I am certain if I took a survey on whether you thought you were ready to face persecution that the answer would be no.  It is not as if we have not been warned.    

^ESV  2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

 We should not be surprised as our Lord was clear with his disciples.  

^ESV  John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…

 We know on paper, the Bible’s paper, that suffering, and persecution are coming.  The reality of suffering according to Scripture is what validates that we are true believers and genuinely different from this world.  

My question, like yours, is wondering what the next few months or years might bring in terms of what we may face as we speak the name of Christ out loud. It still seems surreal to imagine losing anything for merely being a Christian.  Far and away, I have not only lived in a religiously free society but a country where Christianity was the predominant religion.  Certainly, you would see Catholic Churches and synagogues here and there on street corners as we drive by.  From time to time, you would also see cult groups like a Masonic lodge or a Mormon church in the city where you live.  Still, these have been the exceptions, not the rule.  Most often Christian churches have been the norm.  Things seem suddenly different, so what has changed? 

First, note that this change is not structural. Christian churches are still around, and I think will be for the foreseeable future but the change I am addressing is a changing landscape of a spiritual nature.  It used to be that you might differentiate between a strong church and a weak church based on where they placed their doctrinal accent marks.  For instance, what a preacher was willing to say about Jesus, the Scripture, Heaven, sin, and Hell.  Also, what a church was willing to do, like exercising church discipline on a straying Christian. I mean to say that for the most part Christian churches have subscribed to a generic gospel-based doctrinal statement and preached basic Christian truths to affect people’s behaviors.  To try and help people to live a better life etc.   

So, I conclude the difference between a strong and weak church comes down to what truths and practices are emphasized or not. For instance, a weak church might emphasize reaching out to help a neighbor or just live morally within the community.  A stronger church would be known for teaching and preaching truths as they are laid out in Scripture.  Talking about sin and the need for repentance to be saved and to grow. A weaker church may emphasize program-driven strategies that are meant to draw people into their fellowship.  A stronger church may emphasize the absolute sufficiency and authority of God’s Word, the narrow road to heaven that is only by grace and through faith in Christ; fellowship built on one reality, knowing and loving Jesus.  

So, what has changed or has been changing in our world?  One thing.  There is, borrowing from Winston Churchill, “A Gathering Storm.”  The real potential of persecution to either regulate the Christian message or affect the church’s ability to freely gather for worship. The big picture is that most churches will be able to meet as long as they are willing to not say certain truths.  If they will practically erase half of their Bibles and not call out sins like homosexuality or same-sex marriage.  If the church will simply allow into the church who openly practice immorality with no consequence of accountability, persecution will not come.  Bottom line.  

By contrast, gathering under the real accountability of the Word of God will increasingly be dangerous. Saying all of what the Bible both commands to affirm and reject offends.  Saying, Jesus is the only way to Heaven and that true marriage is solely between a man and woman offends.  Homosexuality is sin and these are plain and clear Bible convictions.  The straightforward teaching of Scripture will increasingly be erased from pulpits that simply want to avoid persecution.   

About a month ago, a TMS graduate, James Coates, who pastors in Alberta, Canada was taken away in bonds for gathering his church for worship and preaching.  It was his conviction to stay open and preach, so he did.  James is presently in jail, currently separated from his wife and children for taking a stand for his church to gather.  James was told he would be released if his church would stop gathering and is he promised to stop preaching. Admittedly, I do not know all the details of how their church arrived at their decision to stay open.  I am aware that their church remains open and that their associate pastor is preaching in James’s stead. You can read more on the situation here… 

We Stand with Pastor James Coates (tms.edu)

 Whatever your position is on their stand, I admire James’s courage and bravery to stick to his convictions.  This could happen in our country and the not-so-distant future.  We too may face like circumstances where a line is drawn in the sand.  The differences between a weaker church and a stronger church will increasingly become easily discernable.  Dare I say, things are becoming more clear.  

Are we ready?  By God’s amazing grace, the answer is a resounding yes.  His grace is sufficient, his power is perfected in weakness.  Persecution, like what James Coates is enduring is sad but bear in mind that the more authentic the church, the stronger it becomes.