Christian persecution quickly emerged and intensified in America these last several years. CompassCare and other pro-life Christians remain a target. Jesus, Paul, Peter, and the prophets warned that this would be the case as this age winds down.
Persecution in the land of religious liberty is counterintuitive. But the reality is catching up with many believers, especially after Charlie Kirk was assassinated last September.
Our experience of persecution these last many years first made headline news with a terrorist firebombing of CompassCare’s Buffalo medical office. But the persecution never stopped.
From doxing to death threats, from weaponized legislation to politicized federal law enforcement, from big tech censorship to a cyber-attack, from activist litigation to lawfare, from vandalism to debanking, it makes one wonder what’s next.
Other pro-life Christians have experienced character assassination, surveillance, and even false imprisonment. But however one experiences persecution, it comes with a host of cascading issues impacting finances, family, church relationships, and more. To say that it is intense does not begin to scratch the surface. But we soldier on.
Lessons learned from CompassCare’s ongoing experience of persecution is why I wrote my latest book, Endure the Rising Christian Persecution for the Greater Reward. It is my hope that it will serve as a primer for what to expect and how to act when persecution knocks on your door.
Charlie Kirk invited me onto his show a couple of times to talk about the firebombing and what was being done about it. I remember in one of those interviews, Charlie told me, “We have your back 100%.” When Charlie was assassinated, that night in a media interview, against the narrative, I insisted that Charlie’s assassination was not an act of political violence but an act of Christian persecution. Why? After experiencing persecution for so long, it was obvious that Charlie was assassinated for his faith as it worked itself out in the public square.
The Church, through CompassCare, built the largest Christian pro-life medical network in the most hostile, extreme pro-abortion state in America, New York. Why? Christian belief.
Belief drives behavior. That core belief driving pro-life Christians, the belief for which we are maligned and attacked to shut us out of the public square, is this truth: God and people are the only two things that are sacred in this world. And since all people are made in God’s image, each person from the moment of fertilization is inherently valuable, deserving of protection.
But exactly how valuable are people? Jesus, God in the flesh, shed His infinitely valuable blood to redeem humanity from sin and death, thereby revealing the infinite value God places on each person.
The Gospel is a calling to die to oneself for the life of the world as Jesus did for us. If our faith in the Gospel does not cause us to be careful to “engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs” (Titus 3:15), to correct the systemic wrongs of society, like abortion, then James says our faith is dead.
And so it is that the Apostle Paul told Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Persecution is quickly emerging in America and has hit CompassCare hard.
It is my hope that every pastor, ministry leader, and Christian in America is encouraged to stand firm in their faith amid the rising anti-Christian tide.
Forged from the smoke of the Buffalo firebombing and resulting ongoing persecution, this book is essential preparation for any serious Christian. Rev. Harden notes that he put off writing this story for quite a while. But when Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September, he couldn’t deny the reality that persecution in America wasn’t just happening to CompassCare, targeted churches or a handful of peaceful pro-life protestors. Jesus predicted it. And He told us to be ready for it.
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Anwar & Zoya’s Story: “We Are Keeping This Baby.”
Anwar and Zoya are married. Despite their religious beliefs against it, they were looking for an abortion pill to end their unplanned pregnancy. They were referred to a CompassCare office by a medical clinic that does not provide abortion pills. Read more.
CompassCare 2025 Annual Report
Over 6,100 women served, $4.2 million in free medical services distributed, and 100 million people reached with the truth that all people are made in God’s Image, deserving of blessing and protection. Learn more.