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The Nature of True Apostleship

by Greg Lancaster

The Nature of True Apostleship

A Burden to Bear, not a Position to be Sought

It is Jesus Christ Himself, who calls certain people to be apostles. It’s His calling for His purposes. Ephesians 4:11-13 It is apostles who carry a weighty sense of purpose and responsibility. A comprehensive understanding of what it means to be an apostle can be drawn from 1 Corinthians 4, where the Apostle Paul outlines the core attributes and responsibilities of an apostle. This text serves as a foundational guide to understanding the nature of true apostleship.

Servants of Christ and Trustees of Mysteries

According to Paul, the first thing to understand about apostles is that they should be regarded as servants of Christ. They are not leaders in the conventional sense, where power and status are the primary indicators of leadership. Instead, their authority comes from their servitude to Jesus Christ. Moreover, they are entrusted with the revealed “mysteries of God.” This indicates that they are also keepers of sacred knowledge and wisdom, disseminating it responsibly.

Accountability and Judgment

An essential aspect of apostleship is accountability. As people entrusted with sacred mysteries, apostles must prove themselves faithful. However, this accountability is not as much to the human populace as it is to God. Paul states that he cares little for human judgment, adding that he doesn’t even judge himself. The implication here is that ultimate judgment belongs to the Lord. Therefore, Paul suggests that one should refrain from judgment until the Lord comes and exposes the motives of the heart. This again underscores the heavenly orientation of an apostle’s duties and accountability.

Spiritual Fatherhood in Apostleship

^“Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4:15-17

One of the most poignant elements of apostleship, as highlighted by Paul, is the role of the apostle as a spiritual father. In 1 Corinthians 4:15, Paul says, “Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” This speaks volumes about the depth of relationship and responsibility that an apostle carries. Unlike a guardian, who may provide temporary guidance or protection, a spiritual father imparts enduring wisdom, moral guidance, and emotional support. This is evident in Paul’s relationship with Timothy and others to whom he provided spiritual guidance. He didn’t just disseminate knowledge or offer surface-level guidance; he nurtured, mentored, and invested in their spiritual growth. This dimension of spiritual fatherhood elevates the apostolic role to one of profound relational depth, underscoring the long-lasting impact that true apostles have on those they guide and mentor.

God’s Household: Built on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ Himself as the Chief Cornerstone

Builders: Apostles Build

Apostleship has additional depth of responsibility as stated in Ephesians 2:19-21, which articulates that the faithful are “no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” This beautifully illustrates how apostles serve as foundational elements in the spiritual architecture of God’s household. They are not merely servants and spiritual fathers, but also builders in collaboration with prophets, solidifying the structural integrity of the church.

The Danger of Factionalism

Paul warns against the divisive behavior that arises when people start to favor one apostle over another, saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” He cautions against being “puffed up” with pride for being a follower of a particular apostle. He argues that no one is fundamentally different from another in this context and that whatever gifts or wisdom one has are received from God. In doing so, he underlines the collective and united nature of the Christian community.

Apostles’ Authority: Your Own Field, Not Another’s Field

The role of an apostle is profound and encompassing in the body of Christ. The scriptures provide clarity on the scope of an apostle’s influence and jurisdiction. In Romans 15:20, Paul writes, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” This speaks to an apostle’s innate desire to evangelize and establish churches, ministries, and operate as an apostle but notably in areas where the foundation of Christ is yet to be laid.

The passage from 2 Corinthians 10:13-16 further underlines the apostle’s jurisdiction. Paul notes, “But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us.” It’s evident that an apostle’s authority is designated by God to specific areas or groups. These groups can be thought of as their spiritual “tribe” or family – those born again through their ministry, discipled in their spiritual lineage, and those the Lord has led to relate to them apostolically, i.e., as a spiritual father in Christ Jesus.

An apostle’s tribe, then, serves as both their responsibility and testimony. As Paul puts it, “for you are my letter to others.” It is through the fruit of their ministry – the transformed lives and the growing faith of those related to them – that their apostolic authority is validated. But it is essential to note, echoing Paul’s sentiment, that this authority is not a blanket coverage over all believers. Apostles are stewards of specific fields. They are not called to exert authority or correction over another apostle’s designated territory unless explicitly invited, and even then, their role remains defined by the parameters of that invitation.

In their service, apostles might face rejection, even from those within their own sphere. Yet, this is not a testament against their calling. After all, even Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, faced rejection, and apostles, in their service, walk in His footsteps. As servants of God, their primary duty is to remain submitted to Him, to nurture and guide their assigned tribe, and to avoid overstepping into another’s domain. For in the divine design, every apostle has a field, a tribe, which they are called to shepherd. Their responsibilities, some of which are outlined in this article, are firmly anchored within the boundaries of that field.

Fatherly Warnings: Apostle and Prophets

Ephesians 4:11-16 further refines our understanding of the apostle’s role in Christ’s architectural design of His Church of which He is the head. Christ gave us apostles to equip the saints for works of service and to build up the body of Christ. The objective is to grow believers from spiritual infancy to unified, mature adults who are impervious to deceit and division.

Blow in, Blow up, Blow out: Blown Here and There by Every Wind

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” Ephesians 4:14

Jesus clearly said, we’ll know a person by their fruit, especially focusing on those who “claim” to be His followers and doing “His will,” whose fruit doesn’t align with their profession of their claim.

