Lessons From The Church In Philippi – Part One

Lessons From The Church In Philippi – Part One At the end of May, Open Doors’ workers visited Christians in the Nuba Mountain region of Sudan. The purpose was to attend a graduation ceremony of theological training and present a short version of the Standing Strong Through the Storm seminar. Group discussions centered on the realities of suffering and persecution, and Paul’s encouragement to the church in Philippi. Sharing included concerns on how to prepare the church and leadership for the different scenarios that could potentially play out in Nuba. The Nuba people group is made up of more than 90 small tribes. Although sections of the people in western Nuba practice Islam, there’s a strong Christian presence and a vibrant church in eastern Nuba. The Nuba are a resilient people who fought alongside the South for independence. When the border between North and South was drafted by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), Nuba’s lot fell with the North. As a result, the people of Nuba found themselves in the Muslim-dominated “North” Sudan. In a war for power, the Sudanese government launched aerial attacks, dropping at least 60 bombs each day. The indiscriminate bombing of villages, burning of meager food supplies, scattering of people and preventing of farmers to sow, caused immense suffering. By the end of 2012, around 57,000 Nuba civilians made the arduous journey on foot to South Sudan. Thousands of others opted to stay, including mothers who were forced to find ways to feed their children and the elderly  left in their care. During this time, at least 80-percent of the population survived on one meal a day that often consisted of roots or leaves. Existing on foods with little nutritional value, many died of malnutrition and starvation. Feeling forgotten not only by the international community but by the Christian community, the Nuba people welcomed the training session and encouragement offered by Open Doors. During group discussions students diligently jotted down key lessons learned from the Church in Philippi. Tomorrow, we continue sharing of the lessons learned.  One With Them Scripture tells us in Acts 15:36-41 that Paul’s second missionary journey actually began with a disagreement with his partner, Barnabas. God used this disagreement to double the efforts to spread the Good News, sending Barnabas and John Mark in one direction, and Paul and Silas in another – a direction that led to Philippi. Paul’s writings from the Philippian jail are among the most jubilant, joyful, and optimistic Scripture in the Bible. Thankful that God opened doors for a training session where believers could come alongside the suffering Nuba people. Join in prayer – One With Them – today, for these believers.  2013.07.06

But whatever was to my profit I now consider a loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. (Philippians 3:7-8a)