those who are suffering:
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater ; 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.


A unique chapter in the life of a Pennsylvania church has resulted in its paying of a $10,000 fine and the youth pastor doing community service so that he can avoid a criminal record.   Said youth pastor, Andrew Jordan had a unique idea to teach his young people about the dangers that Christians face around the world...The teenagers were taken in a mock raid, had their heads covered with pillowcases before they were led to a van, which transported them to the pastor's house, where the teens were interrogated in a dark corner of the basement.   According to a report on the Patriot-News website, Pastor John Lanza contends the raid is used as a learning experience to illustrate what missionaries around the world deal with every day because of their faith. 

One youth was injured in the "raid".  The mother of a 14-year-old girl who was “kidnapped” and frightened during the March raid triggered the criminal case by calling police. 

Dauphin County authorities charged Glad Tidings Assembly of God of Lower Swatara Township and youth pastor Jordan with simple assault and false imprisonment after a grand jury probe.  In addition to the community service, Jordan will also pay a small fine.

The district attorney, Fran Chardo, said: It was an appropriate punishment for what they did. And I’m confident they aren’t going to do it again.”

“They’re not bad people,” Chardo added. “What they did wasn’t malicious. It was just foolhardy.”



There are far better ways to prove a point - this one youth pastor took great lengths to give this illustration.  And, persecution is serious business - just think about the American pastor who was arrested and will spend the next 8 years in a brutal prison in Iran, or the 10 church leaders arrested in Eritrea.

I believe the church is called to identify with people in their hardships - I think of World Vision's "30-Hour Famine", which is designed to help young people appreciate the hunger that is so common in many parts of the world.   Or, the stories of people who spend the night on the streets, in cardboard boxes, to appreciate the plight of the homeless.    We can become so adapted to the 4 walls of our homes - or churches - that we don't recognize what is going on around us - in our cities and in our world.   And, I believe we are called to step up and step out - to go to an extent to love people that are somehow different than we - either in culture, socio-economic background, or living conditions, just to name a few areas.   And, we may be driven to our knees to pray for those who are persecuted, or to travel to other parts of the world to reach out and help lift people up.  

You don't have to stage a mock raid in order to drive the point home - God has placed us in this world not only to serve Him and grow personally, but also to impact the lives of those that He points out to us.