Apostles act as spiritual architects who ward off the destructive impact of transient, divisive forces that can “blow in” and “blow up” communities with schisms and falsehoods. They help to identify those fly-by-night, shooting-star “ministers” who “blow in” to town with a big bang, “blow up” the family of God, bring division, and then “blow out” of town, leaving the household of God fragmented, divided, un-unified, split, with broken unity within the community, people filled with jealousy and envy among God’s household, who stoked His people to favor one minister over another leaving a trail of scattered sheep (people who Jesus died for) as their fruit. Apostles help the church to understand these “ministers” are held captive by satan to do his will of devouring, destroying, and dividing Jesus’ church, as Paul wrote to Timothy about in 2 Timothy 2:26 and 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

They help remind God’s household of how things were before those who caused division came among them. They recall how the Lord had blessed the community, and how members loved their brothers and sisters in Christ. They were united, thinking well of each other, rather than being led astray by divisive influences. They remind the church not to favor or be mesmerized by anyone’s gifts, especially if those gifts are being used to draw people away from God and from the teachings clearly stated in scripture. They encourage the church to pursue Jesus, assuring them that spiritual gifts and signs will follow all who believe, rather than having the believers chase after signs. This is in line with Mark 16:16-18 and Matthew 7:21-23, which emphasize the importance of genuine faith and obedience to God’s will.

“Remember where you were before you fell, turn from this sin, and do what you used to do before.” Revelation 2:5 (CJB)

They help to rebuild the broken parts of God’s household and restore relationships in the aftermath of the actions of such “ministers.” They remind the household of God that we all belong to the Lord and are called to walk in Christ-centered unity. This unity discourages favoring one member over another; instead, we collectively favor Christ and unify in our love for God and each other. By doing so, we affirm that our love and unity serves as our greatest witness to the world, demonstrating that God loves them as much as He loves His Son, Jesus. This aligns with John 17:23, which emphasizes the importance of divine love and unity as a testament to God’s love for humanity.

This doesn’t only apply to those who call themselves “ministers” of God, when in fact, they are “ministers of satan” disguised as “angels of light” and this is known to be true by the fruit they bear. “For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 It also applies to those who rise up among us who do the very same thing as these “ministers of darkness.”

Wolves Warnings

“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” Acts 20:29-31

Misleading God’s Household: Identifying False Teachers

Apostles help to identify false teachers who are drawing God’s household to themselves, and away from God. “I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols… I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” Revelation 2:20, 22-23

Fruitless Wonders: True and False Prophets

Jesus tells us to “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

True and False Disciples

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:15-23

Identifying and Warning: Deceitful Schemes

The apostle nurtures and strengthens the community to reach “unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God,” so that they are not left as fragmented, vulnerable targets for the “deceitful schemes” mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:26. In this holistic view, the apostle’s role is not merely foundational but also continually active in the growth and unity of the Church, helping to safeguard it as a “holy temple in the Lord.”

The Reality of Apostolic Suffering

There’s no glamour in being an apostle. Paul describes apostles as those who have been made “a spectacle to the whole universe.” They are “fools for Christ,” often dishonored, hungry, thirsty, and brutally treated. This humbling description serves as a reality check against any illusions of grandeur that might be associated with apostleship. Paul insists that the nature of true apostleship involves hardship, self-sacrifice, and a daily cross to bear. This understanding is vital for the household of God; they need to be open to an apostle’s leadership in their lives and within their church. They should not “misjudge” the apostle, thinking they can’t be from God because of all they suffer. The truth is, apostles have a target on their backs. Satan comes against them in every way he can, “hard-pressing, perplexing, persecuting, and abandoning” them in attempts to disrupt the foundation of the church and wreak havoc. [2 Corinthians 4:7-9] The church—the household of God—must be able to see the anointing on an apostle’s life and accept them as such to receive the apostolic reward, which is the specific purpose for which God appointed them as apostles. Their very struggles and the public attacks they often endure could, paradoxically, serve as identifiers that they are who they claim to be. Sad to say, those who are held captive by satan to do his will of leading God’s people astray often use the attacks on the apostle as their wedge narrative to pry God’s people out of His household. This makes sense when you understand it is satan who is causing such suffering and they are satan’s captive to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:26

A Fatherly Appeal and Warning

Finally, Paul speaks from a place of paternal concern, urging his followers to imitate him. He doesn’t do this to shame them, but to guide them as his spiritual children. He warns them against arrogance and reminds them that the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. He even poses a stark question about how he should come to them—either with a rod of discipline or in love and with a gentle spirit.

Conclusion

The Apostle Paul’s discourse in 1 Corinthians 4 provides a compelling framework for understanding true apostleship. It’s a role steeped in divine responsibility, heavenly accountability, and earthly hardships. It calls for humility, wisdom, and a spirit of unity within the Christian community. At its core, apostleship is not a call to elevated status but to servant leadership, continual faithfulness, and enduring hardship for the sake of Christ.

