Who Was St. Patrick?

 

Today many people will remember St. Patrick. This day is special for me since my great-great-grandmother was from Ireland and my grandma, Esther, went home to be with Jesus on St. Patrick's Day. But it has also become special to me since I have learned the incredible story of St. Patrick! 

Below is the story of St. Patrick:

St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint by Grainne Rowland "Watch out! Hide! Here come the raiders!" My family's servants were screaming and running for cover. I watched in horror as my father's land and house were overrun. The raiders came with the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, tied up, and roughly pushed towards a waiting ship. I, Succat, was being taken as a slave! I struggled to get free. I thought of how angry my father would be when he learned that his son had been kidnapped. My father was the most powerful man in that part of Britain. Surely he would rescue me! I was thrown on board the ship with the other captives. The ship quickly sailed away. The raiders began to celebrate their successful attack. I  knew then there would be no rescue. I was only sixteen years old. In Ireland, I was sold to Miliucc, a chieftain in Co. Antrim. I was forced to herd pigs in cold and rainy weather. I was hungry, wet, and shivery with cold. Always, I was lonely. I was a slave for six long years. I learned the Irish language and the customs of the Irish people. I also learned to pray. One night in a dream, I heard a voice say, "Behold, your ship is ready." I woke up and knew my chance to escape had arrived! I began my long walk to freedom. After many days, I reached Wexford, 200 miles away. I found a ship nearly ready to sail. But the captain was searching for someone to care for a pack of Irish wolfhounds on the journey. I was just the person! I was on my way home! The ship landed in northern Gaul, where there was only desert. For many days, we wandered in that desert. We found no food. The sailors made fun of my God. They asked why He didn't send us food. So I prayed. To the sailors' surprise, a large herd of pigs came into sight, squealing and grunting. It was enough meat for not only the men, but all the wolfhounds as well! On the day I walked into my home again, my mother and father ran to hug me. They both talked at once and asked question after question, never giving me time to answer. That night, I was the guest at a huge party. I was given many gifts. During the next few years, I studied in several places. I finally became a priest. It was then that I was given the name Patrick. One night, I had another dream. I saw the people of Ireland. They pleaded with me, saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." I knew I must return to Ireland. When I arrived back in Ireland, I first went to Tara, the home of Irish kings. I asked King Leary's permission to preach in the country. He agreed and I began to travel throughout Ireland. I brought many people to the Christian faith. In about the year 441, I spent 40 days alone on a rocky, windy mountain praying for the Irish people. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick, or the Mountain of Patrick. One day, I was telling the people about God. They did not understand. So I picked a shamrock and showed them that there are three leaves but only one plant. Then the people could better understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make only one God. That is why, when you see a picture of me, I am usually holding a shamrock. I trained new Irish priests, and they learned many things. They knew how to copy and beautifully decorate the Bible and other books. They copied everything by hand and made paint from plants and minerals. In later years, the people of Europe forgot about learning. The Irish monks and scholars kept copying books and kept important knowledge alive. Not long before I died, I built a large stone cathedral in the town of Armagh. I also had a school built there. It later became a famous university. I died on March 17, 493, in the town of Saul, in Co. Down. This was the same place I had built my first church. Many towns wanted the honor of giving me a burial place. So my body was put on a wagon drawn by two oxen. The oxen pulled the cart to the town of Downpatrick. There I was buried. My body lies in a cemetery next to the Downpatrick Cathedral. The grave is marked by a large granite stone and the name Patrick.

This story was found at the website: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html

After St. Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At a time when there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and when very few people knew how to read so that it was difficult to spread the Gospel, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.

We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!

Thor, St. Boniface and the Christmas Tree

When the average person thinks of a Catholic saint, I’d venture to guess that it’s not a fearless, axe-wielding, hammer-breaking, oak-crushing, converter of heathens that comes to mind. And yet, that’s exactly the kind of guy St. Boniface was.

Born around 680 in England, Boniface entered a Benedictine monastery before being commissioned by the pope to evangelize modern-day Germany, first as a priest, and eventually as a bishop. Under the protection of Charles Martel, Boniface traveled through all of Germany, restrengthening regions that had already been introduced to Christianity and bringing the light of Christ to those that hadn’t. Boniface, “with his tireless activity, his gift for organization, and his adaptable, friendly, yet firm character,” found a great amount of success in his travels, said Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

Here Boniface is described (albeit dramatized for story-telling) by Henry Van Dyke in The First Christmas Tree (1897),

“What a man he was! Fair and slight, but straight as a spear and strong as an oaken staff. His face was still young; the smooth skin was bronzed by wind and sun. His gray eyes, clean and kind, flashed like fire when he spoke of his adventures, and of the evil deeds of the false priests with whom he contended.” (1)

Around the year 723, Boniface was traveling with a small party in the region of Lower Hesse. He knew of a community of heathens near Geismar who, in the middle of winter, would make a human sacrifice (a child, typically) to the thunder-god Thor (yes, THAT Thor) at the base of their sacred oak tree, the “Thunder Oak”. Boniface, in part from advice from a brother bishop, wished to destroy the Thunder Oak to not only save the life of the human sacrifice, but also to show the heathens that he would not be struck down by lightning at the hands of Thor.

