CEE Story From The Mission Field
Suffering For Their Faith
July 11, 2003
Persecution in the former Soviet Union is not lessening with time as we all hoped when the Berlin Wall came crashing down. Instead, as churches begin to grow under lessening restrictions from the government, persecution is increasing from the Orthodox Church. Over the past months there have been several incidents reported of the destruction of churches, opposition to believers, and new restrictions placed on missionaries. Now, there is yet another. Malkhaz Songulashvili is the Bishop of Cathedral Baptist Church in the Republic of Georgia. Here, he gives his account of the persecution his church recently experienced on a day meant for celebration.
“Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday. This is an important time in the life of our church. On this day, all the ministers come to the Cathedral Baptist Church and celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.
In the morning as I was finishing up my sermon preparation for the service the phone rang. I received very bad news. A local Baptist church in Akhalsopheli had been destroyed. Somebody set it on fire during Pentecost morning at about 4 a.m. The local people have already told me that they suspect the church was burnt down by or with help of the local Orthodox priest. This man has been fired by the local Orthodox bishop twice for openly practicing immorality but was reinstalled in the church through the support of the organized criminals.
The congregation is understandably shocked but not frightened. They are determined to continue the ministry of the church even though they are left only with burnt and barren walls. The material loss of the church is astounding. There is no way that the local congregation of 30 families can afford the restoration of the building and replacing the burnt furniture. But we consider ourselves fortunate that there were no human casualties on that day.
It is true that the religious situation in the country has improved slightly after the visit of President Shevardnadze to the Cathedral Baptist church. But is has always been clear that the persecution would not stop and now it is predicted that religious violence will increase as Parliamentary elections draw near. It is sad that this time the crime appears to have been carried out by a representative of the mainline Orthodox clergyman.
We keep coming up with bad news for which we are terribly sorry. I was even wondering whether I should keep writing. But I think it is important that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers. The evil should not prevail by any means. Despite everything we will not give up our determination to build peaceful working relations between the Orthodox and Evangelical-Baptist communities of Georgia. May the spirit of Pentecost lead us towards such unity of Christians.”
This is the reality of following Christ in the East. Please be in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Christ as they face the same hatred that was faced by Christ Himself when he walked this earth.
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