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The Nuremberg Code

by Greg Lancaster

The Nuremberg Code

The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.
This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, over-reaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved, as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision. This latter element requires that, before the acceptance of an affirmative decision by the experimental subject, there should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reasonably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person, which may possibly come from his participation in the experiment.
The duty and responsibility for ascertaining the quality of the consent rests upon each individual who initiates, directs or engages in the experiment. It is a personal duty and responsibility which may not be delegated to another with impunity.
The experiment should be such as to yield fruitful results for the good of society, unprocurable by other methods or means of study, and not random and unnecessary in nature.
The experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study, that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment.
The experiment should be so conducted as to avoid all unnecessary physical and mental suffering and injury.
No experiment should be conducted, where there is an a priori reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur; except, perhaps, in those experiments where the
experimental physicians also serve as subjects.
The degree of risk to be taken should never exceed that determined by the humanitarian importance of the problem to be solved by the experiment.
Proper preparations should be made and adequate facilities provided to protect the experimental subject against even remote possibilities of injury, disability, or death.
The experiment should be conducted only by scientifically qualified persons. The highest degree of skill and care should be required through all stages of the experiment of those who conduct or engage in the experiment.
During the course of the experiment, the human subject should be at liberty to bring the experiment to an end, if he has reached the physical or mental state, where continuation of the experiment seemed to him to be impossible.
During the course of the experiment, the scientist in charge must be prepared to terminate the experiment at any stage, if he has probable cause to believe, in the exercise of the good faith, superior skill and careful judgement required of him, that a continuation of the experiment is likely to result in injury, disability, or death to the experimental subject.

(Screen Shot of the NIH.gov website)

[“Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals under Control Council Law No. 10”, Vol. 2, pp. 181-182. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1949.]

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PROPHECY! A New Wave of Revival is Coming to America as the Church Gets Back to Family. Charles Simpson

by Greg Lancaster

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It is so exciting to be a part of this generation knowing that God is about to pour out His Spirit mightily upon all the nations of the world. Knowing this is about to take place, it is so vital that we heed Jesus’ words to become His disciples and to make disciples. This is exactly what Jesus commanded His Church to do in Matthew 28: 19-20, ”Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” When we look at the Church in America, is this something being done? In a recent conversation with VFNtv, Charles Simpson spoke with Greg Lancaster about the necessity for the Church to do exactly that; make disciples.

In today’s culture, the word ‘discipleship’ is not something that everyone is hearing or even being taught about. To actually do and carry out what Jesus commanded could almost be considered rebellion since it is so rarely mentioned or taught about. Simpson comments about how the present-day Church applies discipleship. “What I see is that is discipleship is looked upon as what happens on Sunday, or in Sunday school…that’s fine, but the replication at a personal level, I don’t see it happening. It must be happening somewhere, but it’s certainly obscure as far as I know.” As Simpson continues, he emphasizes the unease that this reality brings to him. “That concerns me greatly because Jesus’ last words were ‘go make disciples’…I’m not seeing that on a personal level.” The concern is how the present model of Church is not meeting Jesus’ command. “We’ve institutionalized the process with schools and seminaries, and whatever else we have to make disciples that’s not personal and the people who go through it are not personally making disciples.” What is a heartache is to hear those that are doing it; “The exceptions to that are usually outside the Church, parachurch, and that’s a shame because the Church has the tools to do it if the people will take responsibility.”

Greg Lancaster talks about the moment that the realization of responsibility came to him when he was hungry for what God was doing. “Lord, I’m ready to learn. If it’s going to take five years, ten years, we’ll just meet together until You just tell us what’s next.” Greg continues to describe what God did. “[God] took over! It wasn’t but one Sunday and people just started coming. Holy Spirit just started bringing people. And then, they started reproducing. WAIT A MINUTE! Then you realize, I’m responsible for what I reproduce!” It was in this paradigm that Greg realized that people were doing things “in the name of God”, praying, but it wasn’t God at all. His wisdom highlights the moment of decision if we will obey the commandments of Jesus. “It makes you want to run into a building and go, ‘Okay! We’ll never have to do that again!’ Right. But then you die there.” This is precious wisdom for us to hold tightly to knowing that God is about to do great and mighty things. When God moves, good things will take place, and so will bad things.

Considering the journey and experience that Greg describes, Simpson reminds us of the journey that took place in the book of Acts. “The Book of Acts is so diverse. I mean, it’s powerful! It starts with an explosion. And then they go to jail, they get beat, and all these different things are going on, good and bad, but God is using it all.” It’s these very experiences that we can glean precious wisdom from and not be surprised when a sudden change of direction takes place midstream of a move of God. As they continue to exchange experiences from their life’s journeys, Greg says it with these words, “that’s what happens! Right in the middle of a positive God move, all of a sudden something slides in and puts themselves in that place, including individuals who are looking for self-promotion and advancement”. So many people have gotten defeated by how quickly things change direction that is not the direction they started in. Simpson continues to share priceless wisdom, “you can use good principles to your own advantage and that happens if people have not died to themselves…but…that’s not your fault”. Simpson continues, “if you are confronted with it, and it’s your responsibility, deal with it. But I began to think, you know, there was a wreck in Africa, two people collided, and I must have been responsible. I don’t know how, but I’m sure I had something to do with it.” This is where the devil attacks all of us. Simpson continues, “you get paranoid! You think, ‘I don’t want to be close to anybody because they might do something wrong, and then we’re all going to get blamed’”. The beautiful moment is when we’re okay with these realities. Simpson continues, “but you can’t be that way, and if you die to yourself, you’ll take risks, and you’ll love people that won’t love you back, or they might mistreat you”.

