Radical Experiment-FBCW: 2014-01

2014-01-31

Pray for Christian Prisoners Permitted Legal Counsel

Jan. 31, 2014 | China

Pray for Christian Prisoners Permitted Legal Counsel

Pastor Zhang Shaojie, 49, and Yan Beibei, 23, were allowed to see their lawyers on Jan. 15, 2014, after two months in detention. They were among 12 Christians detained for their involvement with the Nanle County Christian Church in November and December 2013. Pastor Zhang, who has been charged with fraud and “gathering a mob to disrupt public order,” asked his lawyer to express his thanks to “all the people in the world who are paying attention to Nanle County Christian Church” and are remembering those in custody. One of the prisoners attempted suicide after being beaten by authorities. Pray for their resilience and faith, as many of them and their family members have been beaten.

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Pastor Zhang Shaojie is in prison for his faith.

2014-01-28

Secret Church

William Tyndale’s Encouragement to a Martyr

Posted: 27 Jan 2014 07:02 AM PST

A Scripture-saturated excerpt from the letter that William Tyndale wrote to his best friend, John Frith, right before Frith was burned at the stake for his loyalty to God’s Word.

Your cause is Christ’s gospel, a light that must be fed with the blood of faith…. If when we be buffeted for well-doing, we suffer patiently and endure, that is acceptable to God; for to that end we are called. For Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps, who did no sin.

Hereby have we perceived love, that he had lain down his life for us; therefore we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren…. let not your body faint…. If the pain be above your strength, remember, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will give it you. And pray to our Father in that name, and he will ease your pain, or shorten it…. Amen.

Taken from Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ (Crossway), by John Piper, p. 52

2014-01-23

Secret Church

Why Do You Charge for the Simulcast?

Posted: 22 Jan 2014 11:32 AM PST

Some of you have asked why there is a charge to participate in the Secret Church 14 simulcast. When so much is free on the internet, the fact that it costs money to watch Secret Church can be puzzling, if not surprising. We understand. In fact, our desire is to make as many resources as we can available at no cost to you. But in some circumstances—like the Secret Church simulcast—we aren’t able to shoulder the cost of the event alone. So to help you understand the simulcast registration fee, here’s a brief explanation of the cost.

Though we charge based on the size package you order, under the early pricing (which ends tomorrow!), it comes out to about $8 a person. Sometimes people will host a simulcast totally “on them,” but in many cases, a host will ask each participant in their group to bring $8 to chip in—totally reasonable for most. You can hardly go to a movie for $8!
The biggest thing you’ll get with your simulcast “admission” is the study guide. The study guide is a “must have” for Secret Church. We’re not talking about a small pamphlet or booklet … it’s a book! This year’s study guide is nearly 200 pages in length. The amount of material covered during Secret Church (don’t forget it’s 6+ hours of teaching!) necessitates some sort of tool with which you can follow along AND refer to later. This effectively enables you to do both.
In addition to providing the study guide, your simulcast package includes the cost of shipping your study guides right to your front door.
Believe it or not, there are fees and expenses for streaming a gathering like this over the internet and into your living room. Part of your registration cost goes toward those expenses.
Broadcasting Secret Church requires a live stream provider, technical support, and much, much more. Your registration fee helps us cover the cost of these providers.

We hope this information helps you as you consider participating in the simulcast on Good Friday, April 18, for The Cross and Everyday Life. And we would encourage you to register before Friday, to take advantage of the early registration rates.

2014-01-17

Take Advantage of Early Registration Pricing for Secret Church!

With Secret Church quickly approaching, we wanted to invite you to take advantage of our Early Registration pricing when you register for Secret Church before this Friday, January 24.

The next Secret Church Simulcast will take place on Good Friday, April 18, 2014 from 6:00pm until midnight (CT). Pastor David Platt will be teaching on "The Cross and Everyday Life". During our time in the Word, he will challenge us to think about how every part of our life can be used for the glory of God. We hope you will prayerfully consider hosting a gathering in your home or church and join us on Good Friday.

You can find more details about the simulcast or register online (Radical.net/SCSimulcast). If we can answer any questions or help in any way, please call our office at 205.547.2777 or email us at scsimulcast@radical.net.

