Bishop Umar Mulinde of Uganda

Grace and peace to the body of Christ, and mercy to those who do not yet know the goodness of God.

Saints, this story is already over a week old, but I neglected to write on it.  I am doing so now, because we as Christians need to see and know how our brethren are suffering the world over for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Compass Direct News reports that on December 29th, In Uganda, a man who names the name of Christ was beset upon by Muslim extremists, who threw acid in his face.  

You can read the complete story here.

Bishop Umar Mulinde, pastor of Gospel Life Church International, was on his way to a party for Christians in his congregation when a man claiming to be a Christian approached him, calling out for him.  When he turned around, the man threw acid in his face, while others poured acid on his back and neck.

Mulinde lost an eye as a result of the attack and the sight in his remaining eye is threatened.  He also suffered deep burns on his neck and back.

Saints, we are so very blessed to be living in a country where, at least for the time being, it is possible for us to witness to the lost without fear for our lives.  But this will not always be the case.   Brethren, seeing that our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering great persecution for the Gospel, even until death, can’t we, who “have not yet resisted unto blood” at least share the Gospel with someone?  

Understand that not everyone who says they are a Christian really is.  Without exception, every online Christian publication that I know about that follows Christian persecution considers Roman Catholicism just another Christian denomination.  Therefore they report on Catholic churches being burned down and Roman Catholics being killed as part of Christian persecution.  But this is not so.  Roman Catholicism is not Christianity.

But, if Roman Catholics are dying for a lost cause, because unfortunately, they are not trusting in the blood of Jesus Christ, and are, therefore, not Christians, why can’t we, who are not yet (for the most part) dying for Jesus here in the United States at least occasionally share the Gospel with the lost?

I don’t know if Bishop Mulinde is a true Christian, but he believes he is and was viciously attacked as though he were.  Those of us who know we are Christians should be willing to take some risks and share the Good News with a lost and dying world.  This is what we have been called to do.

The time will come–and very soon–when we will have no choice in the matter.  Not only will we risk certain death sharing the Gospel with the lost, but we will risk certain death just identifying ourselves with the Lord Jesus.  It is a matter of prophecy.  Therefore, would it not be to our benefit to get ourselves in the mindset that if we would save our life we shall lose it, but if we would lose our life for Christ’s sake we shall find it?

Below is a video showing what Bishop Mulinde looked like before the attack.  

Update: Pastor Mulinde was flown to Israel for medical treatment at Sheba Medical Center.  Let us pray that he makes a speedy and full recovery.

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (Philippians 4:10).

The Still Man

Copyright © Anthony Keeton, The Still Man ®.  All rights reserved.