Christianity and Political Power: When the Church Trades the Cross for the Crown

Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. Today I want to talk about something that's very much on people's minds right now—the relationship between Christianity and political power. With Donald Trump back in the White House in 2025, with many professing Christians in his cabinet, and with a conservative majority in Congress, many American Christians are feeling hopeful, even triumphant. Finally, we think, we have Christians in power who can turn this nation around!

But I want us to pause and ask a crucial question: Was Christianity meant to be used as a political force? And does Christianity actually flourish when it has political power, or does it flourish through a different means entirely?

[The parallel - then and now]

Let me draw a parallel. The year is 30 AD, the place is Jerusalem and Judea. The problem—the nation was faltering, backsliding, failing under Roman occupation. The solution, in many minds—Jesus, a conquering Messiah who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel to its glory days under King David.

But Jesus didn't do that. He didn't seek political power. He didn't overthrow Rome. He didn't establish an earthly kingdom. Instead, He came as a servant, speaking truth, loving others, and placing power struggles in God's hands. And many Jews rejected Him because He wouldn't give them the political salvation they wanted.

Now fast forward to 2026. The place is America. The problem—many Christians feel our nation has been faltering morally and spiritually. The solution, in many minds—Christian political power. Get the right people in the White House, in Congress, on the Supreme Court, and everything will change.

But is that really God's plan?

[The question we must ask]

Here's the question we need to wrestle with: Does Christianity flourish when it is the law of the land, backed by political power? Or does it flourish when it is spread one humble servant to the next, in love, humility, and sacrifice?

History gives us a sobering answer.

[The Roman Empire - a cautionary tale]

Consider the Roman Empire. Christianity was once a persecuted religion under emperors like Nero, who burned Christians alive as torches to light his gardens. But in 313 AD, Constantine legalized Christianity, and by 380 AD, it became the official religion of Rome.

Victory, right? Finally, Christians had political power! But here's what happened: When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the faith was altered. As missiologist Ralph Winter writes: "The political triumph of what eventually came to be known as Christianity was in fact a mixed blessing...because when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire it became ill-equipped by its very form to complete the Great Commission among any populace that was anti-Roman."

Think about that! The people of other nations saw Christianity as strictly a Roman religion. So whatever wrong things the Roman government did, in the minds of other nations, it was Christianity doing the wrong. Christianity became associated with Roman imperialism, Roman oppression, Roman corruption.

[Historical patterns - the same mistake repeated]

We see this same pattern throughout history. Muslims view Christianity negatively because of the Crusades—military campaigns launched in Christ's name. Indians are skeptical of Christianity because of England's colonization of India under the banner of "Christian civilization." Eastern Europeans associate Christianity with Russian Orthodox political power. Jews associate Christianity with the Holocaust…perpetrated by Germany, a “Christian” nation. In each case, when Christianity aligned itself with political and military might, it damaged the witness of the Gospel.

When Christianity takes on political power, it often becomes corrupt and power-hungry, as we saw in the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. Our human nature wants to make our religion supreme and in charge. We want power and authority—but of a worldly kind. This is exactly what the Jews were looking for when Jesus arrived. When He didn't provide it, many rejected Him.

[The danger of political Christianity]

Here's the sad truth: When Christianity becomes the main religion of the masses, officially recognized and promoted by the government, and persecution stops, often the fervor for outreach stops too. When it becomes easy to be a Christian, it becomes easy to be content in this world. When we're content in this world, we stop seeking after the Lord with urgency. We stop anticipating His return. And the fervor for the Great Commission dwindles.

Difficulty draws us closer to the Lord and thus closer to His heart for the nations. Ease in life makes us complacent and content with the status quo.

[Why Jesus avoided political power]

It may be for this very reason that Jesus never sought political power for Himself on earth. He didn't want faith in Him to be linked to Jewish or Roman political authorities. God is not tied to any one government or people group. He is King. He is Lord. He doesn't need the help of any government to spread His love and truth throughout the world.

Think about Jesus's words in John 18:36, when He stood before Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Jesus explicitly rejected the path of earthly political power. His kingdom operates differently—through love, sacrifice, service, and the foolishness of the cross.

