Charis » action

more on North Korean Christians

Dan — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:54:13 +0000

Voice of the Martyrs sent out an email yesterday entitled “The Spiritual Battle for North Korea”; it’s also available online, and I urge you to read it. The page inclues a video of a public execution in North Korea; truly, its hard to imagine that such things still happen. You’ll also find links to download PDF versions of two articles on North Korea from the VOM Newsletter, including the one I referenced recently.

the good news in North Korea

Dan — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:16:42 +0000

North Korea’s nuclear test this weekend brought the spiritual needs of its people into sharper relief. Sunday morning I read the October issue of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter, which focused on North Korean Christians risking all to return to their country to share the gospel. According to Crossing Borders, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il starved to death 2 million citizens between 1995 and 1998. Basic living conditions are so terrible in North Korea that many cross the border into China, where they risk immediate deportation if found by authorities or capture and forced labor and prostitution if discovered by unscrupulous Chinese citizens. In spite of the grim prospects they face in China, North Koreans find them a better choice than staying in their own country.

One might wonder what could induce someone to return to North Korea, especially since those suspected of being Christians are guaranteed imprisonment, torture, and possible execution at the hands of their government. The state religion says that North Korea is an earthly paradise and that Kim Il Song, father of the current dictator, is a divine being who still guides the country though dead. These North Korean believers have discovered the true Savior, and they desire to bring hope to their families and friends. Crossing Borders estimates that 99% of North Koreans have never heard the name of Jesus, so truly, this is a field ripe for harvest. Roli, a Christian who has made more than 100 trips into North Korea to share the gospel, said that,

When I first started this work I was nervous and I would be afraid and when I came back [to China], I would say, “This is dangerous work” and “I am not going to do it anymore.” But when I thought of the people in North Korea I changed my mind and decided to go back.

Reading of Roli and of other believers who have been tortured and killed for their faith puts my life and problems in perspective. I’m ashamed that I sometimes complain that a sermon was boring or a repeat of concepts I already know while many Christians in North Korea have only gospel tracts or pieces of the Bible, and yet those little pieces of God’s truth sustain them.

There is good news in Korea: the gospel is being preached and brave brothers and sisters are risking all to share hope. As the world looks at North Korea, afraid of what they might do next, Christians need to look at North Korea and act. We can

learn about our brothers and sisters: Crossing Borders is a good starting point.
pray for the spread of the gospel in North Korea
give to the Voice of the Martyrs “Light to North Korea” Fund
subscribe to the Voice of the Martyr's Newsletter; it’s free and will keep you updated on how God is working in North Korea and around the world

The conclusion of the Newsletter article is a timely reminder of what we are about as we help these bold believers:

We are committed and privileged to stand with our brothers and sisters as long as the brutal regime of Kim Jong Il stands against them. As we equip, encourage and support them, we know we will also stand with them in front of the throne in eternity. The recipe for victory in this eternal battle for North Korea will not involve tanks, planes or guns. All that is need is more believers like Roli.

I pray you’ll join me in serving this cause!

Rick and Kay Warren: taking on HIV

Dan — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:46:14 +0000

Last week’s Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly profiled Rick and Kay Warren and their efforts to combat HIV and minister to people impacted by it. A number of things the Warrens said in the interview caught my attention–

On the usefulness of churches in this type of effort, he says:

Nothing comes close to the size of churches–the broadest distribution network, the most volunteers, local credibility–all these different things that make the church poised to deal with these issues of spiritual emptiness and corrupt leadership and poverty and disease and illiteracy, which are problems that affect billions of people, not just millions.

About the size of the goal:

I think we often set our goals too small and try to accomplish them too quickly. This is not something we intend to do in five years or 10 years.

Regarding churches and World AIDS Day, she says,

Do you know how completely out of the ordinary it is for a church to be full on World AIDS Day saying, “We care about people who are HIV positive”? It’s amazing. Amazing.

