If you follow the work of the Danish European Mission, you quickly realize that the number of persecuted Christians is large. The interesting thing is that where there is persecution, there is often growth in the church.
In Denmark, we suffer from an understanding of Christianity where discipleship must not cost anything special. We are very good at adapting the Bible's messages in a way that doesn't interfere with our comfort and all-consuming materialism. We make grace cheap.
The problem is that it clashes with Jesus' teaching about the cross and God's promises of support and growth. How can we meet his power if we close ourselves off to the possibilities beforehand? God's power unfolds in our powerlessness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
We need the persecuted Christians to teach us about the power of God. We need them as role models, for their friendships and experiences to help us overcome our spiritual dullness and blindness. When we think about mission, we should not think only one way. We have a lot to learn from them.
Peter Edlef Nissen is a divisional missionary in Lutheran Mission.
