My Current Christian Heroes

I have some new heroes of the faith I want to tell you about. They are exceptional leaders who have counted the cost and lived vivid Christian lives even when it is uncomfortable to do so.

The first is Pastor Van Thong (Lao People's Democratic Republic) and eleven of his peers were arrested for attending meetings that were organized by Christian Leaders from the West. Pastor Van Thong is the head of the Lao Evangelical Church in his province. Full details as to his condition are not available. Pastor Van Thong hs made the decision to serve Christ fully and to follow Him despite the cost. He has been imprisoned fo rover 200 days, has been denied visitors, and not given an end date for his imprisonment.

A second, hero is Pastor Wang Weiliang of China. Pastor Weiliang and seven other church leaders from the Xiaoshan District were sentenced to, from, one to three and one-half years imprisonment. Four of these men were then given suspended sentences. As part of their imprisonment Pastor Weiliand, and his peers, are forced to make clothing and shoes for export. They have been prohibited from praying out loud or reading the Bible. Soon after they were imprisoned their church building was bulldozed down. Pray for their strength in Christ and for their release.

Would that we all would live our faith with courageous resolve and live out the testimony of the Apostle Paul were he wrote, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).

Pastor Al