MINISTRY//Blame Jesus
Notes from our 316NOW team
Blame Jesus
Between now and the end of the year, our 316NOW team will have the opportunity to share with you some of their stories.
As you read their stories, please do two things.
Pray for our team and the souls they care for.
Consider how you might partner with them. https://www.316now.org/firmlyforward
Most American Christians don't encounter hostility from their families because of their faith. It's not that way in China. One of our Bible institute professors describes how worshipers of China's traditional gods attempted to separate a Christian mother and daughter from Christ by blaming Jesus for cancer.
During my online class, a student spoke about a Christian mother and daughter he knew. He said their family practiced traditional Chinese religion. It included worshiping their family idol.
He said family members told them that their household idol warned them that, unless the two women quit following Jesus, something bad would happen to them.
Shortly after, the mother was hospitalized with cancer. Her family blamed her illness on following Jesus.
These two women were weak in faith. That made them susceptible to the pressure of their family. To help, the Christians from their church wanted to visit her in the hospital but the family did not want them to pray when they visited.
My student asked, what should we do?
We American Christians are used to having our family support us and encourage us in faith when we are sick or being tested. Imagine what it is like to have your family demand that you need to turn away from Jesus during the test. Imagine what you would do if your loved ones blamed you and your faith in Jesus for bringing trouble on yourself, on them, and to their family.
China is filled with high-stakes battle for souls -- in this family and every Christian family. That's why 316NOW arms as many as possible with the armor and weapons that are in God's Word.