The word "Christian" is found only three times in the Bible. The word "disciple" is used 260 times. God not only calls us to be disciples but to make disciples in the image bearing life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then in John 15:27 Jesus declares to the disciples, "And you also will bear witness" As disciples of Christ we cannot help but proclaim the witness of Christ. The name of our ministry comes from this Greek word translated as witness which is pronounced as martus. Martus is where we get our modern English word "martyr". Therefore the heart of Spirit of Martyrdom ministries is pouring fuel on the bold witness of the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.
One country where we support the living martyrs of love is Colombia. The Bible Seminary of Colombia in Medellin is about discipleship of living martyrs. This school is full of students who are currently risking their lives for the gospel as they travel to areas of conflict to share Christ with the guerillas, paramilitary, drug lords, and government soldiers.
These students range in age and have radical testimonies of their past lives and now they are radical witnesses for Christ. The seminary's population is a mixture of past arch enemies.
One student is named Fernando and was a police officer who turned bad. He shares with us that he became addicted to murder. He could not go to sleep at night unless he had his adrenaline fix of killing someone. The last year before he was caught and convicted of murder he had killed over 100 people. When meeting him you would not know of his past violence. Jesus has completely changed him. Today he is gentle, full of love and has a joy in Jesus.
Another classmate is Julian.
Julian was a hit man for Pablo Escobar in Medellin. He was paid up to $50,000 to kill a cop. Julian has started a church in a very violent and volatile area while he studies in the seminary.
Another student is Freddy. He used to be a guerilla with the FARC. They are a violent Marxist rebel group fighting to take control of the government. Fernando, Julian and Freddy would have killed each other in the past.
Today they are serving Jesus together and risking their lives for the witness of Jesus Christ.
Spirit of Martyrdom is sending small construction team to help in the maintenance of this Bible seminary campus. You can help us support and strengthen the witness of Jesus Christ of the students of this seminary. The seminar has sent us a list of supplies. These supplies are very expensive to buy in Colombia. Our hope is to put as many of these items in the suit cases of the worker who will travel to do the work in Colombia. Find Out More.
Quote from Fearless Love page 101
Martyrdom is the ultimate act of love to all the disciples of Jesus Christ! The call of Biblical martyrdom is the antithesis of the call of Islamic martyrdom. The motivation of Biblical martyrdom is love. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Jesus was called a friend of sinners.