As the story goes, Boniface and his companions, reaching the village on Christmas Eve, arrived at the place of the sacrifice in time enough to interrupt it. With his bishops’ staff (crozier) in hand, Boniface approached the pagan crowd, who had surrounded the base of the Thunder Oak, saying to his group, “Here is the Thunder Oak, and here the cross of Christ shall break the hammer of the false god, Thor.”

With a small child laid out for the sacrifice, the executioner raised his hammer high. But on the downswing, Boniface extended his crozier to block the blow, miraculously breaking the great stone hammer and saving the child’s life.

Afterward, Boniface is said to have proclaimed to the people:

“Hearken, sons of the forest! No blood shall flow this night save that which pity has drawn from a mother’s breast. For this is the birth-night of the Christ, the son of the Almighty, the Savior of mankind. Fairer is He than Baldur the Beautiful, greater than Odin the Wise, kinder than Freya the Good. Since He has come sacrifice is ended. The dark, Thor, on whom you have vainly called, is dead. Deep in the shades of Niffelheim he is lost forever. And now on this Christ-night you shall begin to live. This blood-tree shall darken your land no more. In the name of the Lord, I will destroy it.” (2)

Boniface picked up an axe nearby and, as legend has it, took one mighty swing at the oak when a great gust of wind arose through the forest and felled the tree, roots and all. It lie on the forest floor, broken in four pieces. Though afterwards Boniface had a chapel built from the wood, our story takes us to what stood immediately beyond the ruins of the mighty tree.

The “Apostle of Germany” continued to preach to the astounded Germanic peoples, who were in disbelief that this slayer of Thor’s Thunder Oak had not been struck down by their god. Boniface looked beyond where the oak lay, pointing to a small, unassuming fir tree, saying:

“This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.” (3)

And so, the Germans began a new tradition that night, one that stretches to the present day. By bringing a fir into their homes, decorating it with candles and ornaments, and celebrating the birth of a Savior, the Apostle of Germany and his flock gave us what we now know as the Christmas tree.

Taken from Churchpop

Early Christianity in Iran and China

Nestorian priests in a procession on Palm Sunday,
in a 7th- or 8th-century wall painting from a
Nestorian church in China

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

Nestorian missionaries

Christianity is growing in modern-day China and Iran, but it is not a new religion to these regions. As early as the 7th century AD, Christianity had spread to the Arabian Peninsula (most notably Persia - modern day Iran), India and China. It was spread by Nestorian missionaries. 

Nestorianism was a Christian doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431 AD. Because there were doctrinal differences between the Nestorians and the Roman Catholic Church, the Nestorians branched out, spreading the Christian faith to Persia. 

"Missionaries established dioceses in the Arabian Peninsula and India (they were known there as Saint Thomas Christians, after the apostle Thomas who is believed to have spread Christianity as far away as India). They made some advances in Egypt as well. 

Missionaries entered Central Asia and had significant success converting local Tartar tribes. Following the Muslim conquest of Persia, completed in 644, the Persian Church became a protected  community under the Rashidun Caliphate. The church and its communities abroad flourished under the Caliphate; by the 10th century it had fifteen metropolitan sees within the Caliphate's territories, and another five elsewhere, including in China and India. (History shows that at one time, Christianity and Islam co-existed in peace). 

Nestorian missionaries were firmly established in China during the early part of the Tang Dynasty (618–907) - more on that below. The Chinese source known as the Nestorian Stele records a mission under a Persian proselyte named Alopen as introducing Nestorian Christianity to China in 635. These Christian missionaries, led by Alopen, established the Church of the East, or Nestorian Church. It was the first church to spread Christianity to China. 

Emperor Taizong, of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), welcomed the Nestorian Christians to China. His successor, emperor Gaozong, was pleased to continue emperor Taizong's policy of toleration towards Christianity. He was sufficiently pleased to permit the building of Nestorian Christian churches in every province of China, and to decree Alopen the title of "Great Conservator of Doctrine for the Protector of the Empire" (i.e., metropolitan Chang'an).

The Nestorians built and staffed monasteries in China's key cities. They were also quite aggressive in their proclamation of the Christian faith. They persevered in their efforts to phrase the Christian message in the philosophical language of the Confucian court in order to make it intellectually acceptable to the literati.

Nestorian artifacts such as the Daqin Pagoda (see picture below), the Jesus Sutras (the Sutra of Jesus the Messiah, sought to introduce the Chinese to the Christian faith and specifically pointed out that the gospel contained nothing subversive to China's ancient traditions, loyalty to the state and filial piety being of the essence of the law of Christ.), and the Nestorian Stele testify to the place of church in Chinese society at the time. 

The Church of the East in China faded with the fall of the Tang Dynasty, but the Nestorian Church continued to flourish throughout Central Asia well into the fourteenth century among the northern tribes, such as Uyghurs, Turks, and Mongols. 

Under the leadership of the Mongol-established Yuan Dynasty, Nestorian Christianity once again gained a foothold in China. When it was overthrown by the native Chinese Ming Dynasty, foreign influences once again became suspect, and Christians were expelled from China. 

One of the last known monuments referring to Christianity in China seems to be one dating to c. 1365 and found at Sanpen Mountain, near Beijing. The monument relates the story of a Buddhist monk who visited the site of an old Christian monument and had a vision of a luminous cross. A nearby inscription reveals the presence of a Christian monk near the site as late as 1438.  (much of the above information came from Wikipedia). 

Daqin Pagoda - the remnant of the earliest surviving
Christian church in China. The church and
the monastery were built in 640
by early Nestorian missionaries.

