WEBVTT

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 the book of Titus and chapter three.

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 So the focus of our evening tonight

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 is to hear from Daniel about the work of Open Doors

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 and Liz, also one of our church members

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 who volunteers with Open Doors,

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 is going to be leading some of that time

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 for us together as well.

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 But before we hear from them

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 and we pray for the work of Open Doors

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 and get a chance to ask our questions about that,

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 I want us to turn our attention

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 just to a brief section from Titus

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 chapter three.

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 So let me read it, I'll pray

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 and then we will just consider it together.

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 So Titus chapter three, beginning at verse three.

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 At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient,

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 deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions

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 and pleasures.

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 We lived in malice and envy,

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 being hated and hating one another,

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 but when the kindness and love of God,

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 our Saviour appeared,

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 he saved us,

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 not because of righteous things we had done,

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 but because of his mercy.

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 He saved us through the washing of rebirth

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 and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

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 whom he poured out on us generously

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 through Jesus Christ, our Saviour,

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 so that having been justified by his grace,

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 we might become heirs,

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 having the hope of eternal life.

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 This is a trustworthy saying.

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 I want you to stress these things

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 so that those who have trusted in God

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 may be careful to devote themselves

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 to doing what is good.

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 These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

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 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies

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 and arguments and quarrels about the law,

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 because these are unprofitable and useless.

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 Warn a divisive person once,

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 then warn them a second time.

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 After that, have nothing to do with them.

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 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful.

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 They are self-condemned.

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 Well, let's pray and ask for the Lord's help

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 as we look at that passage together.

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 Let's pray.

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 Heavenly Father, we want to just thank you

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 for your word to us

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 and pray that you might help us now

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 as we consider it together.

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 We may be tired.

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 We may be distracted by thoughts of tomorrow

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 and what's happening.

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 And we pray, please, that by your spirit,

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 you might speak to us from your word

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 and give us ears to hear, we pray.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 My intention is not to delay us for super long,

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 but I want us to set the scene for the rest of the evening

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 by looking at this passage in Titus.

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 And it will help you

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 if you have the book open in front of you.

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 I'm probably not going to tell you anything new.

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 So much of what I say tonight is not groundbreaking,

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 but it's probably just a reminder

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 of things that you have heard before

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 or might already know.

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 I think it might help us just to start

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 with a few facts about the book of Titus

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 so that you know what we're looking at in that way.

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 Titus is a letter from the apostle Paul

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 to his friend called Titus.

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 Okay, just one of you awake on the back row.

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 Titus, who is working in a church in Crete.

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 The church there seems to be planted

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 at a point that we're not sure of

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 and by a group of people who we're not sure of.

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 And Paul and Titus have visited.

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 And again, we're not sure exactly when they went.

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 But whenever it was, Paul left Titus in Crete

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 with his task of appointing elders in the church.

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 So the church had started already,

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 but it had no elders.

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 And so Paul says to Titus in verse five of chapter one,

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 I left you in Crete that you might put in order

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 what was left unfinished by appointing elders.

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 It's an interesting point there, isn't it?

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 That basically churches without elders

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 are kind of an unfinished job.

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 But once they have elders, the task is really theirs

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 to carry on with.

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 And that's Titus's job.

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 And what you've got really in this letter

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 is a kind of job description from Paul to Titus

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 about what he's to do in Crete

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 in this appointment of elders.

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 So it contains things like what you should look for

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 in elders as you appoint them

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 and recognize them in the church.

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 What to get the church teaching to one another.

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 How to deal with difficult or divisive people in the church.

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 And so what you've got here really in the book of Titus

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 and one Timothy and two Timothy are very similar as well.

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 What you've got essentially is church 101, right?

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 This is basic teaching of how to run

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 and organize the life of a local church.

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 Church at 101, what ministry is meant to be like

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 and what you're supposed to do.

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 Now, there is lots of detail here,

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 but I'm going to oversimplify it

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 and tell you essentially that Paul has one goal

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 for the church and one method for the church.

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 Okay, so he has one goal and one method.

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 It is a slight oversimplification,

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 but just run with me for a moment

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 because I think it does help us.

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 This is the one goal.

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 What is the one goal of the local church?

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 What is it they're aiming for?

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 Well, the local church wants members

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 to be devoted to doing what is good.

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 You see that in the passage that we just read.

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 Look at verse eight.

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 So that those who have trusted God may be careful,

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 here you go,

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 to devote themselves to doing what is good.

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 These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

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 If you glance your eyes back to chapter two, verse 12,

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 you'll see it's the same there.

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 saying no to ungodliness and worldly passions

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 and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives

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 in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope,

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 the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior,

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 Jesus Christ.

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 This is what we want.

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 We want people who are devoted to doing what is good.

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 Those are excellent and profitable

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 for everyone to be doing that.

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 We want people to be living self-controlled

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 and upright godly lives in this present age

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 saying no to worldly passions.

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 At the end of verse 14,

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 we see this goal is not just Paul's personal agenda,

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 but it is God's agenda for the church too.

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 This is what Christ gave himself for.

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 Chapter two, verse 14,

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 Christ gave himself to purify for himself

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 a people that are his very own,

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 eager to do what is good.

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 Eager to do what is good.

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 In other words,

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 Christ has rescued and saved a company of people

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 with the commitment that they might live good lives,

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 doing what is good,

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 doing what is good.

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 Now, although this is the one goal,

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 still living like that is important,

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 not only for its own sake,

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 but also for the sake of those outside the church.

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 These good lives are not inwardly looking lives.

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 It's not that we live good lives like ornaments on display

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 just for their own sake.

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 Rather, the church members devoted to what is good

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 is important for the witness to the world.

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 So look at chapter two, verse 10,

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 so that in every way,

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 they will make the teaching about God,

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 our savior, attractive.

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 The negative is used in chapter one, verse 16,

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 about people who claim to know God,

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 but their actions deny him.

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 They're detestable, disobedient,

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 and unfit for doing anything good.

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 Here it is that the church,

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 by devoting themselves to doing good,

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 is to display to the world the attractiveness

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 of belonging to Jesus,

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 of being his people.

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 So here you have it.

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 Paul wants, and Jesus wants,

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 local churches full of people

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 who are committed to doing what is good.

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 And good in the broadest sense.

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 So as you read through the letter,

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 being good in the letter involves

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 telling one another the truth,

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 it involves loving one another,

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 it involves being self-controlled,

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 it involves not losing your temper,

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 not being motivated by getting rich,

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 not stealing from others,

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 being concerned for the poor,

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 concerned for one another,

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 concerned for brothers and sisters in the world as well,

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 who are persecuted,

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 as we're thinking tonight.

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 That's the goal.

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 Now I want to suggest to you

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 that no one can argue with that goal

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 for a local church.

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 That is a great thing.

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 Everyone can see it's a good thing.

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 Growing Christians who are reaching the world.

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 That's the goal of every church

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 in every place and every time.

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 Grow Christians to reach the world.

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 That's Church 101 in Titus.

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 But the big question is how?

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 How do you get that?

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 How do you get a church full of Christians

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 who are committed to doing what is good,

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 displaying the greatness of Christ the world?

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 Well, one answer might be

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 you could run very strict churches, couldn't you?

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 Maybe that's how you're to do it.

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 Maybe you run churches where you tell everybody

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 exactly what they're to do

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 with every part of their lives.

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 And you make them feel guilty

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 when they don't do it.

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 That's certainly been the method of some churches.

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 The medieval Roman Catholic church

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 was like that for sure.

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 That's how it controlled people.

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 Made them feel guilty

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 and told them that if they didn't obey,

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 terrible things would happen to them

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 and their family.

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 But that's not the method in Titus or Timothy

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 in these pastoral epistles.

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 Instead, here's Paul's method.

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 It's Jesus's method really.

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 It's there in chapter three, verse eight.

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 You achieve this goal

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 by stressing these things, verse eight.

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 That's the goal is achieved

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 by stressing these things.

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 That's what he says, isn't it?

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 In verse eight,

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 this is a trustworthy saying

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 and I want you to stress these things

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 so that those who have trusted in God

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 may be careful to devote themselves

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 to doing what is good.

