Evergreen Church | Tulsa Evergreen Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma https://evergreenbc.org Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:05:31 +0000 Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:05:31 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com 221: The difference between prepper and prepared https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/12/221-the-difference-between-prepper-and-prepared Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/12/221-the-difference-between-prepper-and-prepared
In the church I pastor, we have homesteading courses, classes that teach, canning fruits and vegetables, building a pantry. The kind of skills your grandma taught you or used to teach you. Somebody recently asked me, is this church a prepper church? So, I thought about that question, and today, I want us to talk about the difference between being a prepper and being prepared.

Helpful Sources

Les Sillars, “Visions of the Apocalypse,” World Magazine, September 2025.
Carolina Lumetta, “Prophetic Foreign Policy,” World Magazine, September 2025.
Kim Henderson, “Beans, Bullets, and Band-Aids,” World Magazine, January 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/12/221-the-difference-between-prepper-and-prepared#comments 0 220: Can AI be used to advance the Kingdom of God? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/05/220-can-ai-be-used-to-advance-the-kingdom-of-god Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:30:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/05/220-can-ai-be-used-to-advance-the-kingdom-of-god
“Tortured fear and stupid confidence are the preferred states of mind.” That’s a remark from Screwtape, the demon, in C.S. Lewis’ book, The Screwtape Letters. He’s advising a younger demon on the mindset that they want to create for human beings. Either a tortured fear of the future, a sense that we’re living in Hell, or a stupid confidence that feels like we’re smart enough to create Heaven. The devil is satisfied with either of those approaches because they’re both different from what God has for us, to walk in the moment in His presence. It seems to me that this comment from Screwtape Letters is applicable to the whole subject of artificial intelligence. Because we live in the tension between those who tell us that it is the greatest thing ever, that we are going to revolutionize mankind verses those who say the machines are coming and the Terminator series will no longer be science fiction, it’s real. The truth is somewhere in the middle. And so we need to talk about artificial intelligence, for one more week, to answer the question, “Can it be used to advance the Kingdom of God?”

Helpful Sources

Brad Littlejohn, “The right’s looming war over AI”, September 29, 2025.
Isaac Willour, “A reflexive fear of AI doesn’t serve Christ”, August 21, 2025.
Matthew Branaugh, “Generative AIIs All the Rage. Handle With Care”, July 25, 2023.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/05/220-can-ai-be-used-to-advance-the-kingdom-of-god#comments 0 040: Life with Hands Open https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/01/040-life-with-hands-open Mon, 01 Jun 2026 10:55:31 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/01/040-life-with-hands-open
From a young age, Matt and Keeva felt a call to ministry—a calling that ultimately brought them together in college. Their journey is unique in their willingness to choose walking in faith, not sight, when it came to moving, jobs, children, and whatever else came their way. Their story encourages others that trusting leads to freedom in knowing God is ultimately in control and He can use every piece of your story.

“When God said Jump essentially, it wasn’t hard because we had learned early on to live with the our hands open. I didn’t have to know the answer right then but it was God asking, ‘do you have the faith to know that I’m a good God and that I’m going to take you on the right path?’” - Matt O’Mealey

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/06/01/040-life-with-hands-open#comments 0 219: Is AI safe for kids? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/29/219-is-ai-safe-for-kids Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/29/219-is-ai-safe-for-kids
I want to return today to the topic of artificial intelligence. I want to spend one more week looking at warnings about this technology and then next week we’ll circle back around and we’ll look at the way this technology, this burgeoning technology, can be used by Christians. We don’t need to be afraid of it; we just need to understand where the boundaries are. And so, we’ll get to how we can use AI and how it can be profitable to the kingdom of God. But today, let’s look at additional warnings.