And on how God spoke to his heart:

So, I wasn’t wasting my life, but God just said, “Rick, you don’t care about the people I care about the most. I care about the poor and the sick, and the needy, and the oppressed.” And I said, “God I’m sorry, and I will use whatever affluence or influence you give me to speak up for those who have neither.”

When I read this interview, my first thought was “Yes! This is exactly what God’s people and churches should be about: using their resources to minister to those most in need.”

are you willing to speak?

Dan — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 18:17:54 +0000

Aimee Milburn of Historical Christian writes powerfully about the consequences of silence from those of us who believe:

We usually think of martyrdom as occurring because the martyr refused to renounce faith in Christ, and this has often been the case in history. But St. Bede the Venerable, in this morning’s office of readings, gives a different view, in his commentary on St. John the Baptist: “His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth.”

Only that he should keep silent about the truth. Is that not what we are being asked to do today, in the public square? Keep silent?

Silence about the truth is death, spiritual death, the death of the soul, a creeping, invisible death in which those who are living in darkness, in the death of sin, are kept in darkness and sin, and so dead to the truth, dead to Life. And death takes root, and spreads, when truth is silenced.

As I noted recently, it’s time to speak, time to take action. I’ve been thinking alot lately about how far I can go in my classes to speak the truth: I pray for my students, but can I also be more direct? It’s a sticky issue teaching at a public university, but I suspect that I can be more bold, more forthright than I have been in the past. I pray for the Holy Spirit to show me the opportunities and to strengthen my courage to be like John the Baptist.

action: first steps

Dan — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 15:53:27 +0000

In yesterday's post, I talked about the need to pray for our culture, and I promised to offer some ways to act.

First, pray.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

This passage is often quoted, so much so that when I see it or hear it, my first response is “It’s that pray for the nation passage.” That’s sad, both because it reflects a lack of reverence for God’s word on my part, and because I’m missing its awesome promise. This is God speaking here, pledging to Solomon to bring salvation and healing–the very things our culture needs. I encourage you to meditate on this passage, hide its promise in your heart, and seek God to honor His word.

Second, become an activist. This word tends to conjure up images of picketing and marching, both of which are appropriate responses at times. But you don’t have to take to the streets to make a difference. I’ve been a member of One Million Dads for a couple of years, and it’s been an easy way to bring about visible change. For instance, this summer OMD and others have conducted a campaign asking companies to withdraw their advertising from F/X shows like Rescue Me and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This campaign made national news a few weeks ago when T-Mobile’s president, Robert Dotson, watched the programming his company sponsored and ordered a stop to advertising for these shows. I should note that I don’t participate in every campaign that OMD sponsors; they have supported some legislative proposals that I thought were unnecessary, and I’ve even written them a few times to say so. But it’s not all-or-nothing; I can support their core goals and get behind the campaigns that I agree with. The important thing is that I’ve done something.

Here are other organizations that are active in changing our culture and media; perhaps one of them will be a good fit for you:

The Parents Television Council “was founded in 1995 to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media.”
Morality in Media “was established in New York City in 1962 to combat pornography. Now national in scope, MIM works to inform citizens and public officials about the harms of pornography and about what they can do through law to protect their communities and children. MIM also works to maintain standards of decency on TV and in other media.”
National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families: their mission is “To move the people of God to embrace, live out, preserve and advance the biblical truth of sexuality.”
One Million Dads, One Million Moms, and One Million Youth: these three organizations are part of the American Family Association, which works to combat offensive media.
Battle Cry: founded by Ron Luce of Teen Mania Ministries, Battle Cry is building a coalition of churches and Christians to battle for the young people of the United States.

Third, watch where your money goes. As I noted back in “vote with your wallet,” when we support family-oriented, positive media with our purchases, we are giving incentive to businesses to produce more of the same. Businesses want profits; they will follow the dollars.

I would love to hear ways that you have found to make a difference; share your experiences in the comments.

help persecuted Christians

Dan — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 02:12:19 +0000

While the world focuses its attention on Abdul Rahman, Compass Direct reports that two more Afghan converts to Christianity are in jail, and a third has been hospitalized after being beaten for his faith.