Columba and the Loch Ness

Columba and the Loch Ness Monster

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

For the past few months of this blog we have looked at a few of the lives of missionaries through the ages. I will continue to do this as I move forward. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

We will next look at the Church in the Dark Ages, from 500-1000 AD. After Patrick took Christian faith to Ireland, 

- Scottish monks, to include Columba, evangelized lower England around 600 AD

- Irish monks returned to Europe as missionaries from 500 to 1000 AD 

- The first Christians were reported in North Yemen and Sudan

- Huns living in China and Central Asia were taught to read and write by Nestorian missionaries

- Gregory the Great sent Augustine and a team of missionaries to (what is now) England to reintroduce the Gospel. The missionaries settled in Canterbury and within a year baptized 10,000 people

- The Lombards, a German people living in northern Italy, became Christians

- A church building was erected in Ch'ang-an (Xi'an, China), then perhaps the largest city in the world

- 680 AD saw the first translation of Christian Scriptures into Arabic

- In 716 AD Boniface began missionary work among Germanic tribes

- Charlemagne, king of the Franks and head of the Roman Empire,  commissioned Bible translations

- In 828 AD the first Christian church in present-day Slovakia was built and the first missionaries reached the area that is now the Czech Republic

- In 912 AD the Normans became Christian 

- Harold I of Denmark converted to Christianity and smoothed the way for the acceptance of Christian faith by the Danish people

- Mieszko I of Poland converted to Christianity and began the period of Christian Poland

- In 1000 AD  the leader of the Magyars (modern day Hungary) Stephen I converted to Christianity

(information taken from Timeline of Christian Missions) 

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Columba (521-597)
Nestorian missionaries
Early church in China
Boniface
Harold I of Denmark
Mieszko I of Poland
Stephen I of Hungary 

Columba (521-597)

Columba was born in northern Ireland, the great, great grandson of an Irish high king. In early Christian Ireland, the druidic tradition collapsed due to the spread of the new Christian faith. The study of Latin learning and Christian theology in monasteries flourished and Columba became a pupil at the monastic school at Clonard Abbey. During the sixth century, some of the most significant names in the history of Irish Christianity studied at the Clonard monastery. It is said that the average number of scholars under instruction at Clonard was 3,000.

Twelve students who studied under St. Finian became known as the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. Columba was one of these. He became a monk and was ordained as a priest. During this time he is said to have founded a number of monasteries. Unfortunately, a dispute with St. Finian led to a battle where many men were killed. As a result, Columba sent himself into exile to Scotland and vowed that he would win to Christ as many men as were killed in the battle.

In 563 he travelled to Scotland with twelve companions and was granted land on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. This became the center of his evangelizing mission to the Picts, a people group who worshipped many gods.

Aside from the services he provided guiding the only center of literacy in the region, his reputation as a holy man led to his role as a diplomat among the tribes. There are also many stories of miracles which he performed during his work to convert the Picts. One such miracle has been interpreted as the first reference to the Loch Ness Monster. According to Adomnán (author of a work entitled Vita Columbae), "when Saint Columba was traveling through the country of the Picts, he had to cross the River Ness. When he reached the shore there was a group of people, Picts and Brethren both, burying an unfortunate man who had been bit by a water-monster. Columba ordered one of his people to swim across the river and get the boat on the other side so that he might cross. On hearing this, Lugneus Mocumin stripped down to his tunic and plunged in to the water.

But the monster saw him swimming and charged to the surface to devour poor Lugneus and everyone who was watching was horrified and hid their eyes in terror. Everyone except Columba who raised his holy hand and inscribed the Cross in the empty air. Calling upon the name of God, he commanded the savage beast, saying: "Go no further! Do not touch the man! Go back at once!" 

The monster drew back as though pulled by ropes and retreated quickly to the depths of the Loch. Lugneus brought the boat back, unharmed and everyone was astonished. And the heathen savages who were present were overcome by the greatness of the miracle which they themselves had seen, and magnified the God of the Christians."  Fisheaters

Columba was very energetic in his evangelical work and, in addition to founding several churches in the Hebrides, he worked to turn his monastery at Iona into a school for missionaries. He was a renowned man of letters, having written several hymns and being credited with having transcribed 300 books. One of the few, if not the only, times he left Scotland after his arrival was toward the end of his life, when he returned to Ireland to found the monastery at Durrow.

Columba died on Iona and was buried by his monks in the abbey he created. Columba is credited as being a leading figure in the revitalization of monasticism, and his achievements illustrated the importance of the Celtic church in bringing a revival of Christianity to Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Columba

Who Was St. Patrick?

Today many people will remember St. Patrick. This day is special for me since my great-great-grandmother was from Ireland and my grandma, Esther, went home to be with Jesus on St. Patrick's Day. But it has also become special to me since I have learned the incredible story of St. Patrick! 

