11장 (예수 교회 회복을 위한 24시간 기도정보 영어 번역 초본)

11. 중세교회의 예수교회 The Jesus Church of the Medieval Church

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1. 중세 1000년의 흑암 속에 빛이 된 예수교회. The Jesus Church that Became a Light in the Darkness of the 1000 Years of the Middle Ages.

황무지에 피어나는 복음의 새싹
중세교회 전반까지의 특징을 세 가지로 요약해 보면, 첫 번째는 뜨거운 영적 사모함이 있던 시대라는 점이다. 세속의 욕망으로부터 자신을 지키고 하나님과의 만남을 뜨겁게 사모하던 중세의 영적 지도자들은 금욕적인 삶을 통해 하나님 앞에 더욱 가까이 나아가고자 했다. 두 번째 특징은 뜨거운 지적 사모함이 있었다는 것이다. 하나님을 더욱 체계적이고 조직적으로 이해하려는 열망이 가득했던 영적 지도자들은 자체적으로 규율을 만들어 수도원을 설립하고, 묵상과 기도, 순종과 사랑의 실천에 힘썼다. 또한 수도원 안에 대학을 설립해 하나님을 향한 지식을 더욱 체계화시키는 일에 헌신했다. 이렇게 뜨거운 영적, 지적 사모함을 통해 중세교회의 세 번째 특징을 만들어 낸다. 바로 열정적인 선교라는 긍정적인 결과를 끌어냈다. 유럽의 여러 지역에 복음이 전해지게 되고, 그 복음은 이웃에 대한 사랑의 봉사와 헌신, 그리고 교육을 통해 그 땅을 변화시켰다.

The overall characteristics of the Medieval Church can be summarized in three key points. The first is that it was a time of intense spiritual longing. Medieval spiritual leaders, who longed to protect themselves from worldly desires and fervently yearned for encounters with God, sought to draw nearer to God through ascetic lives. The second characteristic is the strong intellectual longing. Spiritual leaders who had a deep desire to understand God in a more systematic and organized way created rules and established monasteries. They focused on meditation, prayer, obedience, and the practice of love. Additionally, they set up universities within the monasteries to systematize knowledge of God. Through this passionate spiritual and intellectual yearning, the third characteristic of the Medieval Church emerged: passionate missionary work. The gospel spread to various parts of Europe, and it transformed the land through acts of love, service, devotion, and education for others.

혼란과 타락의 그림자
그러나 중세 초기의 영적·지적 사모함은 점차 영적 타락으로 흘러갔다. 중세 후반이 되면서 교권과 세속 권력의 대립, 성적 타락, 성직 매매, 무지와 미신, 그리고 면죄부 판매와 같은 여러 어둠의 증상들이 나타나게 되었다. 중세 후기의 성적 타락은 매우 심각한 수준이었다. 일반 사제들은 물론이고, 주교와 추기경까지 첩을 두는 일이 매우 흔했고, 그로 인해 수많은 추행이 교회 안에서 일어났다. 부를 축적하기 위해 돈을 주고 성직을 사고파는 일이 흔했고, 그 영향은 일반 성도들의 신앙에 고스란히 미쳤다. 당시 중세교회 안에는 라틴어 성경과 라틴어 설교만 허용되었고, 성도들은 성경을 가질 수도, 읽을 수도 없는 형편이었다. 그로 인해 자연스럽게 영적 무지와 미신에 빠질 수밖에 없었다. 여기에 로마 교황이 교회의 건립비용과 부족한 재정을 해결하고자 금전이나 재물을 봉헌한 사람들에게 죄를 면해주는 면죄부 증서를 판매하게 되면서 그 타락은 극에 달하게 된다.

