Tackling drug addiction Population: 82.8 million; 99.4% Muslim; 0.3% Zoroastrian, Christian, Jewish; 0.3% other Literacy: 91.2% men; 82.5% women Iran has the highest rate of drug addiction in the world, with at least 2 million Iranians in a population of 75 million addicted to illegal substances. Young men are at the centre of this phenomenon – with high unemployment, gender […]
Church growth – past and present Population: 40.3 million; 99% Muslim; <1% Christian Literacy: 87% men; 73% women What is now Algeria was once home to Saint Augustine (AD 354-430), one of the Church’s foremost theologians. Christianity flourished here between the fifth and seventh centuries but gradually disappeared after the Arab invasions. Although new churches were started under French rule, […]
There is more than one way of being on the front line of ministry in SAT-7. While scores of the TV network’s presenters have become trusted and familiar friends through their regular appearance on screen, there is a front line that is less visible but equally important. It involves sitting beside a phone and a computer monitor. Members of SAT-7 […]
The next generation of leaders A vital part of SAT-7’s work in the Middle East and North Africa is to support the growing church by directly engaging with viewers. This includes the youngest audience watching SAT’s dedicated children’s channel, SAT-7 KIDS. Deputy CEO of SAT-7 and presenter of Bedtime Stories, Rita Elmounayer, has a passion to reach out to the […]
When over a hundred Christian families hastily fled killings and death threats in North Sinai, SAT-7 producer Andrew Gamal decided to devote the week’s live worship show to pray for them. The special edition of Keep on Singing (28 February) came after four days in which hundreds of Christians abandoned the town of El-Arish following a killing spree by so-called […]
As western flower sellers, restaurants and chocolatiers prepare for a Valentine’s Day bonanza, how do couples in the Middle East mark the day – or do they? In Saudi Arabia, it is the religious police who swoop on chocolatiers and flower sellers, zealous to enforce a ban on the celebration as a western import that incites immorality. In Iran, the […]
Once besieged by the Syrian army, a Lebanon town has become a place of welcome for Syrians fleeing terror thanks to God’s work in the lives of Lebanese Christians. SAT-7’s Dave Mann visited Zahlé, where he met with Syrian refugees and those ministering to them…. It should be easy to write a tourist brochure for Zahlé. The city lies high […]
The Church of England’s only Syrian-born clergyman, Dr Nadim Nassar, is also Director of the London-based Awareness Foundation, a charity that provides peace-making education in Syria and Iraq and builds understanding between faiths in the UK. SAT-7 UK’s Press and Communications Officer, Lindsay Shaw, spoke to him just after he returned from Beirut where, among other things, he had filmed […]
Up to 50,000 Iraqi Christians are expected to come together to pray and commit their nation to God at a major gathering in Erbil on Friday (18 November). SAT-7 will invite viewers across the Arab world to join with their Iraqi brothers and sisters in prayer by broadcasting the Life Agape ChristDay event live throughout the region. The six-hour prayer […]
A Beirut church that has learnt to love its refugee neighbours is now testifying to that love to audiences across the Arab world through SAT-7. Broadcasts of live Sunday services from Resurrection Church, Beirut (RCBeirut) began last month. The church is situated close to parts of the city that have become home to many Syrians and Iraqis fleeing conflict. Recognising […]