These stories and experiences are not unique. The enemy is always whispering lies and defeat into our ears. When we become light focused, it doesn’t matter what the strategies of darkness are. Light will always overcome the darkness. Simpson continues to talk about the perspective that the Church must take on. “If Christians just allow the Holy Spirit to have charge, they can be used out in the world, even when they don’t know it. And then, there will be opportunities where you can share your faith or help somebody.” His next words are where the rubber meets the road; “The Church has to become contagious. It’s gotta get out of isolation…well we got to get out in the public with the presence of God”. Simpson points out the fact of the matter. “It’s the Holy Spirit that makes us special. We’re not special in ourselves, and when the anointing is gone, we’re just back where we were.”

We can take the time now to gain so much wisdom from these practical life experiences and apply them to our own personal journeys. Be sure to see the whole conversation with Charles Simpson, and so much more. Also shared in this segment: family, relationship, buildings, seminary, the Fear of God, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, persecution, government, the Light of the world, sphere of influence, relationship, counseling, timings of the Lord, and fathering.

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WATCH! PROPHECY! A New Wave of Revival is Coming to America as the Church Gets Back to Family. Charles Simpson

by Greg Lancaster

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A New Wave of Revival is Coming to America as the Church Gets Back to Family. Charles Simpson

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President Trump Meets with Survivors of Religious Persecution

by Greg Lancaster

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Religious persecution has become greater and greater as the years have passed. Now with the Trump Administration in office great strides have been made not only in the United States but in the world to help end religious persecution. This includes people that were in captivity because of their faith, being released. Others are still seeking freedom for their families and people. We join President Donald Trump and survivors of religious persecution in the Oval Office at the White House.

“We have a very important group of people standing alongside of me. I’m honored to welcome Pastor Andrew Brunson and other survivors of religious persecution to the White House. We’re grateful to be joined by Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback — a former governor, as you know; as well as Pastor Paula White — a tremendous religious leader and a friend of the White House, a friend of the presidency, and a friend of the President.

“With us today are men and women of many different religious traditions from many different countries. But what you have in common is each of you has suffered tremendously for your faith. You’ve endured harassment, threats, attacks, trials, imprisonment, and torture. I got to know many of you and helped you get some — get some of you out of the difficult situation that you were in. I’m very proud of you in the way you’ve reacted to a different life. It is a tremendous thing. Your families are very proud, and our country is very proud, and your countries are very proud — for those of you that aren’t from the United States. Each of you has now become a witness to the importance of advancing religious liberty all around the world. It’s about religious liberty.

“Last year, my administration hosted the world’s first-ever meeting of foreign ministers devoted solely to the subject of international religious freedom. I want to thank all of you for joining us as we host this meeting for the second year in a row. A lot of individual breakout meetings are being had, and we’re getting a lot of ideas as to how we can help. In America, we’ve always understood that our rights come from God, not from government. In our Bill of Rights, the first liberty is religious liberty. Each of us has the right to follow the dictates of our conscience and the demands of our religious conviction. We know that if people are not free to practice their faith, then all of the freedoms are at risk and, frankly, freedoms don’t mean very much. That’s why Americans will never tire in our effort to defend and promote religious freedom. I don’t think any President has taken it as seriously as me. To me, it’s very important…And I just want to thank everybody very much for being with us today. You’ve been through a lot. And I think I can say it for everyone here: You’ve been through a lot — more than most people could ever endure. And I want to congratulate you because that’s what you need, is congratulations. It’s really an honor to be with you, and I will stand side by side with you forever.”

Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback shares next at the gathering. “Thank you and your administration for your leadership on this. Last year was the first; this year is the largest meeting ever held in the world on religious freedom…And with you here today, we have a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Nadia Murad, who was taken by ISIS…then we have helped — this government has — in rebuilding Northern Iraq, the Yazidi and the Christian area…”

Mariam Ibraheem was in attendance. A Sudanese Christian formerly imprisoned for her faith in Jesus Christ. When she was in prison, she gave birth to her child while she was in chains! We fasted and prayed for her to be released and God heard our prayers. As she spoke briefly at the White House, she said that her and her family are doing well.

Rev. Dr. Hkalam Samson, President of the Kachin Baptist Convention from Northern Burma spoke next. “I’m from Baptist Convention from Northern Burma. And then, as Christians in Myanmar, we are very been oppressed and tortured by the Myanmar military government. So — and then we don’t have chance, many, for religious freedom. And also, ethnic armed groups fight against to the central military government. So, please, American government focus on ethnic people and the ethnic leader to get general democracy and federalism. It is very important for your help and for your support. And then thank you very much for your sanction yesterday. It was very helpful.”

Ambassador Brownback shares that the job he now holds is one of the most important jobs he has ever had as he is helping billions of people! He was previously a congressman, senator and governor. “These folks here represent the faiths of billions of people around the world. And the United States is the main country — not the only; and many other allies are coming along — but we’re the main country to stand up and fight for their religious freedom. And we’re not picking a winner or loser. We’re just saying, look, you’ve got — governments have to protect this right. And that’s why, to me, this job and what this administration is doing to protect it affects billions of people. And I’m — I think it’s incredible. It’s an incredible opportunity.”

