Yesterday was Palm Sunday, a Christian celebration of the last week of our Lord Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. But, this year, a week of reflection on Jesus’ love, life, and sacrifice began with a global tragedy; our brothers and sisters in Tanta, Egypt were brutally attacked.

CNN reports, “ISIS claimed responsibility for bombings that killed 43 at two Coptic churches in Egypt on Palm Sunday — brazen strikes against a vulnerable minority on one of the most important days on the Christian calendar.”

During this Holy Week, may we remember those whose suffering for Christ is costing them a lot of pain and even death. Christian suffering anywhere must be Christians’ burden everywhere.

Amidst a world of greed and the pursuit of worldly success, let us pause to pray for the suffering saints.

The Passover season begins tonight. The Christian believes that Jesus became our passover. His suffering was so that we might have eternal life. 2 Timothy 2:12 promises those who follow Christ:

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.

There is no denying that more than any others, Christians around the world suffer the most for their faith.

May we find ourselves being faithful to Christ. And, should we be persecuted, let it be for Christ and not for our own wrong doing.

Have a wonderful Passover Celebration, a prayerful Holy Week!

Because of Christ,

Image: Felix Burton, Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Antipas

Eric Redmond, Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men’s Questions about the Church (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 112 pages, ISBN 9781433501784.

Where Are All The Brothers? Growing up in the Black church, I asked myself the question, more than once. The follow-on question is just as hard: “If there aren’t any men here, why am I here?”

Both questions should echo and reverberate through all Christian churches in America. There are not enough men in the pews. The men who are present should be more active for the Kingdom of God.

Where Are All The Brothers? is focused on the questions and concerns of African-American men, peering through the doors of African-American churches. It’s tone and purpose aims at men who have already been (at least somewhat) “snared” by the church. Pastor Eric C. Redmond makes a strong play to send questioning men down the road to becoming pillars of the congregation.

This book has a specialized audience and purpose. Where Are All The Brothers? specifically addresses the issues of Black men and Black churches. While not being a panacea for every American church, this book can be put to good use by other Christian traditions.

No church leader should expect to adopt a book or concept carte blanche. Still, make the effort to glean any kernel of truth or wisdom available. There is much wisdom and truth in this book.

Eric C. Redmond is senior pastor of Reformation Alive Baptist Church in Temple Hills, Maryland, and assistant professor of Bible and theology at Washington Bible College.

Where Are All The Brothers? includes thorough scriptural references and ample bibliographic citations. Still, the questions have deep and complex circumstances, and the answers are potentially explosive. It is a good book, but it should come pinned-to-the-shirt of a mature and prepared saint of God.

My impression is that the book is intended to be used as a soul winning tool or pressed into the hands of a new Christian. It is my suggestion that a Pastor or Men’s Leader lead men through this book as evangelism or discipleship training. This book is full of great ammunition, but it needs to be in the hands of spiritual veterans.

If used in this way, Where Are All The Brothers? serves the two-fold purpose of equipping men to be effective soul winners, and reminds Gospel-soldiers of the Kingdom work they should be pursuing. Any book capable of simultaneously equipping evangelists and empowering disciples is valuable indeed. I strongly encourage church leaders to pursue properly deploying this work in local ministry.

Why do we need to ask, and answer, the questions of this book? Because the questions are real to new converts and seasoned saints. The need to understand is valid for winning the lost and building the church.