This was our first time in a country where Christians are openly persecuted. Christians here are thrown in jail or given a death sentence for saying the name Jesus. When you are in this situation, you find yourself asking the Lord… What does it really mean to be unashamed of the gospel? What does it look like to be a disciple of Jesus? What does it look like to take up your cross daily, or to deny yourself and follow Jesus?
Jesus said in Luke 9:23, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’ What does this mean?
When Jesus first...