Below is the story of St. Patrick:

St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint by Grainne Rowland "Watch out! Hide! Here come the raiders!" My family's servants were screaming and running for cover. I watched in horror as my father's land and house were overrun. The raiders came with the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, tied up, and roughly pushed towards a waiting ship. I, Succat, was being taken as a slave! I struggled to get free. I thought of how angry my father would be when he learned that his son had been kidnapped. My father was the most powerful man in that part of Britain. Surely he would rescue me! I was thrown on board the ship with the other captives. The ship quickly sailed away. The raiders began to celebrate their successful attack. I  knew then there would be no rescue. I was only sixteen years old. In Ireland, I was sold to Miliucc, a chieftain in Co. Antrim. I was forced to herd pigs in cold and rainy weather. I was hungry, wet, and shivery with cold. Always, I was lonely. I was a slave for six long years. I learned the Irish language and the customs of the Irish people. I also learned to pray. One night in a dream, I heard a voice say, "Behold, your ship is ready." I woke up and knew my chance to escape had arrived! I began my long walk to freedom. After many days, I reached Wexford, 200 miles away. I found a ship nearly ready to sail. But the captain was searching for someone to care for a pack of Irish wolfhounds on the journey. I was just the person! I was on my way home! The ship landed in northern Gaul, where there was only desert. For many days, we wandered in that desert. We found no food. The sailors made fun of my God. They asked why He didn't send us food. So I prayed. To the sailors' surprise, a large herd of pigs came into sight, squealing and grunting. It was enough meat for not only the men, but all the wolfhounds as well! On the day I walked into my home again, my mother and father ran to hug me. They both talked at once and asked question after question, never giving me time to answer. That night, I was the guest at a huge party. I was given many gifts. During the next few years, I studied in several places. I finally became a priest. It was then that I was given the name Patrick. One night, I had another dream. I saw the people of Ireland. They pleaded with me, saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." I knew I must return to Ireland. When I arrived back in Ireland, I first went to Tara, the home of Irish kings. I asked King Leary's permission to preach in the country. He agreed and I began to travel throughout Ireland. I brought many people to the Christian faith. In about the year 441, I spent 40 days alone on a rocky, windy mountain praying for the Irish people. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick, or the Mountain of Patrick. One day, I was telling the people about God. They did not understand. So I picked a shamrock and showed them that there are three leaves but only one plant. Then the people could better understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make only one God. That is why, when you see a picture of me, I am usually holding a shamrock. I trained new Irish priests, and they learned many things. They knew how to copy and beautifully decorate the Bible and other books. They copied everything by hand and made paint from plants and minerals. In later years, the people of Europe forgot about learning. The Irish monks and scholars kept copying books and kept important knowledge alive. Not long before I died, I built a large stone cathedral in the town of Armagh. I also had a school built there. It later became a famous university. I died on March 17, 493, in the town of Saul, in Co. Down. This was the same place I had built my first church. Many towns wanted the honor of giving me a burial place. So my body was put on a wagon drawn by two oxen. The oxen pulled the cart to the town of Downpatrick. There I was buried. My body lies in a cemetery next to the Downpatrick Cathedral. The grave is marked by a large granite stone and the name Patrick.

This story was found at the website: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html

After St. Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At a time when there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and when very few people knew how to read so that it was difficult to spread the Gospel, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.

We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!

Ulfilas - Prophet to the Goths

Ulfilas shares the Gospel with Gothic
tribe members

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

We are continuing to look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

Ulfilas     (311-381 AD)

Born nearly 300 years after Jesus lived on the earth, his mother was from a Gothic tribe and his father, who may have been a Christian, was captured by Gothic raiders. Although little is known about his early life, except that he grew up in captivity, at some point Ulfilas accepted Christ as his savior and began to have a burden to bring the good news of Jesus to the war-hungry Gothic tribes who were constantly invading the Roman empire, carrying away slaves and wrecking havoc.

At the age of 30 he was appointed a bishop by the Church. In time, he left the Roman empire to bring the Gospel to the tribal people who had captured his father. He spent the next 40 years among them, teaching them about Jesus. This could not have been an easy task. At one point he, and his congregation, were forced to relocate due to persecution. 

Not only did he share Christ with them, he became one of the first people to translate the Bible into their native tongue. "Since the Goths had no written language, Ulfilas was compelled to invent an alphabet. He reduced Gothic sounds to writing. The first great piece of literature which the people of these vast nations, lying north of the empire's frontiers, looked upon was the Bible,"  Church History

He translated "all the books of Scripture with the exception of the Books of Kings, which he omitted because they are a mere narrative of military exploits, and the Gothic tribes were especially fond of war, and were in more need of restraints to check their military passions than of spurs to urge them on to deeds of war"  Catholic Encyclopedia "The greatest struggle this apostle had with the Goths, as he informs us, was not so much the destruction of their idolatry as it was the banishment of their warlike temper. They, however, made great progress in replacing their passion for martial campaigns with a settled, organized government and the upbuilding of their civilization," Church History

At this time, Constantine, the father of the current emperor of Rome, had become a Christian and so the Roman empire was now Christian. The Roman empire began to spread Christianity, often as a means to subdue a conquered people. Thus, while Rome may have seen the work of Ulfilas as a way to spread the Roman empire to the Gothic tribes, Ulfilas saw it as a way to spread the Kingdom of God to a pagan people who needed to know that Jesus loved them, died for them and wanted to give them His peace. And, "to the surprise of all, the Goths were won to the gospel in an astonishingly short time, not by the persuasion of Rome, but by Ulfilas. While the church at Rome was grasping after secular power, these churches were alive with missionary zeal," Church History.

Later, when the Ostrogoths and Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 AD, "it was a great thing for Europe that when the Goths poured over Italy and even captured Rome they came as a Christian people, reverencing and sparing the churches, and abstaining from those barbarities that accompanied the invasion of Britain by the heathen Saxons," Church History The Christian faith of the Gothic tribes owes much to the missionary work of Ulfilas. 