However, the early spiritual and intellectual longing of the Medieval Church gradually deteriorated into spiritual corruption. As the Middle Ages progressed, symptoms of darkness emerged, such as the conflict between ecclesiastical and secular powers, sexual immorality, the sale of church offices, ignorance and superstition, and the selling of indulgences. The sexual corruption during the later medieval period was particularly severe. It was common for ordinary priests, as well as bishops and cardinals, to have mistresses, resulting in widespread immorality within the church. The buying and selling of church offices for wealth was also widespread, and this affected the faith of the common believers. At that time, only Latin versions of the Bible and Latin sermons were allowed in the Medieval Church, and the laity were neither allowed to possess nor read the Bible. As a result, spiritual ignorance and superstition naturally became widespread. Furthermore, the Pope began selling indulgences, certificates granting forgiveness of sins, to those who donated money or resources to cover the costs of building churches or resolving financial shortages. This practice reached its peak, exacerbating the corruption.

서서히 부는 개혁의 바람
영적 타락으로 얼룩졌던 중세 후반, 하나님은 새로운 개혁의 바람을 준비하셨다. 사회적으로는 르네상스 인문주의 운동을 통해 의식이 서서히 깨어나도록 하셨고, 신대륙의 발견과 지동설의 전환은 당시 사람들로 하여금 ‘패러다임의 변화’를 가져오게 하셨다. 존 위클리프와 얀 후스를 중심으로 한, 로마교회 내부 개혁이 일어나게 되었다. 당시 인문주의자였던 에라스무스는 로마교회의 미신과 그릇된 신앙에 대항해 의식의 회복과 개혁에 힘썼다. 교황의 권위에 반기를 들었던 존 위클리프는 ‘성경이 모든 그리스도인을 위한 최고의 권위이고 신앙의 기준이며, 모든 인간적 완전함의 기준’이라고 주장하며 성경 번역에 힘썼다. 그의 제자였던 얀 후스는 성경 연구를 통해 회심을 경험하였고, 성직 개혁의 열렬한 주창자가 된다. 이러한 내부적인 개혁은 대부분 실패로 끝났지만, 개혁을 향한 이들의 몸부림은 사라지지 않았고, 고스란히 종교개혁의 씨앗으로 연결되었다. 특별히 중세 말, 인쇄술의 발달은 르네상스 인문주의 속에서 초대교회 교부들의 책들과 자국어 성경 번역을 활발하게 만들었다. 이를 통해 중세 어둠의 1000년이 서서히 걷히고 종교개혁의 준비를 하게 되었다.

Amid the spiritual corruption that plagued the later medieval period, God prepared a new wind of reform. Socially, the Renaissance humanism movement gradually awakened consciousness, and the discovery of the New World and the heliocentric theory sparked a 'paradigm shift' among people at the time. Reform within the Roman Church began with figures such as John Wycliffe and Jan Hus. Erasmus, a humanist, fought against the superstition and false faith within the Roman Church, striving for the recovery of consciousness and reform. John Wycliffe, who opposed the authority of the Pope, argued that "the Bible is the highest authority for all Christians, the standard of faith, and the standard for all human perfection," and worked on translating the Bible. His disciple, Jan Hus, experienced a personal conversion through Bible study and became an ardent advocate for reforming the clergy. Though these internal reforms mostly ended in failure, their efforts towards reform did not disappear but were instead passed down as seeds for the Reformation. Notably, the development of the printing press in the late Middle Ages helped to make the writings of the early church fathers and translations of the Bible into the vernacular languages more widespread. Through this, the thousand-year darkness of the Middle Ages slowly began to lift, preparing the way for the Reformation.

성경이된 사람들, 롤라드
중세 가톨릭이 천년동안 성경을 라틴어 외에 각 나라의 자국어로 번역하거나 읽을수 없게 하였다. 그러나 존 위클리프와 제자들이 1382년 최초로 성경을 영어로 번역했다. 그리고 전도단을 조직해서 영국 방방곡곡을 다니며 이 성경을 사람들에게 읽어주었다. 하나님의 말씀인 성경을 듣는 자들마다 큰 충격을 받았고, 많은 사람들이 회개하며 놀라운 변화가 일어났다. 이에 가톨릭교회는 그들을 잡아 고문하고 화형시키는 일들이 일어났으며, 성경을 가지고 있다가 걸리면 곧 바로 화형을 당하였다. 이런 박해속에서 그들은 성경을 가지고 다닐수없기에, 성경을 권별로 전부 암송하여 자신의 이름이 곧 암송한 성경이 되어서 어느 곳에서나 사모하는 자들에게 성경을 들려주었다. 바로 이 사람들을 “롤라드”라고 불렀는데, 이것은 “지절거리다.” 이런 뜻에다가  “독버섯”이라고 말한 것이다. 이말은  그들을 모욕하면서 위험한 인물로 낙인 찍는 말이었다. “저 사람들은 성경이 된 사람들이야, 저 사람들은 그냥 사람이 아니고 성경이야”라고 말하였다. 이들이 중세 암흑시대를 깨우는 성경이 된 사람들이었다.  

