Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Philippians 1:21

Harold Sala:  Today my daughter Bonnie Craddick, who serves as our International Director, joins me and David Curry as we talk about the suffering Church.

Bonnie Craddick:  David, our listeners might have been listening to our programs in the last few days about the incredible persecution that is taking place around the world and be a bit overwhelmed.  What can I do as a believer to support fellow believers that are being persecuted for their faith?

David Curry:  Well, it can be a bit overwhelming and I just want to encourage people that God is doing great things in the midst of these tragedies.  In countries like North Korea, where thousands and tens of thousands of people are being oppressed, the Gospel is spreading.  Miracles are happening.  In these countries where Islamic terrorism is dominating, people are experiencing visions and dreams and coming to know God even under pressure, even under total constriction of freedom.  So great things are happening!  I don’t think we need to live in fear that God somehow is going to be conquered by the forces of this world.  But they can also take action through prayer, through advocacy.  There are so many ways that people can take part.

HS:  Could you give us a snapshot picture of a family whose lives have been impacted by Open Doors?

DC:  Well, we have so many stories, but I’ll give you just one snapshot of a lady who came to know Jesus through the ministry of Open Doors in North Korea.  Her name we refer to as Esther.  Of course, that’s just a name we’ve given her.  Esther was a refugee, who escaped out of North Korea and was part of Open Doors in that process.  And she had such a vibrant faith for Jesus that she wanted to go back into North Korea and share her faith with her family and friends.  And so she went back even though she was free for maybe the first time in her life.  She went back into North Korea of her own free will, took Bibles, resources, and led many, many people to the Lord.  Now tragically, the reason that I bring her up is just a few weeks ago I received a note that she had been captured and died in prison.  But the story of her life is more than just the way she died.  It’s the people she impacted through her life and the people she’s going to meet in eternity because of the work she did.

HS:  And tell us how people can find out more about Open Doors.

DC:  People can go to opendoorsusa.org or worldwatchlist.us and find out the information they need to know about the countries around the world, where persecution is happening.  We have country profiles.  We encourage people to make this a part of their spiritual walk—that they’re praying for the persecuted Church, that they’re going through devotions with their small groups.  Let’s start a movement in this country, of people who care about their brothers and sisters around the world.  So many times we are isolated here in the West.  We have our own problems and they seem like the most important and biggest problems in the world.  But we have brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through deep problems.  And our life will be richer when we understand their life a little better.

HS:  In these last few moments, what have I not asked you that you would like to share?

DC:  Well, if I could just say one thing to your listeners, it would be that they can make a difference.  Prayers matter.  Advocacy matters.  And when we talk about and share with others, and share in our prayer life the needs and the stories of the persecuted Church, we’re really starting a movement that will, I think, change the way the world views persecuted believers.  Let’s make this a point of prayer.  So there’s a lot of resources available for people.

HS: Our guest today on Guidelines has been David Curry, president of Open Doors USA.  If you would like to know more about Open Doors or how you can be involved, go to their web site opendoorsusa.org.

Resource reading: Philippians 1:12-30.