Persecution and the Church: Why Continual Study of the Persecuted Church Matters

Abstract

Persecution against the Christian church consistently appears in the news. ISIS is killing Christians, governments pass laws that do not permit any preaching of God’s Word, and the media ridicules the “bigoted, closed-minded beliefs” that Christianity offers. Everywhere persecution is happening. The world is more connected than it has ever been before and, yet, many people do not know how to help. So, the question is: what does a Christian do? How do we know that our help will be most beneficial for the spread of God’s kingdom? How can I, as a Christian, help those persecuted Christians in the rest of the world? This paper looks to answer those questions. By the continual study of the history of the persecuted church we find ways to help others who face persecution and we prepare to face persecution ourselves.