As a pastor from the UK now leading a church in Singapore, I find myself reflecting deeply on the state of Christianity today. Recently, two news stories caught my attention—one that stirred grief, the other that sparked hope.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, ISIS-linked militants butchered 70 Christians in a brutal act of terrorism. The goal? To silence the faith. To strike fear into the hearts of believers and make them think twice about standing for Christ. On the other side of the world, nearly 2,000 university students at Ohio State surrendered their lives to Jesus in a single night. A powerful move of God in a time when many say young people aren’t interested in faith.

This contrast speaks volumes. On one hand, persecution is real. Christians are under attack—physically in some places, and spiritually in others. On the other hand, the Gospel is still changing lives. The question is: how will we respond?

The Real Battle – Spiritual Terrorism

When we hear of persecution, it’s easy to see the physical threat. Churches bombed. Believers killed. Leaders arrested. But what’s even more dangerous is the spiritual attack that follows—the enemy’s attempt to terrorise believers into silence.

Terrorism, by definition, isn’t just about violence. It’s about fear. It’s about making people feel so unsafe that they stop standing for what they believe. That’s exactly what the devil wants for the Church—to make us so afraid of trouble, rejection, or consequences that we keep our faith to ourselves.

This is a different kind of war. The enemy isn’t just trying to take lives; he’s trying to take courage. To stop Christians from preaching boldly. To make us so focused on survival that we forget the Great Commission. And too often, it works.

We start playing it safe. We worry about offending people. We hesitate to share our faith. We convince ourselves that keeping quiet is wisdom when, in reality, it’s fear in disguise.

But here’s the truth: the Gospel was never meant to be safe. It’s radical. It’s powerful. It disrupts lives, cultures, and systems. And when preached boldly, it still transforms hearts.

God Is Moving—If We’re Willing to Move With Him

The Ohio State revival is proof of that. Nearly 2,000 young people didn’t just show up for a religious event—they encountered Jesus. They saw something real, something worth surrendering their lives for. This is happening across universities and campuses in the U.S., the UK and other parts of the world. Young people are hungry for truth, even if society tells us they aren’t.

But what about here in Singapore?

The 2020 census tells us that 20% of Singapore’s population now identifies as having no religion—a number that’s growing, especially among young people. It’s easy to look at this and assume Christianity is declining. That people aren’t interested in God anymore.

But is that really true? Or have we just stopped presenting the Gospel in a way that speaks to them?

Because here’s what I believe: God hasn’t stopped moving—Christians have stopped being bold. Here in Singapore, we have so many students who are learning about the world, how it works and opportunities for further advancement without knowing the creator of that world. More importantly, they are ignorant to the fact that this creator wants a relationship with them.

We live in a time when people are desperate for purpose. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness are at an all-time high, especially among young people. They’re searching for something real. If we don’t offer Jesus, the world will offer them something else.

How to Fight Back Against Spiritual Terrorism

We are not called to shrink back—we are called to stand firm. Here’s how we fight back:

1. Pray in the Spirit – The Bible says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20). When we pray in the Spirit, we strengthen our inner man and receive boldness beyond human ability.
2. Sing and Worship – Worship is warfare. When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they prayed and sang hymns, and God shook the prison doors open (Acts 16:25-26). Singing shifts the atmosphere and silences the enemy (Psalm 8:2).
3. Trust the Holy Spirit for Utterance – The apostles didn’t preach boldly by their own power; they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke as He gave them utterance (Acts 4:31). We must rely on Him to give us the right words at the right time.
4. Immerse Yourself in God’s Word – The Word of God is our sword (Ephesians 6:17). When fear and intimidation come, we fight back with the truth of Scripture.
5. Stay in Fellowship – Isolation weakens, but unity strengthens. Surround yourself with strong believers who will encourage and pray with you.
6. Step Out in Faith – Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward despite it. Speak the Gospel boldly, knowing that the power of God is with you.

The Call to Boldness

The right response to a world where Christianity is both attacked and ignored is to;

Refuse to be afraid.

Preach the Gospel without apology.

Engage the next generation with the truth of Christ.

And we pray like never before.

The days of passive Christianity are over. If we allow fear—whether from persecution or rejection—to silence us, we will miss the greatest opportunity of our generation.

Because make no mistake—this is our moment. The enemy wants us to believe that Christianity is shrinking, that people aren’t interested, that we should just focus on surviving. But God is showing us something different. He is still transforming lives. He is still drawing people to Himself. The question is, will we be part of it?

We cannot afford to sit back. The Gospel still works. It’s time we start acting like it. May the Lord help us!