These past few hours have been bliss—quiet, soul-stirring, and in some ways, painful.
I had a rarity today. I found myself with a few unplanned hours, so I made my way to my favorite coffee shop in Atlanta and ordered a steaming, aromatic mug. I sank into a well-worn comfy armchair, and then opened a book which has quickly become one of my favorites: A Faithful Disobedience by Wang Yi and other house church pastors in China.
The book is extraordinary. It’s theologically sharp, pastorally rich, and deeply convicting. However, it’s also a painful reminder that many Christian brothers and sisters around the world currently live under unimaginable duress. You see Wang Yi is currently in prison—not for anything other than being a faithful pastor in a nation that persecutes the Christian church. He’s been in prison since December 2018. I plan to write another article about him in the coming months, but I did want to mention him and his excellent book because it reflects a broader truth that has become increasingly clear to me over the past few years.
Some of (if not the) best Christian leadership on the planet right now is not in America or even Europe.
Let that sink in.
These leaders don’t preach in buildings to thousands. They don’t have book deals or huge followings on Instagram. They rarely have podcasts. If they do, they’re not in English. They don’t appear at conferences.
For the most part, they are leading house churches. They are in cities where Christians are under social scrutiny or even governmental persecution (like Wang Yi and his compatriots). Their families might have disowned them. Their neighbors might be threatening to kill them. However, their faith in Jesus is dynamic, their intellect strong, and their passion for serving others is heroic.
And yet, we in the West—specifically America—don’t know them. As a result, we have no idea how much we can learn from them. Grow through their teachings. Be inspired in our faith through theirs.
In this moment of historic division, cultural animosity, spiritual confusion, and missional drift within the American Christian body, we need the voices of the global church more than ever.
We need their stories, theology, and lessons. While the church in the West is often in decline, the church in many parts of the world—particularly in places of hardship—is growing, and growing fast. In many places where there were no known Christians 20 years ago, there are now thriving and growing church movements.
One such example is the church in Turkey. I have written about my friend Ozgur in previous articles. I had the joy of hosting him in Atlanta in March. In a last-minute decision, we decided to host an event with him as the first official program of One Bridge of this kind. With just an email over the One Bridge mailing list (if you want to be on the mailing list, please sign up here), more than 50 people braved Atlanta traffic on a Monday night to hear Ozgur share about the rapid growth of the Turkish church.
It was a remarkable evening. Ozgur walked us through the complex and powerful history of Christianity in Turkey—a nation that was once central to the early church. As recently as 2010, there were only about 300 known evangelical Christians in the country. Today, there are an estimated 10,000. In a nation that is 99.8% Muslim, this is nothing short of miraculous.
Ozgur spoke candidly about the joys and costs of following Jesus in such a context—the hope and excitement, but also the fear and loss. It was raw, stirring, and unforgettable.
One of the attendees that night was Walter Henegar, a close friend and the Senior Pastor of Atlanta Westside Presbyterian Church. He was so moved by the evening that he ended his Easter sermon with one of the stories Ozgur shared (click here to see it).
As I sat in the back of the church this Easter morning, listening to Walter retell Ozgur’s story, I teared up. This is one of the primary reasons why I started One Bridge: to help American Christians connect with what God is doing around the globe. I long for my American brothers and sisters to benefit from knowing the people and movement of God around the globe. There is so much happening in the expansion of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, so many heroic people like Wang Yi and Ozgur RIGHT NOW. We have so much to learn from them. We have so much to be encouraged by in what God is doing in places like China, Turkey, and Kyrgyzstan RIGHT NOW.
I was filled with joy knowing that Walter and Ozgur are now friends—that they were emailing back and forth that very week. Ozgur is blessed to have this older, wise and godly pastor now in his life. Walter, in turn, is blessed to have this creative, bold and godly Turkish brother who is broadening his vision of faith, hope, and love simply through their new friendship.
As I sit here now at my favorite coffeeshop today on this warm, breezy afternoon in Atlanta, I find myself praying. Praying that One Bridge will continue to foster these kinds of deep, transnational friendships. Praying for more books and resources like A Faithful Disobedience—books/resources which equip, unsettle and inspire. Praying for the church in Turkey; for the underground church in China; for leaders like Wang Yi who remain faithful even while living in prison.
Finally, I’m praying for the American church—that we would have the humility to listen, the courage to learn, and the spiritual hunger to receive from the global body of Christ.
