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Keeping the Faith in an Occupied City Scenario: "The Regime" has banned all public assembly - including religious services not performed by the sanctioned non-denominational UN Church of the Lucis Trust . YOU know that the "Lucis Trust" was originally founded as "Lucifer Publishing" AND "Lucifer Press", and you want nothing to do with it. Your personal mission is to establish an hidden ministry of God to provide an alternative to your fellow captives. Response: The question is, IMO, if my church has to go underground, how do I ensure that no spies infiltrate the membership? Reply: Excellent question! "The Regime" will be searching for people just like you... SO - what is the answer? Cellular Religion Okay - If it was ME, here's what I would do: Tape or digitize a service, sermon, and weekly message. Distribute it on tape, disk, or usb drive using blind drops for each cell of the parishioners. Caution parishioners to limit attendance to just those fellows they know and trust. Recruit and ordain subordinates to minister to those who need personal services. These are just a few starting ideas. You guys are going to have to work out the details ... Response: Our church believes that you have to assemble on the first day of the week. The Bible also says the following:
Rom. 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
This regime will truly test the faith of many! I have to find out how the church is able to function in places like China. This site has some interesting information about how Christians are functioning in China: Church and State in China Reply: Here are some possible hints: "Home Church" organization Home Church Help / New Testament Church Life House Church Central Lucis Trust on youTube The Lucis Trust is the corner stone for the One World Religion. It is buried in satanism that is associated with Freemasons. PART 2 The COMING NEW AGE- ONE WORLD RELIGION Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Response: Sad, but, I believe the lower echelon of the masons do not have a clue. Being an old phone man, at one time, there was a phone system introduced be the name of Lucifer, very quickly, it was determined that it was a mistake and was changed, don't remember the name now, but it still had the prefix of Luc something or nuther. I steered a lot of people away. AT&T brought it out, then, distanced itself from it. I believe it is still out there and has gone thru another name change... Reply: Seriously? That's just batty! I don't get why ANYTHING would be called "Lucifer" People won't even put a 13th floor in a building... Response: Yeah, it is actual and factual; the name was on flyers, trade publications, in the mid to late 80's. Someone responsible musta been on crack or something. I, at the time, was on a service call at a small loan co. when the mgr. whipped out the advertisement and was asking about price and if it was a good phone system for their situation? Nearly floored me when I saw it, and for the life of me, I, too, am trying to figure out why any one would pull such a stunt. Absolutely stupid... and in the Bible belt, no less. Reply: The churches that have not suffered persecution have a weak spot, in that they often have just one or two leaders. This is a weakness because then the Bad Guys can apply pressure to the 1 or 2 leaders, to get them to compromise..or, can threaten the leadership to get the congregation to do what the Bad Guys want. That said, I recommend relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance -- & obey Him. If you have arranged for something to be said or done, & get a "feeling" (or a thought-message in your mind) not to do or say it, then be cautious. Obey the warning urge. If you're planning to go someplace, & another believer says "no, don't"...then you don't go. You watch out for each other, keeping sin/wrongdoing out of your life so you can hear the quiet voice of the holy spirit. As an example, when I was traveling in Hungary in 1882, it was still a Communist state. It was still illegal to be a Christian. We met with some -- secretly, arriving by ones & 2's & keeping fairly quiet. They told us "if you are fake Christians, we will know it." We believed them! One of the Hungarian believers knew that 2 of our group would later get married-- before they knew it themselves. So yes, keep the faith but spread the responsibilities -- like leadership, encouragement, warning, etc -- amongst the believers. Another weakness is to share too much info. Westerners are too careless. You should only share nicknames or other very limited info that is not written down. Believers in China often refer to God as "Father"; this way they can refer to Him in conversation or e-mails & not raise too many red flags to the censors. Communication must be secure; one way is to point out Bible verses to each other, in turn, until your info is shared. Another way to communicate is to sing or hum parts of hymns/songs you both know the words to. Most of all, prayer must permeate every thing & be constant. Response: ... Pending ...
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