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 What are these things?

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 What is the trustworthy saying?

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 Well, that then is the content

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 of verses three to seven.

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 So look at what's there.

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 The thing to stress

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 if you want church full of people

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 devoted to doing what is good.

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 Well, verse three,

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 you need to stress the fact

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 that the church is full of people

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 who at one time were foolish,

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 disobedient, deceived,

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 and enslaved to their passions.

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 Ouch.

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 Stress this, says Paul.

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 If you want a church

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 that's going in the right direction,

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 that's achieving the goal

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 for which Christ has given himself,

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 then stress that no one

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 has joined the church

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 by being perfect.

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 Remind them of that.

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 Remind them of that often,

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 that the qualification

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 for church membership

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 is not perfection,

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 but actually the qualification

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 for belonging to the church

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 is at one time

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 having been a slave

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 to your passions.

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 Sinfulness.

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 You are a sinner.

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 There's more than that,

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 though, isn't there?

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 Because that's not

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 the case anymore, is it?

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 There is a,

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 that is the past.

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 But people enslaved

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 to their passions

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 and are not committed

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 to living good lives.

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 So what has changed?

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 Look down at verse four.

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 But when the kindness

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 and love of God,

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 our Savior, appeared,

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 that's what's happened.

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 The kindness

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 and love of Jesus has appeared.

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 Jesus came.

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 And what is it that Jesus did?

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 Well, verse five.

00:10:46.779 --> 00:10:48.100
 He saved us.

00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:49.940
 And how did he save us?

00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.899
 Well, carrying on in verse five,

00:10:51.960 --> 00:10:52.340
 look down.

00:10:52.659 --> 00:10:53.600
 Not by the good things

00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:54.379
 that we have done,

00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:55.680
 but by his mercy.

00:10:56.139 --> 00:10:57.259
 Mercy in washing.

00:10:58.200 --> 00:10:59.220
 Rebirth and renewal,

00:10:59.360 --> 00:10:59.860
 he calls it,

00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:01.000
 making us new people

00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:01.919
 by the Holy Spirit.

00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:02.940
 The Holy Spirit

00:11:02.940 --> 00:11:04.000
 who now, verse six,

00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:05.059
 lives in us,

00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:06.940
 given generously to us.

00:11:08.259 --> 00:11:08.860
 Verse seven,

00:11:08.980 --> 00:11:09.799
 summarized it, doesn't it,

00:11:09.820 --> 00:11:10.340
 by being,

00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:12.019
 calling us being justified

00:11:12.019 --> 00:11:13.039
 by grace.

00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:13.759
 In other words,

00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:15.019
 declared not guilty

00:11:15.019 --> 00:11:15.840
 before the God

00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:16.440
 who made us

00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:17.860
 by a function of his kindness

00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:19.039
 and not our works.

00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:20.720
 So that we are heirs

00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:21.919
 of eternal life with him.

00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:23.179
 And Paul says,

00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:23.740
 verse eight,

00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.120
 that is a trustworthy saying.

00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:26.019
 It's a saying

00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:27.379
 that the church must stress.

00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:29.019
 So that, verse eight,

00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:30.480
 people will devote themselves

00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:31.420
 to doing what is good.

00:11:32.860 --> 00:11:33.180
 And now,

00:11:33.220 --> 00:11:34.100
 if I've lost you in the weeds,

00:11:34.420 --> 00:11:35.399
 come back to it for a moment.

00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:36.019
 Church 101,

00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:36.820
 one goal,

00:11:37.420 --> 00:11:38.360
 members devoted

00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:39.300
 to living good lives

00:11:39.300 --> 00:11:40.159
 that commend the gospel

00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:41.740
 and one method,

00:11:42.279 --> 00:11:44.039
 consistently stressing

00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:46.120
 the gospel of grace

00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:47.320
 in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:11:47.580 --> 00:11:48.120
 That's it.

00:11:48.460 --> 00:11:49.340
 That's what the local church

00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:49.759
 is to do.

00:11:50.940 --> 00:11:51.779
 One goal,

00:11:51.980 --> 00:11:53.420
 that we might live good lives

00:11:53.420 --> 00:11:54.480
 that commend the gospel

00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:55.500
 to the world around us.

00:11:55.500 --> 00:11:56.700
 one method

00:11:56.700 --> 00:11:59.059
 by stressing continually

00:11:59.059 --> 00:12:00.279
 the message

00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:01.500
 of the gospel of grace

00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:02.659
 in the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:03.779
 reminding one another

00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:05.379
 that we are not here

00:12:05.379 --> 00:12:06.480
 because we're better

00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:07.500
 than anybody else,

00:12:07.500 --> 00:12:08.519
 but we are here

00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:09.879
 because God has been kind

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:10.799
 to us in the Lord Jesus

00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:12.320
 and has rescued us

00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:13.539
 by his blood

00:12:13.539 --> 00:12:14.639
 and his mercy alone.

00:12:15.940 --> 00:12:16.379
 Now,

00:12:16.500 --> 00:12:17.460
 I want to suggest to you

00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:18.559
 that that is

00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:20.120
 quite simple,

00:12:20.379 --> 00:12:20.600
 right?

00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:21.840
 That is not

00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:23.159
 rocket science.

00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:24.819
 You don't need to be

00:12:24.819 --> 00:12:25.899
 a rocket scientist

00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:27.100
 to understand that.

00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:28.360
 One goal,

00:12:28.699 --> 00:12:29.199
 one method,

00:12:29.299 --> 00:12:29.799
 I think we probably

00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:30.439
 all get that.

00:12:31.079 --> 00:12:33.039
 But although it's not complex,

00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:33.919
 it is, I think,

00:12:33.980 --> 00:12:34.759
 quite hard

00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:36.339
 and quite counterintuitive.

00:12:37.319 --> 00:12:38.259
 So, in verse 9,

00:12:38.319 --> 00:12:38.839
 you'll find that

00:12:38.839 --> 00:12:39.579
 to stress the gospel

00:12:39.579 --> 00:12:40.399
 like that means

00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.319
 that you need to resist

00:12:41.319 --> 00:12:42.199
 foolish arguments.

00:12:42.980 --> 00:12:43.799
 And, Titus,

00:12:43.839 --> 00:12:44.480
 you'll find that people

00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.740
 love foolish arguments

00:12:45.740 --> 00:12:46.500
 in the church.

00:12:47.939 --> 00:12:48.740
 Stressing the gospel

00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:50.579
 means resisting

00:12:50.579 --> 00:12:51.579
 foolish arguments

00:12:51.579 --> 00:12:52.339
 and people who would

00:12:52.340 --> 00:12:53.560
 drag you away from it.

00:12:54.060 --> 00:12:54.820
 Stressing the gospel

00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:56.220
 means empowering men

00:12:56.220 --> 00:12:56.620
 and women

00:12:56.620 --> 00:12:57.540
 to teach one another

00:12:57.540 --> 00:12:58.399
 in chapter 2.

00:12:58.800 --> 00:12:59.700
 And that will be hard

00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:00.399
 because as you read

00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:00.840
 chapter 2,

00:13:00.920 --> 00:13:01.620
 you find that life

00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:02.280
 gets in the way.

00:13:02.680 --> 00:13:03.320
 People would rather

00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:03.759
 give themselves

00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:04.480
 to other things

00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:05.480
 than to teaching one another.

00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:06.580
 And so,

00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:07.240
 it will be difficult.

00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.000
 Stressing the gospel

00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:09.960
 means having leaders

00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:10.360
 who,

00:13:10.560 --> 00:13:11.240
 chapter 1,

00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:12.580
 verse 9,

00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:13.759
 hold firmly

00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.899
 to the trustworthy messages

00:13:14.899 --> 00:13:15.860
 that has been taught

00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:17.259
 so that he can encourage

00:13:17.259 --> 00:13:18.759
 others by sound doctrine

00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:19.680
 and refute those

00:13:19.680 --> 00:13:20.440
 who oppose it.

00:13:21.040 --> 00:13:21.740
 In other words,

00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:22.659
 you are going to have

00:13:22.659 --> 00:13:24.019
 to train the leaders

00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:24.500
 of the church

00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:25.960
 to understand the gospel

00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:27.100
 so that they might

00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:28.139
 proclaim the gospel

00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:29.279
 and that they might

00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.440
 be able to refute people

00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:31.799
 who are opposing the gospel.