[America's blessings and responsibilities]

Now, let me be clear: America has been greatly blessed by God with freedom and prosperity for many years. We as a nation have done much good, bringing the Gospel and freedom to many other nations. I'm grateful for that heritage! And yes, having Christians in government who will protect religious freedom, defend the unborn, and uphold biblical values is a good thing.

But we've also failed God in many ways. The moral decline in our culture, the embrace of materialism and decadence, the self-absorption of much of American Christianity—these don't speak well of us. And here's the critical question: Has our prosperity made us better missionaries, or has it made us complacent?

[The shift happening now]

Ralph Winter writes: "If we in the West insist on keeping our blessing instead of sharing it, then we will, like other nations before us (Israel, Rome, etc.) perhaps have to 'lose' our blessing in order for the remaining nations to receive it."

And here's what we need to understand: God is already shifting His blessings! The center of Christianity has moved from the West to the Global South. As we've discussed in previous episodes, 67% of Christians now live in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. The Chinese church is sending missionaries. The Korean church is sending over 27,000 missionaries. The Nigerian church is sending missionaries. The Brazilian church is sending missionaries.

God doesn't need America to accomplish His purposes! If we're not faithful, He'll use others.

[What should our response be?]

So what should be the American church's response to having Christians in political power in 2026? First, we should be grateful for religious freedom and use it while we have it. We should pray for our leaders, support policies that align with biblical values, and engage politically as responsible citizens.

But—and this is crucial—we must not put our hope in political power. We must not think that Christian politicians will solve our spiritual problems. We must not become so focused on maintaining power that we forget the Great Commission.

Second, we should be humble. We don't "deserve" any of the blessings we've been given. As Winter writes, each American Christian could just as likely have been born a Dalit girl in India or a persecuted believer in North Korea. God chose to place us in a prosperous country so we might share His blessings with those who have never heard His name. If we're not doing this, He has every right to give those blessings to others who will be faithful.

Third, we should celebrate what God is doing globally! We shouldn't feel threatened or sad that the Western church is declining while the non-Western church is exploding. We need to look at the big picture. We're first and foremost part of the body of Christ worldwide. In heaven, our nationality won't matter. So on earth, we should be overjoyed at the growth of the church in non-Western lands!

[The real mission - not political victory]

Here's what I want us to understand: The mission of the church has never been to gain political power. It's to make disciples of all nations. It's to go into all the world preaching the Gospel. It's to storm the gates of hell, not the halls of Congress.

When we have political influence, let's use it to protect religious freedom so the Gospel can advance. But let's not confuse political victory with spiritual victory. Let's not trade the cross for the crown. Let's not repeat the mistake of Constantine's Rome, believing that Christianity is best advanced through government power rather than through sacrificial love and humble service.

[The question for 2026]

So as we navigate 2026 with Christians in the White House and throughout the government, let me ask you: Are you more excited about political developments than about the lost coming to Christ? Are you spending more time arguing about politics than sharing the Gospel? Are you putting more hope in elected officials than in the Holy Spirit?

If so, you've fallen into the same trap the Jews fell into when they rejected Jesus because He wouldn't be their political Messiah.

[Closing challenge and prayer]

Let me challenge you: Be grateful for Christian political leaders, but don't idolize political power. Engage politically as a responsible citizen, but don't mistake political activism for the Great Commission. Pray for your leaders, but spend more time praying for the unreached. Support policies that align with Scripture, but don't think that laws will transform hearts—only the Gospel does that.

And most importantly, join what God is doing globally! Support missionaries. Give to missions. Go on short-term trips. Consider going long-term yourself. Celebrate the explosive growth of Christianity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Partner with believers in other nations who are reaching the unreached with far less resources than we have.

Let me pray: 

Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations, not on Washington D.C.!

Spotify podcast

The Eyes of a Woman

 

 

Their eyes...their eyes can speak volumes...of the hope that is in each female for someone to love her, protect her, tell her she is important. They plead for justice, equality and liberation. They show strength of character, determination and love for her family. They can also convey loss, fear, hopelessness and despair.

Jesus saw this in the eyes of the widow whose son had just died (Luke 11:1), the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), the woman caught in adultery (John 8) and so many others throughout His time on earth. Their eyes spoke volumes about their suffering. And His heart was moved with tenderness and compassion for them. He reached out to not only heal and free them but to touch them and call them "daughter" (Matthew 9:22). 