Polycarp - Steadfast Unto Death

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

In this blog I will continue to look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

The first period of time covers the time of the Apostolic Church, Christ to 500 AD. During this time, Christians often came into conflict with the Roman government because they refused to worship Caesar as God. Despite the persecution, "by the end of the third century, the majority of the residents of some areas controlled by Rome were Christians converts. (The Gospel had reached such places as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Britain, France, India, Switzerland and Belgium, with Armenia accepting Christianity as their state religion in 304 AD...see Timeline of Christian Missions). The high cost of following Christ was more to be treasured than the Roman sword," Foxes Voices of the Martyrs. And God brought great good out of this persecution because as persecution arose in one area, Christians would flee to other regions, thus spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Ignatius of Antioch (30-107 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna (70-155 AD)

Ulfilas (311-381 AD)

Patrick (389-461 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna     (70-155 AD)

"Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"

Polycarp is a celebrated figure in the history of Christianity. A direct pupil of the apostle John, Polycarp lived between 70 and 155 A.D., connecting him to both the biblical apostles and the age of the early church fathers. Several ancient sources document the contributions of Polycarp to Christianity, including his letters written to the church at Philippi, in which he encourages the members to remain strong in their faith and to flee from materialism. He may have been the one who compiled, edited, and published the New Testament. All of this makes his writings of great interest.

Polycarp served as the bishop of the church at Smyrna (modern day Izmir, Turkey), and was recognized as one of the early combatants of Christian heresies. He lived in an age after the deaths of the apostles, when a variety of interpretations of the sayings of Jesus were being preached. His role was to authenticate orthodox teachings through his reputed connection with the apostle John. He rejected the teachings of Marcion, an influential heretic who tried to create a "new brand" of Christianity by redefining God and rejecting Old Testament teachings. In his well-known thesis, Polycarp combats Gnostic heresies that were beginning to spread throughout the Christian church.

Polycarp's greatest contribution to Christianity may be his martyred death. His martyrdom stands as one of the most well documented events of antiquity. The emperors of Rome had unleashed bitter attacks against the Christians during this period, and members of the early church recorded many of the persecutions and deaths. Polycarp was arrested on the charge of being a Christian -- a member of a politically dangerous cult whose rapid growth needed to be stopped. Amidst an angry mob, the Roman proconsul took pity on such a gentle old man and urged Polycarp to proclaim, "Caesar is Lord". If only Polycarp would make this declaration and offer a small pinch of incense to Caesar's statue he would escape torture and death. To this Polycarp responded, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" Steadfast in his stand for Christ, Polycarp refused to compromise his beliefs, and thus, was burned alive at the stake.

Polycarp's martyrdom is historical reality. He died for one reason - his unyielding faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet Polycarp's well-recorded death is only one of many lives that were given to reveal and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. In light of the cruel and torturous deaths of the first and second generation Christians, all theories that Christianity is a fabricated myth, created for the personal gain of its followers, must be rejected. Even today, many will die for a belief, but none will die for a lie. God allows the deaths of His saints not because He is a helpless or indifferent Lord, but because their deaths are powerful declarations of the free gift of life that is offered to us through the Person of Jesus Christ

You can view a short video about Polycarp here Polycarp

Some information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarp and http://www.polycarp.net/

Ignatius - Thrown to the Lions Yet Praising God

Icon of the martyrdom of Saint Ignatius

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

The next few months of this blog will look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God. 

The first period of time covers the time of the Apostolic Church, Christ to 500 AD. During this time, Christians often came into conflict with the Roman government because they refused to worship Caesar as God. Despite the persecution, "by the end of the third century, the majority of the residents of some areas controlled by Rome were Christians converts. (The Gospel had reached such places as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Britain, France, India, Switzerland and Belgium, with Armenia accepting Christianity as their state religion in 304 AD...see Timeline of Christian Missions). The high cost of following Christ was more to be treasured than the Roman sword," Foxes Voices of the Martyrs. And God brought great good out of this persecution because as persecution arose in one area, Christians would flee to other regions, thus spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. 

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Ignatius of Antioch (30-107 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna (70-155 AD)

Ulfilas (311-381 AD)

Patrick (389-461 AD)

Ignatius of Antioch     (30-107 AD)

"I would rather die for Christ than rule the whole earth."

Born around the time of Jesus' return to Heaven, Ignatius was good friends with the disciple John. Tradition says that he was one of the children that Jesus took in His arms and blessed. It is believed that his appointment to be bishop of Antioch came from the apostle Peter. Ignatius "wrote with a focus on Christ and the unity of the church - themes he sounded before the trial court (held when he was seventy-two) where he faced trumped up charges of disloyalty to Rome for failing to bow to pagan deities," (Foxes, 49). 

Ignatius was part of new spiritual movement whose followers could never again offer Rome ultimate loyalty. "Throughly devoted to Christ...he was part of that great generation who taught and built the church, buried the apostles, collected their writings, stood before the emperor's psychotic wrath, and fought heretics and swindlers infiltrating the movement," (Foxes, 50). 

En route to his martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius wrote a series of seven letters which have been preserved as an example of very early Christian theology. Important topics addressed in these letters include ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the role of bishops. The letters were addressed 

- To the Ephesians (Turkey)

- To the Magnesians (Turkey)

- Letter to the Trallians (Turkey)

- To the Romans (Italy)

- To the Philadelphians (Turkey)

- To the Smyrnaeans (Turkey)

- To Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (Ignatius). 

