Pressing On
Christianity Today named as one of its top ten 2007 news stories the torture and killing of three Christians in eastern Turkey. And recently in a Dallas Seminary chapel during our World Evangelism Conference we heard a behind-the-scenes perspective on that story from one of our own—DTS’s first-ever student from Turkey.
This student, Yuce Kabakci, told of how three employees of a publishing house that distributes Bibles were slain in an attack that targeted Turkey’s Christian minority. The three victims—a
German and two Turkish citizens—were found with their hands
and legs bound. But that’s not all. When the attackers heard police
entering the building, they exited through the window after slitting their victims’ throats.
One of those martyred Turkish citizens was the spiritual mentor of our student. Imagine knowing someone you love has endured that kind of horror for the sake of Christ. (How Jesus must have felt when He learned that His cousin, John, had been beheaded!) After recounting the trauma, our student left us with a challenge: “When you preach the gospel, do not say ‘God has a wonderful plan for your life.’ Tell people, ‘Jesus is worth dying for.’ ”
At times, it is possible in our Westernized view of the faith to get the idea—and export it—that the Christian life is only peace and joy and love. Too often we forget what it might mean to so many around the world to follow the One who was kicked out of Nazareth and
unwanted in Jerusalem. As He Himself said, “The Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).
If our motives are only safety and security we’ve missed the point. Is it possible that at times we don’t want to sacrifice, to persevere—in spite of the outcome? We can fall prey to desiring that even “the ministry” bring us comfort in this life rather than enduring hardship for the next one. The abundant life of John 10:10 must be balanced with the realism of the present suffering on the way to eternal glory described in 1 Peter 5:10.
In this issue of Kindred Spirit we’ll consider the need to
persevere—to pace ourselves, laboring in the power of the Spirit, so
we don’t burn out. We’ll look at our need to press on in the midst of
a rising number of unbelieving voices. And we’ll think about the
qualities that God’s Word promises will keep us productive in light of an eternity full of peace and joy and love.
We press on not because of the short-term benefits but because the One to whom we devote our lives is Christ.
About the Contributors
Mark L. Bailey
Dr. Bailey assumed the role of DTS Chancellor after serving for 19 years as the Seminary’s fifth President, and continues his role as Sr. Professor in the Bible Exposition department. In addition to his years at Dallas Theological Seminary, he has pastored various churches in Arizona and Texas. He was a seminar instructor for Walk Thru the Bible Ministries for twenty years and is in demand for Bible conferences and other preaching engagements all over the country and world. His overseas ministries have included Venezuela, Argentina, Hungary, and China. He is also a regular tour leader in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Rome. His board service includes Bible Study Fellowship, Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, and Word of Life.