He broke all societal norms in His inclusion and outreach toward women. He elevated the status of women more than any other human ever has. It is a testament to the power of the Gospel that where true, heartfelt Christianity spreads, women and girls benefit.
One such example can be seen in the life of William Carey, missionary to India. 

"William Carey," argues an (Indian) female social science scholar, "was the first man to stand against both the ruthless murders and widespread oppression of women, virtually synonymous with Hinduism in the 18th and 19th centuries. The male in India was crushing the female through polygamy, female infanticide, child marriage, widow-burning, euthanasia and forced female illiteracy, all sanctioned by religion. The British Government timidly accepted these social evils as being an irreversible and an intrinsic part of India's religious mores. 

Carey began to conduct systematic sociological and scriptural research. He published his reports in order to raise public opinion and protest both in Bengal and England. He influenced a whole generation of civil servants, his students at Fort William College, to resist these evils. 

Carey opened schools for girls. When widows converted to Christianity, he arranged marriages for them rather than allowing them to be burned alive. It was Carey's persistent 25 year battle against sati that finally led to Lord Bentinck's famous Edict in 1829, banning one of the most abominable of all religious practices in the world: "widow-burning." (Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi).

Today, the eyes that haunt me most are those of Muslim women and girls. Their fate is similar, in many ways, to the Indian women of Carey's time. Polygamy, female infanticide, child marriage, honor killings and forced female illiteracy, all sanctioned by religion. Yet the American government, in many ways, seems to mirror the British government by timidly accepting these social evils as being an irreversible and an intrinsic part of Muslim religious mores. 

Why? Political correctness, fear of being named racist or intolerant of Islam? 

Whatever the reason, as in the time of William Carey, it is not going to be the government of America, or any other nation, that speaks up for the Muslim women. It MUST be the Church. 

We must allow God to break our hearts for these women and girls. We must pray for them...especially that they would find Isa (Jesus), the One who loves them and can provide them with hope they have never known. We must reach out to Muslim women in our area...ask God to show you one or two and then pray for them and become their friends.

Their eyes...they can speak of pain that an American woman can not even fathom, but they can also speak of peace and joy that only Jesus, the lover of their souls, can give them. 

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.

The Future Church

How different will the world of 2050 be compared with today? We can’t know, but we can project some possibilities based on what is happening now. This can shape our prayers.

Some projections for 2050:

• One third of the world will still call itself ‘Christian.’

• Islam will grow fast (because of high birthrates) and will become almost the same size as the Christian community.

• Every other faith community – Hindus, Buddhists, followers of Chinese religions – will be a smaller slice of the population than today.

• The non-religious part of the world will also shrink because of low birthrates.

• There will the same number of under- 15s as there are today (around two billion), but over-60s will climb from under a billion today to more than two billion in 2050.

• Half the world lives in a city today; in 2050 that could be two-thirds.

• Four out of ten Christians will live in sub-Saharan Africa, and eight out of ten will be from the Global South. The growth or decline of a faith community is mostly due to birthrates and not

conversions.

How will the world be different in 2050? Apart from all the unknowable things (including plague or war or mass turnings to Christ) it looks like the Church should expect a world with many more Muslims, elderly people and city dwellers.

• Christ has been building his Church for 50 generations. Pray that in this coming generation the Church will grow wider and deeper than ever before.

Church in Africa Today

In Africa today, the burden of poverty has eased in the last 20 years. Mother and child health, take-up of primary education, and access to clean water and electricity have been transformed in most countries. Deaths from malaria have halved, and the AIDS epidemic is being tamed. But this follows decades of stagnation. Africa is still the poorest continent. Thirty-seven of the world’s 40 poorest countries are African – a lingering injustice.

Africa’s youth are a fifth of all the young people in the world and they may grow to be a third by 2050. These young people as disciples of Jesus could be a power for good; unemployed and angry they could be the fuel for civil wars. Africa’s Church is a light to the world. Already, one in four of the world’s Christians is an African. This could rise to four in 10 by 2050. In great prayer meetings, in faithfulness to the Bible, in starting new churches at home and overseas, Africans are changing the world.

