The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken
Week 11: Part Ten — What the Persecuted Church Wants the Western Church to Know
Read Part Ten of The Insanity of God (direct messages from persecuted believers to the global church). Key passage: 1 Corinthians 12:26; Hebrews 13:3.
Previewing Week 11 of The Insanity of God
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
In this section, the voices Nik has been gathering across decades speak directly to us — not as objects of pity or distant inspiration, but as members of the same body who have something vital to say.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.1 Corinthians 12:26 says that 'if one part suffers, every part suffers with it.' Hebrews 13:3 urges believers to 'remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners.' How well do you think the Western church currently embodies these commands — and what would it look like to take them more seriously?
2.Nik reports that persecuted believers overwhelmingly asked him to tell the Western church: *please do not take our suffering away, but pray for our faithfulness within it.* What does this request reveal about their understanding of suffering's role in their witness and growth?
3.Many of the believers Nik interviewed expressed a fear that Western Christianity's comfort and compromise would ultimately prove more dangerous to the global church than external persecution. Do you think they are right? Why or why not?