Ms. Nyima Lhamo reportedly escaped from Tibet to tell others about China’s rule in Tibet. “I’m from Tibet. It’s my dream to visit — this opportunity to visit the President. Tibetan need support, please. We need support…thank you so much for this opportunity to gather and share the story. Thank you.”

Ms. Zhang from China shares next about her experience is China. “I’m a Falun Gong practitioner. My husband, now, is still in prison. And the forced organ harvesting still exists. So, we should take action…so how to do this action in the Chinese communist regime. Now my husband in Province of Jiangsu and Suzhou prison. And, you know, 2018 one of our practitioners, after three years in prison, he was released home. And in just one day, he died…And you know the regime, what they do.”

Pastor Paula White-Cain spoke next expressing her thanks to President Trump. ” Mr. President, it’s such an honor. And I just have to say, on behalf of you and your courageous leadership — I have watched, from day one and even before you took this office, you be a relentless fighter for people of all faiths and religious liberty. We see it on stateside — from you saying we can say “Merry Christmas” again; to the DOJ passing laws that no other administration could pass to give high holy days to all religions to be able to take off of work and to honor that; to, as the Ambassador said, this is the second but the largest in the world gathering for religious liberty freedom.

“You have taken a bold, courageous stand that many governments have moved. You have over 16 countries represented here. You have approximately 27 people. But I was in the room yesterday with thousands, and we had thousands that could not get in. So, we thank you, President, for being the leader — the courageous leader to stand up not only in our nation, but countries all around, for all faith, of all people that we should have the practice and the right to practice our religion.”

Mr. Farid Ahmed, whose wife was killed in the New Zealand, Christchurch attack in March of 2019, talks next. “Mr. President, thank you from New Zealand. Thank you for your leadership, standing up for humanity, standing up for religious groups and their rights. And thank you — thank you for supporting us in the 15 March tragedy in Christ church. And God bless you. And God bless the United States.”

Ms. Saha from Bangladesh shares the tragic events that she has faced in her country. “Sir, thank you. Sir, I am from Bangladesh. And here is 37 million, the Hindu, Buddhist, and Christianity. Please help us, the Bangladesh people. We want to stay in our country. Still, there is 18 million minority people. My request is: Please help us. We don’t want to leave our country. Just help, Mr. President. I have lost my home. They (Muslim fundamentalist group) burned my home. They’ve taken my land. But no adjustment has taken place.”

Ms. Ilham from China talks of the concentration camps in China. “Mr. President, one to three million Uyghur population are locked up in concentration camps in China, including my father, who is now serving a life sentence. I haven’t seen him since 2013…he has been in jail for five years, and we don’t know how long he will still be in there. I haven’t heard about him since 2017, because that’s when the concentration camps started. Anyone who goes to ask about anybody’s family members’ news will never make their way back to their own homes.”

Reverend Mario Barroso from Cuba reminds us of the leadership struggle in his country. “President, I am Pastor Mario from Cuba. A blessing. One Pastor, Ramón Rigal, and his wife are imprisoned in Cuba. Please pray for them and help the people in Cuba. Five pastors…invited for this event in Cuba are not here because the government in Cuba no permission for today. I am here because I am refugee in United States. Thank you for your hospitality for me.” President Trump asked him about the new leader and how things are in Cuba. “No, it’s not real. Castro continuing the power because Castro is the first secretary to the party — the communist party. And the new President is not really. Castro is the real leader continuing on.”

Ilyong Ju from North Korea shares about the tragedy that Christians face in her country. Her cousin’s family was executed because they shared the Gospel. Even though the North Korean’s face persecution for their faith they are still worshiping God in underground churches.

Nadia Murad a Yazidi from Iraq who was a captive of ISIS. “I’m from Iraq and I cannot see my family…after 2003, we started to disappear from our area, from our homeland. And then when ISIS attack us in 2014, they killed six of my brother. They killed my mom. They took me to captivity with my eleven sister-in-law, with all my sister and my nieces. And today we have 3,000 Yazidi women and children in captivity. So, although they said ISIS is defeated, but where is those 3,000 Yazidi? And our home is destroyed. We come to here, we go to Europe, we go to Arab country that ISIS did this. Everyone saw that… They killed them (her family). They are in the mass graves in Sinjar. And I’m still fighting just to live in safe. Please do something. And it’s not about one family —It’s about half million. It’s about the whole community…”

There were many others from other nations who shared briefly of the persecution they and their families are facing and ask for help! We must pray for the persecuted Church as they are our brothers and sisters in the Lord. At VFNKB we pray for them and want you to join us. Have you been persecuted for your faith? We want to hear from you. Write to us at Friends@VFNKB.com. Greg shared in this segment.

