I saw this compelling video on GodTube.com the other night. Christians today are not free to share the Gospel in Turkey. They cannot join the police force, the military or hold top government positions, and many Christians are forced to gather privately in apartment churches, as this video describes:
Ironically, Christianity has deep roots in Turkey. Christianity Today's online site has a great story about what's happening with the church in Turkey now and recently published an amazing Christian History & Biography story about the martyrdom of Polycarp. He was mentored by the Apostle John and was the bishop of Smyrna, a city in Asia Minor, what today is the city of Izmir in Turkey.
An elderly man, Polycarp boldly embraced the prospect of his martyrdom and refused to "curse Christ" when the Romans encouraged him to do so. Polycarp chose death by fire. The Christian History & Biography article quotes what the Christians in Smyrna wrote about Polycarp's death:
"And when the flame flashed forth, we saw a miracle, we to whom it was given to see. And we are preserved in order to relate to the rest what happened. For the fire made the shape of a vaulted chamber, like a ship's sail filled by the wind, and made a wall around the body of the martyr. And he was in the midst, not as burning flesh, but as bread baking or as gold and silver refined in a furnace. And we perceived such a sweet aroma as the breath of incense or some other precious spice.
"At length, when the lawless men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they commanded an executioner to go to him and stab him with a dagger. And when he did this [a dove and] a great quantity of blood came forth, so that the fire was quenched and the whole crowd marveled that there should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect."
Thinking about Polycarp and watching this video about what Christians confront in Turkey -- not to mention other believers worldwide -- can strengthen us when our faith wavers and warn us about the dangers of complacency.