Christian Freedom International (CFI), also reporting on Rahman’s release, indicates that while Rahman’s case has received international attention, it is by no means unusual. Jim Jacobson, CFI President, says,

The arrest and imprisonment of Mr. Rahman for converting to Christianity is a cause of major concern for all freedom-loving people, but it is the tip of the iceberg. His case is one of the few times in recent history the “mainstream media” actually covered a story on Christian persecution. While we want Mr. Rahman to go free, there are thousands of other persecuted Christians in Islamic nations just like him. Becoming a Christian should not be considered a crime in Afghanistan or elsewhere.

If you would like to learn more about persecuted Christians and find opportunities for helping them, these are good sources:

Voice of the Martyrs

The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, interdenominational organization with a vision for aiding Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ, fulfilling the Great Commission, and educating the world about the ongoing persecution of Christians.

VOM offers a free weekly email report as well as a monthly magazine. They also provide information on how to write letters of encouragement to persecuted Christians and letters of action to government officials. Go to VOM

International Christian Concern

ICC is a coalition of concerned Christians who believe we can, and must, do something to demonstrate our love and support for persecutedChristians. We are a human rights organization for religious freedom and for assisting Christians who are victims of persecution and discrimination.

ICC offers a monthly newsletter as well as the opportunity to sign online petitions to offending governments. Go to ICC

Compass Direct

Compass Direct is a Christian news agency that reports exclusively on Christian persecution around the world.

They offer an RSS feed of their news stories. Go to Compass Direct

Christian Freedom International

CFI is an unparalleled organization that combines advocacy in Washington, DC, with humanitarian assistance for persecuted Christians on the front lines.

CFI offers a monthly newsletter as well as the opportunity to support persecuted Christians through the purchase of handmade goods. Go to CFI

Forum 18

Forum 18 is an instrument for promoting the implementation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and concentrates on serious and obvious breaches of religious freedom, and particularly on situations where the lives and welfare of individual people or groups are being threatened and where the right to gather around one’s faith is being hindered.

Note that Forum 18 identifies all religious persecution, not just against Christians. They offer daily and weekly email reports as well as an RSS feed. Go to Forum 18

It takes little time to be involved in making a difference in the lives of persecuted Christians around the world.

vote with your wallet

Dan — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 22:27:05 +0000

Cultural critic Marc Newman makes a compelling argument for the power of Christians to impact Hollywood. In “The Academy Awards: Whose Vote Really Counts,” he discusses this years Oscar contenders and their monetary value to the studios. He writes:

The collective domestic box office of all five Best Picture nominees currently stands at about $230 million. That is nearly the domestic gross of The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe–if you are willing to knock off $50 million from Narniaâ€™s take to date. Hollywood has a name for these huge hits–tent poles. They are the films that prop up a studioâ€™s slate of so-so releases. But for some strange reason, the Academy often appears ashamed at its own successes. There is not a single major nomination going to any of the top fifteen grossing films this year.

Newman goes on to say that films like Brokeback Mountain may win the awards and critical acclaim, but they don’t make money and Hollywood cannot afford to make only those kinds of films. We shouldn’t overrate the importance of an Oscar nomination or win, because money is what ultimately counts–and it is what ultimately gives viewers, Christians, power:

The election that gets the attention of studios is the one that occurs at the ticket booth, where you vote with your wallet. 80 percent of this yearâ€™s Best Picture nominees are rated R. In 2005, 90 percent of the top-twenty grossing films were rated G, PG, or PG-13. Many of those films opened opportunities to talk about virtues, the darkness of sin, and the importance of family and sacrifice.

I often hear people complain that Hollywood is out of touch with mainstream viewers, and that may be true of some directors and writers. Lamenting immorality or violence or whatever only gets us so far. Better to take action: if you value movies, then be willing to spend money on the ones you like and want to see more of. The studios will listen.

Read more from Newman at his website: http://www.movieministry.com/.