The Secret Church Team

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Secret Church

Participate in a SC 14 Simulcast Near You

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:00 AM PST

The initial list of host churches has been posted. What does this mean? It means that you may be able to join in on their simulcast! Each church’s details regarding the simulcast may vary, so make sure you contact them, especially as they make preparations. But what are you to do if there isn’t a simulcast in your state, much less your city?

Register to host your own simulcast! This list is not intended to dissuade you from hosting your own small group simulcast or getting your church to host one, so feel free to do that. In fact, if your church is able to host, we’d love to add you to the list so that individuals looking for somewhere to participate have you as an option.

Click the map below to view the full list of churches. Any state colored red has at least one church hosting the simulcast.

2014-01-16

Pray for Three Churches Attacked on Christmas Eve

Jan. 16, 2014 | Sri Lanka

Pray for Three Churches Attacked on Christmas Eve

A mob of more than 300 villagers surrounded the pastor of the Assemblies of God Church in Angunukolapalassa on Christmas Eve, as Buddhist monks demanded that he cancel services scheduled for Christmas day. Some of the villagers said one of the monks had filed a complaint with police about the pastor’s church activities, but the pastor refused to cancel Christmas services. In Hikkaduwa, attackers threw firecrackers onto the property of another Assemblies of God Church and at the pastor’s residence. And later, attackers threw stones at the Light House Church in Hikkaduwa, breaking some of the windows.

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Sri Lankan believers worshiped on Christmas, despite attacks.]

2014-01-15

Secret Church

New World Watch List

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 11:00 PM PST

If you haven’t already seen, the 2014 World Watch List is out. With about twice as many Christian deaths due to persecution in 2013 as there were in 2014, watching where and how these violent trends grow is more important now than ever before. We ought to be well acquainted with the suffering of our brothers and sisters overseas so that we can better pray for and minister to them.

Sadly, North Korea’s prison camps and public executions earned it a number one spot for the 12th consecutive year. Syria, accounting for over 1,200 Christian deaths, continued it’s rapid climb from number 36 two years ago, coming in at number three in 2014. This is largely due to the ongoing civil war in which the almost half of the fighting rebels come from Islamic extremist backgrounds. Overall, it’s hard to ignore the impact that Islamic extremism has had on the persecution of Christians as it is the main source of persecution in 36 of the top 50 countries ranked, as well as the reason that Bangladesh and Central African Republic were both newly added to the list.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the list. Remember the believers that live in these places and pray for them. Also, note that this is where the gospel is most needed… so pray for bold gospel proclamation resulting in the salvation of the persecutors.

2014-01-14

Secret Church

Early Registration Pricing For SC Simulcast Still Available

Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:52 AM PST

It’s official. Tickets to attend Secret Church 14 in person are sold out. But if you missed out, no worries… the discounted price for early simulcast registration is still in effect! Just make sure you register before Friday the 24th to take advantage.

The beauty of Secret Church is that participation is not limited to any venue’s seating capacity. Thanks to technology, you can host a simulcast gathering anywhere as long as you have a computer and a good internet connection. For a variety of reasons from convenience to fellowship, many even prefer to participate in Secret Church via simulcast. So don’t let the fact that you aren’t there in person keep you from joining in with believers from all over the world on April 18 as we dive into The Cross and Everyday Life. Register for the simulcast today!

2014-01-10

Secret Church

Secret Church Tickets at Brook Hills

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:45 AM PST

For those of you wanting to attend the April 18 gathering of Secret Church 14 in person, get ready. Tickets to the gathering at The Church at Brook Hills will go on sale beginning Monday at 9 A.M. central time. In the past, these have sold out extremely fast, so be on the ball early this Monday morning if you want some. Simply go to Radical.net/SCTickets, and at 9 A.M., the button to purchase tickets will appear. If you don’t see it at 9, refresh the page until you do. Then be ready with your credit card information, and follow the steps as prompted.

If they sell out before you are able to purchase, you still have until Friday, January 24 to register for the simulcast before the cost goes up from its special early pricing. Whether in person or via simulcast, we hope you’ll join us this Good Friday as we dive into how the gospel affects different aspects of our everyday lives.