Helpful Sources

Juliana Chan Erikson, “Are AI toys safe for children?” December 15, 2025.
Daniel R. Suhr, “AI’s newest advance: necromancy?” November 25, 2025.
Brad Littlejohn, “Just say no to AI toys,” November 13, 2025.
Erin Hawley, “Your teenager’s new BFF,” September 25, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/29/219-is-ai-safe-for-kids#comments 0 218: Does Jesus challenge your politics? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/22/218-does-jesus-challenge-your-politics Fri, 22 May 2026 08:43:22 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/22/218-does-jesus-challenge-your-politics
One statement that has become so common place that no one even thinks about challenging it or giving it pushback anymore, is the statement that we hear regularly that Jesus is not a democrat or a republican. Pastors say it from the pulpit; Christians say it on social media. It’s a kind of theological courtesy that’s meant to signal that I somehow have a spiritual walk with Jesus that’s not muddied by engaging in the muck of political debate. Let me explain why that statement needs to be tossed overboard, because it is 100% wrong. 

Helpful Sources

John G. West, Stockholm Syndrome Christianity, Discovery Institute, 2026.
Joseph Backholm, “A Christian Democrat’s hard decision,” April 9, 2026.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/22/218-does-jesus-challenge-your-politics#comments 0 039: Saved, Called and Equipped https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/18/039-saved-called-and-equipped Mon, 18 May 2026 10:58:45 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/18/039-saved-called-and-equipped
An Evergreen couple's lives were transformed through community and discipleship after coming to Evergreen. Through that experience, they realized they had not yet fully surrendered their lives to Jesus and desired to follow Him with everything they had. Hear the story of their journeys to Christ and how He is now calling them to leave the comfort of home and family to share the Gospel in another part of the world.

“A healthy missionary is doing something they were already doing in their home. It’s just being the same person with a different address.”

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/18/039-saved-called-and-equipped#comments 0 217: The Nature of Artificial Intelligence https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/15/217-the-nature-of-artificial-intelligence Fri, 15 May 2026 09:10:02 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/15/217-the-nature-of-artificial-intelligence
What is artificial intelligence? We started this conversation a week ago talking about AI and some of the dangerous aspects of this technology, but do we really understand what it is?

We used to say, a generation ago, what is this thing called electronic mail? Now, email is commonplace the world over. Then we said, what is the internet? What is Google? What is a search engine? And today we say, what is AI? Well, it’s simply the next generation of the discovery of data and one of these days, it will be as commonplace and normal to us all of those other things. So, what is artificial intelligence?

Helpful Sources

Lynn Vincent, “Crouching at the keyboard,” January 1, 2026.
Maria Baer, “AI is not your mom,” September 23, 2025.
Samuel D. James, “AI and the crisis of truth,” September 5, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/15/217-the-nature-of-artificial-intelligence#comments 0 216: Deepfakes in the Church https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/08/216-deepfakes-in-the-church Fri, 08 May 2026 07:57:53 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/08/216-deepfakes-in-the-church
What would you do if you received a video message from your pastor, the trusted shepherd you have great confidence in, what if he asked you to give money to meet an urgent ministry need he was dealing with? Would you help him? Would you send him money? What you should do is be skeptical that the video is even from him.

Helpful Sources

Associated Press, “The faith-based tech boom is here—chat with ‘BuddhaBot’ or pay $1.99 for AI Jesus,” April 10, 2026.
Maria Baer, “AI is not your mom,” September 23, 2025.
Samuel D. James, “AI and the crisis of truth,” September 5, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/08/216-deepfakes-in-the-church#comments 0 038: Experiencing Christ through Community https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/04/038-experiencing-christ-through-community Mon, 04 May 2026 11:47:37 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/04/038-experiencing-christ-through-community
Phil and Susan met as young teenagers. Both had some exposure to church and knew that being involved was something they wanted to prioritize in their lives. After marrying young, they found a church with strong teachers who in time helped them develop a true relationship with Christ.
After that, life wasn’t easy. In fact, their road became difficult—marked by a shocking cancer battle that taught them to trust God and lean on their community during life’s trials.

