The Underground Church – Is there Hope for the public Church, Part 8
By Pastor Hal Mayer
Dear friends,
Welcome to Keep the Faith Ministry once again. Today, we want to take one final look at the underground church and treat some additional issues and summarize the points that we have made. The underground church will be necessary in the near future. Religious persecution always makes it necessary because the faithful people of God have to find some way to continue the Great Commission. And especially in these last days they must proclaim the three angels’ messages and the second coming of Christ. So, let us begin with prayer.
Our Father in heaven, we are so grateful for Jesus Christ who has provided examples in His word about what happens when persecution comes upon God’s people. He has not left us without help and guidance. Please send your Holy Spirit to us today as we study. Guide our thinking and help us understand the times which are soon going to come upon the world. And may you prepare us for that time. In Jesus name, amen.
Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 9:10-16
“And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
You can imagine how the believers were afraid of Saul. Wherever Saul went, the believers were hiding themselves when he came into town, because Saul had caught many of them and had imprisoned them and killed them. Now he was praying because he met the Lord on the way to Damascus. But when God instructed Ananias to go and heal his eyes, Ananias was afraid. And he told the Lord so. Put yourself in Ananias’ shoes. What would you think if the great enemy of the Christian Church were coming to your town looking for you to persecute you and put you in prison and maybe to death? Well the great enemy of mankind is organizing and orchestrating the whole world to persecute God’s faithful people. There will be no place to hide accept as God hides you. Star Wars of the Sanhedrin. He was a very high up church leader. We will come back to him later in this message.
This is how God’s people will naturally react to persecution. It is a mistake to think that the public church will save you. In Paul’s day the public church could only be relied on for serious persecution of the very people that were the chosen of God. Very different times are coming to us in the very near future. God’s people are used to peace and safety, but that is going to change quickly under the current hostility to the truth. Liberty of conscience will not be respected. Listen to this from Great Controversy, page 592.
“The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected.”
Some people have wondered why the Spirit of Prophecy doesn’t use the phrase “underground church.” It is a more modern expression similar to the phrase “executive order.” An executive order published by the president or governor or someone that has authority is a decree. The Spirit of Prophecy uses the word “decree” many times to refer to one aspect of the Sunday law. The phrase “executive order” was not used in public parlance in the 1800s. Likewise the phrase “underground church” is also a modern form of the “persecuted church.”
Another word in modern parlance that the Spirit of Prophecy does not use in the way it’s used today is “censorship.” “Censorship” is only used once, and it is about censorship of self to represent Christ rightly. It’s found in Letters and Manuscripts, Vol. 16, Manuscript 101, 1901. It is not used as it is used today to represent silencing the voices of truth, or voices that do not parrot the dominant narrative. Freedom of speech was respected back then. But today we use it all the time because we live in an environment of censorship of all ideas that are not in line with the mainstream narrative. The word censor in the Spirit of Prophecy mostly refers to the censor in the sanctuary that the priest used when he was ministering before the Lord. It is used once to refer to a Roman Catholic who filled the position of censor. And it is used a few times to reprove or rebuke. Let’s look at one reference that uses the concept of censorship without using the word. Here it is from Great Controversy, page 607.
“The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite.”
Maybe you’ve read that many times before but didn’t realize that it’s talking about censorship. Will God’s people be forced to meet in an underground church at this time? Will they have to meet out of the public eye behind some unmarked door? Remember, the underground church is a suffering church. You can’t expect things to go on as they have been when persecution arises. Things are going to change dramatically.
So, the things that happen to the persecuted church are essentially the things that happen to the underground church. The underground church does not mean the church in hiding, though it may be in hiding, and it often is. The “underground church” simply means a church that’s not registered with or recognized by the government. It may not even be permitted to exist either. In that case, it is an illegal church. An illegal church has always had to exist in a persecuting nation like North Korea, Iran, and other places where it is illegal and even deadly to operate a church, whether a public church or an underground church.
