It is an indisputable fact that Christianity flourishes when Christians are persecuted. Prosperity is without a doubt, deadly to strong commitment to faith. Many of us by now have heard Louis Giglio tell the story of his conversation with a Romanian pastor who led a congregation during the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime. He described how every time he left the house he would hug every family member reminding them of his love, since there was a good chance he would never see them again. In 1989, the country revolted and executed the dictator and his wife.

Giglio asked the pastor whether or not the freedom to worship now afforded them was better or worse for the church. I want to give you the detailed answer, but it came out that the state of Christians was actually worse when there was no real price for worshipping God. Before success of the revolution everyone was clear on where they stood, now Christians had a choice to be on fire or lukewarm. Of course, as in America many are choosing lukewarm. The Romanian Christian leader explained that one cannot manufacture those conditions that lead to such pure Christian faith.

So, does this mean we should hope for persecution? Does this mean we should distance ourselves from the political process so the most anti-Christian leaders are elected and the most anti-religious laws can be passed? This is not a hard question to answer, it’s no. However, the no that I can come up so easily with does leave me troubled. If I truly want the church to be in its most fervent and pristine state I might want suffering. If I truly want Jesus to be exalted above self, I might want oppression.

1 Timothy 2:2 gently lets me off the hook when it says, “Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” I am thankful that God doesn’t ask me to choose whether or not others will be cruel toward my love for him. So “should we hope for persecution?” is not a reasonable question. We are much too human to deal with such matters that are so out of out control. Even God doesn’t choose pain. Even Jesus looked at the cup of suffering and prayed, “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me.”

There is something we can do that will produce for us a process which will come as close to the purification of persecution as possible without the unspeakable suffering imposed on millions by men like Nero, Domitian, Hitler, Stalin and Mao. We can all put ourselves into accountable and healthy submission to Christians who aren’t afraid to call us to extreme commitment. I am not talking about unhealthy religious abuse or cultic conformity to sociopaths. I am talking about choosing imperfect but good hearted leaders in your church who ask you hard questions, who expect you to show up for church, use your talents for serving others, donate your money to the cause of spreading the gospel and aren’t afraid to inquire as to whether you have been in the word lately. I believe we are called to approximate some of the pressures of bad authority by willingly cooperating with the pressure of Good authority.

Hebrews 13:17 > Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

I don’t believe that we can be all we need to be merely through internal self-regulation. I believe we are wired get a certain amount of direction from others in the Church. Of course there needs to be a tension between individuality and togetherness, but most non-suffering Christians fall off the cliff on the side of individuality. I believe there’s a better way.