This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Remember Pastors of Persecuted Churches.
In the past I have written a similar post titled “Remember Persecuted Christians who are Imprisoned.” In that post I quoted a passage from Colossians 4:18: “Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.” That verse is also relevant for this post since Paul was someone who was persecuted for being a Christian and someone who was serving God as a leader of the church.
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.
If you have read my blog this week you will know that all week I have been thinking and praying about these persecuted pastors who are arrested and sentenced for two weeks which I mentioned about here: Pray for a Persecuted Church Right now. I am praying daily for them and talking to others to pray for them. But I thought of them not only as persecuted Christians but also the heavy weight of leadership with being a leader of a persecuted church.
For instance people will look up to you. Yet the hardship faced is no joke. Think arrested and you might be killed.
Think of the weight of a pastor leading a group of persecuted believers. You will have those who will not just stop coming to church; some might renounce faith in Jesus because the pressure is great. Think also how you would feel as a pastor if you know you might be killed or locked up; you worry for the believers to be biblical and courageous so there are believers leading the church right when you get detained.
Think of the weight of saying “Let us meet this Sunday” and people might be arrested, beaten up, threatened or killed and injured.
Think of being discouraged and yet still needing to encourage those who are seriously discouraged.
Can we remember these pastors and pray for them?
Be deliberate this Sunday to talk with other believers about remembering the pastors leading persecuted church around the world.
Pray for these pastors this Sunday. Say you eat a meal; pray aloud with someone about them before your lunch. Or someone ask you to pray whether to open up Sunday school, church service, etc. Take that opportunity to pray for these pastors!
Talk to your pastor about his struggle. Get to know what’s on a pastor’s plate. Then realize a persecuted pastor would also have further weight of responsibility on him. That would lead you to appreciate those persecuted pastors and also lead you to pray more intelligently.
Let’s not forget these men of God!
Yes sir that’s right! It is imperative we remember!
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This is so important. May we all increase our prayers for these men of God.
Blessings.
With so many praying, GOD will surely not abandon the pastors and their ministry, and congregation, Jim. We pray that dispite these events, the pastors and the congregation’s faith in GOD will be strengthen.
Wow thanks for that encouragement of pointing out people from all over are praying. I can tunnel vision and focus on these pastors’ predicament and forget that God hears our prayers and also how many are praying from all over including you in Asia. Thank you brother for your prayers, hope your Lord’s day went well. How was the weather?
These persecutions that they are currently experiencing and how their faith to the Triune GOD increases, will be good testimonies to hear someday, Jim. Also, their stories are a form of encouragement for us. It is not so hot these days and sometimes there are showers in the afternoon.
Reblogged this on a simple man of God and commented:
I think of the Christians mentioned here. I think of the underground churches all throughout Asia, Africa, the island nations. I think of those in nations where “unofficial” churches are attacked by those in the official religions, even state-sanctioned churches. I think of the rise of hatred toward Chrisitianity even in our Western society.
Keeping historical persecution and currently oppressed Chrisitians in mind also helps us to prepare for when we may/will face persecution, but it also helps keep us focused on God and His Word: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (Matthew 5:11, ESV)
There is joy in persecution, but it does not mean it is easy. Let us pray.
Daniel
Amen! May we all learn how to suffer well and endure persecution in the power of the Holy Spirit, in Christ’s Name to the glory of God the Father.
Amen! How is your house fixing adventures going?
We are making it Jim! I was hauling away more wood today. I am just SO glad there is no more tile! I am telling you, that tile removal was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! I will NEVER do that again. I am renovating my Master Bathroom and I am really thinking long and hard if I want tile floor?!?! How are you holding up? Did you preach this weekend?
This is very powerful and very helpful. Your burden is very clearly expressed.
Amen, Jim!
🙏🏻🔥
Thanks for keeping these persecuted brothers before us for prayer. I am praying for them.
Thanks for your continual prayer. I just prayed for your afternoon project. How was online service for today?
Thanks for your prayers! Yes, we had a good service, thanks! The sermon was about God’s justice as opposed to the current social justice frenzy. How was your guys’ service?
Amen. Continue in prayer.
Thank you for your continued prayers Maw Maw. It’s day 8 in jail for them and I hope God allows them out when the government said they will he let out. They don’t speak truth often…crazy huh?
Yes. Satanic mind of leader.
Amen. We must continue to pray for all Pastors and churche leaders in Jesus name. thank you
Amen. Thank you Sheila for commenting and praying. Will check out your blog later this evening after our service and online leadership meeting. Again thank you for your prayers for these four pastors still detained by the government….I’m comforted knowing of your prayers!
Glory be to God. Be encouraged, we are all in this faith journey.
Amen Sheila
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My daily prayers are filled with remembering those who are persecuted for their faith. I appreciate the updates and discussion about the darkness faced by others in different corners of the world.
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[…] Remember Pastors of Persecuted Churches […]
Pray for the church in Nigeria who had people killed by Islamic Radicals this weekend
Let’s remember those in Africa, Asia and Middle East
It is appropriate to make some plan to pray for believers like those being killed by Radical Muslims
[…] Remember Pastors of Persecuted Churches […]
Let us pray for them. Stay tuned. We might be seeing this from Democrats this year.
Guys remember James Coates
Remember the pastors in Afghanistan right now