BY NOEL BECCHETTI
A Surprising Byproduct of Persecution
“For twenty years, the Church in our country labored under significant persecution. The benefit of this persecution, though, was that it brought us together in unity.
“The persecution eased about five years ago. More and more, our younger leaders are going their separate ways. They don’t realize how precious the unity of the Church has been, and what is at stake if it withers.
“That is why we are willing to consider the A3 program. We believe that you might be able to help us to preserve our unity—and help us to pass the value of unity along to the next generation of leaders.”
I was sitting with a key national leader in a country that I cannot name due to security reasons. With visible emotion, he was sharing the journey that he and his fellow leaders had traveled for more than two decades.
One of the surprising results of life under persecution is that it often strengthens the unity amongst the Christians suffering under its weight. Many national leaders serving the Lord in countries experiencing persecution have told us,
“Persecution is what has grown the Church in our country.”
The irony is, however, that when the persecution eases, hard-won unity can be difficult to maintain. Leaders begin to explore independent paths—and the unity can begin to crumble. “When the persecution ended in our country, the Christian leaders began fighting amongst themselves,” a leader shared with me some years ago. “We need more persecution!”
The Value of Living in Community
Building and nurturing the unity of the Church is one of A3’s core values. It is why our cohorts are drawn from a diverse spectrum of denominations, theological perspectives, and people groups. When the Church is unified, great things for the Kingdom are possible. When the Church struggles with disunity, the cause of Christ is crippled.
That is why I was so gratified to hear this leader’s heart. He was explaining why he was helping to organize an Orientation Session for leaders in his country. At an A3 Orientation Session, leaders get a “taste” of what the A3 program could be like, with the opportunity to then decide whether or not to commit to the full, two-year A3 leader development program.
I’m pleased to inform you that the leaders in this country have decided to commit to the launch of an A3 cohort. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve these leaders, and are praying that God will use A3 to strengthen the unity that is so vital to the lives and ministries of leaders in this country—and throughout the world.
Noel Becchetti has been serving as A3's VP for Leader Development since 2012. Noel and his wife Kyle currently reside in El Cajon, California.
More Information
- A3's core values
- Header image credit: unity photo by Diva Plavalaguna: https://www.pexels.com/photo/high-five-hands-6146822/
