An old friend of mine was in town from San Diego this weekend for a family reunion. For the past several years he has been pastor of a church in San Diego. So it was a treat to hear him and his dynamic preaching at a church in St. Paul this morning.
Unexpected, however, was a gentleman from India, who is also a missionary in that region. The Rev. C.P. Thomas was the "opening act", if you will. Anyhow, he shared his testimony about his ministry taking place in northern India, which is near the Pakistani & Afghan borders. In four years, his ministry has taken in literally thousands of Taliban members and have led them to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! There was also video footage of some of the more notorious Taliban leaders (including those instrumental in killing 200 members of American forces) being baptized!! Keep in mind, these men and women in that area are basically signing their own death warrant with such a religious conversion. And Rev. Thomas himself has been brutally beaten for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Such displays of faith causes American Christians (myself included) to really assess the strength of our own convictions. Because of the religious freedom we have in this great country, it's easy to perhaps underestimate the responsibility to share God's glory.
Yes, this was yet another Sunday where I left church a lot different person than when I walked in.
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