Christians around the world are often the targets of violence. But here in the U.S., is that even possible? It is.<\/p>\n
On Anastasia Boylan\u2019s fourth day in the Writing 115 class at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, an armed man wearing body armor shot the professor and demanded that any of the cowering students who were Christians stand up.<\/p>\n
Boylan was among those who did so, and the gunman shot her. She fell, wounded, and then pretended to be dead. Then she heard the shooter say to another student, \u201cGood, because you\u2019re a Christian, you\u2019re going to see God in just about one second.\u201d Anastasia is in the hospital now, recovering.<\/p>\n
This report comes from one of her parents. Others have reported that according to Mercer\u2019s online writings, he \u201chated religion.\u201d Nine people, plus the shooter, died that morning.<\/p>\n
In a time when followers of Christ in other parts of the world are beheaded or crucified for their faith, or driven out of their homelands as refugees, some Christians in the West have been far too quick to use the word \u201cpersecuted\u201d to describe the decreasing tolerance for Christianity and Christian conviction in the public square. And yet the shooting in Roseburg reminds us that, as Paul told Timothy, anyone who wishes to follow Christ in this world will face hardship.<\/p>\n
Now some critics have dismissed the idea that a mass shooting targeting Christians could even happen in America, and some have questioned the report that the Oregon shooter targeted Christians as the eyewitnesses have reported.<\/p>\n
Ed Stetzer, my friend and co-host for \u201cBreakPoint This Week,\u201d offered very helpful guidance in a column published last week in USA Today.<\/p>\n
In it, Ed, who is also the Vice President of Research at Lifeway Christian Research, acknowledges that not every report of Christians being targeted turns out to be true. Nonetheless, Christians and churches have been targeted in incidents in Fort Worth, Colorado Springs, and in Charleston in recent years. In fact, Lifeway maintains a research database for church shootings, as does the FBI. The point is, these things do happen, and Ed offers then what we ought to do.<\/p>\n
First, Christians need to be ready to stand, to \u201cgive an answer for the hope that we have.\u201d Indeed, if the unthinkable happens, are we prepared to give an account of our faith as Anastasia Boylan did?<\/p>\n
And second, we need to be quick to forgive, as our brothers and sisters in Charleston incredibly demonstrated earlier this year. Their response made a jaded nation sit up and take notice. \u201cWhen evil came knocking, forgiveness answered,\u201d as Ed wrote. \u201cThe entire nation was touched by the words of victims\u2019 family members toward Dylann Roof just days after that awful tragedy, offering forgiveness and the gospel they knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
Third, we have to trust God in the face of inscrutable tragedy. \u201cEvil is real and terrible,\u201d Ed writes, \u201cand God does not give us all the answers \u2014 but He does give us Himself. And in times like this, God is all we have, and He is enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Camden McAfee said in the wake of Roseburg, \u201c… what sets Christians apart from the rest of the world is our unshakable hope in a sovereign God who means all things for good \u2014 especially life\u2019s most painful things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, we must call for justice amid tragedy. Ed had some gentle, yet firm, words for society at large. \u201cI understand the United States\u2019 cultural tension in which Christian-held values do not always align with current popular opinion,\u201d he writes. \u201cBut the truth is, the irreligious in our culture must de-escalate hateful rhetoric toward Christians, no matter how vehement the disagreements between us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ed calls on all sides to tone it down so that we can move toward a more just society. \u201cI am not saying we don\u2019t criticize,\u201d he writes, \u201cbut we must not demonize. When we demonize others \u2014 Christians, Muslims, gays, African-Americans or whomever \u2014 we give mentally unstable or hate-filled people additional justification to kill.\u201d<\/p>\n
Resources:<\/p>\n
Calculated killing of Christians in Roseburg?
\nEd Stetzer, USA Today, October 5, 2015
\n< http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/2015\/10\/02\/christians-oregon-harper-mercer-roseburg-umpqua-column\/73198490\/ ><\/p>\n
Girl Played Dead, Overheard Oregon Shooter\u2019s CHILLING Last Words to Each Christian He Found
\nConservative Tribune, October 2, 2015
\n< http:\/\/conservativetribune.com\/girl-played-dead-overheard\/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=TPNNPages&utm_content=2015-10-02 ><\/p>\n
Oregon, We Are Not Numb \u2014 Or Hopeless
\nCamden McAfee, Desiringgod.org, October 2, 2015
\n< http:\/\/www.desiringgod.org\/articles\/oregon-we-are-not-numb-or-hopeless ><\/p>\n
Death in a classroom: Oregon shooter targeted his English class
\nMichael Muskal, Richard Winton and Marisa Gerber, LA Times, October 2, 2015
\n< http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/nation\/la-na-oregon-shooting-20151002-story.html ><\/p>\n
________<\/p>\n
Copyright (c) 2015 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. “BreakPoint” is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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