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Suffering and Prosperity: Equal Challenges to Faith
A response to Ajith Fernando's 'To Serve Is to Suffer'
To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation's lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent Christianity Today magazine or the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.
As a Westerner I wholeheartedly agree with Fernando's conclusions. For centuries large parts of the Middle East were lost to church and mission because of Islam. The same can become true for Europe (let me only speak about that part of the West I really know) because of secularism and wealth. As Islam somehow was an offspring of Christianity, so the Western attributes of individualism, wealth, human rights, and separation of church and state also sprang from good sources in a Christianized civilization. Now, though, they have turned around to try to kill their parents. Many churches in Europe have lost the strength to stick to the truth if it costs a price.
But many Christians in Europe think that persecution and poverty in itself will generate a deeper faith. They should listen to Fernando. Persecution, suffering, and poverty can be very frustrating, too. Hardship does not automatically lead to church growth or to a purer, stronger faith. The experience of the German church under the Third Reich and under communism, for example, led neither to a more intense reflection on persecution nor to revival and church growth. The churches in the free western part of Germany were actually much better off in 1990 than churches in the eastern part that had suffered under communism. Rather than being strengthened by persecution, these churches virtually faded away.
Which is more hazardous to faith: suffering or wealth? Jesus' parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-8; 20-22) identifies one group that falls away from faith because of tribulation and persecution, and another group that falls away because of worldly concerns and the deceit of wealth. That applies to us as if it had been spoken in 2010 and not 2,000 years ago! Jesus neither glorifies persecution with its fears nor wealth with its worries. Both are serious trials for our faith. In both situations, we need to keep God's Word and bring forth fruit.
Western Christians tend to glorify persecution, and believers under persecution tend to glorify liberty and wealth. Let us not become envious of others but learn from them. We who enjoy more liberty must learn from those who suffer that Christianity is no "fine weather" religion, but one that enables us to endure under the most dreadful circumstances. We can employ our wealth and our time to serve the suffering family of faith. On the other hand, Christians under violent persecution can learn from us in freer countries that peace and wealth alone do not bring happiness or make it easier to live biblical truth. Our faith does not depend on circumstances but only on the faithfulness of God, who fills us with his Holy Spirit, who gives us the power to serve him and to become more like Christ.
Thomas Schirrmacher is chair of the theological commission of the World Evangelical Alliance, professor of ethics at Martin Bucer European Theological Seminary and Research Institutes, and professor of the sociology of religion at the State University of Timisoara in Romania.
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Andrew Smith
Paul talks about suffering as being a gift Philippians 1:29 that accompanies our belief in Christ. To suffer is about apart of our ministry and calling.
Andrew
"Churches committed to programs can grow numerically, but they don't nurture biblical Christians who understand the implications of belonging to the body of Christ." This is altogether too true of the church today. The church is too concerned with power and growth financially and numerically. Of course one wants the church to grow numerically, if those numbers truly reflect the amount of souls and hearts that are trandformed to Jesus. Growth for the skae of growth is a lie to ourselves and the people around us. If we labor for months and one live is saved for Jesus should we not rejoice for that one the same no matter what the circumstances? As to the idea of suffering, I think we must see suffering as two fold. We must see the suffering of the unredeemed world different from the suffering of a witness to Christ. As Sarah's comment just below expresses, God does not necessarily want for people to suffer. That is why we are called to do Jesus' minisrty of healing and freeing people from bondage and oppression. But in doing so, the ones who witness to Christ will suffer and be persecuted. As one's suffering is alleviated another may have to endure. Sound familiar? Jesus endured the pain of our transgressions to save us. As disciples of Christ, we may need to endure pain, persecution, and suffering in order to free others from their's.
Andrew
Thank you so much for this Mr. Fernando. While I'm sure that the suffering and frustration that I've witnessed and experienced as a Christian in the United States in minuscule compared to what you deal with, it's a huge encouragement to hear your opinion on it. It seems like I often get the message that if a person or ministry is suffering, or having technical or financial troubles, then it is because they are doing something wrong and should change the error in their ways in order to be "blessed." I've always felt that this was not true, but it is tiring to hear again and again. So thank you again for this article.
Jessalyn Huffman
I agree completely with what this article has to say about suffering. Christians are not to avoid or fear suffering. How un-Christlike! If we are truly following Christ we will embrace suffering the way he did, with joy and gladness. For the sake of the lost and the glory of the Father, Jesus became the suffering servant, taking on all sin and pain. As his imitators, we can expect to partake in his suffering, becoming like him in his death, and through that exercise to know the power of his resurrection.
Kathleen Devine Linnen
I am trying to obtain admission to Hosanna Bible Training Center. Through prayer and fasting my childhood "want" is still in my heart, and after reading this article the want is there even more. My dilemma: I am 54yrs old and disabled but I do believe in healing which the Lord has been working miracles in me, physically and especially spiritually. Am I too old to do missionary work? I know I can evanglize anywhere but I have felt Akron Oh. is not enough, I want more. I know the Lord's will be done in the final desicion but would like feedback on my question.
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