00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:34.019
 It's also hard,

00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:34.360
 I think,

00:13:34.419 --> 00:13:35.039
 because at times

00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:35.759
 the tool will seem

00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:36.899
 slow and ineffective.

00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:38.980
 I think it will seem

00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:40.060
 easier for Titus

00:13:40.060 --> 00:13:41.019
 and maybe for the church

00:13:41.019 --> 00:13:41.340
 in Crete

00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:42.519
 and maybe even for us

00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:44.080
 to use other tools

00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:44.919
 rather than just

00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:45.379
 the proclamation

00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:45.940
 of the gospel.

00:13:46.180 --> 00:13:46.860
 Maybe it's easier

00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:47.759
 to guilt trip people

00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.279
 into living

00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:49.759
 what we consider good lives.

00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:50.399
 Maybe it's easier

00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:51.379
 for us to set rules.

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.059
 Maybe it's easier

00:13:52.059 --> 00:13:53.079
 to browbeat people.

00:13:53.579 --> 00:13:54.139
 Maybe it's easier

00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:55.000
 to generate a culture

00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:55.899
 of judgmentalism.

00:13:56.779 --> 00:13:57.419
 Those might get you

00:13:57.419 --> 00:13:58.120
 quick responses

00:13:58.120 --> 00:13:58.899
 but the fact is

00:13:58.899 --> 00:13:59.600
 none of those things

00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.019
 have any transformative power.

00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:02.899
 They're the operating tactics

00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:04.100
 of dying churches.

00:14:04.699 --> 00:14:05.419
 Living churches

00:14:05.419 --> 00:14:06.559
 remind their members

00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:07.480
 that they were sinners

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:09.399
 and that what changed

00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:10.259
 was they encountered

00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:11.159
 the grace of God

00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:12.419
 in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:14.480
 He gave them new birth

00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:15.699
 by the Spirit

00:14:15.699 --> 00:14:16.740
 for his glory.

00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:18.720
 And that is what

00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:19.680
 makes us new people

00:14:19.680 --> 00:14:20.419
 with new motives

00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:21.200
 and new desires

00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:22.019
 and new longings.

00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:23.600
 So tonight

00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:24.220
 what we're sort of

00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:25.340
 setting out before us

00:14:25.340 --> 00:14:25.860
 as a church

00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:26.680
 is we want to be

00:14:26.680 --> 00:14:27.240
 a church

00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:28.480
 that is committed

00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.460
 to doing good

00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:32.259
 for the persecuted church

00:14:32.259 --> 00:14:33.360
 around the world.

00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.820
 How do you get a church

00:14:35.820 --> 00:14:36.799
 to commit themselves

00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:37.759
 to doing good

00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:39.080
 for the persecuted church

00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:39.820
 around the world?

00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:40.940
 Let me tell you.

00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:43.760
 You do it with the one method

00:14:43.760 --> 00:14:45.460
 by stressing

00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:47.040
 the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:14:47.760 --> 00:14:48.560
 None of us are here

00:14:48.560 --> 00:14:49.400
 because we're perfect.

00:14:49.640 --> 00:14:50.200
 We're here because

00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:50.820
 we've encountered

00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:51.540
 the grace of God

00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:52.440
 in Jesus Christ

00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:55.400
 and that will motivate us

00:14:55.400 --> 00:14:56.240
 to do good

00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.980
 to the worldwide church

00:14:57.980 --> 00:14:59.400
 as we pray for

00:14:59.400 --> 00:15:01.180
 and stand alongside

00:15:01.180 --> 00:15:02.440
 those for whom

00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:03.280
 following Christ

00:15:03.280 --> 00:15:05.060
 is costing their lives.

00:15:06.020 --> 00:15:07.000
 So we stress,

00:15:07.100 --> 00:15:07.280
 don't we,

00:15:07.300 --> 00:15:07.980
 the one tool

00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:09.180
 of stressing the gospel.

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:10.640
 It's the only tool

00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:11.220
 that we have

00:15:11.220 --> 00:15:12.460
 for the liberation

00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:13.919
 of ourselves

00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.120
 from our selfish desires

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:15.779
 that we might live

00:15:15.779 --> 00:15:16.319
 to the praise

00:15:16.319 --> 00:15:17.100
 and glory of God.

00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:18.840
 Well, let me pray

00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:19.919
 and then we'll sing

00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:21.740
 and then we will hand over

00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:23.740
 to Daniel

00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:24.460
 and to Liz.

00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:24.980
 Let's pray.

00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:28.539
 Heavenly Father,

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.679
 we want to be

00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:31.899
 this kind of church

00:15:31.899 --> 00:15:33.679
 full of people

00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:34.720
 who devote themselves

00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:35.659
 to doing

00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:36.919
 what is good

00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:38.919
 and so we pray

00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:39.639
 that we might be

00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:40.159
 a church

00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:41.019
 that stresses

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:42.559
 this trustworthy saying

00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:44.679
 that once we were foolish,

00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:46.740
 enslaved

00:15:46.740 --> 00:15:48.620
 to all kinds of passions

00:15:48.620 --> 00:15:49.199
 and pleasures,

00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:50.559
 living in malice

00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:50.980
 and envy,

00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:51.639
 being hated

00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:52.579
 and hating one another,

00:15:52.839 --> 00:15:53.279
 but

00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:55.459
 we have encountered

00:15:55.459 --> 00:15:57.339
 the Savior Jesus,

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:59.199
 not because of the good things

00:15:59.199 --> 00:15:59.879
 that we have done,

00:15:59.959 --> 00:16:01.159
 but because of his mercy,

00:16:01.579 --> 00:16:02.839
 he has saved us

00:16:02.839 --> 00:16:03.639
 and washed us

00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:04.339
 by the Spirit

00:16:04.339 --> 00:16:06.379
 that we might live lives now

00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:07.779
 to your praise and glory

00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:09.580
 doing what is good,

00:16:10.439 --> 00:16:10.899
 excellent

00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:12.039
 and profitable.

00:16:12.700 --> 00:16:13.120
 Help us,

00:16:13.179 --> 00:16:13.439
 we pray,

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.419
 to be that church.

00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:15.779
 Help us especially

00:16:15.779 --> 00:16:16.460
 to do that

00:16:16.460 --> 00:16:17.100
 in response

00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:17.700
 to the needs

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.939
 of the worldwide church.

00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:20.340
 Bless the rest

00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:21.139
 of our time together

00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:21.600
 this evening

00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.200
 as we hear

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.139
 how we might do that.

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.559
 in Jesus' name.

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:25.580
 Amen.

00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:26.360
 Amen.

00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:28.580
 Instead of Steve,

00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:30.319
 talking to Daniel,

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:31.220
 I just want to say

00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:32.159
 a little bit about

00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:33.919
 why I'm here

00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:34.799
 and then I'm going to

00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:35.720
 introduce you to Daniel

00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:37.539
 who is going to ask,

00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:38.480
 is going to answer

00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:39.159
 a couple of questions

00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:40.240
 and then tell us

00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:40.699
 a little bit more

00:16:40.699 --> 00:16:41.419
 about Open Doors.

00:16:41.419 --> 00:16:42.539
 So,

00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:44.459
 I have volunteered

00:16:44.459 --> 00:16:46.379
 to work with Open Doors

00:16:46.379 --> 00:16:48.719
 as an advocate,

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:49.639
 so it's part

00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:50.639
 of the advocacy team

00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:52.459
 and that requires

00:16:52.459 --> 00:16:54.139
 us

00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:55.159
 or me

00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:57.360
 to get you

00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.099
 and others

00:16:58.099 --> 00:16:59.299
 to really take

00:16:59.299 --> 00:17:00.819
 the role seriously

00:17:00.819 --> 00:17:01.719
 to understand

00:17:01.719 --> 00:17:03.079
 what the persecuted church

00:17:03.079 --> 00:17:03.740
 is all about

00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:05.139
 and for us

00:17:05.139 --> 00:17:06.420
 to be able

00:17:06.420 --> 00:17:07.839
 to write

00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.599
 to our local MPs

00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.099
 and for Open Doors

00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:12.019
 to send me information

00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:12.839
 and for me

00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:13.959
 on behalf of Open Doors

00:17:13.959 --> 00:17:14.879
 to talk

00:17:14.879 --> 00:17:16.959
 about the situation.