Do you think that under persecution over the Sabbath that God’s faithful people will have to meet in an unregistered, unrecognized, or illegal church? Of course, it will. Persecution always creates an environment where such a church is necessary. People think that if they stay with the structure of the public church in the time of persecution that they will be OK. If the public church still exists, it will be in apostasy. In that kind of environment, the public church has to either compromise itself to maintain its status and its assets, which is apostasy, or go underground. The faithful will go underground regardless. The public church will actually become a persecuting church.
Looking at the Jewish church in Jesus day, which was God’s church until the stoning of Stephen. We can easily see that it is a prophetic type of what will happen to those who are living at the end of time. When you study the life of Christ, the way the Sadducees and Pharisees acted toward him, what you see is a type of how ministers and religious leaders today will act toward God’s faithful people that will be the subject of government persecution.
We saw an example of this during the pandemic, though for other reasons. This was a test of the powers that be to see how easily it can be done. But God showed us that we had better get ready. He showed us a little glimpse of what will likely happen when governments are hostile and the society is weaponized against faithful Sabbath keepers. The underground church will be the norm rather than the exception. We should have learned the lesson as a church. But only some individuals understood.
Think about the extreme position of God’s people at the end of time. They will be thrown out of their homes, chased into the forest or the desert. In abject poverty and destitution, they will have to survive in an increasingly devastated world, on whatever they can find to eat, with only the clothes on their backs, seeking shelter in caves and the dens of the earth. There have been those that have gone before us and experienced this. But somehow we haven’t applied this to ourselves, only to those who lived in Bible times. It’s found in Hebrews 11:36-38.
“And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”
Do you think that can happen again? It did already. Listen to this Great Controversy comment on page 267.
“When the Bible was proscribed by religious and secular authority; when its testimony was perverted, and every effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it; when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed, tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faith, or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses, and to dens and caves of the earth,—then the faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth. Yet they continued their testimony throughout the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times there were faithful men who loved God’s Word, and were jealous for his honor. To these loyal servants were given wisdom, power, and authority to declare his truth during the whole of this time.”
But what about in our times, in the near future? When God’s people are faced with suffering of this magnitude again, it will be during the time of trouble just before the end of time. Listen to this statement from Great Controversy, page 650. It is speaking of when God’s people will be delivered. Where will they be at that time?
“The heirs of God have come from garrets, from hovels, from dungeons, from scaffolds, from mountains, from deserts, from the caves of the earth, from the caverns of the sea.”
This is where they have been forced to be because they were persecuted. Somehow, we have not thought deeply about this and understood that we could experience these things. We have been very used to our easy lives and we can’t conceive that somehow the circumstances will change. Our earthly dreams will be dashed. Our hopes will be destroyed. In the time of trouble God’s people will have to form an underground church if they haven’t done so beforehand. They will not be permitted to meet in a public church. There will be so much hatred of them that they will have to seek remote and isolated places of the earth to live and worship. Listen to this from Great Controversy, page 626.
“As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for “the munitions of rocks.” Isaiah 33:16. But many of all nations and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days, bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons. No human ear is open to hear their moans; no human hand is ready to lend them help.”
God will not leave them. Though their outward appearance will look depressing and very discouraging, angels will minister to them like they did for Jesus in the garden of a Gethsemane. Listen to this from Great Controversy page 627.
“Though enemies may thrust them into prison, yet dungeon walls cannot cut off the communication between their souls and Christ. One who sees their every weakness, who is acquainted with every trial, is above all earthly powers; and angels will come to them in lonely cells, bringing light and peace from heaven. The prison will be as a palace; for the rich in faith dwell there, and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light as when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises at midnight in the Philippian dungeon.”
How many of your assets are you willing to give up to be able to meet and be ministered to by a visible Angel? This is the underground church. It is not a church that can be seen by the world. It is a suffering church. It is an unregistered and unrecognized church. Heaven will watch over that church. That’s just the way it will be. That is the way it always has been when there is persecution. The public church will not save you. It will not defend you. You have to stand alone. Listen to this from Great Controversy, page 622.
“It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job” were in the land, “as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.” Ezekiel 14:20.”
