For Those Who Believe…

The statistics are clear. We’ve heard the appalling truth and have been made aware of the heart wrenching accounts of men, women, and children who have been forced to suffer through atrocities both blatant and subtle simply for living out their lives as followers of Jesus Christ. We’ve attended the church services where missionaries have come and expounded upon the issues they face on the frontline on a daily basis where their friends and communities are threatened with attack and fear tactics. We’ve seen the Facebook links shared where new evidences of systematic efforts to silence Christians by major world governments have been made apparent as an attempt to silence Christians through means of discrimination, neglect, torture, and even death. For those of you who believe in Jesus Christ as your savior, we want to challenge you with a very important question: “So now what?” If you’re anything like us, this may seem like a daunting, overwhelming, and impossible question with which you may be tempted to shy away from answering. We’re thankful that you’ve found yourself at our blog and pray that you leave encouraged, inspired, and prepared to take action.

 For Eternity to Come

When thinking of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world, we at Alpha Ministries can’t help but joyfully look to the eternal glory that is to come. Scripture reminds us in the book of Revelation that, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” While we can look around and daily experience the heartache, trials, and pain of our fallen world, we are also able to look to God’s word and find comfort in the fact that this life is a prologue, merely introducing the eternal story of glory, freedom, and perfect peace that is to come. While abundance in following Christ is most certainly found on this side of Heaven, and our eternal security in no way excuses us from striving for justice now, we are encouraging you to take this season to pause and express our gratitude to God for the place that He is preparing for us. With this mindset now at the forefront of our thoughts, we can actively engage and challenge ourselves with how we can step in and take action on behalf of our vulnerable brothers and sisters.

Stay Informed

While this idea of staying informed as a way to come alongside Christians facing persecution seems obvious and minimal, we truly cannot overemphasize how important it is. Imagine having your human rights stripped from you, losing your home, and being violently assaulted all because of your faith and the world not having any idea of what was happening to you. The thought is intolerable! By taking the first step to willingly invest in being in “the know” regarding issues that the global church faces in hostile places around the world, you are making real progress in real intervention happening on behalf of those who desperately need it. We highly recommend visiting https://www.persecution.comfor up-to-date news and resources regarding Christian persecution. You can also follow along with our blog, ministry, and subscribe to our newsletter!

Pray Earnestly

Even more so than staying informed, lifting up those in need through diligent prayer is an active form of intercession that persecuted men and women treasure and are always quick to ask for. While many of us are unable to spare additional financial resources, earnest prayer is a sacrifice of what you are able to give that honors God and makes true difference for those in dire situations. Scripture is clear regarding the way God views our combined efforts as believers in prayer and intercession in Matthew chapter 18 when it says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” Exile from their communities, scorn from their families, and even threats of death from their governments are all daily battles that persecuted Christians around the world face and are active prayers points that you can refer to.

 

Advocate

We know to stay informed and to diligently be praying for those facing persecution around the world, but what else can be done? While actively going and serving these vulnerable people groups directly isn’t always a viable option, you can support those who are through vigorously advocating! Without being informed, how can anyone give to help? By speaking at your church, sharing what you know with your friends and family, and allowing the issue to not be locked away in your mind, you will be able to raise awareness, stir hearts, and create a lasting change. There is always more to say in this conversation, and by dedicating time to actively engage and advocate for those who can’t for themselves, you are playing a crucial role in impacting their lives. Scripture tells us in the book of Proverbs to ““Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” We at Alpha Ministries take this mandate seriously, and encourage you to do the same!

 

For those of us who believe and have accepted Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we have a responsibility to stay informed, pray without ceasing, and advocate on behalf of those who are unable to defend themselves. While we may not always be able to lend over our time and resources, there are active responses we can diligently be engaging in on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world. For more information, subscribe to our newsletter and be on the lookout for our continuing blog posts!