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.019
 And so really

00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:19.119
 the whole idea

00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:20.059
 is that we

00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:21.139
 as Christians,

00:17:21.379 --> 00:17:22.279
 part of the whole body

00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:23.539
 of Christ,

00:17:24.159 --> 00:17:25.059
 see

00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:26.719
 not just our brothers

00:17:26.719 --> 00:17:27.299
 and sisters

00:17:27.299 --> 00:17:28.199
 as people over

00:17:28.199 --> 00:17:28.759
 in Africa

00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:29.359
 or in India

00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.339
 or in Sudan

00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:31.639
 or in other places

00:17:31.639 --> 00:17:32.319
 that are far off

00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:32.980
 but actually see

00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:33.679
 that we are part

00:17:33.679 --> 00:17:35.159
 of the body of Christ

00:17:35.159 --> 00:17:36.919
 and that together

00:17:36.919 --> 00:17:38.439
 we are going to

00:17:38.439 --> 00:17:39.679
 not just pray for them

00:17:39.679 --> 00:17:40.839
 but do things

00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:41.539
 that are practical

00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:42.480
 which will enable

00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:44.039
 MPs to speak

00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:44.980
 on our behalf

00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:46.240
 and have influence

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.339
 on people

00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:49.059
 in other governments

00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:49.959
 across the world.

00:17:50.399 --> 00:17:51.619
 So that's why I'm here

00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.899
 because that's

00:17:52.899 --> 00:17:53.759
 hopefully my role

00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:55.319
 it's a volunteer role

00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:57.119
 about three times a year

00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:57.779
 I think it is

00:17:57.779 --> 00:17:58.839
 to represent

00:17:58.839 --> 00:17:59.779
 Open Doors.

00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.359
 So that's me

00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:01.779
 for now.

00:18:02.139 --> 00:18:02.980
 So this is Daniel

00:18:02.980 --> 00:18:04.500
 and so Daniel

00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:05.559
 is the parliamentary

00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:06.799
 officer

00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:08.119
 for Open Doors.

00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:11.219
 UK and Ireland

00:18:11.219 --> 00:18:13.679
 and I'm going to

00:18:13.679 --> 00:18:14.179
 just tell us

00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:15.519
 a little bit

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.359
 about yourself

00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:17.639
 that's the first question

00:18:17.639 --> 00:18:19.319
 and the second question

00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:20.559
 why Open Doors

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:20.979
 when there are

00:18:20.979 --> 00:18:21.679
 quite a few

00:18:21.679 --> 00:18:22.219
 other

00:18:22.219 --> 00:18:24.679
 organisations

00:18:24.679 --> 00:18:25.199
 that deal

00:18:25.199 --> 00:18:26.039
 with the persecuted

00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:26.559
 church.

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:27.939
 Open Doors

00:18:27.939 --> 00:18:28.439
 is hiring?

00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:29.039
 No I'm joking.

00:18:30.719 --> 00:18:31.459
 A little bit

00:18:31.459 --> 00:18:31.959
 about myself.

00:18:32.099 --> 00:18:32.759
 So my name is Daniel

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.420
 I'm the parliamentary

00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:34.299
 officer for

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:35.400
 Open Doors

00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:37.039
 UK and Ireland.

00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:39.819
 I did that

00:18:39.819 --> 00:18:40.720
 full time

00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.799
 for about

00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:42.720
 two and a half years

00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.440
 and I now

00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.480
 do that

00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:46.099
 three days a week

00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:46.660
 and I serve

00:18:46.660 --> 00:18:47.559
 a couple of days a week

00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:48.039
 with another

00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:48.660
 ministry

00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:49.359
 Jews for Jesus

00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:50.160
 from a Jewish

00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:50.619
 background.

00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.220
 I'm married

00:18:53.220 --> 00:18:54.220
 I've been married

00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.200
 almost five years

00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.039
 my wife's American

00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:58.779
 she also works

00:18:58.779 --> 00:18:59.440
 for a church

00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:01.900
 so we're a proper

00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:02.620
 Christian family

00:19:02.620 --> 00:19:03.180
 as you can see

00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:03.880
 I'm joking

00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:06.080
 and one of my

00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:06.840
 favourite passages

00:19:06.840 --> 00:19:07.299
 in the Bible

00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:07.980
 is Titus

00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:09.200
 chapter 3

00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.180
 so I'm really pleased

00:19:10.180 --> 00:19:10.820
 to have heard that

00:19:10.820 --> 00:19:11.340
 this morning

00:19:11.340 --> 00:19:12.779
 as God's really

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:13.519
 used it to encourage

00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.200
 me in my walk

00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:16.740
 why Open Doors

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:19.100
 so I heard

00:19:19.100 --> 00:19:19.660
 when I was

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:20.400
 gosh maybe

00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:21.960
 17 or 18

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:23.059
 a speaker

00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:23.759
 come and speak

00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:24.860
 at my church

00:19:24.860 --> 00:19:26.000
 about the work

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:26.840
 of Open Doors

00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:28.059
 and I was really

00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:28.740
 touched

00:19:28.740 --> 00:19:30.279
 that they

00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:31.440
 cared about

00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:32.440
 both the

00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:33.740
 physical health

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:35.160
 you know

00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:36.440
 with humanitarian aid

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:36.960
 and food

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.420
 and water

00:19:37.420 --> 00:19:38.539
 and things like that

00:19:38.539 --> 00:19:39.279
 of the people

00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:39.720
 to whom they

00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:41.099
 were ministering

00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:42.539
 and the spiritual health

00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:43.799
 and that both of those

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:45.460
 were as essential

00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:47.059
 if not the spiritual health

00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:47.819
 being more essential

00:19:47.819 --> 00:19:48.620
 to Open Doors

00:19:48.620 --> 00:19:49.099
 and there were

00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:50.259
 it sort of felt

00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:52.160
 with lots of other

00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:52.640
 organisations

00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:53.759
 that you had to choose

00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:55.059
 either to support

00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:55.680
 people through

00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:56.339
 material

00:19:56.339 --> 00:19:58.559
 aid

00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:00.480
 or spiritual aid

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.419
 like the Bible

00:20:01.419 --> 00:20:02.259
 and church networks

00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:02.839
 and things like that

00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:03.399
 and Open Doors

00:20:03.399 --> 00:20:03.839
 seemed to marry

00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:04.519
 the two very well

00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:06.500
 so I worked

00:20:06.500 --> 00:20:06.940
 in politics

00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:07.700
 for some years

00:20:07.700 --> 00:20:08.440
 in sort of

00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.859
 standard secular politics

00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:11.079
 and so when the

00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:12.079
 opportunity came up

00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:13.139
 to combine

00:20:13.139 --> 00:20:15.179
 my experience

00:20:15.179 --> 00:20:15.700
 in theology

00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:16.819
 and in ministry

00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:18.079
 with my experience

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:19.179
 in politics

00:20:19.179 --> 00:20:20.139
 you know

00:20:20.139 --> 00:20:20.720
 it was a real

00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:22.519
 opportunity

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.419
 that you know

00:20:23.419 --> 00:20:24.179
 the Lord

00:20:24.179 --> 00:20:24.639
 blessed me

00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:26.020
 to sort of

00:20:26.020 --> 00:20:26.500
 walk into

00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:28.020
 okay

00:20:28.020 --> 00:20:29.040
 can I just ask

00:20:29.040 --> 00:20:29.960
 one other question

00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:30.320
 sure

00:20:30.320 --> 00:20:32.100
 we know that

00:20:32.100 --> 00:20:32.759
 there are 100

00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:33.800
 and I think

00:20:33.800 --> 00:20:35.300
 195 countries

00:20:35.300 --> 00:20:36.060
 in the world

00:20:36.060 --> 00:20:38.240
 and of those

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:40.180
 the world watch list

