The Resilience and Faith of Christians in Oppressive North Korea

North Korea is one of the most oppressive countries towards Christians. Charisma News reports in "North Korea Executes 80 for Owning Bible, Watching TV" (12 November 2013):

North Korea has executed 80 people by firing squad for minor misdemeanors, the South Korean newspaper, JoongAng Ilbo reported.

The misdemeanors include things like watching television programs from South Korea or possessing a Bible.

The story says the coordinated executions were held in seven cities earlier this month. In one place, the local government gathered up 10,000 people, including children, and forced them to watch. 

Relatives and friends of the victims were also reportedly sent to prison camps.

Yet the North Korean Christians show amazing resilience and faith. According to another Charisma News report, "Why Persecuted North Koreans Are Praying for the American Church" (29 October 2013):

Rev. Eric Foley, CEO of Seoul USA, says instead of praying for members of the North Korean underground church, Americans should pray with them.

“They don’t ask God to deliver them from persecution," he explains. "They pray they’ll remain strong and faithful in the midst of their suffering.”

Foley says Americans may be surprised to learn North Korean Christians often pray for people of the U.S. and South Korea.

“They pray for us because they feel we are persecuted by our prosperity and it distances us from God," he says. "They pray that we will remain faithful to the Lord.”

It is in this that they most resemble the early church. Consider how Peter and the apostles responded when they were persecuted for preaching the Gospel:

[The Sanhedrin] called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 5:40-42)

The conduct of the North Korean Christians should put the church in comfortable Singapore to shame.