As I mentioned in my previous post, materialism plays a heavy role in Lebanese society. Here, “keeping up with the Joneses” takes on an entirely new dimension. Appearance is important; your reputation is everything. Wedding on the Beirut corniche (cwirtanen/Flickr Commons) Lebanese women are famous for being beautiful. A few years back, when I told a taxi driver in Cairo […]
Keeping up with the Nassers – June 2015
Iraqi Christians' prayer one year after fall of Mosul
Iraqi Christians have requested prayer for their country, as they continue to suffer the consequences of the seizure of Mosul last June. A year ago Daesh (so-called ‘Islamic State’ or ‘I.S.’) captured the Mosul area and gave Christians three choices: convert to Islam; abandon their property and leave the city; or be killed. IS later attacked Christian villages and towns […]
The Briefing – June 2015
While Turkey geared up for elections which could have long-term internal and regional ramifications, the war against ISIS and proxy battles in Yemen dominated elsewhere. Christians in Turkey had reason to celebrate but faced discrimination in Egypt, Israel and Iran. News from the region On 7 June, Turkish citizens will vote in what is seen as one of the most […]
SAT-7 TURK Makes Headlines In Turkish Media
The recent launch of SAT-7 TÜRK, the latest addition to SAT-7’s now five-strong stable of Christian satellite TV stations broadcasting across the Middle East, has achieved wall-to-wall coverage across the Turkish broadcast and print media. The SAT-7 TÜRK website also received well over extra 100,000 visits after a prime-time interview on CNN Türk. CNN Türk was the first to invite […]
SAT-7 TÜRK makes headlines in Turkish media
Melih Ekener (centre) and Broadcasting Manager Gökhan Talas (left) are interviewed by Mirgün Cabas on CNN Türk The recent launch of SAT-7 TÜRK, the latest addition to SAT-7’s now five-strong stable of Christian satellite TV stations broadcasting across the Middle East, has achieved wall-to-wall coverage across the Turkish broadcast and print media. The SAT-7 TÜRK website also received well over […]
Wedding bells in Bethlehem – May 2015
My parents just celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary. Thirty-four years – year after year, more beautiful, more enriching and more satisfying. Whilst we were all sharing their delicious anniversary cake, I sat marvelling at the work of God in their lives. I remember very clearly how they brought me and my brothers up to love God and walk in His […]
Former militia base is now a Christian home for children at risk
A Christian children’s home nestled in the Chouf mountains outside Beirut and close to one of the country’s famous Cedars of Lebanon reserves is today aptly named Beit El Safa – “The House of Serenity”. But it wasn’t always this way. Originally donated to the Beirut Free Evangelical Church for summer youth camps, the site was twice occupied by different […]
Faith in Tunisia
Debbie Brink visited North Africa to hear the faith journeys of women who have come to Christ in Tunisia I had the privilege recently of travelling to Tunisia for five days with some friends of mine. One of them is from Tunisia, but living in another country with her husband. As we drove, I saw miles and miles of olive […]
Seeking Christ in Turkey
Turkish pastor Zekai Tanyar is a former chair of the Evangelical Alliance in his country. In the second half of a two-part interview he describes how churches seek to support new believers in Christ through the pain and disruption this often brings to families. Can you describe the journeys of people in your church to overcome these stigmas in coming […]
Fatma and Ibrahim – family finds refuge in Christ
As you listen to Fatma* tell the story of why she, her husband, Ibrahim* and their three girls became five of Lebanon’s one million Syrian refugees – you start to understand why so many have taken the ultimate step of leaving their home country. The chaos and violence have made life in their home country impossible and they feared especially […]