So, get used to the idea that things will not go on as they have been. Outward circumstances will deteriorate greatly. You will be tempted to compromise because of losses that you receive and circumstances that you face. It will not be pleasant. If you don’t have the fortitude to withstand the pressure you will give up your faith in order to save your assets or your comfort. And when persecution starts, the threat of hostile imprisonment, torture, and death will be in play. Many of God’s professed people will react to minor hatred and hostility and lose their salvation because they don’t want to face even that. In fact, they will mirror the hostility of the world. But those who withstand that will have deeper and more serious consequences to face. You will need a faith that will not flinch under severe provocation. Only Jesus can give you that faith and fortitude. You can’t get it any other way. He is your only hope during the crisis.
What about the public church? Is there hope for the institutional church? Is there hope for institutional church leaders? The public church has compromised with the world to a large extent already. People have lost confidence in the institutional, public church, because it has failed them especially during the pandemic. Many no longer see the public church as their savior in times of difficulty. At the same time there are people more entrenched in their views and their defense of the public church. They think that if they criticize church leaders they will be isolated from God. I find it interesting that Jesus himself criticized church leaders scathingly and with tears in his eyes called for their repentance.
But let us remember that soon after Jesus went back to heaven, His disciples we’re given the Holy Spirit and the early rain was poured out and thousands were converted. This is a prophetic type of the circumstances under the latter rain at the end of time. You can expect the events of the early rain during the disciples and apostles time will be similarly repeated in the time of the latter rain. So, let us turn to Acts 6:7. Here is a prophetic example of what will happen to the public church just before the huge crisis that comes upon God’s people. Notice what happens to many of the pastors of the public church.
“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
There will be many pastors that will be greatly impressed by the message that God’s servants are empowered to share. They have heretofore been hesitant to speak up or take a stand because they fear that by doing so they will incur the hostility of church leaders and will lose their jobs. Or they simply find their ministry very fulfilling and don’t want to be thrown into the limelight of controversy thus ending their ministry efforts and turn souls away from the Lord. But when, under the power of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain, they are convicted that they must correct errors and misunderstandings, they will take a stand for the truth even though it is very dangerous, and that they will lose everything. And notice that it was a great company of them. So, a great company of pastors will likely be obedient to Christ in our day. We need to see the apostles time as prophetic to our own.
Keep in mind, the priests were mostly located in Jerusalem, the most corrupt of all places in Judea. And also keep in mind that Jesus did very little ministry in Jerusalem. Yet here were some converts to the Christian faith and doctrine in this corrupt place. God has His remnant in the most corrupt of places today too. Maybe they had been compromised with the corruption and opposed the truth unwittingly. Maybe they were associated and had been influenced by those who had opposed the faith. But, though they were seen as least likely to join the underground church, they became obedient to the faith.
The priests had a vested interest and were being promoted and advanced by their association with the priesthood. They were building their wealth and power. Yet they were willing to let these preferments go for the gospel of Christ and strengthen the hands of those in the underground church. They came in large numbers to join at once in giving their lives to Christ. This would have been astonishing to the powerful leaders. This great crowd of priests were, by the grace of God helped over their prejudices, and their financial and political interests, and were obedient to the faith. So, their conversion was clearly genuine.
This text shows the folly of judging before we know all the facts. They did not try to reform the institutional public church; they were converted and were obedient to the faith. This most certainly terminated their connection to their corrupt brethren. They had to begin again. They had to find some employment. They had to change their loyalties. Wherefore they were once very powerful promoters and defenders of the institutional public church and would be very offended if someone would speak openly of the corruption, now they saw the light. And their convictions of truth and righteousness led them to the underground church.
Can you imagine what that would be like? Going from a lucrative employment to poverty almost overnight. Giving of your personal assets to the cause of building up the underground church. Entering the crucible of suffering that defines the underground church. They are now despised by their former brethren. But they are willing to give up everything for Christ. Most of these pastors we don’t hear about in scripture anymore. We don’t hear about them becoming leaders in the underground church, though maybe some of them were. But we are assured that they were obedient to the faith.