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Pray for Christians Attacked Christmas Day

Jan. 10, 2014 | India

Pray for Christians Attacked Christmas Day

Radical Hindus attacked a group of Christians who had gathered at a believer’s house for prayer on Christmas day. Pastor Arjun, 24, who leads the Ebenezer Indian Pentecost Church, and several other members of the church had gathered at the home of a 48-year-old widow. Shortly after beginning their prayer meeting, about 20 radical Hindus raided the house, grabbing Bibles from the Christians’ hands and ripping them apart while shouting and cursing at the group for destroying the Hindu culture. The Hindus also called local police, accusing the believers of “forced conversions to Christianity.” Police arrested Pastor Arjun and five other Christians, and they seized 20 Bibles from the home as evidence. The six Christians were released on bail the following day but still face prosecution.

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2014-01-03

Secret Church

Persecution on the Rise Worldwide

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 07:40 AM PST

Last month, the issue of Christian persecution was brought before the UK House of Commons. To those of you who, like me, may initially find it puzzling that such a topic would be discussed and debated in the British Parliament, this sobering statistic will make it clear why: an estimated 200 million Christians will be persecuted this year, while around 500 million live in “dangerous neighborhoods.” In the words of Member of Parliament Bob Neill, specifically addressing persecution of Christians living in the Arab world (perhaps the most dangerous of “neighborhoods”), “It is legitimate, as a matter of policy, for us to seek to use our leverage to change that situation.” However the issue is addressed, it is here before us all as 2014 begins.

Thankfully, this global issue is catching the eye of more than just the British Parliament. Recently on BreakPoint, Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet discussed a new book by John Allen titled The Global War on Christians. In a short four-part series (part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4) Metaxas and Stonestreet discussed a variety of topics covered in the book, ranging from the millions of Christians living in Muslim contexts, to Christian persecution from people with varied religious beliefs, to the rise of persecution in the West. If this short series doesn’t make you want to read Allen’s book, it will at least awaken your heart to the suffering of our brothers and sisters for whom persecution is far from myth or rumor.

And there are many who call persecution of Christians just that: myth and rumor. In reality, it’s the notion that Christians aren’t persecuted or marginalized that is the real myth. Timothy Shah (Fox News) recently showed this in an article that pinpointed some of the things that “cloud popular thinking” and make the general public blind to the hostility that Christians all over the world must endure on a daily basis.

All this in mind, here are some reminders for us this January:

Persecution is real. Let’s be prayerful. (Jam 5:13) (1 Thes 5:17)
Persecution is growing. Let’s be watchful. (Matt 24:9-13) (Col 4:2)
Persecution is temporary. Let’s be hopeful. (Rom 8:18)
Persecution is sometimes a sign of gospel advance. Let’s be thankful. (Phil 1:12-13) (Matt 24:14)
Persecution is part of our identity with Christ. Let’s be joyful. (Rom 8:16-17)

Pray for Evangelism to Continue in Muslim World

Jan. 03, 2014 | Sierra Leone

Pray for Evangelism to Continue in Muslim World

Church workers and evangelists working with Muslims in Sierra Leone were greatly encouraged by VOM’s gift of evangelism tools such as audio equipment and Gospel films in the local language. “It was a moment of celebration, as these instruments are so useful in bringing the gospel to the persecutors of our faith in a very special way,” wrote a VOM worker. The evangelism tools were provided as replacements for items that were recently stolen by unknown armed men. It is believed that the thieves were trying to prevent the spread of Christianity in a predominantly Muslim area of Sierra Leone. Converts to Christianity face heavy pressures, and many risk their lives to spread the Gospel.

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Radical Experiment-FBCW

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2014-01-31

Pray for Christian Prisoners Permitted Legal Counsel

2014-01-28

Secret Church

Secret Church

2014-01-23

Secret Church

Secret Church

2014-01-17

Take Advantage of Early Registration Pricing for Secret Church!

Secret Church

Secret Church

2014-01-16

Pray for Three Churches Attacked on Christmas Eve

2014-01-15

Secret Church

Secret Church

2014-01-14

Secret Church

Secret Church

2014-01-10

Secret Church

Secret Church

Pray for Christians Attacked Christmas Day

2014-01-03

Secret Church

Secret Church

Pray for Evangelism to Continue in Muslim World