• Pray for wise, honest leaders in every African sphere, in politics, church and business.
• Pray for Africa’s women. More than a third suffer domestic violence, and they are denied equality almost everywhere: in education, health-care, employment.
• Pray for a great turning to Christ in Africa’s many Muslim peoples.

Sources: Africa Development Bank; Pew Research Center; Status of Global Christianity 2018; Human Development Report 2018; Operation World.

Praying for the World is a free weekly prayer guide to inspire and inform the whole Church to pray for the whole world. Visit www.lausanne.org/pray to start any week. Created through

the partnership of Operation World and the Lausanne Movement.

Christian Persecution in Christian Colombia?

Would you be surprised to know that a country where more than 90% of the people claim to be Christian is also one of the top 50 countries where it is the most dangerous to follow Jesus? Open Doors, an organization that tracks persecution of the church puts out a yearly list of the 50 most dangerous countries to follow Jesus – in 2019’s “Watch List,” the country of Columbia, in South America, comes in at #47. How can a country that is almost entirely “Christian” still be a dangerous place to be a follower of Jesus?

One of the main reasons that Christians in Columbia are targeted is because they choose to genuinely follow Jesus. Even though a historic peace agreement between the government and anti-government rebels was signed after more than 50 years of fighting, there are troubling signs that the peace deal is not working as well as hoped, and in September of this year the president of Columbia launched a new crackdown against the opposition groups.

So, what does a government conflict have to do with Christians? These anti-government groups often rely on brutal guerilla warfare to survive, and plenty of illegal activity to fund themselves, such a drug production and trafficking. When someone from one of these groups, or someone who lives where they have control begins to truly follow Jesus, they won’t take part in any drug deals anymore, and will encourage others not to do it. Those who have participated in the violence will denounce it, and will try to defend the weak and the powerless. In areas where everyone has to pay protection money, some pastors will refuse to do so on behalf of their churches, and will encourage young men not to join these groups. As you may imagine, decisions like these “ruin” the business. The situation is serious: at least four pastors in Columbia have been assassinated this year already. A recent study by the mayor’s office in the capital city of Bogotá show that over a 3-year period almost 13% of all pastors in the capital city have received death threats.

Another challenging issue unrelated to the drug cartels is that even with the majority of the people at least claiming to be “Christian,” a significant minority of people are indigenous, following ancestral beliefs, including witchcraft. When people from these groups come to faith in Jesus, they face significant persecution from their communities, which can include harassment, threats and violence.

Pray for believers in Columbia, both for those making bold stands against the guerilla groups and drug cartels and also for those who are persecuted by their own indigenous communities. Pray for peace in the country, and an end to the injustices that exist there!

The State of our World Today - 2020

If the world was a village of 100 people, 33 would claim to be Christians; 24 would be Muslims, 14 Hindus, 7 Buddhists, 6 would follow Chinese religions, 11 would be non-religious and there would be a handful of others.

The proportion of the world that claims to be Christian has been much the same for a century or more. But many things have changed through that time:

1. The Church has spread more widely. There are now groups of believers in every country.

2. The Christian faith has grown much stronger in the Global South. Millions of Christians have
been born across Africa and Asia. Many cultural Catholics in Latin America have met Christ in
Pentecostal, charismatic and other evangelical churches.

3. In its former heartlands, particularly in Europe, the Christian movement has declined.

4. Pentecostals and charismatics have changed the composition of the Church. Almost zero in 1900,
they now make up more than a third of all Christians.

5. The Church has grown despite opposition and persecution in countries like China, India, Sudan,
Vietnam, Iran, Algeria, Albania and Mongolia.

6. Some of the fiercest persecution has been followed by the largest church growth. The Cultural
Revolution in China was a deadly attack on all religions. Fifty years later, around
100 million Chinese have joined the Church, the greatest turning to the Christian faith in history (so
far).

7. Thousands of people have turned to Christ in Muslim countries in the last 30 years. This has
never happened before.

Let us pray that this year we will ‘always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing
that our labour in the Lord is not in vain’ (see 1 Corinthians 15:56).

Information from Praying for the World

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/

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.