He was sent to the lions by Emperor Trajan, with these words to those who knew him, "Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Come fire and cross and grapplings with wild beasts, the rending of my bones and body...only let it be mine to attain Christ." (Foxes, 50).  

Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  John 14:12-13

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  Acts 4:13

Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."  Acts 5:38-39

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.  Acts 20:24

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:18-20

After Jesus rose from the dead, "He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." Acts 1:3 The Bible records very little of what He said. Yet, what He did say echoed through the Gospels and Acts: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

This charge, this commandment, was for the early Church, all through the centuries, to the Church in 2019. We are to be His witnesses, for God's glory and for the salvation of others, to the ends of the earth. It's not given to a select few who God "calls," but to all of us.

The truth and urgency of this commandment was not really clear to me until a few years ago. I had been asking God to "break my heart for what breaks Yours." And He did. Beginning with a concern for orphans, then for the persecuted church throughout the world and then for missions, He has laid this commandment on me and it is one that I desire, with every ounce of my being, to obey.

As this passion for missions has grown, I have become more and more interested in learning about missionaries of the past and present. Ordinary people who God used to do extraordinary things. I find great encouragement as I read about how God met their needs, encouraged, provided and protected them and allowed the Gospel to be preached to the ends of the earth through them.

As I have gained encouragement, as my faith in God has grown and as I have had a deeper passion for missions through reading their stories, I am going to share their stories with you, in the hopeful prayer that you too will be encouraged toward a greater involvement in Christ's Great Commission.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  2 Corinthians 3:3

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.  John 21:25

The next few months of this blog will only scratch the surface of the men and women God has used to further His Kingdom. May you gain greater faith through their testimonies and believe that you, too, can be used by the Lord to share the Good News of Jesus with the world...not just in your own backyard but to the ends of the earth.

I plan to highlight missionaries in chronological order. Thus, I will begin with the "Apostolic Church" from Christ to AD 500. Below is a list of what happened to Jesus' disciples and early followers. You will note that they all died a martyr's death, except John. But also notice the regions of the world where the Lord took them as He spread the Gospel through His followers:

Matthew -Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword while carrying out Jesus' commission to reach the world with the Gospel.

John - Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome ...However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos ...He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern-day Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

Peter - He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross in Rome. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

Philip - He was crucified in Hierapolis, in present day Turkey.

James the Less - Son of Alphaeus, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, was also assigned the area of Syria as his mission field. He was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

James the Great - Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem ...

The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel - Was a missionary to Asia ...He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey ...Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed and then crucified.

Andrew - His missionary travels may have taken him as far as Scythia (southern Russia) and included time around Ephesus with John. He was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece ...After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

Thomas - Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the sub-continent.

Simon the Zealot - The traditional account of Simon's missionary travels has him taking the road less traveled. He went south and west from Jerusalem, crossing the full breadth of northern Africa, passing through Egypt, Libya and Mauritania, and then up through Spain and even into the islands we now call Britain. All of these destinations fell within the boundaries of the Roman Empire. He is later found with Jude (Jesus' brother) taking the Gospel to Persia. He was sawn in half.

Judas, also known as Thaddaeus - Brought the Gospel to Armenia, present day Turkey and possibly as far as India.  Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

Matthias  - The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, traveled as far as Sevastopol, Ukraine before he returned to Jerusalem where he was stoned and then beheaded.

Mark - Died in Alexandria , Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.

Luke -  Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

Paul - Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he  had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters,  which taught many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” Jim Elliot, modern-day missionary to Ecuador, martyred that many more might be saved.

Who Was St. Patrick?

Yesterday many people celebrated St. Patrick's Day. This day is special for me since my great-great-grandmother was from Ireland and my grandma, Esther, went home to be with Jesus on St. Patrick's Day. But it has also become special to me since I have learned the incredible story of St. Patrick! 

Below is the story of St. Patrick:

