hitting home

The church father Tertullian wrote, 'the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." This topic is very near to my heart because my family has experienced much persecution, my grandfather and father both faced opposition to the Gospel. As I was reading the book I mentioned on Sunday morning, "The Persecutor" it brought a flood of emotions about what it would be like to be a pastor during those times. I often forget how much people have suffered for me to have the liberties and opportunities I have today. It certainly could have been otherwise. But God is SO faithful, He intercedes at just the right moment.

It's a good reminder that what we do on Sunday morning is a privilege, and it is of the utmost importance. People were not so fortunate to have these same freedoms for many years. So let us not neglect to meet together as some have done. It would be a shame if our spiritual ancestors knew how relaxed we are about our church attendance. But imagine if your attendance at church could include a vicious beating from secret police who would pretend to be new believers, yet tell the police of the time and location of the meeting. How many would we have in our congregation then? When I read books like this it reminds me of how serious and important the work of salvation is. Are we serious about Jesus, and the new life He gives us?

I pray that God would grant us a renewed vigor about our faith, about missions, and evangelism even in the face of opposition, whether it is financial, cultural, or personal discomfort. May the message of Jesus Christ be the most important message we share every week.