A few years ago, Nigerian Baptist leaders welcomed me at the airport with these words, “Thank you for sending Thomas Jefferson Bowen to bring us the gospel.” The Nigerian Baptist Convention, the fourth largest Baptist denomination in the world with more than 8 million members, traces its founding to Bowen—a missionary sent by Southern Baptists who arrived in Nigeria in 1850. Southern Baptists and Nigerian Baptists have a deep connection because of this shared history. You can read more about his inspiring and tragic story here.

That’s one reason persecution of Christians—including Baptist Christians in Nigeria—strikes a dissonant chord with Southern Baptists. Our brothers and sisters are suffering and we ache for them. Sadly, while recent news reports summarize new attacks, they were not isolated or unusual incidents.

A person who worked in Nigeria among tribal people helped me develop a broader perspective on the situation. Tribal warfare, terrorist activity, and paramilitary attacks are part of the everyday life of many Nigerians. The reasons for these conflicts are convoluted—tribal allegiances, economic depravity, criminal activity, and religious differences. All of these factors combine in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of attacks and counterattacks—which make sorting out solutions extremely difficult.

Christians caught up in these conflicts suffer—some for their faith and others because of additional factors coinciding with their religious identity. Persecution has been happening somewhere in the world in an unbroken line since the first century. We are fortunate the American church is not being persecuted. We embarrass ourselves when we claim we are. Believers in other parts of the world are dying for their faith. We should be humbled by their example and motivated to help them—not claiming we are experiencing something similar.

What can we do for Nigerian Christians and other persecuted believers? Pray for them. Send financial gifts through organizations working among them. Elect governmental leaders who will insist on aide policies conditioned on protections for religious freedom. Mostly, we can send more Bowens! We need to send more people with the message of the gospel to encourage believers and reach more people around the world.

A few years ago, I asked a governmental worker in Africa (who was also a Christian), “Don’t you think the gospel is the ultimate solution to the problems you are trying to solve?” He replied, “Of course, but you people are just too slow. Until you pick up the pace, we will just keep doing the best we can to manage the symptoms.”

What an indictment! We are just too slow. We need to strip away frivolous distractions and get much more serious about sending more gospel workers around the world. People who have never heard the gospel deserve the opportunity to receive it. Believers struggling to sustain their faith need the encouragement of leaders who will buttress them against persecution. We can do more, and we must.


Read More

Excerpt – John Piper, Calvinism, and Missions: A Way Forward

Read this section of Dr. Hopkins’ new book on the theology of John Piper.

Philip O. Hopkins
Associate Professor of Church History
Philip O. Hopkins is the associate professor of Church history at Gateway Seminary. He earned Ph.D. in applied theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a second Ph.D. in Iranian history from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). He is also a research fellow for the Institute of Iranian Studies at the University of St. Andrews, guest lecturer at Russian-Armenian University in Yerevan, Armenia, and part of the editorial board for Iran and the Caucasus (Brill).

Owning Up to the Failures of our Theological Heroes

What can be done when you discover the sins of historical figures who have shaped your theology?

Chris Woznicki
Affiliate Instructor in Theology at Fuller Seminary, JEC Research Fellow

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November 19, 2024

Revelation Chapters 19-20

Dr. Stewart and Tyler discuss the millennial debate. They cover different interpretations of the millennium, the strengths and weaknesses of each. They also describe the return of Christ and the final battle.

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Revelation Chapters 17-18

Dr. Stewart and Tyler discuss Revelation 17 and 18, focusing on the symbolic representation of Babylon. They explore the chiasm structure, highlighting the introduction and judgment of key adversaries like the dragon, the beast, and Babylon.


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Jonathan Edwards and the Asbury Revival

Chris Chun and Chris Woznicki discuss the signs of true revival, signs of the work of the Holy Spirit, and why it is important to critically assess the characteristics of revival in a spirit of charity.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Jonathan Edwards and the Baptists | Douglas Sweeney, Nathan Finn and Chris Chun

Dr. Douglas Sweeney and Dr. Nathan Finn joined Dr. Chris Chun for a panel discussion on Jonathan Edwards, recorded live at the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

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