00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:41.400
 list 50

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:41.880
 I don't know

00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:42.259
 if you're aware

00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:42.500
 of that

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.480
 50 countries

00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:44.560
 in the world

00:20:44.560 --> 00:20:45.580
 that are high

00:20:45.580 --> 00:20:46.720
 or extremely high

00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:47.740
 in terms of persecution

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.880
 so 195

00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:50.300
 50 countries

00:20:50.300 --> 00:20:50.820
 that's just

00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:51.759
 over 25%

00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:53.220
 of countries

00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:54.319
 that suffer

00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:55.579
 very high

00:20:55.579 --> 00:20:56.319
 persecution

00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.879
 are there

00:20:57.879 --> 00:20:58.659
 any particular

00:20:58.659 --> 00:20:59.200
 countries

00:20:59.200 --> 00:20:59.679
 that are

00:20:59.679 --> 00:21:00.460
 close to

00:21:00.460 --> 00:21:01.179
 your personal

00:21:01.179 --> 00:21:01.639
 heart

00:21:01.639 --> 00:21:02.980
 or that's

00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:03.819
 very close

00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:05.220
 to Open Doors

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:06.500
 yeah I think

00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:07.259
 the countries

00:21:07.259 --> 00:21:08.179
 that have really

00:21:08.179 --> 00:21:08.919
 sort of

00:21:08.919 --> 00:21:10.480
 stuck with me

00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:11.859
 are Nigeria

00:21:11.859 --> 00:21:12.599
 I've done a lot

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.519
 of work on Nigeria

00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.619
 and some of the

00:21:14.619 --> 00:21:15.399
 stories you hear

00:21:15.399 --> 00:21:16.139
 from Nigeria

00:21:16.139 --> 00:21:17.919
 I mean frankly

00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:18.399
 they're the most

00:21:18.399 --> 00:21:19.399
 brutal and the most

00:21:19.399 --> 00:21:19.960
 unpleasant

00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:20.660
 often

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:22.019
 they're the ones

00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:22.420
 where you sort of

00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:23.079
 go okay I need to

00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:23.759
 step away from my

00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:24.460
 desk for a moment

00:21:24.460 --> 00:21:25.759
 India

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:27.519
 has stuck with me

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:29.960
 I suppose partly

00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:30.500
 because it's not

00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:31.120
 a country you'd

00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:31.960
 expect to have a

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:32.680
 large amount of

00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:33.140
 persecution

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:33.700
 India

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:35.700
 I've spent a lot

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.299
 of time with

00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:36.940
 North Koreans

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:38.299
 recently and

00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:39.600
 they all have

00:21:39.600 --> 00:21:40.500
 quite incredible

00:21:40.500 --> 00:21:41.120
 stories

00:21:41.120 --> 00:21:42.579
 North Korea is

00:21:42.579 --> 00:21:42.960
 obviously a

00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.740
 fascinating country

00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.100
 you know

00:21:44.100 --> 00:21:45.980
 so North Korea

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.539
 is very important

00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.640
 to me as well

00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:48.759
 and what about

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:49.279
 Open Doors

00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:50.480
 as an organisation

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.279
 are there sort

00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.660
 of you know

00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:53.240
 countries that

00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:54.059
 would flag up

00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:54.960
 to say you know

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.379
 these are the

00:21:55.379 --> 00:21:56.319
 main countries

00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:57.359
 that we when we

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.220
 meet in groups

00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:58.859
 later on

00:21:58.859 --> 00:22:00.359
 so we will be

00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:01.180
 talking about the

00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:02.480
 top 10 countries

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.000
 but I think

00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:03.940
 outside of the

00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:04.940
 top 10 as well

00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:06.339
 you know

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:07.059
 increasingly

00:22:07.059 --> 00:22:08.500
 concerning is

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:09.680
 India which is

00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:10.460
 at number 11

00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.859
 China which is

00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:13.139
 at number 19

00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:15.600
 Nikolagra which

00:22:15.600 --> 00:22:16.520
 has shot up the

00:22:16.520 --> 00:22:17.500
 list from 50 to

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.300
 30 or something

00:22:18.300 --> 00:22:19.220
 after imprisoning

00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:20.580
 a large amount

00:22:20.580 --> 00:22:21.000
 of bishops

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:22.840
 and then exiling

00:22:22.840 --> 00:22:23.160
 them

00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:25.060
 so those are

00:22:25.060 --> 00:22:25.620
 countries which

00:22:25.620 --> 00:22:27.140
 aren't we aren't

00:22:27.140 --> 00:22:27.780
 going to discover

00:22:27.780 --> 00:22:28.460
 India I will

00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:29.200
 briefly discuss

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.880
 but are countries

00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:31.600
 to remember in your

00:22:31.600 --> 00:22:31.900
 prayers

00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:33.380
 so I'm going to

00:22:33.380 --> 00:22:34.100
 hand over to you

00:22:34.100 --> 00:22:35.180
 to do a bit

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.840
 and what will

00:22:35.840 --> 00:22:36.840
 happen after that

00:22:36.840 --> 00:22:37.500
 is that there will

00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:38.100
 be an opportunity

00:22:38.100 --> 00:22:38.880
 for questions and

00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:39.240
 answers

00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:40.240
 questions and

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:40.540
 answers

00:22:40.540 --> 00:22:41.300
 yeah that's it

00:22:41.300 --> 00:22:42.840
 so you can ask us

00:22:42.840 --> 00:22:43.759
 questions about the

00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.500
 work of Open Doors

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.340
 but Daniel obviously

00:22:45.340 --> 00:22:46.160
 will answer

00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:47.400
 nearly all of them

00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:48.740
 and then we'll

00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:49.320
 break up into

00:22:49.320 --> 00:22:49.960
 groups as we

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.800
 normally do to

00:22:50.800 --> 00:22:51.820
 pray specifically

00:22:51.820 --> 00:22:52.700
 about the work

00:22:52.700 --> 00:22:53.800
 thank you thank

00:22:53.800 --> 00:22:54.340
 you so much

00:22:54.340 --> 00:22:56.620
 so firstly my

00:22:56.620 --> 00:22:57.200
 first question

00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.300
 you see you never

00:22:59.300 --> 00:22:59.940
 know when you go

00:22:59.940 --> 00:23:01.100
 into a church the

00:23:01.100 --> 00:23:01.900
 level of knowledge

00:23:01.900 --> 00:23:02.519
 and it seems like

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.140
 the level of

00:23:03.140 --> 00:23:03.820
 knowledge is very

00:23:03.820 --> 00:23:04.680
 high here so I'm

00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:05.160
 not sure I'm going

00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:05.660
 to inform you of

00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:06.120
 anything but I'll

00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:07.080
 do my best I'll

00:23:07.080 --> 00:23:07.700
 tell you some good

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.700
 stories but I'm

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.340
 going to ask has

00:23:09.340 --> 00:23:10.019
 anyone heard of

00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:10.680
 the world watch

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.740
 list I suspect the

00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:12.780
 answer may be yes

00:23:12.780 --> 00:23:13.740
 yes okay good

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:16.680
 so the world watch

00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:17.380
 list is sort of

00:23:17.380 --> 00:23:19.160
 the flagship research

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:20.020
 project of Open

00:23:20.020 --> 00:23:20.480
 Doors which has

00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:21.080
 been going on since

00:23:21.080 --> 00:23:22.740
 1993 and details

00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:24.280
 the worst places in

00:23:24.280 --> 00:23:24.980
 the world to be a

00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:26.340
 Christian it's

00:23:26.340 --> 00:23:27.220
 fortunate that we

00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:28.380
 really trust is a

00:23:28.380 --> 00:23:29.980
 resource and it's a

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:30.720
 resource that's used

00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:31.300
 by governments

00:23:31.300 --> 00:23:32.700
 across the world to

00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.700
 help inform policy

00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:35.060
 and shape the way

00:23:35.060 --> 00:23:35.980
 that aid is

00:23:35.980 --> 00:23:37.980
 delivered and things

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:39.740
 like that so before

00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:40.400
 I'm going to show

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:41.820
 you a brief video

00:23:41.820 --> 00:23:43.240
 about the top 10

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:44.120
 countries but before

