A global church in Abu Dhabi
September 2013In little more than 50 years, Abu Dhabi – capital of the United Arab Emirates – has become a glittering, cosmopolitan metropolis of commerce, government and culture. Tens of thousands of expatriate Christians from all over the globe have also come to live, work and worship here, as Canon Andrew Thompson explains. St Andrew’s Anglican Church began because of the discovery […]
Understanding the so-called 'coup' in Egypt
August 2013SAT-7 CEO explains why Egyptians see events differently Recent political events in Egypt, especially security force conflicts with the Muslim Brotherhood, have highlighted both deep divisions within Egypt and between how the situation has been viewed in Egypt and abroad. All people with a concern for human life have been deeply distressed by the violence and numbers of deaths in […]
Political debate: the challenge for Middle East Christians
July 2013In a month when a forest fire of protest swept around the globe, the frailty of healthy political debate – especially in the Middle East’s emerging democracies – was plain to see. Christians who long avoided political engagement are finding their voice too. But what should distinguish it? Our contributor offers some answers. June 2013 has been a month of […]
Nurturing the roots of the Iranian church
June 2013The growth and resilience of an indigenous Iranian church has been one of the most remarkable signs of God at work in the Middle East in recent decades. An online seminary and a partnership with SAT-7 are playing an essential part in discipling these emerging churches. Wazala spoke to one of the pioneers of this programme. Despite increasing restrictions upon […]
Christian witness in a new Middle East
April 2013Every generation has to stop and ask basic questions all over again if it wants to remain faithful to the Gospel. What does it mean to believe in and follow Christ in this century? What does the Cross mean for this generation? The answers we give to these questions shape not only how we live as individual Christians but also […]
Does persecution truly bring Church growth?
December 2012“The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church,” wrote the second-century Church Father, Tertullian. From that time onward, the idea has persisted that churches – and individual Christians – grow most when the pressure is highest. But do they? Our writer says there is another side to this story and telling only one side risks harming those who […]
Algeria update: broadcasts build growing Church
November 2012In August Wazala reported on the remarkable increase of the Algerian church – thought to be the fastest growing church in the Arab world. Since then, there has been great progress in the TV broadcasts which Pastor Youssef, of the House of Hope Fellowship, mentioned. This week we heard that some 31 of the 52 church services in Arabic and […]
Life as a new Christian in the Middle East
October 2012Although there is a growing indigenous Church in the Middle East and North Africa, many of the region’s new Christians fail to continue in their faith. Experiences of isolation, opposition and feelings of alienation each play their part. Understanding and mitigating against these factors is vital to supporting and establishing these new believers as lifelong disciples. The emergence of an […]