For a thousand years, the Catholic Church forbade the translation and reading of the Bible in languages other than Latin. However, John Wycliffe and his disciples were the first to translate the Bible into English in 1382. They organized preaching teams and traveled throughout England, reading the Bible to the people. Those who heard the Word of God were greatly impacted, many repented, and remarkable transformations occurred. In response, the Catholic Church captured, tortured, and executed those who had the Bible, and anyone caught with a Bible was immediately burned at the stake. As a result of this persecution, they could not carry the Bible, so they memorized each book of the Bible, and their names became synonymous with the Scriptures they had memorized. These individuals were called "Lollards," a term that originally meant "to mumble" or "to mutter," and was later used as a derogatory term, labeling them as dangerous individuals. They were mocked, saying, "Those people have become the Bible; they are not just people, they are the Bible." These people became the ones who woke up the medieval dark age as the living Bible."

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2. 얀 후스, “나는 진리에서 한 발짝도 물러날 수 없다”

Jan Hus, “I Cannot Step Back a Single Inch from the Truth"

16세기 종교개혁이 이루어지기 전에도 타락한 교회를 개혁하려 했던 개혁운동이 끊임없이 이어졌다. 영국의 존 위클리프에 많은 영향을 받았던 얀 후스는 교회의 권위가 성경에 있음을 강조하며 교황권은 성경에서 근거를 찾을 수 없다고 주장했다. 1414년 후스는 콘스탄스 공의회에 소환되어 이단자로 낙인 찍혀 투옥되었다. 빛도 들어오지 않는 토굴에서의 오랜 투옥, 잠을 재우지 않는 고문 등으로 끈질기게 그가 주장했던 입장을 철회하라는 강요 속에서도 그는 사람보다 하나님의 말씀과 진리에 대한 순종의 길을 선택했다. 후스는 “나는 황금으로 가득한 예배당을 준다고 해도 진리에서 한 발짝도 물러날 수 없다”라고 단호히 말했다. 1415년 7월 6일 화형 기둥에 묶인 후스는 “나에게는 순간의 형벌을 피하는 것보다 죽는 것이 더 좋은 일이며 영원한 수치를 당하는 것보다 불 속으로 던져지는 것이 더 유익하다. 그런 일들은 바로 나를 주님의 팔에 던지는 것이 되기 때문”이라고 대답했다. 그는 많은 사람이 조롱하며 지켜보는 가운데 주님께 기도했다. “주 예수님! 주님의 크신 자비를 따라 나의 모든 대적들을 용서하소서. 주님의 한량없는 자비로 저들을 용서하소서.” 

Even before the 16th-century Reformation, reform movements to restore the corrupted church had been continuously pursued. Jan Hus, greatly influenced by John Wycliffe of England, emphasized that the authority of the church lies in the Bible, and he argued that papal power had no foundation in Scripture. In 1414, Hus was summoned to the Council of Constance, where he was branded a heretic and imprisoned. Despite the long imprisonment in a dark dungeon, and relentless torture meant to break his resolve, he chose to remain faithful to God’s word and truth over the demands of men. Hus firmly declared, "Even if you give me a church full of gold, I cannot step back a single inch from the truth." On July 6, 1415, bound to the stake for burning, Hus responded, "It is better for me to die than to escape momentary punishment, and it is more beneficial for me to be thrown into the fire than to face eternal shame. For such an act would throw me into the arms of the Lord." As he was mocked and watched by many, he prayed to the Lord: "Lord Jesus! According to Your great mercy, forgive all my enemies. With Your boundless mercy, forgive them."

