Information obtained from article by Carl Moeller, President of Open Doors USA, an organization that works with the Persecuted Church around the world. Please read to learn more about our brothers and sisters who are suffering adversity overseas.

1. What American Christians Don't Know About
Information from Jennifer Bennett
Dr. Carl Moeller,
Slideshare.net/JennaveveB
President and CEO
of Open Doors USA Twitter.com/JennaveveB
Photo Credits on Last Slide GloryInHisCreation.blogspot.com

2. Today millions of Christians face
unwarranted arrest, imprisonment,
beatings, torture and even
execution in restrictive countries
around the world.
Their crime?
They are followers of Jesus Christ.

3. So, what is it that American Christians don't understand
or know about their brothers and sisters in Christ?

4. When you look
at these faces,
what do you
see?

5. Fear?
Neediness?
Sorrow?

6. Americans
do not realize
that these are
the faces of
joy

7. No,
the Persecuted Church
does not enjoy
martyrdom...
martyrdom...
but “they do have
something those of us in the
United States don’t have
very often, and that is a
deep and intimate
reliance on
Jesus Christ.”
Carl Moeller

8. They know and understand that the presence of the Lord
– having Him and Him alone in a life full of
poverty, danger, and uncertainty – is enough.
The peace of this
knowledge fills
them with a
deep
sense
of joy

9. don't
be
fooled
Christians overseas are not naturally superior

10. The Apostle
Paul said
that everyone
who wants to lead a
godly life in Jesus
will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12)

11. God tests believers in
many different ways.

12. American Christians do not suffer in the
same way as the global Church...
but even the
smallest acts of
persecution
serve a purpose
in the
Kingdom of God!

13. American Christians are
FREE TO WORSHIP
in this country.
We don't fear for our lives
when we go to church.
We can purchase as many
Bibles as we want.
Thank God!
But that doesn't mean
our culture accepts us.

14. American culture mocks holy living.
Followers of Jesus are seen as weird, radical, unnatural.
They lose “friends” when they choose to follow Jesus, are criticized for
taking their beliefs “too far” and labeled things like “Bible thumper”
or “religious extremist” when they stand up for biblical values.

15. Jesus said that we will be
persecuted for His Name.
If you profess faith in Jesus
and strive to live a holy life
through the Holy Spirit, then
you will suffer even small
acts of persecution.
But there is still
much we can learn
from the global
church...

16. When we read about the persecuted
church, may God teach us how to be more
Dependent
Reverent
Faithful
Joyful
through
even the
smallest
acts of
persecution

17. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you,
persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against
you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is
your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:11 12

18. “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them
Remember
which suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the body.” Hebrews 13:3
adversity,

20. Photo Credits
http://www.cgsr.org/SERVICES.html – Slide 1
http://www.murmurart.com/art/murmur_55 333088_cell Slide 2
http://religionnerd.com/2010/12/21/a tough season for believers/ – Slide 3
http://www.freechristianpress.com/persecution/riveting tv documentary series covers persecuted christians/ –
Slides 4, 5, and 6
http://dannykimm.com/2011/03/28/desperate for his presence/ Slide 8
http://thefirehousechurch.blogspot.com/2010/09/what exactly is worship so what is.html – Slide 9
http://activatecfpl.theefc.ca/journal/tag/christian persecution – Slide 10
http://jesusiszeta.blogspot.com/2011/02/faith.html – Slide 11

21. Photo Credits
http://pastorstrother.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/a lack of compassion/ – Slide 13
http://deneenwhite.com/2007/07/03/the holy spirit/ – Slide 15
http://www.myfreewallpapers.net/nature/pages/blessed tree.shtml – Slide 17
http://pockets1940.blogspot.com/2010/12/unshackled.html?zx=81872f37825351a Slide 18
http://beavoiceformartyrs.blogspot.com/2011/01/2011 prayer map for restricted nations.html
Slide 19
Information within presentation obtained from:
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religion today/what we don t know about the persecuted church.html