Persecution does not take a day off. Refugees seeking asylum from their murderous persecutors are always on the run. When not running for their life, they are crossing fortified borders and dangerous waters in search of a safe place. Here in the USA, the Church designates one day, First Sunday in November, as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP for the PC); that day Elder Mark Finley led us in prayer. Next month we extend our concern for persecuted believers as we allocate our year-end gifts in the Generosity Campaign, some of which will support one particular group of persecuted believers on the run—the Rohingya refugees.
The plight of Rohingya people fleeing persecution in Myanmar is captured in several images from TIME magazine. See the photo essay here.
This is the second of a series of posts expanding on my Pastoral Letter post based on my sermon from June 28th. In my last post, I spoke to people who have trouble understanding why some think that the recent US Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage is a big deal. In this post, I’m addressing those who do consider it a big deal and struggle to understand the perspectives of others, including other Christians.
We must understand the perspectives of others assessing this situation from different vantage points.
It’s clear to everyone who’s been paying attention that there are a lot of different opinions on the subject of the US Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. I can’t address the nuances of each, but I’d like to give attention to three general perspectives that are important for us to understand and engage in a Godly way. That means that, instead of talking past or over them, we need to wrestle honestly with what they’re saying and why, and we must interact with them lovingly and critically, being diligent to invite Biblical truth to shed light on the subject. Continue reading Pastoral Letter Extended 2: Perspectives and Perceptions→
Currently at High Point, we are looking at the beginning of the book of Acts to understand what the “normal” Christian life is. This past Sunday, Nic gave us much food for thought on the subject of persecution. We looked at how persecution is part of the “new normal” for anyone who has accepted Jesus as their rescuer and undisputed ruler. We don’t need to look far to find evidence of this. Acts is filled with examples of persecution and abuse directed toward believers because they were faithful to speak out about the truth about Jesus.
This post is full of resources to help you look further into the topic of the Church and Society and for you to know what sources I’m using besides the Bible, thinking, conversation, prayer, and the personal disciplines. You can see my reading list below the list of resources. Feel free to comment on the series, the topic and offer your recommendations below.
Engage & Equip 