When you look at the amount of persecution and martyrdom of Christians around the world, the statistics tell a sobering story. According to Open Doors’ World Watch List, 4,476 Christian were killed for faith-related reasons in 2024, and some 380 million Christians today suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.[1] A martyr is literally a …
The ministry of witness
We sometimes think of the Book of Revelation as a mysterious puzzle or a terrifying forecast of the end of the world. But if we read it thoughtfully, this last book of the Bible is a spiritual treasure and a source of deep joy. It’s not the easiest book to read, but it also has …
How to live in the end-times
Writing on how Revelation chapter seven applies to Christian life today, British theologian Ian Paul suggests that The perennial question for anyone thinking seriously about the Christian life and our place in the world has two parts to it. First, we need to think about the world we are in, and try to make sense …
The hope of glory
[This is a transcript of a sermon on Revelation 22:1-5 preached by Rod Benson at Lithgow, Australia, in May 2018] In our most lucid and reflective moments, we all hope for the best. We all yearn to transcend death and decay. We long for a better world. “You have made us for yourself, O Lord,” …
Is everything sad going to come untrue?
Last Tuesday (2 September 2025) was the 52nd anniversary of the death of one of my favourite authors, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Near the end of Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, the kind and humble character Sam Gamgee says to Gandalf, “I thought you were dead! But I thought I was dead myself.” And then he asks, “Is …
iDigress 