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WATCH! President Trump Meets with Survivors of Religious Persecution

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The Truth of what is Happening in North Korea

by Greg Lancaster

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We are looking at what is really happening in North Korea, which is the persecution of Christians. God is a just God, and He does not want this to happen to His children. The Christian Post reported that “human rights advocates with years of experience in dealing with North Korea outlined how the Kim regime has nearly wiped out Christianity in the closed-off, isolated nation.” Kim Jung-un is a third generation in leadership in North Korea, and the leaders set themselves up as a god which would be why they destroy anything to do with the one true God. At one point in history, there were so many Christians in North Korea that the capital was named, Jerusalem of the East. “Greg Scarlatoiu, the executive director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, explained that it was in 1946 when the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea forced the closure of churches with congregations that did not meet a predetermined required number of people. “The committee began to forbid Protestant and Catholic in-house assemblies and made Sunday a work day and Monday a rest day. And, this was just the beginning,” he added. “Under the pretext that the sound of religious songs disturbed public life, the same committee asked churches to relocate. Communist Party agitators were inserted into Christian communities and church assemblies. They began criticizing the sermons as being unprogressive.” This is a plan of the enemy to stop God’s Kingdom from advancing. As believers we should be aware of what is happening with our brothers and sisters in other countries and even in our own country, America, to know who the enemy really is.

We hear from those that were in a North Korean camp and how atrocious and evil their time was in the prison camp. Amnesty International UK reveals through interviews and testimonies, what is happening in North Korea. Kim Young-Soon spent nine years in the political prison camp, Yodok. “From sunrise to sunset, you work. There are no set working hours. You get up at 3:30 am to report for work at 4:30 am, and then you work until dark.” Jihyun Park was sent to a labor camp after she fled North Korea but was later caught in China. She shares how pregnant women are forced to work. “Pregnant women get sent to labor camps to carry loads up and down the hills which cause miscarriages.”

Amidst these extraneous conditions, prisoners are forced to work with little to no food. Joo-Il Kim was a former military captain, and he points out how lack of food not only affects civilians but also those in the military. “I saw piles of bodies, who have died from starvation in public places.” He continues to share horrifying details of how extreme malnutrition affects the human body.

In North Korea, it’s not just one person convicted of a crime that gets sent to a prison camp, but multiple members of the same family. This is North Korea’s ‘guilt by association.’ Kim Young-Soon further explains, “I may be the culprit, but the other six members of my family are forced to go with me to the prison camp without knowing the charge.”

“Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life(ESV).” As believers, we need to be aware of what is going on in North Korea and pray for God’s justice to come into that country and set the people free! Also shared in this segment: Vice President Mike Pence, human rights, human rights violations, Kim Jong-un, South China Sea, North Korea, persecution, gulags, prophecy, Roman Emperor Nero, oppressive leadership, political labor camp, and the U.S.S. Reagan. Greg and John shared in this segment.

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WATCH! The Truth of what is Happening in North Korea

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The Truth of what is Happening in North Korea

We are looking at what is really happening in North Korea, which is the persecution of Christians. God is a just God, and He does not want this to happen to His children. The Christian Post reported that “human rights advocates with years of experience in dealing with North Korea outlined how the Kim regime has nearly wiped out Christianity in the closed-off, isolated nation.” Kim Jong-un is a third generation in leadership in North Korea, and the leaders set themselves up as a god which would be why they destroy anything to do with the one true God. At one point in history, there were so many Christians in North Korea that the capital was named, Jerusalem of the East. “Greg Scarlatoiu, the executive director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, explained that it was in 1946 when the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea forced the closure of churches with congregations that did not meet a predetermined required number of people. “The committee began to forbid Protestant and Catholic in-house assemblies and made Sunday a work day and Monday a rest day. And, this was just the beginning,” he added. “Under the pretext that the sound of religious songs disturbed public life, the same committee asked churches to relocate. Communist Party agitators were inserted into Christian communities and church assemblies. They began criticizing the sermons as being unprogressive.” This is a plan of the enemy to stop God’s Kingdom from advancing. As believers we should be aware of what is happening with our brothers and sisters in other countries and even in our own country, America, to know who the enemy really is.

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North Korean Government more Afraid of Christians than Nuclear Weapons

by Greg Lancaster

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As a Christian, persecution is normal because when we give our lives to Jesus Christ almost instantly, persecution can start. Persecution of Christians is happening in North Korea most likely worse than anywhere else in the world. Did you know that the government in North Korea is more fearful of Christians than they are of nuclear weapons? If you become a Christian in North Korea, and you are found out, then it will affect generations in your family to serve in labor camps, including yourself. It has been reported that Christians are imprisoned, abused, sent to labor camps, starved and worse, murdered. It is terrible all that is taking place in this country against Christians.

As reported by the Christian Post, a new documentary film has exposed what Christians in North Korea face and where at least 25 million people have not even heard the name of Jesus! Olive Enos, with Heritage Foundation, said, “The situation in North Korea is absolutely dire.” Pointing out that credible reports are ranking North Korea as the worst place in the world for Christians. According to the 2014 Commission of Inquiry Report by the United Nations showing that any North Korean escaping to China but were repatriated were asked two questions. Did they have any contact with South Koreans, or did they interact with any Christian missionaries? If the answer was yes to either question, they had to endure consequences like torture and imprisonment.

Kenneth Bae author of Not Forgotten: The True Story of My Imprisonment in North Korea, says that “The Kim regime sees religion as potentially threatening to its leadership.” Kenneth is a Korean-American pastor and was held hostage in North Korea for two years because he was accused by the authorities that he was trying to overthrow the North Korean government. They also said that “if one person came back and started an orphanage and ten children became Christians, they will only multiply from there and present a threat to the nation.” “They said ‘we are not afraid of nuclear weapons … we are afraid of someone like you bringing religion into our country and use it against us, and then everybody will turn to God, and this will become God’s country, and we will fall,” said Kenneth. He was informed that he was probably the most dangerous American criminal they had ever had since the Korean War. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor and was then sent to a North Korean labor camp. He was ultimately released in 2014.

