Letter to Colombian pastors

This letter was in response to Open Doors USA's request to have letters written to the persecuted Christian pastors in Colombia.

Dear Brothers,

It is my great joy to "be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours." Though I am saddened by the continued unrest and war in your area, I am honored to be in the fight with you.

And, you are in the fight. The unfortunate truth is that the US is behind the times when it comes to being in your position. We have traditionally called it "being blessed." While many enjoy that sentiment, I think the truth is that we are coming out of a Catholic-dominated culture, an ecumenical bent that has seen Evangelicals and Catholics together. That has been the protestant mistake. While we do not wish to be at war with our Catholic neighbors, we are not ministry partners with them. Why do I say this? Because we are just now in the last couple of decades beginning to take stands against any false teaching that would steal sheep from the flock.

With the coming economic collapse and the emboldening of Bible-believing Christians, we will begin to see the sheep truly separated from the goats. I have heard that some in less fortunate countries have prayed for US Christians to begin to experience a taste of the persecution that you all face in order to awaken the sleeping giant of the US Christian church. I certainly pray as David did that God would "be gentle with his servant."

Jesus said that we, Christians, would enter the kingdom of Heaven through various trials. When unbelievers persecute us, they are really persecuting Jesus. That is what Jesus said to Paul on the Damascus road. Jesus said they hated Him, not really us, so to speak.

My prayer is that God would soften the hearts of unbelievers and bring them to repentance through the faithfully preached Word as you bring them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I also pray that you be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit to stand when it seems impossible to stand. My hope in Jesus is that we in America do the same.

The great blasphemer is doing his work in making Christianity look accepting of every way to heaven. The

so-called "megachurch" in America is full of false teaching in the way of "you can have your best life now by" living like the world.

Do. Not. Waver. This is the same prayer I ask for myself. I am so easily tempted by the world. Sin still needs to be killed in my life. The great evangelists have always said that sanctification comes in part through preaching the Gospel to the lost, whether in sermons at church or on the street to strangers. May our great God and Father do a mighty work through His Son in the power of the Holy Spirit by emboldening Christians to preach the Gospel to the lost. May we remember that it is through our words, complimented by our lives, that this takes place.

May the grace of God in His Son through His Holy Spirit uplift you, uphold you, and strengthen you. Amen.