I have to do a 600-750 word report on the Roman persecution of Christians. OK I have that part covered. But I also have to tell why the religions seem to grow in times of trials and controversy. I can't seem to figure it out. Why does the Christianity (forgive my lack of vocabulary) "movement" grow in times of trial and persecution? What about the threat of death and persecution that makes the Body of Christ grow? Also, what conditions ( for anyone who knows about the Roman persecution of Christians) in the Roman Empire caused the Body of Christ to grow, while the Empire declined? Any help/ feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Rom 5 3-4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

The more a Christians faith is tried the more heavily they must rely on God for strength and in turn the more God strengthens them the stronger their faith grows and so the more the preach the gospel and the more ppl turn to God and thus the cycle continues.

the declining of the empire might have something to do with them persecuting Christians. I don't think God takes his children being killed too lightly. Vengeance is mine I shall repay says the Lord. The destruction of the Romans could have been part of that.
Anyway look at the state of the countries that have came up against Israel. the Nazi's the Soviet Union. All are decimated. God's keeping His promise to them

Yeah, I kinda figured God doesn't like people killing his children. But I know God raised up the Roman empire , to set the surroundings and culture for the birth of Christ.

Actually part of Pauls epistle to the Ephesians I think uses Roman Law.

In the first chapter he talks of us being adopted as children before the foundations of the world right?

roman Law says when a child is adopted into a famly their past is removed. It never happened. that child always has and always will be a part of his new family from the day he was born he is part of them.

Paul uses that to explain God's adoption of us. Same as roman Law when we are adopted by God its as if we were ALWAYS his child.

I agree. God did raise up the roman empire for the church. The calling of the empire was to be a launchpad for the church. But again satan destroyed it by his influence and made them miss their calling.

The empire should've been a transport and a way of spreading the Gospel in those times. See they had the most advanced travelling ways than any other empire. Do you know the saying: "All roads lead to Rome," well it was mostly true of that known world.

But then their calling got distorted, and they began persecuting the Xians. But God still used them to spread the Gospel, but they allowed satan to destroy their society while they did it. That's how I see it.

Thinking on it a little bit, I think God used the persecution to make the Christians scatter, so they would spread the Gospel. Kinda like a New Testament mirror of the tower of babel.

Wow, good question, you got me thinking...I think you could be right about it being like a modern tower of babel thing, that's a good insight. I have often pondered this question about why God's family grows so much more where God's people are being persecuted...the only thing I can think of is like what skynes said about persecution making a christian rely on God more. You can't be a lukewarm on-the-fence Christian in times of persecution - you have to decide if what you believe is worth suffering, even dying for, and when you do, man, you're faith becomes so much more urgent and powerful and necessary and alive...and when you have a faith like that, people notice and you talk more and share more and it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Kinda cool how that works, I think. Anyway, good luck on your paper!

Some verses:

NIV:Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

NIV:Galatians 3:4
Have you suffered so much for nothing–if it really was for nothing?