Dr Terence Ascott, the Founder and President of Middle East and North Africa media ministry, SAT-7, will share the story behind his book Dare to Believe! at a series of UK events beginning in Manchester on 3 June. He stressed that it is a story about God’s faithfulness, the courageous witness of Middle East Christians and an “explosion of interest in Christianity” in parts of the region.
After arriving in the Middle East, initially to start a literature ministry from Beirut in 1973, Ascott was instrumental in the launch of SAT-7 ARABIC, the region’s first locally-based Arabic Christian TV channel. Persian and Turkish channels followed as well as a dedicated Arabic language children’s channel – all serving the needs and giving a media voice to the Middle East Church.
Dr Ascott said: “I am really looking forward to getting out and sharing about the book, and I hope that people will be inspired as they hear more about God’s faithfulness in the growth of SAT-7.
“But as much as Dare to Believe! is about the story of SAT-7, it is also about the Church in the Middle East and the explosion of interest in Christianity in places like Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I will be sharing more about how my own faith has been strengthened as I’ve trusted God to provide for SAT-7 and also in seeing Him work so mightily in the lives of many people in this complex region.”
“During my nearly 50 years in the Middle East, I’ve witnessed massive change, starting with the Iranian Revolution and going on to the rise of the so-called Islamic State,” said Ascott, who was forced to evacuate his family from Lebanon when civil war erupted in the mid-1970s.
“I’ve seen disinterest in the Gospel to outright hostility toward it, and also the passionate embracing of Christianity and the daring courage of Middle Eastern believers.”
The first Dare to Believe! date this summer is Holy Trinity Platt, Platt Lane, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 5NF on Saturday 3 June, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm, followed by Saturday 7 October at Oxford Community Church, The King’s Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0ES, 9.30-2.00 pm (including light lunch), and Saturday 14 October at St James Church, Mount Pleasant Rd, Exeter EX4 7AH, 2pm – 5pm (including refreshments).
All events are free. Tickets for Dare to Believe Manchester and Oxford are available now at sat7uk.org/daretobelieve