Pastor killed by crocodile while baptizing

Kate Spade, famous for her handbag line and other fashion designs, was found dead in her New York City apartment yesterday from an apparent suicide. She suffered from depression, according to her sister. She is survived by her husband, Andy, who is the brother of comedian David Spade, and their daughter, Frances.

In other news, a man who killed himself when confronted by police on Monday has now been linked to six victims. Among them was renowned psychiatrist Dr. Steven Pitt, who became famous for his role in investigating the death of JonBenet Ramsey in 1996.

Meanwhile, a pastor who made no headlines by his life has made global news by his death.

Last Sunday, Pastor Docho Eshete was baptizing at Lake Abaya in southern Ethiopia. He had baptized the first person when, according to a local resident, “a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor.”

Despite efforts from the congregation, fishermen, and residents, Pastor Eshete died from injuries to his back, legs, and hands. The crocodile escaped as the group used fishing nets to keep it from taking the pastor’s lifeless body.

Celebrity is obviously less powerful than mortality, as the deaths of Kate Spade and Dr. Pitt illustrate. But we might think that faithful obedience to the call of Christ should insulate us in some ways from this fallen world.

It is hard to imagine anything more sacred than baptizing people into the body of Christ. It is also hard to imagine anything more horrific than being killed by a crocodile.

“I have overcome the world”

Over 900,000 Christians were martyred for their faith over the last decade. If 151,600 people die every day, and 31 percent of the world is Christian, this equates to 46,996 Christian deaths each day.

And the number of believers who face significant suffering but do not die is likely much higher. For instance, Pastor Robert Morris returned to the pulpit of his Texas megachurch last weekend, almost two months after he nearly died from…