1 Introduction 2 Definition of terms - St.Francis Magazine

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St Francis Magazine 5:6 (December 2009)5 Biblical teaching that suffering for Christ is normativeSeveral texts in the New Testament clearly instruct Christians toexpect suffering as a result of their faith. The following passage inHebrews 10 talks about how Christians in the early Church enduredsuffering and loss, but stood firm and persevered to the endin faith.But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endureda hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposedto reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners withthose so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and youjoyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew thatyou yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Thereforedo not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. Foryou have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will ofGod you may receive what is promised. For, "Yet a little while, andthe coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous oneshall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure inhim." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, butof those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Heb 10:32-39, ESV)In Mark 8:38, after Peter's confession of Christ, Jesus states:Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous andsinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed whenhe comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.From these verses, it is abundantly clear that secrecy for fear ofsuffering and shame of being associated with Christ is not consistentwith saving genuine faith. In the discipleship of BMBs thiscost is high and the probability of suffering is real when their identitiesare revealed. Disciplers of BMBs must also remember thatthere is always a disproportionate level of suffering versus risk,usually with the most severe consequences suffered by the BMBand other nationals, rather than the expatriate worker/discipler.St Francis Magazine is published by Interserve and Arab Visionwww.stfrancismagazine.info - www.interserve.org - www.arabvision.org55
St Francis Magazine 5:6 (December 2009)6 Secrecy and approaches to discipleshipSome suggested strategies in BMB discipleship in light of securityand safety issues include:• Teach all of Scripture, including clear teaching on the need tobe open about one's identity. It is worthy to suffer for the sakeof God and His Kingdom. Eternal Life is worth the potentialcost, and one should “not just fear the one who can destroy thebody”. (Matt 10:28).• The discipler must also model willingness to suffer forfollowing Jesus Christ. Even though the consequences may notbe as severe for a foreign worker compared to a BMB, theexample set in the discipler's life is important as these truthscannot only be taught as propositional truths.• Clearly teach biblical wisdom that encompasses all of Scriptureincluding wisdom from Proverbs on relating to others; andbiblical commands regarding godliness, fruit of the Spirit,loving one's enemies, standards for husbands, wives, parents,children, employers, employees etc, so that BMBs areencouraged to live winsome and quiet lives, and that anysuffering is for the sake of righteousness and the Gospel, andnot for bad behavior (1 Peter 2).• Allow the Holy Spirit to convict BMBs of the timing of when toreveal their identity as followers of Jesus, and assure them thatHe will give them the appropriate words in the face of trial.Many BMBs in the course of discipleship, become personallyconvinced and convicted by their study of Scripture to makepublic their faith and allegiance. Often this is a journey, andthere may be years between when BMBs decide to follow Jesusand when they are able to make it unequivocally clear to theirfamilies and the larger community. The BMB has to come tothis decision under his/her own free will, as forcing this issuecan lead to feelings of manipulation. This is especially truewhen the discipler of the BMB is an expat from a ChristianSt Francis Magazine is published by Interserve and Arab Visionwww.stfrancismagazine.info - www.interserve.org - www.arabvision.org56
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1 Introduction 2 Definition of terms - St.Francis Magazine

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