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기도제목 Prayer Requests

중세 암흑기와 같이 초대교회의 신앙적 유산을 잃어버린 부분은 없는지 스스로 우리의 행위를 살피고 모든 교회가 성경으로 돌아가도록 기도하자. 성경 한 권에 예수 그리스도의 피 값과 성도들의 생명 값이 고스란히 담겨 있다. 이렇게 귀중한 기록된 진리의 말씀, 성경을 주신 하나님께 감사하자. 성경이 모든 그리스도인을 위한 최고의 권위이자 신앙의 기준이며 우리 삶에 유일한 근거임을 고백했던 존 위클리프와 같이 하나님 말씀에 두려워 떠는 예수교회들이 오직 성경을 사랑하게 되도록 기도하자.
서기관 사반이 또 왕에게 아뢰어 이르되 제사장 힐기야가 내게 책을 주더이다 하고 사반이 왕 앞에서 그것을 읽으매 왕이 율법의 말씀을 듣자 곧 자기 옷을 찢더라(역대하 34:18-19)
이에 이스라엘의 하나님의 말씀으로 말미암아 떠는 자가 사로잡혔던 이 사람들의 죄 때문에 다 내게로 모여오더라(에스라 9:4)

"Let us examine our actions to ensure that we have not lost any part of the faith heritage of the early church, just as the faith was lost during the dark ages of the Middle Ages. Let us pray that all churches return to the Bible. In the Bible, the price of Jesus Christ's blood and the lives of the saints are fully contained. Let us thank God for giving us the precious recorded truth of the Bible. Like John Wycliffe, who confessed that the Bible is the highest authority and the standard of faith for all Christians, and the only foundation for our lives, let us pray that the Jesus Churches, who tremble at the word of God, will love only the Bible.

Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. (2 Chronicles 34:18-19)

Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles. (Ezra 9:4)


얀 후스는 복음을 알기 전 자신에 대해 “젊은 대학교수로서 학력과 화려한 외모를 자랑하고 서양장기(체스)와 잔치의 향연을 탐하는 자”라고 회고했다. 그런 그가 혼탁한 중세 말기에 새벽별과 같이 종교개혁의 아침을 예비한 사람으로 쓰임 받을 수 있었던 것은 오직 하나님의 은혜였다. 성경으로 돌아가자고 외치며 진리를 위해 몸을 불살랐던 후스와 같이 진리의 말씀에 생명을 건 성경이 된 예수교회를 일으켜 주시도록 기도하자.
너희는 그 은혜에 의하여 믿음으로 말미암아 구원을 받았으니 이것은 너희에게서 난 것이 아니요 하나님의 선물이라 행위에서 난 것이 아니니 이는 누구든지 자랑하지 못하게 함이라(에베소서 2:8-9)
Before he knew the gospel, Jan Hus recalled himself as "a young university professor, boasting of his education and outward appearance, one who sought after the pleasures of chess and banquets." How he, in the midst of the corrupted late Middle Ages, was used as one who prepared the dawn of the Reformation, was solely by God's grace. Let us pray that God will raise up Jesus Churches that, like Hus, burned with passion for the truth and gave their lives to the Bible, calling for a return to it. 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)"

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기도정보 1 [캐나다]

Prayer Information 1 [Canada]

 

“내가 복음을 부끄러워하지 아니하노라”
캐나다, 성경 나눠주던 10대…경찰 체포에도 물러서지 않아

“I am not ashamed of the gospel”
Canada, Teenager Arrested for Distributing Bibles… Refused to Back Down Despite Police Detention

