The day of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is scarred in the minds of those who saw it unfold on the television screens in real time.
This year marks the 23 commemoration of these attacks and many who experienced it are not alive. Added to that, many feel that the war on terror has not ended terrorism. Instead, Jihadi groups continue to flourish and spread across the world.
The recent burnings of churches and the Oct. 7 Hamas attack are deemed a form of Jihad by many Muslims.
Currently, the U.S.A. is living a new reality where Islam is heralded as peaceful and evangelicals are oppressors. The Taliban is in power in Afghanistan, and Muslim women are oppressed in many Muslims majority countries.
The rise in Christian persecution is unprecedented. Its scope and frequency are alarming.
This year, how should churches commemorate this sad and violent event? What is the role of the church in this present darkness?
Silence is not an option.
They Do Not Know.
Many people today still have not heard a clear explanation on the life of Christ or his teachings. The term “Unreached People Groups” (UPG) has been coined by mission experts to highlight the current crisis. More than three billion people living on earth are designated as unreached. This means they have no Bible in their language. They have no Christian or Christian communities. They have no contact with a Christ follower.
Added to that, many hear negative statements about Christians or associate Christians with western culture or politics. These communities tend to be monocultural, without freedom of religion or choice.
Religious Warfare
As Christians, we are shocked to see killing justified as God’s will. The foundation of our faith is that God loves all people. God sent his Son to redeem all humanity and usher in the kingdom of God.
The attacks of Sept. 11 are stark proof that there are broken religious systems and evil moralities that manipulate its followers to commit evil. Jihad is wrong because God loves all people.
Some religious leaders try to justify terrorism because the west worships three gods. The Jihadi mindset is that they are defending God by defeating polytheism. Sadly, this is a fallacy since all Christians worship one God. Many Jihadi fighters are impacted by the knowledge that other faiths believe in one God. The words of the Lord Jesus have impacted many listeners, and some Jihadi fighters have become followers of Christ.
