What's Your Excuse, 21st Century Modern American Christian????
According to one of Chuck Colson's most recent Breakpoint articles -
"The [Chinese] Communist government views Christianity as a threat to its authority. They tolerate churches that submit to government control, but churches independent of the state face serious persecution.
"This year, pressure from the government deprived the unregistered Shouwang Church and its 1,000 members access to the building it had rented for worship. Similar tactics have been used to shut down unregistered churches in other cities. But the Shouwang church refused to cave. Instead of going home as the government hoped, members began holding open air services in nearby plazas.
"On Easter Sunday (2011) the [Chinese] government took action. Police prevented 500 church members from leaving their homes, detained dozens, and placed several leaders under house arrest."
Would the Chinese Communist Police have to come to the modern 21st century American Christian's house to stop them from going to church? If they did, they would have to knock real loud, then probably batter the door down, and go in and wake them up to let them know they were not allowed to go to church that day. So much for the modern 21st century American Christian.
If you are one of the lame, lazy American 'Christians' who don't go to church anyway, there is probably a Chinese Christian who would love to trade places with you: you could still stay home (in China) and he/she could go to church here in America (without being really persecuted).
But since that is impossible, and you wouldn't do it anyway, the least you could do is to do what many a Chinese Christian would love to do but cannot - go to church in his place, out of respect for a brother "in bonds" (Heb. 13:2) who cannot do what you take for granted and treat so lightly.
"Those who practice casual Christianity become Christian casualties." - Bro. Martin
According to one of Chuck Colson's most recent Breakpoint articles -
"The [Chinese] Communist government views Christianity as a threat to its authority. They tolerate churches that submit to government control, but churches independent of the state face serious persecution.
"This year, pressure from the government deprived the unregistered Shouwang Church and its 1,000 members access to the building it had rented for worship. Similar tactics have been used to shut down unregistered churches in other cities. But the Shouwang church refused to cave. Instead of going home as the government hoped, members began holding open air services in nearby plazas.
"On Easter Sunday (2011) the [Chinese] government took action. Police prevented 500 church members from leaving their homes, detained dozens, and placed several leaders under house arrest."
Would the Chinese Communist Police have to come to the modern 21st century American Christian's house to stop them from going to church? If they did, they would have to knock real loud, then probably batter the door down, and go in and wake them up to let them know they were not allowed to go to church that day. So much for the modern 21st century American Christian.
If you are one of the lame, lazy American 'Christians' who don't go to church anyway, there is probably a Chinese Christian who would love to trade places with you: you could still stay home (in China) and he/she could go to church here in America (without being really persecuted).
But since that is impossible, and you wouldn't do it anyway, the least you could do is to do what many a Chinese Christian would love to do but cannot - go to church in his place, out of respect for a brother "in bonds" (Heb. 13:2) who cannot do what you take for granted and treat so lightly.
"Those who practice casual Christianity become Christian casualties." - Bro. Martin