THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

Paul Marshall, in his book Their Blood Cries Out, exposed the tragic injustices being meted out against Christians in many different countries today. A summary of the book reads,

In Sudan Christians are enslaved. In Iran they are assassinated. In Cuba they are imprisoned. In China they are beaten to death. In more than 60 countries worldwide, Christians are harassed, abused, arrested, tortured or executed specifically because of their faith. 200,000,000 Christians throughout the world live in daily fear of secret police, vigilantes, or state repression or discrimination. These are not wild rumors. Nor are they simply Christians who, like many others, suffer from war or tyranny. Hundreds of millions of Christians are suffering simply because of what they believe.1

More than 150,000 Christians are killed every year for their faith.2 That's more than were being killed by the Roman empire in the first three centuries when we picture persecution being at its worst. The fact is that more Christians died for their faith in the last century that in the first 19 centuries combined.3

Christian musicians D.C. Talk recently published a revised version of the old Fox's Book of Martyrs. The book contains several modern-day accounts of the persecution and martyrdom many Christians have courageously endured in countries dominated by communists and Muslims. The book recounts the courageous story of Pastor Kim and his flock of 27 Christians in North Korea. They literally lived in hand-dug tunnels for a number of years, hiding from the hostile communist government. But as government officials built a road through the area, the underground community was discovered. The officials brought them out before a crowd of 30,000 in the village of Gok San for a public trial and execution. The Christians were told, "Deny Christ or die." When they refused, four children were seized from the group and prepared for hanging. With ropes tied around their tiny necks, the merciless officer again commanded the parents of the children to deny Christ. They told their children, "We will see you in heaven," and the children died quietly.

As if that were not barbaric enough, the officer then called for a steamroller and forced the Christians to lie down in its path. As the engine revved, the church members were given one last chance to recant. Again they refused.

Together the church members began to sing one of their hymns as the steamroller inched forward:

More love to Thee, O Christ! More love to Thee!
Thee alone I seek, more love to Thee!
Let sorrow do its work, more love to Thee
Then shall my latest breath whisper thy praise!
This be my parting breath, my heart shall raise,
More love, 0 Christ, to Thee!4

The North Korean press reported the execution as an effort to suppress superstition.5

Persecution of Christians is a fact of daily life, not only in North Korea, but in Cuba, Iran, Vietnam, China, Sudan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and many other countries around the world. We ought to be doing whatever we can to assist these brothers and sisters in Christ. We are commanded, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy" (Proverbs 31:8-9). The Bible says,

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done? (Proverbs 24:11-12)

Thankfully even some non-Christians like columnist Michael Horowitz have begun to petition the American government to open their eyes to the atrocities being conducted against Christians around the world. If these happenings are appalling even to those who do not share our faith, how much more should they break our hearts?