00:23:44.120 --> 00:23:45.720
 I do that the only

00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:46.440
 bit of audience

00:23:46.440 --> 00:23:47.340
 participation I'll

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:49.340
 ask for what do

00:23:49.340 --> 00:23:50.539
 you guys might know

00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:51.380
 this as well no

00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:53.340
 no hints less but

00:23:53.340 --> 00:23:54.720
 what countries do you

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.559
 think might be in the

00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:57.740
 top 10 the hardest

00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:58.640
 places in the world to

00:23:58.640 --> 00:24:00.559
 be a Christian North

00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:05.680
 Korea any others

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:09.900
 Somalia okay South

00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:15.539
 Korea sorry Eritrea okay

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:20.599
 Iran Iran okay okay

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:23.899
 yeah yeah okay any any

00:24:23.899 --> 00:24:25.019
 others any any more for

00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:26.379
 any more before we see

00:24:26.379 --> 00:24:27.859
 the answers sorry

00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:29.659
 Bangladesh okay

00:24:29.659 --> 00:24:30.980
 interesting I don't think

00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:32.279
 I've ever you know I

00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:32.779
 don't think I've ever

00:24:32.779 --> 00:24:33.579
 had Bangladesh that's a

00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:34.119
 really interesting one

00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:35.359
 well let's watch the

00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:36.659
 video and see if any of

00:24:36.659 --> 00:24:37.599
 those countries come up

00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.719
 oh one more slide there

00:24:40.719 --> 00:24:41.659
 you go

00:24:41.659 --> 00:24:45.359
 could praying put you in

00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:47.099
 danger could go into

00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:48.559
 church risk your life

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:50.740
 could following Jesus cost

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:53.539
 you your job your home or

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:55.899
 your family around the

00:24:55.899 --> 00:24:57.339
 world today our Christian

00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:58.399
 brothers and sisters are

00:24:58.399 --> 00:24:59.799
 counting the cost of their

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:02.459
 faith and these are the 10

00:25:02.459 --> 00:25:04.199
 countries where the price of

00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:07.600
 following Jesus is highest

00:25:07.600 --> 00:25:10.340
 number 10 Afghanistan the

00:25:10.340 --> 00:25:11.580
 Taliban hunts for hidden

00:25:11.580 --> 00:25:12.840
 networks of believers

00:25:12.840 --> 00:25:14.799
 suspected Christians can be

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:17.519
 arrested interrogated and even

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:21.600
 killed and number nine Iran

00:25:21.600 --> 00:25:23.940
 house churches are seen as a

00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:25.580
 threat to national security

00:25:25.580 --> 00:25:28.220
 pastor Anushivan has started

00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:30.120
 serving a 10-year prison sentence

00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:34.679
 after 30 agents raided his home

00:25:34.679 --> 00:25:37.559
 Sudan is at number eight in the

00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:39.479
 chaos and conflict of civil war

00:25:39.479 --> 00:25:41.159
 Christians are especially

00:25:41.159 --> 00:25:43.399
 vulnerable believers have been

00:25:43.399 --> 00:25:45.839
 attacked their property looted and

00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:49.500
 churches closed number seven

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:53.219
 Pakistan Pakistani Christians are

00:25:53.219 --> 00:25:56.279
 seen as second-class citizens false

00:25:56.279 --> 00:25:58.259
 accusations of blasphemy result in

00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:59.819
 innocent believers facing mob

00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:03.019
 violence Christian girls continue to

00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:05.220
 be abducted and forced to convert to

00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:10.379
 Islam Nigeria is at number six more

00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:11.940
 Christians are killed for their faith

00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:13.980
 in Nigeria than in all the other

00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:15.660
 countries of the world combined

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:18.720
 pastor Zachariah came home one day to

00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:20.879
 find his village attacked and his wife

00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:24.900
 and son murdered by militants number

00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:28.580
 five Yemen the very small number of

00:26:28.580 --> 00:26:30.660
 Yemeni Christians must worship in

00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:33.620
 secret house church leader Salah is on

00:26:33.620 --> 00:26:35.940
 the wanted list but despite death

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:38.540
 threats he courageously continues his

00:26:38.540 --> 00:26:42.060
 ministry at number four is Eritrea

00:26:42.060 --> 00:26:44.940
 Christian activities are severely

00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:47.340
 restricted when Abdullah told people

00:26:47.340 --> 00:26:50.660
 about Jesus he was sent to prison the

00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:53.259
 conditions were so terrible that he never

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:57.220
 came out alive Libya is number three on

00:26:57.220 --> 00:27:00.019
 the list Libya considers itself to be a

00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:02.740
 completely Islamic nation Libyan

00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:04.579
 believers who tell others about Jesus

00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:07.099
 risk arrest and violent opposition

00:27:07.099 --> 00:27:12.420
 number two Somalia in this highly

00:27:12.420 --> 00:27:14.940
 restrictive Islamic society even the

00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:16.819
 suspicion of being a Christian is

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:19.700
 extremely dangerous converts who are

00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:21.980
 discovered may instantly pay with their

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:26.660
 lives and at number one North Korea

00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:29.779
 this remains the most costly place in the

00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:32.779
 world to be a Christian even owning a

00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:36.140
 Bible is illegal Jiho's father was taken

00:27:36.140 --> 00:27:38.539
 away when security agents discovered his

00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:41.660
 secret book she never saw him again

00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:44.380
 Christians are sent to appalling labor

00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:46.580
 camps or simply killed on the spot

00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:54.139
 more than 365 million Christians face high

00:27:54.139 --> 00:27:56.059
 levels of persecution and discrimination

00:27:56.059 --> 00:27:59.659
 that's one in seven Christians globally and

00:27:59.659 --> 00:28:02.659
 every one of them a son or daughter a

00:28:02.659 --> 00:28:08.339
 mother a father a child of God for nearly 70

00:28:08.339 --> 00:28:10.339
 years open doors has been supporting our

00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:13.179
 persecuted church family helping them to

00:28:13.179 --> 00:28:16.220
 stand strong they are counting the cost of

00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:19.380
 following Christ and with your help they can

00:28:19.380 --> 00:28:22.460
 keep believing knowing that Jesus is

00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:23.220
 worth everything

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:33.620
 so as you can see this paints a fairly

00:28:33.620 --> 00:28:36.339
 sobering picture of the state of the

00:28:36.339 --> 00:28:38.100
 world for many of our brothers and

00:28:38.100 --> 00:28:40.620
 sisters and I don't want to share these

00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:43.620
 stories just for sort of just because it's

00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:46.179
 interesting or for some sort of voyeuristic

00:28:46.179 --> 00:28:47.579
 thrill but because I hope that it

00:28:47.579 --> 00:28:50.299
 encourages your faith and it's certainly

00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:53.619
 encouraged mine and challenged my faith as

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:58.939
 well so briefly just before we start I do

00:28:58.939 --> 00:29:01.179
 want to mention that I've shied away from

00:29:01.179 --> 00:29:03.779
 some of the less than pleasant stories but

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:05.859
 some of these still will be quite heavy so do

00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:10.099
 please bear that in mind firstly a little bit

00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:14.339
 about the world watch list so open doors

00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:18.179
 researchers on the ground use first second

00:29:18.179 --> 00:29:21.459
 and third hand sources to verify allegations

00:29:21.459 --> 00:29:23.539
 of persecution against Christians so we need

00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:25.259
 to remember when we look at these numbers that

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:27.740
 they are vastly underestimated a colleague of

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:30.659
 mine just got back from Nigeria and told me how much he believes they are

00:29:30.659 --> 00:29:33.980
 underestimated by so if a report of persecution

00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:36.859
 could not be verified by an outside organization is not included

00:29:36.859 --> 00:29:41.740
 now you may have seen in the video that more people die for their faith in

00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:45.579
 Nigeria than anywhere else in the world and you may be thinking well why is it

00:29:45.579 --> 00:29:49.819
 not number one then and it's true 89 percent of those killed for their faith

00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:54.939
 are killed in Nigeria on average 14 Christians are killed for their faith

00:29:54.939 --> 00:30:00.699
 every day so in fact let me tell you briefly about one girl before I move on