Their understandings were captivated by Christ, and they could do nothing else but live for Him. Abandoning all objecting thoughts, they threw themselves into the underground church that needed their encouragement and support.
Now what about the power brokers and the top leaders? Were some of them able to escape from the corruption and abuse of the institutional public church?
A few of them were able to disengage from the corrupt system to join with and support the underground church. While it was only a small number of them, it was a significant number. The Bible tells us that at least two of the members of the influential and powerful “Great Sanhedrin” had the scales fall off their eyes, and eventually supported the underground church.
One of them was Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night because he did not want to be seen talking to Him seriously. Listen to the description of Nicodemus from Desire of Ages, page 167.
“Nicodemus held a high position of trust in the Jewish nation. He was highly educated, and possessed talents of no ordinary character, and he was an honored member of the national council. With others, he had been stirred by the teaching of Jesus. Though rich, learned, and honored, he had been strangely attracted by the humble Nazarene. The lessons that had fallen from the Saviour’s lips had greatly impressed him, and he desired to learn more of these wonderful truths.”
No doubt Nicodemus had used his position to increase his wealth greatly and become more influential and powerful. But the Holy Spirit had been working on this influential man’s heart. He prompted Nicodemus to ask serious questions about what Jesus meant by what He was saying and doing. Jesus famously told him that he must be born again. He also told him that God’s love for the world was so great that He sent His son that all who might accept him could be saved and have eternal life. It’s probably the most significant verse in the Bible. It’s found in John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Nicodemus was very impressed with that nighttime interview and he eventually gave his heart to Christ. He had been increasingly impressed by Christ’s work and had studied the prophecies to learn more about it. He put aside his prejudices and the prejudices that he had gained from the Sanhedrin. He now put up objections to the Sanhedrin’s intention to prosecute Christ in contradiction to the law. That’s found in John 6:50-52.
“Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
The Pharisees had just said,
“But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.”
So, far seeing Nicodemus was asking a legal question because he could see that his colleagues were going to abuse the Jewish law to put Christ to death. He knew these men very well. He knew that they were capable of conniving and manipulation to get their way. For his comment about a fair trial, Nicodemus was excluded from the trial of Christ before Ananias and Caiaphas. No doubt, this was not lost on Nicodemus. This probably cemented his determination to follow Christ. There’s something about being treated unfairly that deepens conviction from anyone sitting on the fence. Nicodemus became one of the key supporters of the underground church. He gave all for Christ. He expended his wealth to build up the underground church. I love the way Desire of Ages puts it on page 177.
“After the Lord’s ascension, when the disciples were scattered by persecution, Nicodemus came boldly to the front. He employed his wealth in sustaining the infant church that the Jews had expected to be blotted out at the death of Christ. In the time of peril he who had been so cautious and questioning was firm as a rock, encouraging the faith of the disciples, and furnishing means to carry forward the work of the gospel. He was scorned and persecuted by those who had paid him reverence in other days. He became poor in this world’s goods; yet he faltered not in the faith which had its beginning in that night conference with Jesus.”
And listen to what he did for the fledgling underground church. This is found in Acts of the Apostles, page 105.
“Now, when the Jews were trying to destroy the infant church, Nicodemus came forward in its defense. No longer cautious and questioning, he encouraged the faith of the disciples and used his wealth in helping to sustain the church at Jerusalem and in advancing the work of the gospel. Those who in other days had paid him reverence, now scorned and persecuted him, and he became poor in this world’s goods; yet he faltered not in the defense of his faith.”
God can do amazing things with a converted church leader. When his heart is changed and given over to Christ, he can be a powerful witness for the message.
Another leader was Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph was also a member of the “Great Sanhedrin.” He too was wealthy and influential. He was a respected counselor to the nation of Israel. He was also familiar with Pilate, the Roman procurator who ruled Judea at that time. He became a true disciple of Christ but did not dare to openly confess him. But God used him to privately go to Pilate and beg for the body of Christ. He arranged for the disciples, who did not know how to give Christ an honored burial, to use his own brand-new tomb, and shared in the expenses of His burial. Listen to this from Early Writings, page 180.
