When going to church might get yourself killed

Here is another story of violent persecution against believers. These folks were attacked and killed while actually worshiping inside their church in the Middle East.

Let me supply a few brief "takes:"

1.) It just makes you wonder where we've gone wrong in America, where corporate worship is just an option among many to do on a Sunday morning. If you're too tired, have sporting events, just need a break, family time, don't like the rain, etc...And if its snowing or sleeting, then forget about it. It's just too dangerous.

Yet why is it different in other countries, where folks WANT to gather for worship, and even risk their lives to do so? Is Jesus more precious to them?

I wonder what church attendance would be like in America if it were actually dangerous to go to church. If you were actually risking your life to gather together for worship, would it inspire the adventurous, curtail the cautious, or give life to the nominal believer?

We don't need to feel guilty for living in America, but I think looking at the suffering of other believers around the world really exposes our idol of comfort and safety.

2.) While a number of folks in the pews would probably articulate a description of the Trinity that might in some ways be heretical (a pastor once told me this and I tend to believe him), no one would argue that the Trinity is actually three gods. Even though no one can fully understand how three Persons can be distinct and yet equal in power and glory, we still know that somehow God is still one God. 

And we know that but Muslims don't. We are very much a polytheistic religion to them, as you can see in this article. Such is the title Christians get for claiming that Jesus is who He claims Himself to be. All three persons and their equality are very much present in Jesus' dialog with His disciples in John 14 in case you think you're taking crazy pills when you believe in the Triune God.