00:30:00.699 --> 00:30:04.139
 who you may have heard of and this is again on the lighter end of the

00:30:04.140 --> 00:30:07.980
 spectrum of what happens in Nigeria her name was Deborah Samuel or

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:11.980
 Deborah Emmanuel depending on how you understand her name

00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:15.180
 she was a young girl from a school in northern Nigeria and she was part of a

00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:21.900
 class whatsapp group and after her exams she posted or a

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:26.300
 student sorry posted asking how everyone had done in the exams

00:30:26.300 --> 00:30:30.860
 and Deborah posted that she wanted to thank Jesus that she had done well

00:30:30.859 --> 00:30:36.619
 as a result of that she was dragged out by some boys in her class and stoned to

00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:39.899
 death because she had committed blasphemy in

00:30:39.899 --> 00:30:44.219
 their eyes and they were filmed doing this and the videos are over social media

00:30:44.219 --> 00:30:48.459
 you can see them and the police have seen these videos and not one of those

00:30:48.459 --> 00:30:54.059
 individuals have been arrested by the Nigerian police force so this is an

00:30:54.059 --> 00:30:58.619
 example of what we call in the methodology the smash so this is the smash of

00:30:58.619 --> 00:31:02.059
 persecution the outright violence and then we also have something that we

00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:06.779
 call the squeeze and this is those daily forms of persecution

00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:12.939
 like financial educational and health exclusion or community ostracism that make

00:31:12.939 --> 00:31:18.299
 up these sort of more pervasive forms of persecution so the world watch list

00:31:18.299 --> 00:31:22.379
 takes into account the smash the outright violence as well as the squeeze the

00:31:22.379 --> 00:31:27.979
 sort of daily grind the christians face around the world as well as things like

00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:34.620
 population sizes now i'm delighted to say that this is well received the world

00:31:34.620 --> 00:31:39.180
 watch this last year the parliamentary launch we had over a hundred members of

00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:43.660
 parliament from across every party when i say every party we even had

00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:48.140
 andrew bridgen who briefly started his own party reform parties you may remember

00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:53.099
 before losing his seat so we have literally every party exception fame but what can you do

00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:57.900
 anyway um god has in his mercy used this world watch list as a way of sharing the

00:31:57.900 --> 00:32:06.380
 stories around the world now earlier we heard a passage um written by paul to titus

00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:15.100
 and many of the early christians that paul wrote to experienced persecution and it can be easy for us to

00:32:15.100 --> 00:32:21.019
 assume that this is something of the past but it is really not for the vast majority of the world so i

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:26.700
 want to tell you briefly about a friend of mine timothy cho now timothy is from north korea he's the first north

00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:32.460
 korean in this country to receive a master's degree he works in parliament he works for cchq as well and

00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:40.140
 he stood for election for the conservative party um now when he was born he was born when kim il-sung

00:32:40.700 --> 00:32:47.740
 was still the leader of north korea so the founder of the north korean state and when timothy told me that

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:54.059
 when kim il-sung died the first thing that he did was to ask his father when he would die because he assumed

00:32:54.059 --> 00:32:59.419
 kim il-sung is his god he receives life from his god and so his god's dead he must be dead

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:08.779
 timothy uh who is now christian he was put in in a concentration camp eventually and he was tortured in

00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:17.740
 horrendous ways and regularly beaten and he still bears the scars of this on his body and frankly on his

00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:24.460
 his mind and spirit to this day um one of the things that open doors partners do around the

00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:28.940
 world including in north korea is to get people bibles that they can understand in their own language

00:33:29.660 --> 00:33:34.620
 and i've heard stories from north korean women who are in these labor camps where they work all day

00:33:34.620 --> 00:33:41.819
 intense hours and they've buried a bible by a tree or something in the camp and they risk their lives to

00:33:41.819 --> 00:33:49.419
 leave the the dormitories where they're kept in the middle of the night to get their bible and to pray

00:33:49.419 --> 00:33:56.059
 quietly one with another and to sing to whisper the words of a song and to study the bible together

00:33:56.859 --> 00:34:01.819
 instead of sleeping i think you know if i was working that amount of time i'd probably be like ah you know

00:34:02.539 --> 00:34:07.339
 maybe another time i'd easily sleep but no they have the faith to get up in the middle of the night

00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:16.219
 and do that and even if they manage to escape um you know before they're killed um you know it's it's

00:34:16.219 --> 00:34:22.059
 a miracle it is a miracle and open doors helps to facilitate people when they can escape by providing

00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:30.139
 them safety in in neighboring countries and ways out of danger so in the ancient roman days that we just

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:37.099
 read a document from many of the caesars were regarded as gods and i just googled actually when

00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:43.339
 titus was written it was written under the reign of emperor nero who was very much regarded as a god

00:34:43.339 --> 00:34:50.139
 and we can think of a time where leaders of countries are regarded as gods as being long dead but in north

00:34:50.139 --> 00:34:57.420
 korea that is still very much the case i remember reading a story of a north korean man in every north

00:34:57.420 --> 00:35:02.779
 korean home you need to have a wall which has a picture of the three leaders and nothing else can be

00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:10.700
 on this wall and you can get inspected and this man a flood hit his house and he saved the two most

00:35:10.700 --> 00:35:17.500
 important things in the world to him which was his baby daughter and a picture of kim il-sung and

00:35:19.580 --> 00:35:25.580
 as the door opened a wave hit him and he felt the picture begin to slip and he let go of his baby

00:35:25.579 --> 00:35:32.380
 daughter and he saved the portrait of kim il-sung and he was given a medal and paraded as a national

00:35:32.380 --> 00:35:39.179
 hero similar things have happened in other countries and in china i was speaking to a chinese man recently

00:35:40.059 --> 00:35:46.779
 who was six years old when chairman mao died and he recalled to me believing that chairman mao was god

00:35:46.780 --> 00:35:55.820
 he said twice a day every day him and his classmates were hauled before a portrait of chairman mao and

00:35:55.820 --> 00:36:04.300
 forced to silently confess their sins against him the party and the state and they had to vow to do better

00:36:04.300 --> 00:36:10.620
 in the future in a sort of parody of faith now you may wonder how it's possible that christians can

00:36:10.620 --> 00:36:16.140
 survive and the light of christ can remain in such darkness but as it did under nero so it does today

00:36:16.699 --> 00:36:23.659
 under xi jinping and kim yong un in china today there are more christians more members of illegal

00:36:23.659 --> 00:36:29.579
 christian churches than there are members of the communist party so this year open doors launched

00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:36.059
 its arise africa campaign which i think uh liz has done a wonderful job of of getting you to sign

00:36:36.859 --> 00:36:42.379
 and it will be a multi-year campaign focused on sub-saharan africa now i've just briefly briefly

00:36:42.380 --> 00:36:47.019
 touched on nigeria as i say nigeria is the place you're most likely to die for your faith most

00:36:47.019 --> 00:36:52.619
 likely to be kidnapped for your faith the level of persecution in this part of the world is unimaginable

00:36:52.619 --> 00:37:01.660
 we're talking uh tens of millions displaced tens of thousands hundreds of thousands murdered and in

00:37:01.660 --> 00:37:06.940
 long-term kidnap and i want to show you one brief story from a guy called manga who i met just a couple of

00:37:06.940 --> 00:37:11.980
 just a couple of weeks ago in northern ireland uh we had to do a speech together he gave his story

00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:15.740
 this incredible testimony i'll share a little bit of it and then i had to stand up and talk about

00:37:15.740 --> 00:37:20.619
 government works i felt a little bit uh i was like how do i follow that couldn't i go on first anyway

00:37:20.619 --> 00:37:27.099
 um he told the story and i will i'll i'll take it down a little bit because it's a hard story

00:37:27.900 --> 00:37:33.500
 he was he didn't take his faith very seriously he lived in northern nigeria and one day boko

00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:40.300
 haram came to his house and they demanded everything in his house that was expensive you

00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:46.300
 know that was worth anything and then they beat his mother in front of him and left her for dead

00:37:46.300 --> 00:37:53.500
 and they took him and his brother and his father outside and um i won't get into detail because it

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:58.699
 is pretty horrific but they they believe that the more they cause christians to suffer uh the greater