“I strongly believe whatever it is we are going through, God is using it for a better outcome. We must believe and trust there is something better coming. And community can help people remember that.” - Phillip McCoy

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/05/04/038-experiencing-christ-through-community#comments 0 037: Bringing Sin Into the Light https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/20/037-bringing-sin-into-the-light Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:23:53 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/20/037-bringing-sin-into-the-light
Grace grew up attending church with her family and was saved at the age of 9. Because of her faith she realized as a teenager she was struggling with secret sin. In the midst of guilt and shame she wasn’t sure how she could ever get free of this burden, until God convicted her to say it out loud.

Grace’s story is a powerful reminder that confession is not meant to shame us but to free us. When Christians confess their sin, they open the door to hope, accountability, and the freedom that comes through Christ.

“I was so deep into that (sin) that I started hating myself instead of hating my sin” - Grace Boswell

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/20/037-bringing-sin-into-the-light#comments 0 215: Indispensability Syndrome https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/10/215-indispensability-syndrome Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:03:13 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/10/215-indispensability-syndrome
How did Jesus know when his day was finished? There was always someone else to talk to, always someone else to heal, always more work to do, always more demands on his time. How did Jesus know when this particular day was finished? It’s a question I have asked all of my young pastors because it deals with a common problem, particularly among pastors, but also among all Christians. It is what I call the indispensability syndrome. Pastors sometimes feel the need to be omnipotent. Let’s talk about that.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/10/215-indispensability-syndrome#comments 0 036: Under God’s Sovereign Care https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/06/036-under-god-s-sovereign-care Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/06/036-under-god-s-sovereign-care
Jon and Kristin grew up in Christian homes and each experienced God’s provision through college and singleness into their 30s. After marrying, they longed for a family but faced over nine years of infertility, ending with surgery that meant they couldn’t have biological children. Yet God brought children into their lives by adoption in His perfect time. Through each difficult circumstance, God gave Kristin dreams to show He was sovereign over all which was significant when Jon suffered a life-changing heart attack. Their story will encourage anyone walking through singleness, infertility, or serious health trials to trust that God is in control and you are always under His sovereign care.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/06/036-under-god-s-sovereign-care#comments 0 214: A Christian’s Not-So-Secret Weapon https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/03/214-a-christian-s-not-so-secret-weapon Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/03/214-a-christian-s-not-so-secret-weapon
TruthCurrents is about learning how to think biblically about current events. Occasionally, somebody will approach me and say, “Pastor, I appreciate you helping me to learn how to think biblically, but now, what do I do? What actions follow thinking biblically about the events of our day?” Let’s talk about that.

Helpful Sources

Richard Wurmbrand, “How Wide is Your Concern?” The Voice of the Martyrs, Vol. 60, No. 4, April 2026.
Emily A. Cole, “Our powerful tool against persecution,” January 14, 2026.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/04/03/214-a-christian-s-not-so-secret-weapon#comments 0 213: Does Radical Leftism Work? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/27/213-does-radical-leftism-work Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:02:49 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/27/213-does-radical-leftism-work
Chuck Colson once famously said that the way to evaluate a worldview is to answer this question: can you actually live by that worldview? Well, apparently the worldview of the radical left is becoming increasingly difficult to live by. There are some real ironic happenings in this area. Let’s talk about them.

Helpful Sources

Emma Freire, “Socialism’s Salesman,” March 12, 2026.
Nathanael Blake, “Escape from Seattle,” March 19, 2026.
R. Albert Mohler, Jr. “The Culture of Death wins yet again,” March 19, 2026.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/27/213-does-radical-leftism-work#comments 0 035: What I Prayed For https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/23/035-what-i-prayed-for Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/23/035-what-i-prayed-for
Claudia grew up in Mexico in a large family, raised by a single mother. By 19, she found herself pregnant and in an abusive marriage. Even in the midst of those difficult circumstances, she found a church that introduced her to Jesus. Eventually, she made her way to Tulsa with her two boys, free from that relationship.

