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The Future of Martyrdom
by Justin D. Long
There have been many plans promoted over the past decade for total, comprehensive global evangelization-or at the very least, the planting of an initial indigenous church within each of the unevangelized people groups as a sort of "beachhead." No matter whether these plans are successful or not by AD 2000, it is certain that they will have an enormous impact due to the amount of publicity and new effort they have created.
One aspect which has not garnered much attention in the midst of all this energetic planning is the reaction of those evangelized. In a large number of cases, of course, missionaries will be welcomed with open arms-or at least, they will not be immediately rejected. In a sizable number of cases, however, there will be a hostile reaction, particularly on the part of the existing political and religious powers.
With the end of the "Cold War" and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, many have thought that persecution, or to be specific, martyrdom is a thing of the past. But it's not so. Although it has dropped from its yearly rate of 330,000 at the height of the Soviet empire, it is still averaging 150,000 killings yearly.
Middle East. A decade ago, Islamic fundamentalists had an uneasy religious "truce" with Western expatriates who came to work for them, particularly in the oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia. They tried to keep the Westerners, mostly Christians of one degree of commitment or another, restricted from the rest of the populace. Still, the impact of a handful of expatriates and a small yet organized church has been tremendous. The presence of US troops during the Gulf War increased the effect dramatically, and the ongoing presence of troops has exacerbated it. But it's the evangelization of the Middle East that really causes problems. Islamic extremists are responsible for a new wave of attacks on Westerners. An increased level of persecution has been noted, with the murder of Mehdi Dibaj (Iran) and the harassment of Robert Hussein in Kuwait. just the tip of the iceberg.
North Africa. The country of Sudan in northern Africa has perhaps the worst record of persecution in the world. The government's professed goal of total Islamicization of the country has led to a state of civil wawr between the the mostly Christian and animistic southern regions and the Muslim north. Government atrocities are numerous, and include aerial bombardment, massacres, slavery, and even reports of crucifixions. Many of those killed fall under the definition of martyrdom. Others in northern Africa have also attacked Christians, particularly where radicals are agitating for civil governments to implement Islamic law. In a well-known case earlier this year, several monks were kidnapped and murdered as part of the ongoing hostilities between the Algerian government and the Armed Islamic Group, the leading opposition.
East Asia. The continuing persecution of Chinese believers is well documented. Churches have been bulldozed with belivers inside. Pastors have been arrested, humiliated and executed. Christians have been threatend and imprisoned. In fact, the new waves of persecution are so rampant that the United Nations has recently set up a special fax line for incoming reports of atrocities, so it's Human Rights Commission can react more quickly to them. Representatives of several organizations, including Amnesty International and Voice of the Martyrs, have testified before the US Congress, calling for economic and political measures against nations that persecute Christians.
Latin America. Missionaries have been attacked as "soft targets" by the various structures of sin-drug lords and terrorists in particular. It was with much relief that the Christian world was able to report the release of Ray Rising, a Wycliffe missionary kidnapped in Colombia. Unfortunately, the mission station from which he was taken had to be closed and moved due toongoing security threats. Other Christian workers have been kidnapped, and mission agencies have had to adopt a very difficult policy-refusing to pay ransom. Agency executives agree that giving in to these demands would only cause a rash of kidnappings. Missionaries going into insecure situations know they must rely on God's help and grace.
Africa. Because of their stand for Christian principles of freedom and democracy, and because of their untiring work in the name of Christ on behalf of the poor, oppressed and persecuted, many Christians have been martyred in political and ethnic conflicts. There are many incidents in Rwanda, Burundi and South Africa where missionaries, pastors, priests, churches, monasteries, and seminaries have been specifically targeted. In Rwanda's genocide alone, half a million Christians were martyred.
Still, in the midst of our normal, horrified reaction to accounts of imprisonment, torture, enslavement, humilitation, rape, and martyrdom-accounts that remind us of the dark shadows of Hitler's Holocaust and Stalin's unyielding persecution of Christians-what is not often remembered is that persecution and martyrdom are the normal state of the church.
Since the very beginning of Christianity, there has never been a century free of martyrdom or persecution. The religious powers of each age and nation battle to keep their flocks sequestered from Christ and the gospel, very often killing Christians in the process.
As plans for global evangelization continue in the next millenium, we must realize the reaction of extremists and repressive governments will not abate. It will continue, growing sharper and more hostile. If 150,000 martyrs per year results from our currently small evangelistic energy (just 1% of the mission force devoted to the unevangelized), what will happen when our evangelistic energy devoted to the unevangelized quintuples from 1% to 5%? Are we prepared for the total of martyrs to climb to five times what they presently are? Here are three scenarios of how the next century's martyr situation might appear:
Scenario 1: 10/40 Window plans falter out of fear. The publicity and cost of the first dozen martyrs leads to fear and a damping of interest in missions to the 10/40 Window. Plans for global evangelism falter, and the number of martyrs declines as Christians retreat.
Scenario 2: Hard effort. Growing energy is devoted to plans for global evangelization, particularly on the part of Third World nationals who understand how to evangelize clandestinely. Western governments refuse to intervene, fearful of starting international conflicts over religious issues, and warn mission agencies that they proceed at their own risk. As hundreds of thousands of new missionaries surge into restricted-access areas, total martyrdom rises dramatically, reaching 400,000 p.a. by 2010 and 600,000 by 2025, but tapers off to 250,000 by 2050 as global evangelization draws to a close and countries, in the face of a massive increased Christian presence, are forced to liberalize and soften persecution.
Scenario 3: the sacrifice of the next generation. With the advent of AD 2000, a new, determined, sustained push for world evangelization begins as a movement of Third-World indigenous personnel and Western youth takes over the banner. Satellites, Internet communications, itinerate tourists, widespread signs and wonders, and a veritable invasion of young people take the world unaware. Martyrs shoot up to 600,000 per annum by AD 2005, and 1 million by AD 2010. The site of young people executed causes world condemnation and is the ultimate witness of their faith. Global evangelization is a reality by 2012, and massive church growth occurs over the next ten years as martyrdom tapers down to 300,000 per year.
Every agency needs to consider these issues, and devote themselves to prayer and self-examination to check their own level of commitment. Missionaries should have contingency plans covering the possibility of arrest, imprisonment, suffering and martyrdom. After all, this was the attitude and expectation of the Early Church, and it mirrored the command of Christ who ordered us to "Take up your cross and follow Me." When we take up that cross, we ought to be in possession of a total commitment to the end.