St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint by Grainne Rowland "Watch out! Hide! Here come the raiders!" My family's servants were screaming and running for cover. I watched in horror as my father's land and house were overrun. The raiders came with the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, tied up, and roughly pushed towards a waiting ship. I, Succat, was being taken as a slave! I struggled to get free. I thought of how angry my father would be when he learned that his son had been kidnapped. My father was the most powerful man in that part of Britain. Surely he would rescue me! I was thrown on board the ship with the other captives. The ship quickly sailed away. The raiders began to celebrate their successful attack. I  knew then there would be no rescue. I was only sixteen years old. In Ireland, I was sold to Miliucc, a chieftain in Co. Antrim. I was forced to herd pigs in cold and rainy weather. I was hungry, wet, and shivery with cold. Always, I was lonely. I was a slave for six long years. I learned the Irish language and the customs of the Irish people. I also learned to pray. One night in a dream, I heard a voice say, "Behold, your ship is ready." I woke up and knew my chance to escape had arrived! I began my long walk to freedom. After many days, I reached Wexford, 200 miles away. I found a ship nearly ready to sail. But the captain was searching for someone to care for a pack of Irish wolfhounds on the journey. I was just the person! I was on my way home! The ship landed in northern Gaul, where there was only desert. For many days, we wandered in that desert. We found no food. The sailors made fun of my God. They asked why He didn't send us food. So I prayed. To the sailors' surprise, a large herd of pigs came into sight, squealing and grunting. It was enough meat for not only the men, but all the wolfhounds as well! On the day I walked into my home again, my mother and father ran to hug me. They both talked at once and asked question after question, never giving me time to answer. That night, I was the guest at a huge party. I was given many gifts. During the next few years, I studied in several places. I finally became a priest. It was then that I was given the name Patrick. One night, I had another dream. I saw the people of Ireland. They pleaded with me, saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." I knew I must return to Ireland. When I arrived back in Ireland, I first went to Tara, the home of Irish kings. I asked King Leary's permission to preach in the country. He agreed and I began to travel throughout Ireland. I brought many people to the Christian faith. In about the year 441, I spent 40 days alone on a rocky, windy mountain praying for the Irish people. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick, or the Mountain of Patrick. One day, I was telling the people about God. They did not understand. So I picked a shamrock and showed them that there are three leaves but only one plant. Then the people could better understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make only one God. That is why, when you see a picture of me, I am usually holding a shamrock. I trained new Irish priests, and they learned many things. They knew how to copy and beautifully decorate the Bible and other books. They copied everything by hand and made paint from plants and minerals. In later years, the people of Europe forgot about learning. The Irish monks and scholars kept copying books and kept important knowledge alive. Not long before I died, I built a large stone cathedral in the town of Armagh. I also had a school built there. It later became a famous university. I died on March 17, 493, in the town of Saul, in Co. Down. This was the same place I had built my first church. Many towns wanted the honor of giving me a burial place. So my body was put on a wagon drawn by two oxen. The oxen pulled the cart to the town of Downpatrick. There I was buried. My body lies in a cemetery next to the Downpatrick Cathedral. The grave is marked by a large granite stone and the name Patrick.

This story was found at the website: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html

After St. Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At a time when there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and when very few people knew how to read so that it was difficult to spread the Gospel, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.

We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!

The Sending of God

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, 

because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners 

and recovery of sight for the blind, 

to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 

Luke 4:18-19

A few years ago as I was walking out to the car with my then-8-yr-old daughter Grace, she said to me, "Mommy, I really sense that God wants me to do something for Him, something outside America." I told her that I understand exactly what she is hearing from God. I too have felt that call, that tugging, that urge to go out of the comforts of my American lifestyle and share the Gospel.

It happens every day, all over the world...God draws a person out, out of their comfort zone, into something new...something He is asking them to join, for His sake. It may be overseas or it may be across the street. But the call is unmistakable and the initiative is all God's.

We can't make missions happen. It is not up to us to lead. Instead, as each of us spends time with the Lord, He begins to reveal His plans, His purposes, His pathways, and He asks us to follow. It is the sending of God.

That's what missions is...the sending of God. He tells us to go, and we follow.

And how does one prepare for mission - one step at a time. The key is hearing God's voice. You see, God doesn't need our money. God doesn't need our ability. God doesn't need us, period. He could reveal Himself to every person in the world through visions and dreams, and draw them to Him. He could make the "stones cry out" as a witness to Himself Luke 19:40.

Because He can do anything, He doesn't need us to proclaim the gospel. He wants us to participate in His work for our benefit. What, in all the world, could be more rewarding than knowing that you had a part to play in the salvation of another person?

I'm reminded of the words to one of my favorite songs that talks about this very thing.

Thank You for Giving To The Lord
by Ray Boltz 

I dreamed I went to Heaven, you were there with me.
We walked upon the streets of gold beside the Crystal Sea.
We heard the angels singing, then someone called your name.
You turned and saw this young man, and he was smiling as he came.
He said, "Friend you may not know me now," and then he said, "But wait -
You used to teach my Sunday School, when I was only eight.
And every week you would say a prayer before the class would start.
And one day when you said that prayer,
I asked Jesus in my heart." 

Thank you for giving to the Lord,
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord,
I am so glad you gave.

Then another man stood before you, he said "Remember the time,
A missionary came to your church, His pictures made you cry.
You didn't have much money but you gave it anyway.
Jesus took that gift you gave
And that's why I'm in Heaven today" 

Thank you for giving to the Lord,
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord,
I am so glad you gave.

One by one they came, far as your eyes could see.
Each life somehow touched by your generosity.
Little things that you had done, sacrifices that you made,
They were unnoticed on this earth
In Heaven now proclaimed. 

Thank you for giving to the Lord,
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord,
I am so glad you gave.
And I know up in Heaven you're not supposed to cry
But I am almost sure there were tears in your eyes
As Jesus took your hand and you stood before the Lord
He said "My child look around you,
Great is your reward." 

Let me share one story that illustrates the sending of God. "Before 1991 the Gospel had managed to attract very few converts in a particular district in Central India. Seven years later, hundreds of newly baptized believers from at least 24 different people groups are learning to follow Jesus...How did so many people suddenly turn to hope in Christ from centuries of practicing animistic spiritism blended with Hinduism?" 

God sent local and international missionaries to tell them the good news of Jesus, and at the same time, prepared their hearts, through His Holy Spirit, to hear that good news. One way He prepared them for the Gospel is truly remarkable, as He sent a short-term mission team, from Scandinavia, into one of the Indian villages of the Poharis tribe.

"The Poharis are highly transient hunters who engage in animistic rituals while honoring Hindu brahminical priestcraft. They had asked for someone to come and teach them about Christ, too. But the only ones available were a short-term team of young Scandinavian women who could not have been further removed from them in almost every way.