In this episode, hear how Claudia built a new life in Tulsa, how she found Evergreen, and how God convicted her to bring her desires to Him in prayer rather than simply weep over them. Her testimony will encourage you to pray and trust our redeeming Father, who can take a broken situation and make it more whole than we could ever imagine.

“One night I was crying and crying and the Lord told me, ‘why do you sit here and cry? Why don’t you ask me what you need?’ And that was beautiful!”

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/23/035-what-i-prayed-for#comments 0 212: The Darkness of Liberalism https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/20/212-the-darkness-of-liberalism Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:58:39 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/20/212-the-darkness-of-liberalism
There was book published in 2006 with the title, “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.” Now at the time, people criticized the book as clickbait, a little over the top, but as it turns out, new scientific research shows us that, in fact, that statement is true. Liberalism, leftism, progressivism is, in fact, a mental disorder. Let’s talk about that.

Helpful Sources

Thaddeus Williams, “Why leftism is bad for mental health,” March 12, 2026.
Glenn T. Stanton, “The happiness divide,” December 4, 2025.
David Mitzenmacher, “Marriage is good and water is wet,” September 23, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/20/212-the-darkness-of-liberalism#comments 0 211: A Warning from the Watchman https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/13/211-a-warning-from-the-watchman Fri, 13 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/13/211-a-warning-from-the-watchman
If you listen to television preachers, right now you think that Christianity is at an all-time high; things are great, couldn’t be better. We are all living our best life now. The fact of the matter is, American Christianity is in a battle for eternity with both an external enemy and an internal enemy. And somebody needs to talk about this.

Helpful Sources

A.S. Ibrahim, “The occupation of Times Square,” March 9, 2026.
David French, “James Talarico Is a Christian X-Ray,” New York Times, March 8, 2026.
Joseph Backholm, “The left makes a play for Christian votes,” March 4, 2026.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/13/211-a-warning-from-the-watchman#comments 0 034: From Friendship to Faith https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/09/034-from-friendship-to-faith Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:46:58 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/09/034-from-friendship-to-faith
Channing was raised in a family of teachers overseas. He was taught to obey authority and follow the rules. It wasn’t until his interaction with other believers that he thought more seriously about having a faith in God. Eventually with a move to Tulsa, he met another believer who hosted him in his home and shared his faith. Channing’s testimony is a great reminder that the word of God can change you from the inside out and that discipleship is a gift from God to help us in our faith walk.

“True peace and contentment is from obeying God. God is preparing you for a better version of yourself.”

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/09/034-from-friendship-to-faith#comments 0 210: Is eternal punishment in hell justice? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/06/210-is-eternal-punishment-in-hell-justice Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/06/210-is-eternal-punishment-in-hell-justice
“Go to hell!” Have you ever heard anybody say that in anger? It’s interesting that even people who claim to not believe in hell will use that phrase. People never say, “Go to Hogwarts!” Or “Go to Mordor!” They say, “go to hell.” I think the reason that we do that is because, unlike Hogwarts or Mordor, deep down, deep in our souls in places that sometimes we’re not even aware of for ourselves, we all know that hell is a real place. We need to talk about that.

Helpful Sources

R. Albert Mohler, Jr. “The deadly danger of remodeling hell,” December 11, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/03/06/210-is-eternal-punishment-in-hell-justice#comments 0 209: When Bigfoot Becomes Mainstream https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/27/209-when-bigfoot-becomes-mainstream Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/27/209-when-bigfoot-becomes-mainstream
What do you think about Bigfoot, or UFO’s, or aliens? These are all topics that used to be on the fringe of society, not really respectable for regular people to discuss. But as they’ve made their way into the mainstream of our cultural conversation, it’s important for us to answer the question, “how do we think biblically about these topics?”

