Our brothers and sisters...updated...again

I've edited this post over and over. I'm not sure how to prepare you or of even my own thoughts.


This is really hard, and I'm asking you to watch it anyway.


You probably won't want to....and I truly understand.


I struggle with that all the time. And, like most of you, the struggle is not because I don't care. I care very deeply...and I'm afraid that watching something like this will plummet me down into an emotional pit I don't know how to get out of, on top of the fact that I feel completely powerless to do anything to change it. And then I'm left stuck.


That's wrong thinking, friends. Despite my best intentions, it's selfish. It also reveals how limited my view is of who our God is and what He can and wants to do....regardless of whether I ever understand what that is or not. It's a big "No! It's too hard!" in the face of our call to bear one another burdens.


This needs to be seen by the Body of Christ. We (I) need to sacrifice our comfort, our hearts and our emotions...for the sake of the bigger picture. The bigger story.


His story. Because this, even this, is part of it.


I don't know how we should all respond, other than to throw ourselves before the Father on behalf of these precious people....and take some serious inventory of our own hearts.


But I DO know that it's so much worse for us to continue to play the part of the typical "American" church and turn our heads when things get bad and we don't know what to do.


And of that, I am so guilty.


Forgive us Lord, for turning our heads when You could have turned Yours. And didn't.

Persecution in India: Francis' Response from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.

The unedited story is here.

***Update: it appears they've either taken the video down or greatly restricted viewers. The original website I saw it on and linked to has also taken it down. It was really raw footage of pastors and other Christians being beaten and persecuted in India...to the point of death for some. Francis Chan shared some of his thoughts.

This is all happening while we're grocery shopping, working, sleeping, watching the Olympics. Our God is mighty to save....to redeem. And we can know for sure that "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

So, Believers, please don't forsake praying for these people. Our God hears.

***Second update: the reason for the videos being pulled is back on Justin Taylor's website.