Missions Pulse 10: Nik Ripken
https://davidjoannes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/David-Joannes-Asks-Nik-Ripken-What-Believers-in-Chains-Have-To-Say-To-the-Western-Church-1024x576.jpg 1024 576 David Joannes David Joannes https://davidjoannes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/David-Joannes-Asks-Nik-Ripken-What-Believers-in-Chains-Have-To-Say-To-the-Western-Church-1024x576.jpgNik Ripken, author The Insanity of God, wrote, “One of the most accurate ways to detect and measure the activity of God is to note the amount of opposition that is present.” Could persecution actually be good soil in which the Church experiences tremendous growth?
In this episode of Missions Pulse, Ripken goes on to say, “Where there’s a large harvest, there is heavy persecution. Where there is a small harvest, there is little persecution. The question we need to ask is not, ‘why are these people being persecuted?’ The question is, ‘why are we not being persecuted?'”
Nik Ripken is the world’s leading expert on the persecuted church in Muslim contexts. He is a missions veteran of 30 years, having served primarily in North Africa and the Middle East. He is the author of The Insanity of God and The Insanity of Obedience. He and his wife, Ruth, have done extensive research on the persecuted church and on Muslim background believers in approximately 72 countries.
“I had always assumed that persecution was abnormal, exceptional, unusual, out of the ordinary,” Ripken writes. “In my mind, persecution was something to avoid. It was a problem, a setback, a barrier. I was captivated by the thought: what if persecution is the normal, expected situation for a believer? And what if the persecution is, in fact, soil in which faith can grow? What if persecution can be, in fact, good soil?”
Nik Ripken reminds us that when Jesus said to go into all the world and makes disciples of all nations, it was a command, not a suggestion. NIK followed that command and God’s call on his life took him to Somalia. There he saw death and destruction. Some of his closest friends were killed simply for believing in Jesus. But he still believes that every individual has intrinsic value—even ISIS and Al Qaeda members.
Nik Ripken says that when we share our faith, we identify with Christians undergoing persecution for their faith. When we stay silent about Jesus, we identify with the persecutors of Christians.
Nik Ripken says that great persecution brings a large harvest; little persecution brings a small harvest. When we’re locked away in our own Christian spheres, unwilling to step out of our comfort zones, Satan has no reason to stir the pot we’re in.
Nik Ripken says that he is as free to share Jesus in Saudi Arabia as he is in South Carolina. He’s as free to share the Gospel in North Korea as h is in North Kora. They can punish him for it, but God uses every circumstance to advance His Kingdom.
Believers undergoing persecution tell us two things: they gave their lives to Jesus Christ and they follow him as Lord and they refuse to keep Him to themselves.
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Have you ever wondered what makes a missionary tick? What are the underlying motivations of those who cross cultural, geographical, and linguistic boundaries for the sake of Jesus Christ? What compels them to take such extreme measures and why do their actions still inspire Christians worldwide? In The Mind of a Missionary, David Joannes challenges you to find your role in God’s glorious Kingdom narrative. He draws upon history, psychology, life experience, and powerful storytelling to reshape your perception of God’s unique plan for your life. Purchase this book at Amazon today.
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