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Insight's to the Word with Pastor Teague!
A Hero Murdered in Honduras!
We recieved this update from our denominational offices in Cleveland, TN. today. I am saddened by the informationi. A Church of God pastor became a martyr for Christ on April 3. Please read this article and then I want to make some personal comments.
Church of God Pastor Murdered in Honduras
A Church of God woman pastor in the city of Choloma, Honduras, was murdered on Thursday, April 3, by two young gang members who had earlier demanded “protection tax” to keep church members safe from their attacks.
Maria Francisca Sevilla, 39, the mother of three children, was co-pastor with her husband, Geovanny, of a church in this third largest city of the nation. According to police reports, she was surprised in her home by her attackers when she returned from taking one of her children to an afternoon school session. The pastoral residence is attached to the church building. She was stabbed repeatedly, fighting against her assailants and calling for help, but she died in the church doorway before help arrived.
Police learned that a year ago gang members had extorted money from the pair, threatening to harm the children and the church members if payment was not made. It is not known if subsequent demands were made, but in November 2013, the pastoral couple and one of their children were kidnapped, beaten, and dumped in a drainage ditch in San Pedro Sula, about 15 miles from their home. On yet another occasion, the husband was attacked, tied up and left in his vehicle, which the gang intended to burn; however, police patrolling the area arrived in time to rescue him.
“This dedicated couple, who ministered in their church for 10 years, could have moved away for safety, according to what I have been told, but they felt called to the city, and they remained even though they were in danger,” said Tim Hill, director of Church of God World Missions. Despite repeated threats and attacks, they continued their evangelistic efforts.
Besides being the economic capital, San Pedro Sula has the country’s highest homicide rate, this in a nation of 8 million that averages 20 murders daily. In a study of 50 cities worldwide, it registered as the deadliest, leading many to describe San Pedro Sula as the murder capital of the world. Choloma is a 20-minute drive away.
In a recent Los Angeles Times article, it was reported that Honduran cities are overrun by rival gangs. “The gangs charge what residents call a ‘war tax,’ extorted from homes and businesses, down to the smallest fruit vendor. You don’t pay, you get out. And if you don’t go, you get killed,” the newspaper reported. (Source: Church of God World Missions)
This breaks my heart and I am grieved tonight for this precious pastor’s family. In my mind, she is a hero. Maria Francisca Sevilla preached the gospel in a region that threats against her life were the norm. But she didn’t stop. Thugs who threatened her previously obviously returned to murder her. The thugs, gang members at large, are weak boys trying to be want-to-be men. To wait for Maria to come home and attack a woman is the lowest. These two gang members represent lawlessness that is spreading across the world. Lawlessness that seems to be void of any conviction for life and respect for God and His representatives. Maria leaves behind three children and a husband. Three precious children lost their mother due to the uncontrolled hatred in the heart of these lawless gang members. I am infuriated at this! It seems to me that more could be done by governing officials any where in the world to stop this kind of activity. This is a quote from Bishop Tim Hill who commented above: Besides being the economic capital, San Pedro Sula has the country’s highest homicide rate, this in a nation of 8 million that averages 20 murders daily. In a study of 50 cities worldwide, it registered as the deadliest, leading many to describe San Pedro Sula as the murder capital of the world. Choloma is a 20-minute drive away.
This kind of activity goes on everyday in nations all over the world. Goverments, including the USA, have decided that the criminal has more rights than the victims they violate with their venomous hatred of life, authority and God. This is domestic terrorism. Yes. You read correct. Any time a government turns its back on Godliness and accepts lawlessness as the norm for governing criminals – we hand title deed to morality over to Satan himself. At the root of home grown terrorism is the lawlessness we refuse to keep in check. Drug trafficing, human trafficing, theft, gang violence and mob type groups will bring a nation to its knees. From Chicago to New York City to Detroit to Columbus to Dallas to Las Angelos to Miami – if we don’t get a handle on this type of thuggery – we will hand out cities over to these gangs for long term and predictable unrepairable damage to our communities. What happened in Honduras with Pastor Maria Francisca Sevilla is a disgrace. Any man or group of men who attack an innocent, harmless, unarmed woman and beat her to death are not men in my opinion. They are void of human definition. They are animals (2 Peter 2.12). They need to be locked up and someone needs to throw away the key. I understand that grace and mercy are afforded them by God through Christ Jesus. I can only hope they find it before or in prison but they still need to be held accountable for their actions. They need not be on the streets. These men are reprobates according to Romans 1. They need to be treated like reprobates. They are godless and spineless excuses for human beings. They obviously have no control over their behavior.
I urge you to pray for Maria’s family. Tonight her husband is consoling their children. Explaining to them why these godless men took the life of their mother. Grief is something that shouldn’t have to be explained to children – especially in relation to the unexcused murder of their mother.
Scripture declares in 2 Timothy 3:12-13 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (13) But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Maria, her husband and their children committed to godliness. As a result Maria paid the highest price for serving Christ. So did her husband and their three children. I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. I am confident their church family is supporting them but the grief of a useless murder is more than likely overwhelming.
In the Western church we can’t identify with this kind of violent persecution…at least yet. But this godliness and lawlessness is spreading like wild fire. In the western mind-set of Christianity we cower and cringe at the least offense. In other parts of the world Christians don’t worry about getting their feelings hurt. They tend to lean more toward a more mature connection to Christ. They tend to worry about losing their life. This should make us all stop and think about heros like Maria and what she gave just to preach the gospel. In my opinion she is one those heroes akin to Hebrews 11. I can’t, but if I could I would include Maria’s name in Hebrews 11.32. Heaven welcomed a hero with Maria’s death. The Holy Spirit went to work as only the Comforter can when the kingdom lost Maria. I pray the family survive this tragedy and her work as a pastor continues without hesitation. May the Christians in Honduras be blessed, highly favored and spiritually prospered in the Name of Jesus Christ. March on holy warriors, march on!
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Such a brave woman of God. I’ll be in prayer for her family and others in similer curcomstances. For they are the light that go into these dark places. Thank you Maria, Joanna