“And on that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria… Now those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” — Acts 8:1,4
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve felt it too—the growing pressure against anyone who dares to stand for biblical truth. Maybe you’ve lost friends for your beliefs, faced hostility on campus, or watched your social media posts get attacked for simply sharing Scripture.
You’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone.
But here’s something the enemy desperately doesn’t want our generation to understand: When God’s people are scattered by persecution, the Gospel multiplies.
What looks like defeat is actually God’s strategy for victory. The early church learned this when Stephen was murdered and persecution exploded. Instead of silencing the Gospel, it scattered believers like seeds across the region, and wherever they landed, they kept preaching.
I’m writing this with a heavy heart because of what we’re witnessing. The hostility is real, the stakes are rising, and it’s only going to get harder to follow Jesus openly. But history should give us hope instead of fear.
Persecution has always been the church’s forge, not her grave.
Here’s How It Actually Works
The early church gives us the clearest example. After Stephen’s death, persecution scattered ordinary believers across Judea and Samaria. These weren’t the apostles—these were regular Christians like you and me. As they fled for their lives, they continued sharing the very message that made them targets.
The principle is simple: What man intends for evil, God uses for kingdom advancement.
Why This Keeps Happening Throughout History
This pattern isn’t just ancient history:
Roman Empire (64-313 AD): Despite brutal persecutions under emperors like Nero and Diocletian, Christianity kept spreading. By the third century, over 10% of the Roman population were Christians—leading to Constantine’s Edict of Milan.
Modern China: After the Communist takeover in 1949, the church grew from 1 million believers to an estimated 100+ million today. Despite decades of persecution, house churches multiplied underground. Some estimates suggest 130-150 million Christians in China now.
Why persecution works:
- It weeds out fake Christians who were just going through motions
- Forces believers to actually depend on God instead of comfort
- Spreads the message as people scatter to new places
- Strips away fluff and gets back to core Gospel truth
Charlie Kirk: What Just Happened
As I write this, we’re still processing the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, gunned down at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
Charlie wasn’t just a political figure—he was passionate about Jesus. “I’m nothing without Jesus,” he once said. “I gave my life to the Lord in fifth grade, and it’s the most important decision I’ve ever made.”
When asked how he wanted to be remembered: “I wanna be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing.”
Days before his death, he posted: “Jesus defeated death so you can live.”
Charlie saw revival happening with our generation: “We are seeing Gen Z go back to church in record numbers. We are seeing a Christian revival that should give everyone hope.”
Here’s what’s crazy: Since Charlie’s death, his martyrdom hasn’t silenced the Gospel—it’s amplifying it. Christians nationwide are holding vigils, recommitting to the truths he died for, asking “How do we carry this forward?”
The pattern continues.
God Equips Every Generation for Their Battle
Here’s something that should blow your mind: God has never left a generation without exactly what they need to overcome the evil of their day.
Think about it. Every generation has faced their own unique darkness and said, “How will we ever get through this?” The early church faced Roman persecution. Medieval believers battled plagues and corruption. Our grandparents’ generation fought world wars and totalitarian regimes. Each time, people wondered if this was the end.
But here’s what happened: The same Spirit who sustained them through their trials is the exact same Spirit living in you right now.
I know some of you parents are looking at your kids thinking, “Lord, how will they handle what’s coming? The digital warfare, the cultural pressure, the spiritual deception—it’s so different from what I faced.”
But listen carefully: The same Spirit that is sustaining you will sustain the next generation of mighty believers.
Jesus promised us this in John 16:13: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” Notice He didn’t say “some truth” or “partial truth”—ALL truth. For every generation. For every challenge.
And in 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul reminds us: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
God doesn’t look at Gen Z and think, “Oh no, TikTok and cancel culture—I didn’t see that coming!” He’s been preparing you for this exact moment in history. The wisdom you need for AI deception? He’s got it. The courage for standing alone on campus? He’s got it. The strength for whatever’s coming next? He’s already equipped you.
You are not an accident in this timeline. You are God’s chosen generation for this specific battle.
What This Means for Us
Listen, I know this might sound overwhelming. You’re already dealing with student loans, job markets, social media pressure, and now I’m talking about persecution?
But Christ warned us: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
You’re not just victims of hostile culture—you’re soldiers in God’s army. When God calls you to follow Him, He equips you with everything needed for the battles ahead.
You’re part of a movement spanning centuries, connected to believers who’ve faced way worse than getting canceled on Twitter.
I believe God is preparing our generation—not just celebrity Christians, but all of us who truly follow Him—to be His instruments for the final harvest.
How to Fight This Battle
Jesus said be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). We fight with truth and love, not violence:
- Stand firm in truth: Never compromise the Gospel, but speak with gentleness (1 Peter 3:15)
- Respond with love: Even to people who attack you (Matthew 5:44)
- Trust God’s plan: He uses even hatred to accomplish His purposes (Psalm 76:10)
- Remember you’re not alone: Connected to believers throughout history (Hebrews 12:1)
If This Feels Like Too Much
I get it. Maybe you’re thinking, “I just want to follow Jesus without all this drama.”
But here’s what history shows: God makes persecution serve His unstoppable mission. Every attempt to silence the Gospel has resulted in greater spread.
Look at China’s underground church—they’ve shown you can persevere through anything when you truly know Jesus. Despite imprisonment and harassment, believers continue with incredible dedication. Result? Explosive church growth.
The pressure you’re feeling isn’t random. It’s part of something bigger God is doing.
The Real Story Behind What’s Happening
Here’s what I think God is doing with our generation: He’s shaking up the comfortable, Instagram-friendly Christianity that’s been popular in the West. People just going through motions are walking away.
This isn’t the church losing—this is purification.
The days of consumer Christianity are ending—where faith was just lifestyle choice and church was just good music and coffee. God is raising up believers who actually know Him deeply, who can’t be shaken by culture shifts, who stand firm no matter the cost.
If you’re still here, still following Jesus when it’s getting harder—you’re part of this. The same Spirit that powered the early church and sustained Chinese Christians through persecution lives in you.
You’re not just surviving until Jesus returns. You’re being prepared for something bigger.
Prayers for Charlie’s Family and Persecuted Christians
Let’s pray for Charlie Kirk’s wife Erika and their two young children—a 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son. They face the future without their earthly father but are held by our Heavenly Father who promises to be “a father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5).
Pray for believers facing persecution worldwide—our family in China’s underground churches, those in North Korea, Iran, Nigeria, and countless places where following Christ requires serious courage.
And yes, pray for those who attack us, as Jesus commanded: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Here’s the Bottom Line
The blood of martyrs remains the seed of the church. Charlie Kirk’s legacy won’t be silenced. His call for revival, passion for reaching young people with the Gospel, bold proclamation of truth—these continue through us.
We come full circle: When God’s people are scattered by persecution, the Gospel multiplies. Stephen’s death launched the greatest missionary movement in history. China’s persecution created massive revival. Charlie Kirk’s assassination has already scattered his message to millions asking, “How do we carry this forward?”
The pattern never stops. What the enemy designs for destruction, God flips into multiplication. Every attack meant to silence the Gospel becomes a megaphone. Every attempt to scatter God’s people becomes His strategy for taking new ground.
My challenge to you: Don’t just survive this moment—thrive in it. The same God who turned a Roman execution device into the ultimate symbol of victory is turning every assault on His church into explosive growth.
You’re not victims of this culture war. You’re instruments of God’s unstoppable plan.
The persecution scattering us today becomes the multiplication that changes everything tomorrow.
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14).
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