On Monday, Sept. 30, the office of university ministries hosted a global focus event called Underground in Union University’s small gym to learn about and pray for the persecuted church around the world.
“The purpose of Underground is to make students aware of the different Christian persecution going on all around the world today–something we do not experience in the states due to the freedom we have,” said Audrey Gatlin, senior communications major and mobilization team leader.
As students entered into the small gym, they felt the immense weight of the grave and somber ambience. There were 13 tables arranged in a circle around the walls of the gym, each with a single lowlight lamp to illuminate a country’s flag, which rested on top of a black tablecloth. Each flag represented a country that was going to be discussed.
The Underground event displayed a glimpse of what cross-cultural brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing currently in their underground churches. An underground church is a body of believers in Christ who have been so heavily persecuted that they must completely disassociate from society and practice their faith in private, which is the atmosphere the event tried to replicate.
“I thought this event did a great job of taking us outside of our Christian college context to see the persecution that many of our brothers and sisters are facing around the world,” said Libby Nichols, junior english education major. “It also showed me that we have a part to play in supporting them through prayer and by joining in on the work that God is doing.”
Nichols was not the only one to walk away from the event filled with the desire to walk in humble obedience with God after comprehending the Lord’s call for every believer to reach the nations.
Students gathered around the center of the gym to hear the reading of Psalm 46 and then worshipped alongside one another in awe and reverence of their God despite the horror of persecution around the globe.
The depth of the message of Underground was made evident as students from all walks of life came together to be the body of Christ for the night, setting aside prior responsibilities to honor God above all else by loving their neighbors as themselves.
“I believe events like this should be happening more often,” Gatlin said. “We need to recognize what people experience for the sake of the Gospel. For most of the world, this persecution is expected for Christians. Our eyes need to be opened to that reality.”
Photos courtesy of Neil Cole
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