Beacon of Light celebration recognises bereaved women as “living beacons” Two Egyptian mothers whose adult and teenage children’s lives were stolen by terrorists were special guests at Beacon of Light – a gala event to mark 20 years of SAT-7, the largest television network in the Middle East that is dedicated to giving a voice to the region’s Christians. In […]
SAT-7 anniversary event honours mothers of martyred Christians
Breaking free of the straitjacket
A system designed partly to protect the region’s Christians has become a straitjacket inviting persecution and preventing greater equality and participation in Middle East societies. Since the time of the Ottoman Empire (1300-1922), the relationship of Christians in the Middle East with the politics and society of their countries has followed a similar trajectory. The Ottoman “millet system” was a […]
Middle East’s largest Christian TV network celebrates 20 years on air
31 May 2016 From broadcasting two hours to 840 hours each and every week; from one channel to five; from one to three languages; all achieved in just 20 years. The debut Arabic programme on SAT-7’s first channel aired on 31 May 1996 to millions of people across the Middle East and North Africa. SAT-7 celebrated this milestone yesterday with […]
“Please, please, please help and guide me”
Iranian viewer cries out for support Christians are a very small minority in the Middle East and North Africa, and in many of the countries where SAT-7 broadcasts, they face severe persecution. Every day, isolated believers cry out to SAT-7 for support, prayer and fellowship. Arvin* from Iran gave his heart to Christ 18 months ago. He shared with us […]
The challenge of answering the cry — every day
“It’s a daily work, an unfinished work” SAT-7’s viewer support teams have the very important job of answering calls, emails and social media messages from our audience. “It’s a daily work, an unfinished work,” says Enaam Haddad, SAT-7’s audience relations manager in Lebanon. “It’s a 24 hours a day, seven days a week work. People will always have demands and […]
Fleeing terrorists, finding Jesus – The Children’s cry for peace
From fear of Daesh to faith in Christ: Iraqi boy shares testimony I used to be scared of Daesh [Islamic State] but Jesus filled my heart and filled it with joy and peace.” The Cry for Peace, the children’s cry Nouh, a young boy from Iraq, shared on a SAT-7 children’s show how he came to faith in Christ after […]
SAT-7’s viewer responses treble in just five years
Feedback “Evidence of a growing spiritual hunger” across the Middle East, says Christian broadcaster as it marks its 20th anniversary Viewer responses to SAT-7’s Christian broadcasts across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have risen threefold in just five years, from an average of 270 a day in 2010 to well over 800 a day in 2015. Not only […]
The pastor to Germany’s Arab migrants
At German railway stations last autumn, cheering crowds welcomed trainloads of refugees after its government opened the doors to hundreds of thousands of migrants who had become stranded in Eastern Europe. The public mood may have shifted since then, but one German pastor who won’t be withdrawing his support is Revd Hanna Yeshou. Yeshou, who was the subject of a […]
SAT-7 brings joy to “worthless” young woman
Birthday celebration brings tears of joy for SAT-7 viewer A young Tunisian woman, whose hard-line religious family has never marked her birthday, cried with joy when her 21st was celebrated live on a popular SAT-7 programme. “I cried for a long time,” she said, “because I finally found someone who appreciates me as a human being.” Samah* said she was […]
The Briefing – May 2016
While always turbulent, the Middle East this month experienced a series of curious and, in some cases, appalling incidents. News from the region In Syria, in a strike, apparently by Syrian or Russian jets, on a camp for internally displaced Syrians killed over 30 civilians and prompted international condemnation. IS rockets also destroyed much of a 7,000-capacity refugee camp on […]