The Martyr’s Oath

Could You Sign This?

Saturday I went to the Fight Club X Conference put on by the Acts 29 Network. The opening speaker was Dr. Samuel Thomas, President of Hopegivers International, an organization that rescues orphans and at-risk children in India and provides food, shelter, education and training to share the Gospel throughout the country. Dr. Thomas shared how when a new missionary is trained, before sending them out into the field to share the Gospel, the missionary must sign a Martyrs Oath.

In America we are very familiar with signing “Membership Covenants” and the like within the church. We often make shallow commitments and then when that which we committed to interferes with our schedules or our comfort we face new struggles of how to back out of that which we have committed to. When I hear the stories shared by Dr. Thomas, it makes me realize that we rarely have to live out Scripture to its fullest, therefore we put our own idea or context to it’s meaning (usually tainted by American ideals).

Check out the Martyr’s Oath below, you can download your own PDF copy as well:

• I stand with the Apostle Paul in stating that “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
• I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my hands to serve all mankind.
• I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my feet to spread the gospel to all the ends of the earth no matter what the cost.
• I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my lips by proclaiming the Good News to all who hear and by edifying the body of Christ.
• I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my mind as I meditate upon His Word and His promises to me.
• I give my earthly treasures and all that I possess to follow the way of the cross. ➵ I commit to love my family, orphans, widows, lepers, the wealthy and the poor the way that Christ loved the Church.
• I surrender my will and life to His will and life.
• I commit to the service of the Lord by being a good steward of my time.
• I surrender this body on earth to the perfect will of Jesus and should my blood be spilled may it bring forth a mighty harvest of souls.
• I pledge allegiance to the Lamb. I will seek to honor His command. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.
• Lord Jesus, Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ➵ I love my nation and my fellow citizens and I claim my nation for Christ.

I have read this pledge and understood it completely. Being of sound mind and body, I do solemnly declare this martyr’s pledge without any persuasion of enticement.

I, _____________________, from ______________________ (Place of Birth)  do hereby make the following covenant on this __________ day of _________ in the year ___________.

So, could you sign it? Would you mean it?

We probably wouldn’t know unless we actually lived in a place like India, where our lives were truly threatened.

P.S. Dr. Samuel Thomas has had 19 Assassination attempts on his life (perspective)!