Do You Know The Meaning of Your Name?

In 1946, the year I was born, Gregory was one of the most popular names for a boy in the United States.  So, I was given that name as well as a host of other boys born in that year.  I'm not too sure I ever gave much thought as to the meaning of my name until I was nearly an adult.  I heard pastors talk about the meaning of some Bible character's names and draw interesting parallels between the name's meaning and circumstances in the life of that person. So, after some research,  I discovered that Gregory, my name, is from the Latin and Greek and simply means a "watchman" or a vigilant person.  Reflecting back, now, on my life I can see the meaning of my name has been a common theme in my life.  For some reason that I don't fully understand I can look into a situation and have an intuition about what the final outcomes will be--sometimes before others are even aware that a situation is developing.  For that reason at the end of my career as a pastor and missionary strategist I was often called a strategic thinker by my colleagues.  (Others referred to my gift as a "pain in the neck", but I suspect the pain they were referencing was a good deal lower than the neck).

The First Time It Happens

One of my first experiences with this intuition happened when I was about 13 years old.  My Dad and I were working together on some project and I casually commented to him that I could see the USA would, sometime in the future, experience another civil war.  My Dad's response was angry and direct, "That can never happen again!  Never say that again!"  Dad's grandfather, Nicholis Fisher, served in the Union Army during the civil war and the wounds of that war were still fresh in Dad's mind.  I never mentioned it again.  I did, however, think about it often. I sometimes wish there was cellular service in heaven.  I'd like to call up my Dad and revisit that conversation and update him on what we are now experiencing in our country.  

A Nation Divided 

Today, 60+ years after that encounter with my Dad,  our nation is once again divided and I can hear the extremes of both sides of the cultural and political divide quietly beating the drums of war.  I am no fan of civil war--having pitched up on the scene of some of Africa's more devastating civil wars and genocides--I know there will be no winners and only losers.  Our current President is being impeached and there is a contentious election coming this year.  The gulf between us as a nation is becoming wider.  The dialogue is becoming more vicious, divisive, and polarizing.  That gulf is not about "red" vs. "blue", Democrats vs. Republican.  Boiling beneath the political surface are far deeper issues of morality, sexuality, faith, and theology.  Even if--as my conservative friends like to point out--Donald Trump is acquitted in the Senate trial and has the 2020 election in the bag, that does not assure us of a peaceful and prosperous future or a return to the comfortable and predictable lives of yesteryear. Far from that, it may set the stage for an even more revenge filled backlash against Christians in the future.   

Preparing For The Fall-Out

As Christians living in these troubled times we must take to heart the words of our Lord as recorded in Luke 6:28, "bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." and "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:44-45)  We are called to do this because God is generous in His grace towards those who are his enemies. He searches and seeks out those who left behind a relationship with Him, and He is relentless in His pursuit of those lost from His kingdom.  

God's Generous Grace

He is also generous in His grace towards His sons and daughters who continue to live on a planet in rebellion against His rule. Among southern hemisphere Christians who face persecution a common response to the greeting "How are you?"  is "By His grace..."  Jesus did not intend for us to be confused about persecution or be caught by surprise when it comes to us.  He warned his disciples, "Remember the word that I said to you: But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me." And, later, "I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.  But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you." (John 15:20-12; 16:1-4) Having been warned, how, then, are we to survive?  By His grace!  

But, how are we to do that?  The apostle Paul gives us picture of God's generous grace when he wrote to the Corinthian church, " But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." (2 Cor. 4:7-12) Paul knew this because God had told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

So What Do We Do Now?

Christians in America need to wake up, and do it now!  2 Timothy 3:13 reminds us, "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." These are strong words, indeed.  But, the verses following this warning highlight some important practical advice for those facing persecution. First, we are to continue firmly in our faith. This means holding firmly to the foundational confessions of the Christian faith.  I am appalled when I talk with well meaning, and sincere Christians that are almost biblically illiterate.  You cannot hold fast to a faith when there is no foundation for that faith.  You will be swept away in the coming flood.  Second, we are directed to the very place where that foundation can be found:  The Bible.  The scriptures, Paul wrote, are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  But that is only true if (1) we actually read, learn, and engage with the scriptures. (2) We recognize the word of God as our primary authority for our lives and the practice of our faith.  That is why Paul ends with, "All scripture is breathed out [inspired]  by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Tim 3:16) 

So, what about you? Has your life been warmed and filled with God's generous grace?  Or, is it filled with apprehension and anger at the turmoil around us?  Are you a fount of blessing?  Or, cursing? Have you fully embraced and learned from the scriptures the reason for your faith?  Or, is it based on feel good, cheap grace, easy believe-ism?  