“Notwithstanding the disciples had been disappointed in their hopes concerning Jesus, they yet loved Him and desired to give His body an honored burial, but knew not how to obtain it. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy and influential councilor of the Jews and a true disciple of Jesus, went privately yet boldly to Pilate and begged from him the Saviour’s body. He dared not go openly, because of the hatred of the Jews. The disciples feared that an effort would be made by them to prevent the body of Christ from having an honored resting place. Pilate granted the request, and the disciples took the lifeless form down from the cross, while in deep anguish they mourned over their blighted hopes. Carefully the body was wrapped in fine linen, and laid in Joseph’s new sepulcher.”
After Christ’s death Joseph of Arimathea openly confessed Christ. He had been a witness of Christ’s trial and death. And now his influence, and no doubt, his wealth was used in support of the underground church.
We know of one more Influential church leader that was converted to Christ. This was Saul of Tarsus. Listen to this description of Saul in Acts of the Apostles, page 112.
“Prominent among the Jewish leaders who became thoroughly aroused by the success attending the proclamation of the gospel, was Saul of Tarsus. A Roman citizen by birth, Saul was nevertheless a Jew by descent and had been educated in Jerusalem by the most eminent of the rabbis. “Of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,” Saul was “a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:5, 6. He was regarded by the rabbis as a young man of great promise, and high hopes were cherished concerning him as an able and zealous defender of the ancient faith. His elevation to membership in the Sanhedrin council placed him in a position of power.”
Saul started out as a defender of the faith of the public church. Saul went to many cities and towns terrorizing the underground church by throwing many of them in prison and executing them. But with his surprise conversion that deeply troubled the Sanhedrin, he became a defender of the underground church.
It will be wonderful to meet these men in the kingdom of God. The stories of these men tell us that Jesus has his eye on church leaders. Most of them will probably never be changed into what God intends for them. But a few of them will become champions of the faith in the time of crisis and will join and support the underground church. I just wanted you to know that we shouldn’t write off these men in leadership positions. God will have His people in these positions to do a work for Him that they could not do from outside the system. And He will use them to do a mighty work. Then He will arrange to have them go all the way openly with Christ and join his despised people.
So, there is hope for public church leaders. But they have to surrender themselves to Christ and be willing to suffer for Christ’s sake. Many of them will have to give up their leadership positions as Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and Saul gave up their prestigious positions in the Sanhedrin. They have to become humble and willing to be guided by spiritual brethren who have, up till then, been considered by these very leaders as offshoots. It’s a wonderful story.
Now let’s summarize what we have covered in this series. There were a number of steps that were mentioned when establishing an underground church. Remember the underground church is a suffering church. It is also a church that is normally under pressure from persecution. When persecution arises it will change everything that we have known and taken for granted, and will give us a new set of circumstances to navigate. Most of us are unprepared for this. Most of us have no idea of what to do about church when persecution arises. Remember no one can be saved as a group or because of a group. That means the public churches will not save you. So, here are the key points.
Preparing for the underground church means preparation of the mind. Follow the Bible in dealing with your new circumstances. You will be hated and despised, and you will be ridiculed and condemned. You may be betrayed by one of your closest companions like Jesus was. You may be imprisoned and hauled into the court to give testimony for your faith. And you may be falsely accused. You will be considered an enemy of the state and of society. You may eventually have to leave your home and forage in the wilderness. You will have nowhere to turn for help but to God. Consequently, God will become your chief defense and your personal companion. You can do nothing about your circumstances. Only God can. The underground church suffers and has tragedies. These you will have to recognize as God’s way of warning others of their wrong path and inspiring some to repent and come to Christ and His law, even in the worst of times.
Deepen your repentance. Members of the underground church must have very deep repentance if they want to receive the Holy Spirit in power. You do not need to protect your Christian way of life. Rather, you should deeply repent of not living the Christian life the way you should. The goal is to be like Jesus. Because His circumstances will eventually be yours, and therefore, His character needs to be yours as well.