캐나다 앨버타의 경찰관들이 성경을 나눠주던 10대 소년과 그를 지지하거나 반대하는 사람들 사이에 말다툼이 일어나자 성경을 나눠주던 10대 소년을 체포한 것으로 알려졌다.
CBN뉴스에 따르면, 조쉬 알렉산더(16세)는 수요일 트위터에 “캘거리에 있는 한 공공 보도에서 학생들에게 성경을 나눠주다가 경찰이 수갑을 채우고 경찰차에 태웠다”고 밝혔다.
그는 SNS에 올린 영상을 통해 “오늘 나는 학생들에게 성경을 나눠줬다는 이유로 수갑을 차고 경찰차에 갇혔다. 나는 풀려났지만, 다시 돌아가면 체포되어 기소될 것이라는 말을 들었다. 나는 계속 성경을 나눠주었다. 왜냐하면 나는 그리스도의 복음을 부끄러워하지 않기 때문이다”라고 전했다.
그러나 트랜스젠더를 지지하는 사람들과의 언쟁이나 캘거리 경찰의 체포도 이 청소년이 주변 사람들에게 성경을 전하는 것을 막지는 못했다. 그는 “나는 그리스도의 복음을 부끄러워하지 않는다”며 성경을 계속 나눠줄 것이라고 밝혔다.
알렉산더는 후속 트윗에서 “나는 부패한 국가의 압력에 굴복하지 않을 것이다. 우리는 계속해서 사랑으로 진리를 전파할 것”이라고 했다. 알렉산더가 경찰과 마주친 것은 이번이 처음이 아니다. CBN의 페이스와이어에 따르면, 알렉산더는 학교의 트랜스젠더 화장실 정책에 반대하는 의견을 밝혔다가 체포됐다.
알렉산더는 트랜스젠더 정책에 대한 시위를 주도한 후 학교에서 “영구 퇴출 처분”을 받았다며, 여학생들의 화장실 이용에 대한 우려는 여전히 해결되지 않았다고 말했다.
알렉산더는 “나는 영구 퇴출 처분도 받았고, 남은 해 동안 정학 처분도 받았다”며 “두 번의 정학, 두 번의 퇴학, 무단 침입 통지서를 받았다. 실제로 수업에 복귀했을 때는 정학 처분을 받은 상태였다. 무단 침입 통지서를 받고 나니 내게 남은 것은 불필요하고 불법적이며 차별적인 배제 명령뿐”이었다고 설명했다.
하지만 알렉산더가 수업에 돌아가려고 하자 학교 당국은 “그의 존재는 학생들의 신체적, 정신적 안녕에 해가 될 것”이라고 주장하며 그가 학교에 왔을 때 경찰을 보냈다(출처: 복음기도신문 종합).

Police officers in Alberta, Canada, reportedly arrested a teenage boy who was distributing Bibles after a verbal altercation occurred between him and people supporting or opposing his actions.
According to CBN News, 16-year-old Josh Alexander tweeted on Wednesday, saying, "While handing out Bibles to students at a public sidewalk in Calgary, the police handcuffed me and put me in a police car."
In a video posted on social media, he shared, "Today, I was handcuffed and taken to a police car for distributing Bibles to students. I was released, but I was told that if I return, I will be arrested and charged. I will keep distributing Bibles because I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."
However, arguments with those supporting transgender rights or even the Calgary police arresting him did not stop this teenager from sharing the Bible with those around him. He declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," and said he would continue distributing Bibles.
In a follow-up tweet, Alexander said, "I will not submit to the pressure of a corrupt nation. We will continue to preach the truth in love." This was not the first time Alexander had faced the police. According to CBN's FaceWire, Alexander was arrested after expressing his opposition to the school's transgender bathroom policy.
Alexander, who led a protest against the transgender policy, said he was given a "permanent expulsion" from school, and the concerns about girls' bathroom usage remained unresolved.
He explained, "I was given permanent expulsion, and I was suspended for the rest of the year. I received two suspensions, two expulsions, and a trespassing notice. When I returned to class, I was under suspension. After receiving a trespassing notice, all that was left for me was an unnecessary, illegal, and discriminatory exclusion order."
However, when Alexander tried to return to class, the school authorities sent police, claiming, "His presence is harmful to the physical and mental well-being of the students." (Source: Gospel Prayer News)

의를 위하여 박해를 받은 자는 복이 있나니 천국이 그들의 것임이라 나로 말미암아 너희를 욕하고 박해하고 거짓으로 너희를 거슬러 모든 악한 말을 할 때에는 너희에게 복이 있나니 기뻐하고 즐거워하라 하늘에서 너희의 상이 큼이라 너희 전에 있던 선지자들도 이같이 박해하였느니라(마태복음 5:10-12)

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

하나님, 공권력의 압박과 학교에서 퇴출 처분을 받고도 믿음으로 담대히 복음을 전하는 캐나다의 다음세대를 보게 하시니 감사합니다. 복음을 부끄러워하지 않고 위기 앞에 오히려 견고히 서는 증인을 통해 시대의 흐름에 타협하며 살고 있던 성도들을 일깨워 주시길 구합니다. 또한, 오직 복음과 기도를 결론 삼은 캐나다의 교회가 참된 것을 알지 못해 죄와 정욕을 따르는 세상을 향해 진리를 선포하며 구원의 은혜를 간구하게 하소서.

