A Glimpse

by the Elders of Green Lawn Church of Christ
For the last 8 years I, along with Robby Rhodes and Charles McGowan from the Green Lawn congregation have traveled to a prison every third Sunday to conduct bible studies, worship, visits and encourage the inmates who have become followers of Jesus Christ. The numbers are growing and we have been very encouraged with the work. However yesterday, we got a taste of what I believe is the future of Christianity in America. Just before our assembly began about 15 inmates who have never been to our assembly showed up and asked if they could join us in our worship. Our Christian brothers welcomed them. As one of our brothers (who is an inmate) began the assembly several in the group, (who were Muslim) began to openly and rudely interrupt the assembly by asking questions and challenging the young Christian man who was trying to start the assembly by reading scripture. It became very apparent that these visitors did not come to listen but to interrupt and indoctrinate. They were starting to become belligerent and finally I stood up and told them that this was a Christian assembly for the purpose of worshipping the Creator of the Universe, and His Son, and that they were free to stay, learn and observe, but that it was neither the time nor place for such a public debate. This seemed to calm them down only for the moment. The guard who was outside the room heard their shouting, stepped in and ordered the men to be quiet or leave. Later Robby Rhodes had to again address the Muslims because of their constant interruptions of the assembly. Later, when our brothers in Christ began passing the plates for the Lord's Supper, the leader of the radical group grabbed a plate of bread, dumped it in his lap and told the whole assembly to 'Eat this.' At that point some of the Muslims came over to me and the other elders and started calling us Satan worshippers, white pigs and evil. They vowed to stop our preaching and teaching of Jesus. I thought, 'How blessed we were to be verbally attacked because of the Name of Jesus. Remember it was Jesus who said, 'Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.' (Matthew 5:11, 12). I believe that If it were not for the presence of the guard it would have become very violent, and possibly deadly. It will not surprise me
that our continued visits will eventually lead to our being attacked and harmed. Our guard was a female about the age of 50, and it is my firm belief that if those men had wanted to, they could have harmed or even killed us yesterday before she could have received the help needed to squelch the attacks. It is my conviction that yesterday was a glimpse of the future for all Christians in America. I also believe that any faith that is not deeply rooted in Jesus will not survive the future when the attacks come. Maybe this is God's way of getting our minds back on the important things in the kingdom of His Dear Son. I have also concluded that we must pray for those who have been too deceived by a man named Mohammed. I ask for prayers for me, not necessarily for safety, but for boldness, wisdom and courage to continue preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and the kingdom of Heaven. All Praise and Glory to God.