While discussing Christ with these young women with pale skin, bright blond hair and blue eyes, the Poharis began telling them about a particular priest in their village. Five years prior he had passed through a period when most of the people thought he was crazy. He often seemed tormented by spirits.

They brought him repeatedly before various gods and goddesses for healing. All the while he kept saying, 'People who look like angels will come from around the world to our village. They will tell us about the real God. We should follow Him.'

The team asked the priest what he saw in his vision. He said, 'I saw people like you, white kind of people - they were angels. They will come and tell us about God.' When they asked, 'Do you think we are those people?,' he responded, 'I don't know yet.' 

But after four days of listening, he trusted the Lord Jesus Christ and received Him as his Savior. In the end, most of those residing in that particular village were baptized."  (from A Movement of Christ Worshippers in India by Dean Hubbard). 

God calls us and sends us out as we obey Him. Just as He sent Jesus, so He is sending us. I pray that each of us will be eager to hear His call, and when we do, step out in obedience and faith. 

God is Truly a Colorful God

Isabell Ides was 101 years old when she died in June, 2001. A Makah Indian, a member of a whale-hunting people, she lived in the last house on the last road on the farthest northwest tip of the United States.

Isabell was known far and wide because she loved and taught Makah culture and language. Hundreds of people learned to weave baskets under her hands. Several generations learned words in their language from her lips.

Young mothers brought her their alder-smoked salmon. After chewing a bit, she could tell whether their wood was too dry. Archaeologists brought her newly excavated 3,000-year-old baskets, and she could identify what the baskets were, how they were made, and how they had been used. "It's like losing a library," an anthropologist said at her funeral.

Isabell also taught Sunday School at the Assembly of God church on the reservation. She attributed her long life to her Christian faith.

Did Isabell's basketry matter to God, as well as her Sunday school teaching? How important was her ethnic heritage in the Kingdom's big picture?

These questions get at the heart of what culture is and whether or not it is an important part of the Kingdom of God. While on earth, we live in distinct cultures with different languages, foods, costumes, dances, songs and achievements. But what about when we get to Heaven? Will everyone be exactly alike? Will all of our cultural qualities, distinctions and achievements be lost or will they be celebrated and showcased?

Revelation 21:24-26 speaks of the Heavenly city saying:
the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it...
The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Isaiah 60:11, speaking of the Heavenly city, says:
Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, 
so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations-- their kings led in triumphal procession.

From these passages it is clear that there will still be some sort of distinction between nations/people groups. Their "splendor," "glory," "honor," and "wealth" is believed to be referring to each nations' cultural achievements that bring glory to God.

Imagine what we will see: people from African tribes, Scottish clans, Chinese dynasties, American towns, South American pueblos, bringing their distinctive songs of praise to the Lord, works of art that glorify Him, dances that give Him praise...all to honor and worship the Lord who made them. Each culture with its unique and beautiful characteristics that shed light on God’s own, multi-dimensional character, will cause Him great delight as He watches the various ways that people express their love and worship of Him!

Our God, the God of creation, has an incredible capacity for variety, beauty and wonder. "Our Creator delights in colors. He generates smells, from onion to rose. He shapes every fresh snowflake. He births billions of unique personalities," (Miriam Adeney).

But what about the human world? Are we endowed with as much creative variety as the animal world? Yes! While it may not be as apparent in our appearances (we all look pretty similar compared to the variations seen in the animal world) God’s amazing creativity comes through in the culture of each people group. From different languages and dress to different forms of music, dance, writing, inventions, etc., the capacity for variety in culture is truly amazing.

This variety in culture was created by God. It delights Him to see all that man has made; to see the creative capacity of each people group which comes from being created in His image. When this creativity is used to worship God, through music, art, dance, science, inventions, etc., God is glorified and honored.

God put a bit of His incredible character qualities into each people group. Different cultures are known for their different characteristics: Filipinos are family oriented, Koreans industrious, Japanese technically savvy, Mexicans hardworking, African cultures colorful in dance and music...the list goes on and on. Each culture that God created has unique characteristics all its own, characteristics which showcase a creative and loving God. As these cultures use these unique qualities in the worship of God, they are  bringing the “glory and honor” of every people into the heavenly city (Rev 21:26).

This pleases God immensely. He does not desire that we all worship Him in the same way, just as He did not make an animal world of only giraffes. He loves variety and is truly glorified when that variety is used in the worship of Him.

This appreciation of each culture must be understood and embraced by the Church of today. Sadly, in the past, many Christians have tried to enforce their culture’s way of worshipping God on the people they were sharing the Gospel with. This lack of appreciation for cultural differences resulted in many viewing Christianity as a “Western” religion or a religion of the “white man.” Nothing could be further from the truth!

I believe that modern technology is helping to change this. With the advent of television, the computer, movies, and widespread access to books, people of today can learn all about the cultures of other people. As they learn about them, God places an appreciation for and love of each culture into His followers’ hearts.

Thus, when Christians, especially missionaries, encounter new cultures today, they are much more likely to find the good aspects of that culture which can be used to bring worship and honor to God, rather than try to recreate the culture to resemble the personal culture of that missionary. “Mission work can be seen as helping people begin to bring God a measure of the ‘glory and the honor of the nations,” (Miriam Adeney). God is truly a colorful God!