00:37:58.699 --> 00:38:05.179
 glory they receive so you know do with that what you will but they asked his father and brother to

00:38:05.179 --> 00:38:13.099
 renounce their faith and they didn't and they were killed brutally and he realized at that moment as he

00:38:13.099 --> 00:38:18.460
 watched his father die it's what he told me that his life flashed before his eyes and he saw his sin

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:23.980
 and he saw that he had not taken his faith seriously and he repented on the spot

00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:30.460
 and they came to him and they said uh will you renounce your faith and he said no i will die as

00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:39.579
 a christian and they began to kill him again in a long and very unpleasant way and as they were

00:38:39.579 --> 00:38:44.860
 doing this the lord's prayer ran through his head and he said he got to the point where it says father

00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:49.659
 forgive them for they know not what they do and he realized he needed to forgive these people who were

00:38:49.659 --> 00:38:56.219
 killing him while they were killing him and so he did he prayed in his head uh father forgive them

00:38:56.219 --> 00:39:01.819
 for they know not what they do those famous words of our lord and he said that moment the pain stopped

00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:08.619
 unimaginable pain stopped and they left him for dead they believed they killed him

00:39:09.339 --> 00:39:17.179
 he lost an incredible amount of blood was rushed to hospital and died in the hospital and you know by

00:39:17.179 --> 00:39:24.699
 god's grace miraculously um was resuscitated and came back and survived and has incredible scarring now

00:39:25.819 --> 00:39:31.659
 he was actually taken out of the area because the extremists found out he was alive and continued

00:39:31.659 --> 00:39:38.059
 hunting for him and open doors took him out of that area and helped him with counseling um trauma

00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:43.419
 counseling safe networks and that sort of stuff and you hear stories like this across the region of africa

00:39:43.420 --> 00:39:49.820
 now there's one other brief thing i want to touch on which is what we call digital persecution and

00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:54.780
 it's defined well i define it as the use of new and emerging technologies as a tool of persecution so

00:39:54.780 --> 00:39:58.619
 a couple of years ago open doors held a digital persecution conference the result of which was a

00:39:58.619 --> 00:40:03.420
 document which you can find on our website which the with the universities of birmingham and rohampton

00:40:04.139 --> 00:40:08.700
 and we found that there were three major ways in which new technologies are used to persecute which is

00:40:08.699 --> 00:40:15.819
 surveillance disinformation and censorship now where ai is a concern for many people around the world

00:40:15.819 --> 00:40:20.139
 not many are thinking about the impact on already marginalized groups so of course it's not just

00:40:20.139 --> 00:40:24.859
 christians that face persecution i do want to briefly touch on one example of a non-christian group because

00:40:24.859 --> 00:40:30.939
 it's it shows us the extent to which this technology can be used and that's the uyghurs in china who are not

00:40:30.939 --> 00:40:37.099
 christian most of which are muslim but there are a minority of whom uh that are christian they live in in a

00:40:37.099 --> 00:40:43.420
 digital police state cameras have facial technology facial recognition technology and technology that

00:40:43.420 --> 00:40:48.940
 can recognize your ethnicity based on markers they're constantly tracked through their phones

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:55.659
 and daily go through these big integrated gates that take all the data from your phone and analyze it

00:40:55.659 --> 00:41:02.139
 all by ai and then the ai ranks you according to a traffic light system green normal surveillance amber

00:41:02.139 --> 00:41:08.539
 maybe you get a camera put in your home maybe you get a you know bug put in your home and red you're

00:41:08.539 --> 00:41:14.539
 arrested the system tells the police to arrest you and then the ai interviews you it measures your heart

00:41:14.539 --> 00:41:19.500
 rate it measures your blood pressure it measures all sorts of things and if it determines that you

00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:26.859
 are guilty you're then sent to a re-education or labor camp now china is using xinjiang this region

00:41:26.859 --> 00:41:31.179
 where the uyghurs live as a showroom for the world's dictators and uyghurs are being used to show off

00:41:31.179 --> 00:41:35.579
 their authoritarian wares to the rest of the world and it's alleged that chinese technology has been

00:41:35.579 --> 00:41:42.059
 used against lots of people including christians as far as north korea iran myanmar and russia

00:41:42.940 --> 00:41:50.539
 likewise in china when uh during covid when when churches met um online the equivalent of zoom uh

00:41:51.179 --> 00:41:55.579
 listened out for words like jesus and christ and christian and if these occurred repeatedly would

00:41:55.579 --> 00:42:03.659
 shut down the meeting the only place you can get an online uh version of the bible the the characters

00:42:03.659 --> 00:42:11.259
 for christ and christian have been replaced in india disinformation spreads like wildfire christians

00:42:11.259 --> 00:42:18.460
 are frequently accused of forcibly converting people and of being cow murderers um there was a local

00:42:18.460 --> 00:42:25.659
 pastor only 21 years old and he was accused of um there was some villagers came became ill and he was

00:42:25.659 --> 00:42:30.699
 accused of using christian witchcraft against them and they killed him in a brutal way and it turned out

00:42:30.699 --> 00:42:37.420
 to be uh the water was infected but this lie spread so fast that the newspapers reported it as true that

00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:45.579
 this christian witch was doing this in manipul last year one social media lie led to 240 churches being

00:42:45.579 --> 00:42:50.940
 burned down the public sexual assault of at least five christian women the deaths of many and the

00:42:50.940 --> 00:42:56.940
 displacement of tens of thousands there are still 20 000 people living in camps supplied by organizations

00:42:56.940 --> 00:43:02.940
 like open doors because they face persecution in the mainstream camps so what can you do and i'll wrap up

00:43:02.940 --> 00:43:09.420
 here what can you do the first thing that you can do uh as manipul there the first thing that you can do is to give

00:43:09.420 --> 00:43:16.300
 um obviously none of this work is free and unlike many other charities open doors is entirely funded by

00:43:16.300 --> 00:43:21.740
 churches by people like you we take no government money and have no corporate backers if you want to

00:43:21.740 --> 00:43:26.460
 give you can come and chat with me afterwards you can chat with liz chat with your pastor you can chat with

00:43:26.460 --> 00:43:31.099
 whoever but do come and chat and the second thing you can do is act and liz has touched on this so i won't

00:43:31.659 --> 00:43:36.380
 hammer the point home because i want some time for some questions but you you are your boss's mp right

00:43:36.380 --> 00:43:42.860
 uh you you are your mp's boss other way around you are your mp's boss they do what you say i remember

00:43:42.860 --> 00:43:47.579
 once a guy coming down to meet me an mp he had a stack of letters from open door and he put them on

00:43:47.579 --> 00:43:55.500
 table he said how do i make this stop that you did that right we get 101 mps turn up to open doors

00:43:55.500 --> 00:44:01.180
 world watch it's the largest ngo event in parliament i mean that's incredible i went to another comparable

00:44:01.180 --> 00:44:05.980
 charity's launch of their report last week and they had three which is a very respectable number for an ngo

00:44:06.619 --> 00:44:12.539
 god has graced us with 101 and he's done it through people like you so talk to your mp um you can talk

00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:17.019
 to me about doing that talk to liz about doing that and finally pray which is the most important one and

00:44:17.019 --> 00:44:22.460
 we'll be doing that later prayer changes the world if you take nothing away from this except this i'll be

00:44:22.460 --> 00:44:27.820
 happy pray if your family who are persecuted again we have ways of doing this we we have a free um

00:44:27.820 --> 00:44:32.780
 prayer journal that i can sign you up for at the back uh if you want to chat afterwards um

00:44:32.780 --> 00:44:38.140
 um and and remember that they pray for you whenever we speak to persecuted christians they ask for

00:44:38.140 --> 00:44:43.820
 prayer and they say they pray for the western church which never ceases to amaze me um but i will stop

00:44:43.820 --> 00:44:43.980
 there

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00:44:55.179 --> 00:44:57.179
 you

00:44:57.179 --> 00:44:59.179
 you

00:44:59.179 --> 00:45:01.179
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00:45:01.179 --> 00:45:03.179
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00:45:03.179 --> 00:45:05.179
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00:45:05.179 --> 00:45:07.179
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 you