“Last Thursday, October 1, the killing of eight students and their professor at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon added some names to the small but growing roll of American Christian martyrs, regardless of what some detractors who have been scrounging for evidence that this is not true now say.”

I am well acquainted with modern Christian martyrs. It seems that almost every day new stories emerge from across the globe and into my inbox of Christians dying for their faith in Christ.

“Martyr” is from the Greek μάρτυς (martus) meaning “witness.” A martyr is a witness, a witness to the worthiness of Christ (that one is willing to die for Him), and a witness to how the Lord’s transforming love empowers a Christian to stand firm in the face of death.

Last Thursday, October 1, the killing of eight students and their professor at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon added some names to the small but growing roll of American Christian martyrs, regardless of what some detractors who have been scrounging for evidence that this is not true now say. At the risk of being accused of having a “Christian persecution complex” I am going to reflect upon the martyrdom of one victim, Jason Johnson.

Eyewitnesses reported that the killer targeted Christians for death. Anastasia Boylan, 18, who was herself wounded, told her father how the killer asked the people in the classroom, one by one, “Are you a Christian? ” The killer then told them to stand up. Boylan’s father, Stacy, told CNN, “And they would stand up and he said, ‘Good, because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second.’” Then he shot them.

Another witness had a similar report, and still another confirmed that the shooter was lining people up and asking if they were Christian. If they said yes, then they were shot in the head. If they said no, or didn’t answer, they were shot in the legs.

Actor James Woods posted a quote on his Twitter account last week that stated, “The bravest person in America? The 2nd to admit to being a Christian after the UCC shooter murdered the 1st.” Woods exclaimed, “My God, what extraordinary people these young Christians were. The courage of their conviction is unimaginable.” Also extraordinarily brave, of course, was heroic Army veteran Chris Mintz who charged the killer and was shot seven times.

We don’t yet, and maybe never will on this side of Eternity, know the full story of each of those UCC victims who said they were Christians. But because of the details given about Jason Johnson, I know more about him than I would otherwise know. I know that in addition to now being a martyr, Jason was a trophy. I don’t mean a “trophy” for the sick, evil killer. A trophy of God’s redeeming grace.

“Trophy of Grace” is a title reflecting the awe and wonder of Christ’s redemption of someone in the most desperate of circumstances. In the early days of The Salvation Army, some of the most devastated lost souls in the 19th century East End of London — drunkards, prostitutes, criminals — became known as trophies of God’s grace, dazzling displays of the power of Jesus’ love to redeem lives thought hopelessly lost. Others were drawn to Christ by seeing their transformation.

News accounts say that Jason had struggled with drug addiction in the past (meth, according to some reports). But recently he had completed a six month residential treatment program at The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Portland, Oregon and was finally on the right path.

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