This Sunday at Church: Remember Persecuted Christians who are Imprisoned

This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Remember Persecuted Christians who are Imprisoned.

 

Here’s a passage that stood out to me that led to this application.  Hear Colossians 4:18: “Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.”

Here the Apostle Paul was writing a letter to the church in Colossae which is located in what is now modern day Turkey.  Paul here makes it clear the readers that he’s now personally greeting them; he tells them that he wrote his greeting in his own hand.  Yet in greeting them Paul said “Remember my imprisonment.”  The verb “Remember”  is an imperative.  That is, it is a command.  Who is the command for?  The verb is second person plural in form.  That means it is a command upon those Paul was addressing.  Note though the plural form which here reminds us that there’s more than one individual should remember Paul.  They are the church in Colossae.  But we today as a church must remember those who are imprisoned for the sake of the Gospel.

There’s application for us today.  I have 10 listed, do you have anymore you can think of?  Do comment!

First off when you go to church be intent on talking with someone for the purpose of remembering the believers who are persecuted around the world.

Second pray before you get to church that God might give yo an opportunity to remember the persecuted church who are imprisoned.

Third if you are in a church prayer meeting bring up the need for the persecuted church.  Bring up the brothers and sisters who are imprisoned as people you and others should pray for.

Fourth if you make small talk with others why not make it more meaningful?  Tell them what’s on your heart has been this verse, that we are to remember the persecuted believers.  Ask them if they know anyone who are imprisoned for the Gospel; sometimes you might be surprised that they know a name, or even know someone personally!  What better way to remember than if individuals are stirred to recall names to pray for!  Consider that God is using you to motivate and stir others to pray for the persecuted church!

Fifth if you know the pastors or the elders for the church ask them if they can perhaps encourage the believers to remember those detained for the Gospel.

Sixth if you do any teaching you can call attention to those who are in chains for the Gospel.  You could work it into your message, if appropriate.  If you can’t do so still consider even opening and closing prayer to pray for the persecuted church.  Or you can even have someone else pray for this prayer request and that way others realize this isn’t your ordinary program when we are remembering the persecuted church.

Seventh print out a news story about a believer in prison for the Gospel.  Give it to someone at church to read and encourage them to remember them.  Or when you see someone say “hey can I text you something?  It’s about believers being detained for the sake of the Gospel.”  Then text them the appropriate link.  Ask them if they have heard about it and/or if they know more about it than you do (humbleness helps people share and plus you might be surprised).

Eighth ask your church leaders if you can have your print outs about believers imprisoned for their faith be tacked on a bulletin board or available on a table that have other things like tracts and brochures.  Consider even the possibility of you writing up hand-written index cards of news and updates of persecuted believers from various ministries reporting about persecution and believers detained.

Ninth if your church has prayer cards write prayer requests about those in prison.  Even if your church does not have prayer cards but have donation envelope when you submit your offering consider even writing on the envelope “Let us remember the believers in jail for the Gospel” as an encouragement.

Tenth if there’s other like minded believers who have the same concern for imprisoned believers have a sign up sheet with people’s email so you can send news, updates, prayer requests and maybe even ministries that you guys can support.