By Pieter Vermeulen, ICC Board Member, as part of a series, “Persecuted but not Forsaken.” If Paul teaches us that suffering is often the mark of authentic gospel ministry, Peter teaches us something equally important: how believers are called to endure suffering faithfully. He wrote his first letter to Christians scattered across the Roman provinces of Asia Minor. These believers were not yet facing the large-scale empire-wide persecutions that would come later. Still, they were already experiencing hostility, slander, social rejection, and growing pressure because of their allegiance to Christ. They were discovering what every generation of believers eventually learns.