If Findlay Were In Bangladesh...

Written by: The Go Team

I'm trying to imagine what I would do if…

• A mob of 100 angry people bashed in the stained glass windows of our North Main Campus and set fire to the Worship Center. Findlay city police were in the crowd…
• One of our weekend off-duty officers tried to stop the destruction, and he was lynched…
• A security camera showed a dozen people coming up the stairs of our apartment building and then proceeded to beat on our apartment door, attempting to force it open…
• Thousands of angry people marched down Main Street in Findlay to protest against the government and others who do not believe as they do…
• Dozens of neighbors led away our cows and took possession of our farm…
• The sheriff's department called me, verified my address, and then asked if my wife and I are Christians… then hung up...
• I frantically herded my family out a back door and then watched as a mob destroyed our home. We are now on our way to Canada...
• I grab my phone in panic and remember that it is compromised, Big Brother is listening…

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Would I gather for worship again outside our North Main Campus on Sunday?

Would I immediately move apartments?

Would I go back to work knowing that much of my community despises me?

Would I ever trust law enforcement again?

Where will we find a place to live in Canada? Will they even let us cross the border?

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Over the past few weeks, these are the types of texts we've received from our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh. Christian families are spending their nights awake and ready to run. Fear is an ever-present reality. 

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Evangelical Presbyterian Churches nationwide are praying, as are our Go Partner Prayer and Gateway Church Prayer groups. On August 11, Pastor Josh invited us to pray for Bangladesh and Lebanon. For our major partners in these two countries, these are desperate times—well, much more than usual anyway. Let me implore you to pray with us. If you want to know more specifics, join the Go Partner Prayer group.

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I leave you with the following pictures. It may be time for all of us to try to imagine. We are so blessed. Let's remember that we are blessed to be a blessing. That was what God told Abraham so long ago (Genesis 12). Let's bless others wherever we are. Prayer is certainly an easy way to bless. God's people, many of whom we know, need us to stand with them.

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