Needed: a secure digital platform providing leaders with a safe place
We are facing shutdowns and jail time almost daily here. We are reluctant to share with the news because of the repercussions it may entail. Please pray for us.
That quote is from an A3 national director in one of A2’s most dynamic country movements. Please do pray for them as he requested. But I have another reason for telling you about this situation.
If we could provide them with an ultra-secure digital platform with video conferencing capabilities, the shutdowns and jail time would be greatly reduced. Your gift for our digital platform project will accomplish that. And your gift will be doubled! More about that later.
You see, the reason pastors there are facing shutdowns and jail time is because of their online worship services and discipleship training conducted on unsecured video conference software. Here’s one example reported recently by a prayer website:
Authorities in ______________ seized the pastor of the _________________ Church during an online Christian gathering. The day-long event, which was dedicated to church planting and evangelism, was being held online because of the pandemic. Police arrived at the church around noon and detained Pastor ________________, who was interrogated for more than four hours before being released.
When the pandemic started, the church had no choice but to move online, much like here. As a result, the church experienced explosive growth. Government officials were too busy fighting the virus to focus on restricting that growth.
Many of the people I know have talked about increasing momentum for revival in this country because of digital technology. It has allowed them to reach more people for Christ, and they’re seeing expressions of church growing in leaps and bounds.
But after COVID-19 began to decrease, officials turned their resources toward suppressing the growing digital underground Church. This government’s capacity to oversee what’s happening in the digital space is quite strong. That’s why we are now hearing so many stories of pastors being detained.
The government is cracking down for fear of a political uprising, power and influence increasing among Christians, or too much movement towards democracy. They want to retain an authoritarian state. Therefore, pastors of underground churches could face serious criminal charges for religious broadcasting, websites, or online communication.
This is not the only country experiencing revival-like conditions. All over Asia reports are coming in about the exponential growth of the church because the church has been forced to meet online due to the pandemic.
Christians in 11 of the 18 countries A3 serves are experiencing pressure and persecution. Many are facing persecution like we have rarely seen.
But that doesn’t mean believers are going to stop. They’re seeing rapid growth in the church thanks to digital tools. The trend is too positive to ignore. So, at their own risk, they press on.
But you can relieve some of the pressure and persecution by making a digital platform available to them—a secure platform that allows video conferencing beyond the prying eyes of the government. Your gift to the A3 Digital Platform project will do just that.
Your partnership is also especially valuable in serving the A3 groups which are meeting online for fellowship, resource sharing, equipping, and furthering the mission to which God has called us—to identify, develop and release emerging kingdom leaders who unite the Church, multiply leaders and congregations and extend the transforming power of the gospel.
Will you prayerfully consider giving $50, $100, $200, or even $500 or more to make a secure digital platform available to persecuted pastors and developing leaders?
And don’t forget—your gift will be doubled. Over $113,000 has been given already toward the $200,000 match for this project. We are more than halfway to the goal.
Thank you in advance for prayerfully considering partnering with these persecuted family members!
With Christ,
Rev. Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Ph.D.
President, A3
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@jwhandley
@jwhandley
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You can resume giving toward this project on March 27, 2023.
