Redefining normal Christianity

A Hmong night baptism avoids police detection. Surveillance fluctuates and the intensity of persecution varies from region to region. Sometimes abuse is incredibly harsh, while other times police supervisors allow the church to grow with little interference.

A thick silence fell on our celebration when we heard the distant sound of an approaching motorbike. I was gathered with some 30 leaders in a Hmong village in Vietnam after smuggling in Bibles for local believers the night before. We just finished a beautiful time of prayer and were eating the fruit of the land together. The sound startled us because only a few villagers owned bikes and there was only a single dirt trail to the village. If someone was coming, it was likely the police . . .

Working with the underground persecuted church has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my Christian walk. It has completely redefined my notion of “normal Christianity.”

One of the key characteristics of the persecuted church is a sincere realization of their need for God. Their prayers are desperate. “If God doesn’t come through for us – if these prayers aren’t answered – we can’t make it. We can’t do this on our own.”

It’s easy to pray continually when your pulse is racing and the pounding of your heart is ringing in your ears. I recall smuggling Bibles and being met by constant roadblocks and the unmistakable shot of adrenaline, which reminded us that this was out of our hands. We could only rely on prayer and divine intervention.

A Vietnamese house church meets in secret. But it’s not all “cloak and dagger” when sharing the gospel in restricted regions. Christians in these areas deal with many of the same problems as their North American brothers and sisters. Church disunity, denominational issues, divorce, fear, and worship leaders singing off tune are all concerns.

Unity

Missionaries raft to house churches in Vietnam. Both the terrain and political climate make tribal villages difficult venues to preach the gospel. Church leaders are often followed by police. Some pastors slow down so the police officer will follow, hoping the official will come to the service and be impacted by God.

Underground Cuban churches are the fastest growing in the persecuted church world. An average church planter plants a fully self-sustaining and replicating church in about 16 months. The problem is that any Christian caught witnessing in Cuba can be charged with counter-revolutionary activities, which can mean a long sentence without a trial.

So the Cuban church is constantly on their knees pleading with God. They also have a strong sense of unity regardless of denomination because, in times of adversity, people need brothers and sisters who would do anything in their power to help – who would quite literally do prison time for a fellow believer.

These deep relationships can take years to form, especially when believers must be guarded in their conversations. Those who work with the underground church often don’t tell acquaintances – and sometimes not even family – what they actually do. It takes time to cultivate meaningful relationships, but once the bond is there, it’s there forever.

Radical discipleship

Another defining characteristic of the persecuted church is the absolute, unashamed hold the gospel has on their lives.

I once met a humble, soft-spoken pastor and struck up a conversation with him. It turned out he was the leader of a group of cell churches with more than 2,000 members. He had been arrested two years previously and had just been released from prison. After spending some time with his wife and children, he had a deep conviction that God was calling him back to the village where he had been arrested. I met him at a leaders’ meeting, being commissioned to go back and share the gospel with the villagers.

Christians of the persecuted church aren’t much different from those of us in North America. They’re not better equipped, more fearless, or better trained. But their faith has cost them much, and they value it to a high degree.

When travelling to an underground house church location, people often take different routes to avoid detection. They also park their motorbikes inside the house so the police won’t know there’s an underground church meeting. Sometimes they even hold church services in hotels to throw off government officials.

Lessons for North America

I believe God wants to introduce us to this kind of “normal Christianity.” It’s actually pretty radical if we read Mark 16. And the persecuted church can help us understand what that means.

One Vietnamese pastor said, “We deal with imprisonments and persecutions, but in North America the church deals with temptation.”

Now this was the sin of your sisters Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me (Ezekiel 16:49–50).

Do not confuse average with normal. Love deeply and recklessly. Choose to turn church acquaintances into brothers and sisters in Christ. Trade smooth knees and infrequent prayers for knees of faith. Be dedicated and tenacious. Transform fear of what others think into to the freedom of living for God’s approval.

Brian McCullough (a pseudonym) is a project manager for International Christian Response, an organization that has partnered with MBMS International in Africa.