Monday, October 19, 2009

The Importance of the Pastor in Promoting the Persecuted Church

VOMC CEO, Glenn Penner briefly shares how important the role of the pastor is in helping raise awareness of persecution in the local church.

4 comments:

Todd Lambert said...

great video

Anonymous said...

Wow, Glenn, if only I had the space to share with you what your ministry has done for my life -- what you are saying about being aware of the persecuted church really hit home.

I first started praying for the Persecuted church when Greg Musselman (I believe it was him) came to our church, can't even remember how long ago it was, but between five & ten....I signed up for your magazine and then your email updates as soon as you offered them.... Reading about the persecuted church and praying for my brothers and sisters have opened my eyes to so much more of Christ than ever before.

Yes, of course, God has been using many other avenues to instruct me, and guide me into a deeper relationship with Him, but He has used your ministry and the persecuted church most of all. And for that I thank you and my persecuted brothers and sisters.

I have learned that my prayers matter; I have learned not to be selfish in my prayers; I have learned that if I'm hurting or feeling sad or anxious in some way there is probably someone else in my family of God who is feeling the same way and needs my prayers, so instead of praying for myself, I pray for them and my own problem fades away. I have learned to take them down from the pedestal, because they are real people with the same insecurities and struggles as I have, and therefore needing the same prayers that I need; and that also encourages me, cuz then I have more assurance that the Holy Spirit will be there when *I* need Him, too. I have learned not to pity, but to support -- they have truly become my brothers and sisters, and I can't wait to meet them some day.

And Glenn, your book.... I'm not finished yet, but, WOW.... When I started reading your book, I was just starting on a very slow and contemplative reading of Psalms (reading one Psalm from three different versions each day) and I found myself using many of them to actually pray for and with the persecuted church! I found they made so much more sense to me (I've never been fond of poetry, until now... :)) when I read them in light of persecution. I have found myself reading the whole Bible from a different perspective now.

I have found myself looking at my whole Christian life from a different perspective now.... whenever I start to pray, I first make sure it's Scripture, and not "tradition" from my "charismatic/pentecostal" background. And forgiveness has become a huge part of those prayers.... How the stories of forgiveness touch my heart and exhort me to do the same.

I'm sorry, already this has become too long and I've only just begun. Thank you again for Voice of the Martyrs Canada and for my persecuted brothers and sisters. I have so much more to learn and I pray to our Father I would be receptive.

The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Num 6:24-26 NKJV

Glenn Penner said...

Thank you so very much for your kind comments and encouraging words!

Anonymous said...

Keep up the Great work... God bless and have a great week!!