Pyongyang was once known as the “Jerusalem of the Far East” and had a strong Christian presence, he explained. But today, except for the faith of those few who have been forced underground, most North Koreans have never heard the name of Jesus. In all the hundreds of refugees that he has met, Bae recounted that he never met a single escapee who fled North Korea that had heard of Jesus. When Bae would talk about Jesus with North Koreans, they would ask him if Jesus lives in Korea or China. He continued, “North Korea is not a country where Christians are being persecuted; it is a country [where] Christianity has been eliminated, the total elimination taking place. And if you’re Christians, they’ll kill you; they’ll kill your parents.” The official creed of the North Korean regime is called Juche, which means “self-reliance.” When this philosophy was instituted in the 1960s they deliberately erased the name of Jesus from everything in culture; the reason they did this, Bae surmised, is because the Bible says in John 14 that Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life, that no one comes to the Father but through Him. Without Jesus, no one can find the truth, the way, or receive life, he said.

People in the short documentary, “Humanity Denied: Religious Freedom in North Korea,” speak about their experiences with North Korea even sharing tragedy that happened to them. One man says, “The North Korean people are in such a bad economic situation. They don’t have a good harvest, and there are people who starve to death. So, I said that we should send rice using the sea tide because there are people who are starving and hungry.” As has been reported the people that are imprisoned pick seeds out of animal waste as they have no food. It is tragic. So, they sent rice in plastic bottles to North Korea as they did this, they also decided to send the Bible with the rice. “Then we decided to send the Bible, North Korean people do not know about the Bible. Because they have not seen, and they have not heard, we started sending it.”

Another man shares that one out of every five families is connected to North Korean security! “It is like the CIA or FBI of the United States. And when there are three or more people gathered there is one spy there.”

One woman who tried to escape North Korea shares the difficulties she faced. “It became more difficult. I went through repatriation three times. During those times, I had been to prison and went through hardships.” She was repatriated in August of 2002 but left North Korea in October. She lived in China until she moved to South Korea in 2007. “At that time, I was three months pregnant. Yet the North Korean regime does not recognize as a citizen a child of mixed blood. So, they forced abortions on female North Korean defectors who got pregnant abroad, without exception. I underwent a forced abortion, and the surgery was without anesthesia. It’s by God’s grace that I am able to tell my story. The fact that the baby would not get a chance to see their mother but had to die in her body was very absurd. It broke my heart.” She says that after losing her baby, she came to know God’s heart.

We are so blessed in the United States, and we must remember to pray for our brothers and sisters all around the world who are facing persecution daily. We see a big assault coming against President Donald Trump as he is dealing with the dictators of the world! He has set up the state department’s Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, and they are working to bring religious freedom all around the world. But where is the Church in all of this? When the Holocaust tragedy happened, that was the question that was asked too. We don’t want to see the same tragedy take place in North Korea. We must pray for our family in this country and for the prophecy to come to pass that revival is coming to North Korea!

Pastor John Kilpatrick, with Church of His Presence, shared an encouraging prophetic word in 2017 concerning North Korea. “My people have been desolated, and they have suffered greatly. I am going to cause the news of fresh visitation to spread quickly. Yes, God is visiting His people once again…I am going to begin to move mightily in closed nations and closed societies.”

Also, Hank Kunneman shares a prophetic word that God gave him in 2018, that the bamboo curtain is coming down. “What has been underground shall come above ground. That is why the enemy wants to bring a natural war over Korea to hinder and to preempt something, but God is trying to hold it back so that we can get to the harvest and get this bamboo curtain shredded and down and this domino to begin to fall off North Korea.”

Another North Korean woman shares about her journey in the documentary. “The first time I met God was when I came to China. It was a time of tremendous wandering for me. When I was in North Korea, I never heard of the word church. I did not know what church was about, and I had never heard the word Jesus Christ. In North Korea, I was brainwashed by the ideology of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. We all worshipped the idols of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, not God. We worshipped Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il as God.”

Kim Jong-un has now put himself as a god in North Korea with statues of himself throughout the country for people to worship. Even just saying the wrong word or touching something you shouldn’t is a cause for punishment. Otto Warmbier, an American, was arrested for tearing down a poster in North Korea and was eventually released but was sent home brain-damaged and died in the arms of his parents, a few days after returning to the United States.

Next, the woman continues and tells of the time she was imprisoned. “Whenever I was sent to a prison in North Korea, the first two questions they always ask during an interrogation are if one had contact with any South Koreans and the other is if one has been to a church…I went through such a hard time in there. I was thinking that I would be dead and that my life is ending like this.” She shares how she learned an important truth once she learned about the Bible. “When one follows the guidance of God and trusts in Him no matter what hardships they go through, they live in the protection of God, and they will be blessed.”

There are underground churches in North Korea not known by the regime and even the North Korean people. A man in the documentary says he saw how the North Koreans believe in Jesus and how the providence of God was affecting them. He had no idea of the underground church because living with faith risks their life! It is encouraging to see the faithfulness of believers continuing to serve God despite the risks.