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/27/209-when-bigfoot-becomes-mainstream#comments 0 033: The Scarlet Thread of Provision https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/23/033-the-scarlet-thread-of-provision Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/23/033-the-scarlet-thread-of-provision
When Jeremy and Amy got married, they knew God had called them to ministry. In preparation, they went to seminary together to gain experience in marriage and family counseling. They had no idea that the skills they learned would prepare them for ministry to families dealing with pediatric cancer. This testimony will remind you that God is our provider. He can sustain you even in the hardest moments, prepare you for your toughest battles, and sometimes call you to do things you never thought you could do.

“You’re going to see a scarlet thread through our story of God’s provision and God’s sovereignty in the way He lays out our lives.”

Want to know more about what they shared? Click ⁠here⁠.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/23/033-the-scarlet-thread-of-provision#comments 0 208: Where did grace and truth go? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/20/208-where-did-grace-and-truth-go Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:36:33 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/20/208-where-did-grace-and-truth-go
The last couple of weeks have been interesting for those of us who try and think biblically about current events. What I’ve noticed as I’ve looked through headlines and seen the stories that are being reported is that they fall into two broad categories: either the absence of truth or the absence of grace. Truth and grace, seemingly a paradox and yet two sides of the same coin that define how we as followers of Jesus Christ are meant to live our lives.

Helpful Sources

Michael R. Carlino, “Calling evil good,” February 13, 2026.
Erick Erickson, “Not the time or place,” February 10, 2026.
Kristen Waggoner, “Making war on reality,” February 4, 2026.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/20/208-where-did-grace-and-truth-go#comments 0 207: Who will stand for truth? https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/13/207-who-will-stand-for-truth Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/13/207-who-will-stand-for-truth
A Muslim walks into the Vatican and the Pope gives him a prayer rug. It sounds like the start of a really bad joke, but, in fact, it’s the start of a really bad story. Turns out, Pope Leo is following in the footsteps of Pope Francis before him and pursuing interfaith dialogue with Islam. That’s a problem.

Helpful Sources

A.S. Ibrahim, “A politician speaks more truth than the pope,” January 26, 2026.
Colin J. Smothers, “Aiding and abetting false worship,” November 14, 2025.
Lauren Canterberry, “U.S. evangelicals confused on gospel truths, Ligonier finds,” September 22, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/13/207-who-will-stand-for-truth#comments 0 032: Letting God Be Enough https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/09/032-letting-god-be-enough Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:09:01 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/09/032-letting-god-be-enough
Dora spent her early years in Cuba before her family moved to the United States. She was raised with a blend of Christian faith and the Santería religion. In this episode, hear how the Lord called Dora to turn fully to Him, how that choice transformed her life, and how Christ has carried her through the pain of a difficult marriage and single motherhood.

Dora’s testimony is a powerful reminder that God is enough, even in hard times. Her story will encourage you to keep going and follow His calling—even when it feels impossible.

“I was trying so hard to be enough for all my children, and the Lord quietly told me one day, ‘You are not enough, and it is supposed to be that way, because I am the one who is going to be enough for them.’”

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/09/032-letting-god-be-enough#comments 0 206: Increasing Persecution in the West https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/02/206-increasing-persecution-in-the-west Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:05:31 +0000 https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/02/206-increasing-persecution-in-the-west
When we hear the word “persecution,” we usually think about people suffering and being killed in faraway places. That’s exactly what’s happening in Nigeria today where Islamic extremists are attempting a genocide that will eliminate the entire Christian population in that nation. But there are other forms of persecution, some of which we may not be paying attention to and they’re happening right here in the West.

Helpful Sources

James R. Wood, “A chill on Christian speech,” December 17, 2025.
Jordan J. Ballor, “Neutral in name only,” December 4, 2025.
Erin Hawley, “A sweeping—and unlawful—subpoena,” December 2, 2025.

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]]> https://evergreenbc.org/blog/2026/02/02/206-increasing-persecution-in-the-west#comments 0