The underground church doesn’t defend or try to preserve itself. It’s not called to defend its buildings or assets or its way of life. It puts down the sword and its various iterations like lawsuits, courts, and guns. The underground church is a suffering church. It submits to suffering in its DNA. It is focused solely on hearing and doing the word of the Lord.
The underground church simply means that a church or a group of churches is an unrecognized church or unregistered church by the government. The legal structure of the public church may be useful in a time of peace, but will become unwieldy and unusable in a time of persecution.
Look for opportunities to shepherd people to the Lord. Whether it’s in your home or any other building, or in a prison, or out in the forest. There are always persons that need to be led to Jesus.
Never give out names or have a church roster. In the underground church, leaders may have to use a set of different names when they go from church to church. This is so that they will be protected from being discovered wherever possible. Use various means other than names or locations to tell people where to go to meet in your underground church by mentioning a piece of clothing or something that is carried. Do not give out addresses. Do not carry your mobile phone. It is GPS connected even if it’s turned off. It’s a dead giveaway.
Do not legally incorporate an underground church or try to get it tax exempt status. This just gives the government an opportunity to know it exists and try to regulate or suppress it. Legal incorporation puts the church in a sort of bondage. Jesus didn’t use the existing systems of the day in the public church to conduct His ministry. Neither should we in the underground church.
Your response to persecution is important. Do not run in fear from persecution. If you live in an area of persecution and need to go somewhere else, do so for the right reasons. You may be called to spread the truth in some other place or town or city. God will take care of those that remain behind. Also do not offer resistance to the government for the sake of protecting your rights and freedoms. This will only lead you down the political track and remove the privilege of suffering for Christ. And most of all, learn to forgive, as Christ gave us an example. This is the primary response in your relation to your persecutors.
Do not compromise with, or accommodate the government in order to maintain your public reputation. Accommodation is always lose, lose by compromising its witness and making its message subservient to worldly ideologies.
Establish a plan for organizing an underground church. Plan how it is to meet, operate and communicate. Develop a financial plan for when finances will be difficult to come by.
Develop a plan for establishing an underground church by working with your community to get them interested. Bring them into your home by offering a plant-based fellowship meal and then invite them to a Bible study. As seekers develop you can lead them to Jesus. This will form the nucleus of your underground church.
Worship in the underground church is usually very simple and informal and can last from a few minutes to several hours, depending upon the circumstances.
Do not allow controversy or conflict within the underground church. Members need to be committed to that principle. Controversy always leads to accusations and exposes some too prison or other types persecution. It could even lead to the death of some because of being exposed.
Choose amateurs for overseers or pastors. Usually professional pastors get in the way or become compromising and begin to preach error. Try to grow all the members in leadership. Because then, if the underground church leader is taken away to prison or is killed, any number of people could take his place. Yes, things will be that serious.
Don’t recruit members. Caution potential members about what it means to follow Christ and take up the cross of suffering. Don’t set up barriers to them following Christ and the truth, but don’t soft pedal the circumstances so that they won’t be threatened by them. Jesus didn’t encourage or discourage people to join Him. He just told them the truth, and they were led to decide one way or the other.
Train members to be generalists, not specialists. Members should be trained to do everything required to conduct the church and its work.
Remember who you are. Worship time is the church’s only hope for remembering who it is. It does so by remembering precisely and specifically who its God is. That is why in the underground church, the scriptures, and the Spirit of Prophecy, are indispensable. The underground church is never about creativity, but it is always about faithfulness to scripture, especially present truth and the Sabbath.
Pray earnestly and consistently. The underground church is not effective without prayer. Prayer is the link that binds them to heaven. Without prayer they become lifeless and ineffective. Remember God will not leave you without help.
Let us pray. Our father in heaven we have been through a lot as we considered what the underground church consists of and what it does. We’ve also learned how it does its work. We are not used to thinking in the terms of the underground church, but we need to begin doing so now. Please help us by your Holy Spirit to understand it in our DNA. Send Him to teach us day by day and learn the lessons that are important for us now. And protect us from the evil one, our inveterate enemy. Thank you for your love, and your grace and mercy to us. In Jesus name, Amen.