We must pray for God’s Kingdom to come to North Korea and as prophesied that revival will come with Jesus’ name being glorified! What is your prayer for North Korea? We want to hear from you. Write to us at Friends@VFNKB.com. Greg and John shared in this segment.

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WATCH! North Korean Government more Afraid of Christians than Nuclear Weapons

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North Korean Government more Afraid of Christians than Nuclear Weapons

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Pastor Andrew Brunson, From Turkish Prison to the White House in 24 Hours!

by Greg Lancaster

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Andrew Brunson, a pastor who lived in Turkey for years preaching the Gospel, was arrested along with his wife in Turkey. They were accused of things that they had not done. The Turkish government had said they were not going to let Pastor Brunson free unless America traded a prisoner for him, but President Donald Trump said no about trading prisoners and that they needed to let Pastor Brunson free. Many people in America, from lawyers, governmental officials, and his wife, Norine Brunson, who stayed in Turkey, repeatedly contacted President Trump and his administration to do everything possible to free Pastor Brunson. And now we see the answer to prayer as he has been set free!

Within 24 hours President Trump brought Pastor Brunson directly to the White House after leaving the Turkish prison. President Trump remarks, “This has been a long journey. But for Andrew, it’s been a very interesting day. Because as you probably heard, I said a little bit earlier, from a Turkish prison to the White House in 24 hours… And I want to start by saying that Norine was unbelievable. She was calling and calling. She definitely loves you let me put it that way. But she was calling and she wanted you out. And you (Pastor Brunson) are very, very special to all of us… And again, we’ve been negotiating long and hard. We do not pay ransom in this country, at least any longer. We won’t pay ransom. Otherwise you have big problems, and lots of things will happen. Lots of bad things will happen. But I still I want to thank President Erdogan. We’ve been dealing. And we actually until this, we had a very good relationship. I was actually very surprised that we didn’t work this out a couple of months ago. But it started in a different administration, and they were not going to work out anything. And we took it over, we inherited it. And we have, I think at this moment, gotten 19 different people out of various countries that were being held.” President Trump speaks to Pastor Brunson, “So I just want to congratulate you, because you have galvanized this country. I mean, you just take a look…there’s so much interest. And it’s your faith, it’s your strength, what you’ve gone through. I know what you’ve gone through. And I also know that, a period of time ago, we were able to get you from prison to the house.”

Pastor Brunson introduces his family that was there with him in the White House and expresses his thanks to all that have helped to free him. “And we especially want to thank the administration. You really fought for us, unusually so. From the time you took office, I know that you’ve been engaged, and Secretary of State Pompeo also was very engaged and fought for us. And Vice President Pence, we’re very grateful. Mr. Bolton. There are a number of people in the Senate. And I can’t mention everyone, but I know that Senator Tillis visited me in prison, and so did Senator Shaheen and Senator Graham. And Senator Lankford has been involved from the very beginning. So, we’re so grateful to so many people in the Congress who stood with us and who prayed for us, and who fought for us. So, we want to thank you all very much.”

Pastor Brunson also expresses his love for Turkey even after all he has been through. “We do love Turkey. We were there for 25 years, and we love the Turkish people.” Next, he and his wife ask to pray for President Trump and he puts his hand on the President as he prays. “We would like to pray for you. We pray for you often as a family. My wife and I pray for you…Lord God, I ask that You would pour out Your Holy Spirit on President Trump, that You give him supernatural wisdom to accomplish all the plans that You have for this country. I ask that You give him wisdom in how to lead this country into righteousness. I ask that You give him perseverance and endurance to stand with truth. I ask that You protect him from slander from enemies and those who undermine. I ask that You would make him a great blessing to this country, fill him with Your wisdom and strength and perseverance. And we bless him, may he be a great blessing to our country, in Jesus name.”

Then Mrs. Brunson continues the prayer, “I pray that the Spirit of the Lord would rest on the President, a Spirit of wisdom and understand. A Spirit of might, a Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, Amen.”

Our president was humble enough to receive prayer and bow his head before a holy God, before the world, as Pastor Brunson and his wife prayed for him. It is encouraging to see our President standing up for believers. Seeing the amazing changes that have taken place in America should spur us on to get out and vote! We must be informed of who is running and be value based voters. You can visit here to find out more about the candidates running in your state.

In another interview Pastor Brunson shares his experience in the Turkish prison. “Just being in prison is pretty rough. At the beginning I was held in solitary confinement for a number of days and that was very difficult. And the way I survived that was just spending hours in prayer just to keep my sanity. And then I was kept in a cell for eight people, but there were 20 of us there so it was very crowded and I was very isolated both by language and by culture, nationality and also by religion…all the people I was with were very strong Muslim’s, they were all arrested as Muslim terrorist…it was like living in a Mosque in many ways.”

Can you imagine that? This is what separates Christians from every other religion because Jesus was offered up as a sacrifice once and for all and rose again, so that we can be saved and spend eternity with Him. You can have a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, you can read our stories at Meet My Father and make that decision today to have Jesus as the Lord of your life. We want to hear from you and what you think about this segment. You can write to us at friends@greglancaster.org. Greg and John shared in this segment.

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