"We Are Never Heard": The Cry of the Persecuted Church

When the Christian faith may be hazardous to your health.

You man not realize it now, but if current trends continue you may find your life in danger for your Christian faith.  I know that some people reading this post will label me "alarmist" for suggesting this, but statistically Christian persecution is at an all-time high in many parts of the world.  Open Doors, a Christian ministry that serves persecuted Christians world-wide, has reported that in Africa--the continent with the strongest Christian presence--one out of six Christians will suffer persecution while in Asia one in three Christians will suffer persecution.  More than 245 million Christians world-wide will suffer extreme persecution. In 2019 more than 1,000 Christians were martyred by Muslim extremists in Nigeria alone. These levels of anti-Christian persecution exact a personal price for those suffering.  Raymond Ibrahim, writing for the Gladstone Institute quotes a letter from the widow of a man martyred in India for his Christian faith:

"We had been experiencing religious hatred from [the husband's employer] and his colleagues, however, we had no courage to register this with police. We are poor and belong to a downtrodden segment of society. Therefore, we are never heard...."

I have worshipped with, and done ministry in areas where Christians are regularly persecuted.  I know the cry of "we are never heard" would resonate with millions of people around the world.  

Stages of Persecution

The persecution of the Church does not arrive on the scene fully formed and ready for action.  It evolves over a period of years gradually becoming more extreme in its expression.  Some Christian writers have suggested that there may be five stages of persecution.  With each stage there is increasing hostility towards people of the Christian faith.  

Stage One: Stereotyping 

A stereotype is a uniform or standardized description of a particular group of people.  In the mid 20th century Pentecostals were stereotyped as wild-eyed, largely uneducated, snake handlers.  Baptists were often depicted as fundamentalist Bible thumpers.  Roman Catholics were guilt ridden followers of the Pope who were unable to throw off the shackles of religion.  None of these stereotypes were completely accurate but they continued to be used in the popular media for decades.  

Stage Two:  Vilifying 

Later in the 20th century Christianity began to be vilified for supposed crimes.  As an example, the Crusades which neither the secular critics of Christianity nor the Muslim world can ever forget.  Christian missionaries were accused of being culture killers who commit fraud on indigenous cultures. The Church is often remembered only for inquisitions and the persecution of science.  As one Christian writer has observed, "All of this has the effect of creating a self-righteous indignation towards believers, and of making...anti-Christian attitudes a permissible bigotry."

Stage Three: Marginalization

When bigotry against Christians becomes an accepted behavior in the society, Christians begin to be marginalized.  Christianity becomes something to be removed from the public life.  The cultural gatekeepers of our society--the media, prominent politicians, entertainment elites, University administrators and professors, the local "intellectuals", and numerous anti-Christian special interest groups seem to be dedicated to the removal of Christianity and Christian thought from the public square.  We can pray at an event--but, are forbidden to pray in Jesus name.  We can speak on a national news broadcast about a miraculous event in our lives--but, without attribution to the Lord Jesus Christ.  We can be "people of faith" inside the four walls of our church, but, practicing our faith outside of that setting is seen as something evil.  

Stage Four: Criminalizing

We are already seeing the criminalization of Christianity in America.  Laws are being debated--and, passed--that would punish Christians who seek to live, teach, and openly believe in traditional Christian marriage.  A few large corporations run by committed Christians have had to suffer government intervention when they refused to provided goods and services to employees that would specifically run counter to traditional Christian beliefs.  Some small businesses have been target for economic sanctions due to their Christian faith.  Thankfully some of these laws and policies have been rebuffed by the courts, but the day will soon come when that will no longer be true.  

Stage Five: Violence

The final stage in the development of persecution of Christians will be the violent suppression of Christianity.  We can already see stages one through four happening in our society.  Will it be long before we slip into stage five?  As Christians we must pray for our nation and for our political leaders.  We are tasked with being salt in this world...and, light in this world...even if it means death.