In a World That Trains Us to Forget
Hi everyone. It’s Howard from Open Doors here, writing a guest spot on Steve’s Blog.
Last November, I had the privilege of speaking at Welcome Church (you can listen to that talk by clicking here). During the morning, I shared about Pastor Barnabas and the growing persecution facing millions of displaced Christians across sub-Saharan Africa. His story has stayed with me ever since. Maybe it has with you? If you haven’t seen it click here to watch – but be warned, it’s not an easy thing to watch!
When I first began meeting persecuted Christians around the world, one thing surprised me more than anything else. Their faith consistently woke something up in my own heart. Not guilt so much as perspective. Their courage reminded me that Jesus is worthy of everything.
When Faith Costs Something
When I visited a region near the North Korean border a few years ago, I was shown a secret map. Every small dot represented a hidden gathering of Christians meeting. Tiny groups risking imprisonment, labour camps and even death to worship Jesus together – in a country that compels its citizens to worship its leaders as gods.
Standing there, and seeing that, something shifted in me. God felt bigger again. Not because I learned something new intellectually, but because their faith carried weight. Their discipleship cost something, and it reminded me how easy it is, in comfortable Western life, to slowly drift into forgetfulness – to allow secular culture, to shrink our understanding and experience of God.
Most of us do not consciously walk away from Jesus. Life simply gets noisy. Work, family life, phones buzzing, bills, deadlines and endless distractions slowly crowd our attention. Over time, the things that matter most can drift to the edges.
The Bible speaks often about remembering because God knows how forgetful we are. Hebrews 13:3 says, “Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison.” The writer is speaking specifically about believers suffering because they follow Jesus.
Remembering the Body of Christ
Today, more than 388 million Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution and discrimination because of their faith. Behind every statistic is a real person. A brother, a sister, a church gathering quietly in secret because discovery could cost them everything.
Scripture does not simply call us to be aware of them, but to remember them as part of the same body of Christ. The persecuted church has a way of helping us see clearly again. They remind us that Christianity is not simply cultural, comfortable or convenient. Jesus is worthy of sacrifice, obedience and wholehearted devotion.
And strangely, when we remember persecuted believers, we often remember Jesus – the Persecuted One – more clearly too.
A Crisis We Cannot Ignore
Right now, one of the greatest crises facing the global church is unfolding in Northern Nigeria and countries across sub-Saharan Africa. More than 16 million Christians have been displaced by violence and persecution. Many have lost homes, churches, communities and loved ones. Many are now living in camps or temporary shelters, unsure whether they will ever safely return home.
The message they are sending to the global church is simple: “please don’t forget us.“
That is why Open Doors launched, at their request, the Arise Africa campaign, calling Christians around the world to pray, speak up and stand with persecuted believers across Africa. But there’s also good news. Pastor Barnabas is no longer living in an IDP camp in a tent the size of a double mattress with his family. His story has moved on, and you can click here to view an encouraging video update.
A Practical Response
One practical way to respond, if you haven’t done so already, is by signing the Arise Africa petition and continuing to pray for the church across Africa: www.opendoorsuk.org/act/arise-africa/africa-petition/
Please take action today because, in a world constantly training us to forget, remembering becomes a deeply spiritual act.
Thanks so much for your support, and especially your prayers!
Howard
Steve Petch's Blog 