Lord, thank you for allowing us to witness the next generation of Canada standing firm in faith and boldly preaching the gospel, even after being pressured by public authorities and expelled from school. We ask that this witness, who is not ashamed of the gospel and stands firm in the face of crisis, will awaken believers who have compromised with the flow of the times. We also pray that churches in Canada, who conclude with only the gospel and prayer, will proclaim the truth to a world following sin and lust, seeking the grace of salvation."

기도정보제공 : 기도24·365본부

Prayer Information Provided by: Prayer 24·365 Headquarters

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기도정보 2 [라오스] 

Prayer Information 2 [Laos]

“고난 받는 자는 그 영혼을 미쁘신 창조주께 의탁할지어다”
라오스 복음주의 교회 지도자, 신앙 때문에 고문과 살해당해

“Let those who suffer commit their souls to a faithful Creator"
Laos Evangelical Church Leader Tortured and Killed for His Faith


라오스의 복음주의 교회 목회자가 고문 및 살해를 당한 후 발견됐다. 라오스 중부 캄무안 지방 기독교 지도자들과 경찰은 시투드라는 이름을 가진 목사가 급속한 교회 성장 속에 복음을 전파하다 살해당한 것으로 추정하고 있다.
미국 크리스천포스트(CP)에 따르면, 시투드 목사는 10월 20일(이하 현지시간) 캄무아네(Khammouane) 지방의 자택에서 오토바이로 3시간 30분 거리에 있는 타켁(Thakhek)의 기독교인들을 만날 예정이었다.
그가 모임에 3시간이 지나도록 도착하지 않자, 20여 명이 마을 인근 산길과 인근 병원에서 그를 찾았으나 발견하지 못했다. 이후 10월 23일 한 지역주민이 마을 근처 산간 도로의 도랑에서 그의 시신을 발견한 뒤 현장 사진을 페이스북에 올렸고, 수색대가 이를 찾을 수 있었다.

The evangelical church pastor in Laos was found after being tortured and killed. Christian leaders and police in the central Khammouane province of Laos believe that Pastor Situd, who was spreading the gospel amid rapid church growth, was murdered.

According to the U.S. Christian Post (CP), Pastor Situd was scheduled to meet with Christians in Thakhek, a location 3.5 hours away by motorcycle, on October 20th (local time). When he failed to arrive after three hours, about 20 people searched along nearby mountain paths and hospitals, but they could not find him. Later, on October 23rd, a local resident discovered his body in a ditch along a mountain road near the village. The resident posted photos of the scene on Facebook, and the search team was able to locate the body.

기독교 지도자들은 시투드 목사의 시신에서 고문의 흔적을 발견했다고 말했다. 수색대는 그의 시신 근처에서 성경을, 길가에서 오토바이를 발견했다. 시투드 목사는 라오스에서 공식적으로 인정된 3대 교단 중 하나인 ‘라오 복음주의 교회’(Lao Evangelical Church)를 이끌었다. 

Christian leaders said they found signs of torture on Pastor Situd’s body. The search team also discovered a Bible near his body and a motorcycle on the roadside. Pastor Situd led the Lao Evangelical Church, one of the three officially recognized denominations in Laos.

그는 아내와 8명의 자녀를 두고 있으며 막내는 1살이다.

He left behind a wife and eight children, with the youngest being one year old.

