Persecution in China

Upon reading this story from Fox news this morning, China Confiscates Bibles From American Christians, I was reminded of one of my favorite books, Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. It isn't a favorite book in that I found great pleasure in reading it; rather, it is a favorite book in the sense that it truly impacted me personally, to the point that I cried for several days. In a day when churches are rushing voluntarily (and foolishly) to the IRS for 501(c)(3)s, and to the states for tax identification numbers, we would do well to remember why our Pilgrim fathers came to this land in the first place. Now that the Christian concensus is completely gone in our own government, American Christians will be in the same situation as Chinese Christians in a few short years, if we do not stand firm and hold to the religious freedoms guaranteed to us in our Constitution.

If I may rant just a minute (it's my blog, after all)...

WHY, WHY, WHY are churches turning to the government? The U.S. Government has never redeemed one single soul! Government is useful for many things, but soul-winning is the duty of the church. So, why are they applying for non-profit status? (Churches by definition, thanks be to the Founding Fathers, ARE non-profit!) Why are they applying for faith-based initiative money? (Remember when churches used to function solely off of their tithes and offerings?) Why are they applying for federal grants? Why are they filing tax returns? (This is NOT required by law! The congregation should oversee the funds, not the government!) If we give them oversight of our money today, they will be overseeing our preaching and teaching tomorrow. Preachers will be prosecuted under federal hate crimes laws for preaching against sins like homosexuality and abortion. In China, Christians risk their lives for the privilege of meeting without government supervision of their church services; in America, we willingly forfeit the precious freedoms of religious independence without even a thought to all the blood and tears that were shed to give these freedoms to us. How ignorant...how careless.

I recommend all my blog readers read this wonderful book by Randy Alcorn, and also read his insightful blog post about the Olympics.