"Something's Missing Here"

After spending one month in Bangkok, Thailand, we had the opportunity to visit a closed country for 10 days to help with an English camp, but our time there mostly allowed us to observe the body of believers.

Experiencing Christianity in a place where publicly sharing your faith in Christ will get you arrested was refreshing and challenged the Christianity I am used to in the US. When I look at the general body of believers in the US, I can't help thinking, "Something's missing here." What is the norm for Christ-followers in that country is much more uncommon here. Honestly, the book of Acts recorded in the Bible came to life for me, as it seemed I was witnessing similar works of God through mighty men of faith. Christianity feels real there, while here it seems to be more based on appearances of godliness and piety.

To explain what I mean, here are examples of observations I made or stories about people I met:

One leader in an underground organization was jailed for sharing the message of Christ. He spent one month in a dark room not much larger than many of our living rooms with 25 men and one toilet. Due to the small space they could not lie down but slept standing. Although since his release spies continuously watch his house (where he houses several university students, some who have been rejected by parents for becoming Christian), he continues to share the message of Jesus with others. In fact, while we were there 2 boys received Christ after he shared with them, and we got to pray over them. "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you [the authorities] rather than God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." -Acts 4:19-20

During the time he was in prison, another pastor/business owner woke up early to drive his wife and baby nearly 3 hours to visit him.

While Paul was shipwrecked while traveling as a missionary, this man and others miraculously survived a bus wreck on a mountain side as they were carrying the gospel, and also saw a paralyzed man walk after praying for him.

Another pastor adopted several children whose parents (pastors and their wives) were rounded up by authorities and never returned. During a meeting we attended, a widow gave an emotional and passionate prayer; her husband knew he would likely be killed if he continued to tell others about Jesus and was brutally martyred on the side of a road when he didn't stop. "For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die...for the name of the Lord Jesus." -Acts 21:13

Unity. Leaders of Christian organizations, churches, and Christian business leaders have humbly set aside their different interests and methods for the sake of Christ's church. It pains me realizing the potential impact of being of one mind and one heart in establishing a vision and strategy for reaching the lost and transforming lives in the name of Christ missed in the US due to our many divisions. In John 17, Jesus prays for unity among believers, and Paul often (seriously, I was blown away when I went through and underlined all the times he mentioned being one) wrote of his desire for this in his letters to churches. Perhaps we need to pursue this with more tenacity.


Forget perhaps. We need to. The Christians in this place of persecution are transforming the country because they set aside their differences to achieve the common goal of seeing the name of Jesus Christ lifted high. I see why Jesus prays for this and why Paul longs to see this. We must as well.

Billions of people do not know Christ, and we split because we can't agree on disputable matters. Christians, we are one body! Let's start functioning as one and fulfill the mission of God to reach all peoples. For His glory and for His kingdom.