I have heard in recent months about increased persecution of Christians in India. This is personal to me because in 2002 I taught for a week at a Bible College and spoke to 200 pastors at a pastors’ conference in Orissa (the State where all this is going on).
I have some other pictures of the students and pastors who attended but will not post them here to protect them from the people described in the story below.
In America we think of a “pastor” as someone who has attended years of College and/or Seminary and somebody who has been a believer in Christ for several years and demonstrated maturity. Many of the “pastors” in India have no more training and no larger congregation than small group leaders in the USA. Using their language, YOU would most likely be considered a “pastor”
In Orissa, Hindu extremists are offering $250 (about a year’s wages) for any Christian pastor who is killed.
I share this for 2 reasons: 1) motivate thanksgiving that God has placed you where he has and 2) mobilize prayer for your persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. Would you join me in remembering them at your Thanksgiving celebration?
Click here for the story reported in World Net Daily.
"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
ReplyDeleteHebrews 13:3