기독교 지도자들은 “지방 경찰은 시투드 목사가 신앙 때문에 살해된 것 같다고 말했다”며 “도 차원의 경찰 관리들은 지구 차원의 지역 관리들이 그를 살해한 것으로 의심하고 있다”고 했다.
라오스의 한 복음주의 지도자는 “시투드의 가족과 지역교회가 겪고 있는 고통을 말로 표현할 수 없다”며 “유감인 것은 권위 있는 이들이 시투드 목사의 살인에 직간접적으로 연루됐다는 것”이라고 했다.
라오스 인구의 약 60%는 불교도이고 32%는 정령 숭배자이며, 조상신 숭배 문화도 불교 신앙과 관습에 스며들고 있다. 라오스에서 기독교인에 대한 박해는 지난 2년 동안 특히 남부 지역에서 증가했다.
라오스의 기독교 지도자들은 지금이, 급속한 교회 성장으로 인해 성도들에게는 위험한 시기라고 분석한다. 2021년 코로나19 폐쇄에도 불구하고 캄무안네 지방의 사역 지도자들은 수천 명의 사람에게 침례를 주고 60개 이상의 교회를 개척했기 때문이다.
한 사역자는 “모든 신자들은 여전히 ​​하나님을 사랑하고 그분을 따르기로 결심했다”며 “그 어떤 것도 교회의 성장을 막을 수 없다”고 했다.
그는 “우리는 슬퍼하지만, 희망이 없는 이들과 다르다. 우리는 그리스도 안에서 안전하다는 것을 안다. 이와 같은 공격은 우리나라에서 전에도 있었다. 그럼에도 불구하고 매번 하나님의 나라가 성장했다”라고 했다. 라오스는 오픈도어가 2022년 발표한 기독교 박해국가 목록에서 26위를 차지했다 (출처: 크리스천투데이 종합).

Christian leaders reported, “Local police believe Pastor Situd was likely killed for his faith,” and “District-level police authorities suspect that local officials were involved in his murder.”

An Evangelical leader in Laos stated, “The pain that Situd's family and the local church are experiencing is beyond words.” He added, “It’s a tragedy that those in authority are either directly or indirectly involved in his murder.”

Approximately 60% of Laos' population is Buddhist, with 32% practicing animism and ancestor worship, which often blends with Buddhist traditions. Persecution of Christians in Laos has particularly increased in the southern regions over the last two years.

Christian leaders in Laos believe the current period, marked by rapid church growth, is especially dangerous for believers. Despite the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021, leaders in the Khammouane province baptized thousands of people and planted more than 60 new churches.

One ministry leader remarked, “All believers are still determined to love God and follow Him. Nothing can stop the growth of the church.” He continued, “We mourn, but we are not like those without hope. We know we are secure in Christ. This kind of attack has happened before in our country, and each time, God’s kingdom has grown.” Laos ranked 26th on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most persecution.

(Source: Christian Today, Comprehensive Report)

만일 그리스도인으로 고난을 받으면 부끄러워하지 말고 도리어 그 이름으로 하나님께 영광을 돌리라 그러므로 하나님의 뜻대로 고난을 받는 자들은 또한 선을 행하는 가운데에 그 영혼을 미쁘신 창조주께 의탁할지어다(베드로전서 4:16,19)

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you... So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good (1 Peter 4:16,19).

하나님, 라오스의 교회 지도자가 기독교 신앙 때문에 고문과 살해를 당한 일로 이 땅의 성도들이 위축되지 않도록 함께해 주십시오. 슬픔에 빠진 아내와 남은 자녀들, 교인들에게 하나님의 뜻대로 고난받는 교회의 영광을 믿을 수 있게 해주시고 천국 소망으로 인해 위로를 얻게 하옵소서. 급속한 성장으로 더욱 박해받는 이 땅의 교회가 오직 미쁘신 창조주를 의지하여 담대히 하나님 나라를 누리고 전하게 하소서. 

God, we pray that the saints of this land will not be discouraged by the torture and death of this church leader for his Christian faith. May His grieving wife, children, and church members find strength and believe in the glory of a church suffering according to God’s will, receiving comfort through the hope of heaven. May this rapidly growing church, facing increasing persecution, continue to boldly proclaim God’s kingdom, relying only on our faithful Creator.

기도정보제공 : 기도24·365본부
Prayer Information Provided by: Prayer 24·365 Headquarters