So, I just came across this video from Open Doors. It’s a year old, but a powerful message nonetheless.

via Stories of Christian Persecution | Fatima of Saudi Arabia – YouTube.

The story revolves are Fatima, a martyred Christian woman in Saudi Arabia, who said she was a ‘unto death a Christian.’ That leads into exploring the idea of risky Christianity and the observation that Christianity is always risky. I wholly support that idea and the conclusion. But, that got me thinking.

What does it look like to be a ‘unto death a Christian’? Is it even possible, when American Christianity is built upon making people comfortable, to be ‘unto death a Christian’? Is Christianity really risky in America?

Let me tell you the story of Daria.

NOTE: Daria is a composite of many different men and women I’ve known.

Daria was raised by a devout, evangelical Christian family. She professed faith and was baptized very young. She spent most of her upbringing at the same church. She went on missions trips with that church, she attended Sunday School and Youth Group and volunteered with AWANA. One day she disappeared. She simply stopped coming. Never said anything to anyone about why. Eventually her reasons came out. The music was not what she liked.

The music was not what she liked. That’s it. She left the church she grew up in, the church that poured into her as a child, adolescent, teen, and young adult, because the contemporary worship service was not contemporary enough for her. Now, I mention Daria not because she is unique but because, in 14 years of full time ministry she is more the rule than the exception. When I hear about Christians like Fatima I wonder, what would they think of a Christianity that is so shallow we make and break fellowship based upon such silly things like music style? Can we really be ‘risky Christians’ or ‘Christians unto death’ when we judge our Christian experience on shallow, fleeting discomforts?