Randy Alcorn's Blog

In late 2021, I shared on my blog about increased Christian persecution in Nigeria. Almost a year and a half later, our brothers and sisters in Christ there continue to face daily dangers. Here is a letter sent last month by a dear Nigerian brother we’ve known for years.

The unifying testimony of the human heart throughout history is belief in life after death. Anthropological evidence suggests that every culture has a God-given, innate sense of the eternal—that this world is not all there is.

Steve Saint texted me last Sunday, reminding me that it was the 67th anniversary of the death of his father Nate Saint and the other missionary martyrs in Ecuador: Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming. Their story touched me deeply as a brand-new Christian. 

I confess I grow weary of some believers’ responses to good news, especially related to evangelism. Instead of believing the best, as Christians sometimes we seem to chronically believe the worst. I remember the negative responses I received years ago when I shared a follow-up report on my Facebook about “Harvest America,” Greg Laurie’s crusade in Texas.

One of our staff recently sent me this Twitter thread, from a pastor named Michael Clary, who serves at Christ the King Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. His words are powerful. What he shares reminds me of this warning from J.C. Ryle: “Let us watch against pride in every shape—pride of intellect, pride of wealth, pride of our own goodness.”

Jesus, the sinless one, willingly gave Himself over to be tortured—not for anything He had done, but to save those least deserving. We are not merely misguided subjects; we are rebels and traitors against the King. Yet God adopts us as His children and happily gives us a seat at His table. If this seems less than amazing, less than wonderful, then we really don’t grasp the meaning of grace.