One of the most fascinating results of the liberation of Iraq is the newfound potential for religious freedom in the Middle East; many Christian missionaries are already there, or on their way.
Some people seem to dislike the idea of witnessing to Muslims, but if you affirm free speech and free religion then there's really no basis for objection.
I was reminded of this topic because Mike at Fly Over Country left on a missionary trip to Beirut today, and I imagine that's a dangerous place to share Jesus Christ. Keep him, and the hundreds of other missionaries in the region in your prayers.
Matthew 9:36-38When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
I would guess a great deal of the discomfort has to do with the fact that until recently Lebanon was a majority christian land and that missionaries (largely from protestant denominations) go there not to aid local christians who have suffered terrible pressures for centuries but rather treat the entire area as consisting of a bunch of heathens waiting to be saved.
A little appreciation and support for the people on the front lines of eastern christianity who are local experts and have to live with the consequences of ham handed johnny come lately missionaries who not only can stir up outrage towards themselves but towards the local christians.
It's not just the mid-east either.
TML: That's an interesting point, and something I'd never considered and don't know anything about. I'm sure it's important, but I don't know how much it has affect the perception of missionaries by those here in the States. If I didn't know about the issue, I have a feeling that most people here don't.
Actually, Iraq already has a large Christian population. And Syria was a fully Christian nation until it was taken over by Muslims. And now Syria's chief exports are terrorism and clay pots. Ah, progress.
Iraq was run as a secular country which really irked places like Iran (in addition to that whole war thing).
I'd be more concerned with radical Islam flourishing in Iraq than Christian missionaries spreading the word.
I hope that the whole Middle east will come back to the glory that they once had as in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This can only work if Christians will take up the challenge and give up the pleasures of their peaceful countries and take out the middle east for Jesus.
Give me the Middle east o lord or give me death!!!
Iraqis, like all Muslims, need to hear the liberating Gospel of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
There is no reason to wait any longer—people are perishing without a Savior. God will certainly hold us responsible if we do not share the Good News with the Iraqis and Muslims in general.
Please remember Somalia, too, people are dying there without ever hearing the Lord Jesus Christ—what a shame! We must GO and evangelize the lost.
O Lord, give us a passion for the unchurched!
Brother Warsameh
Somali Evangelist
During Ramadan these Muslims are staying up all night to seek divine revelation from a false god.. can i encourage you to stay up all night and seek our one true God?
Tonight, Some students at my university have decided to stand in the gap tonight. may i encourage you to also organize an all night prayer in your area
Seeing other comments on this website it hurts me. Being a muslim and hearing that I am praying to a false god?? Preposterous!!! In fact The quran proves that islam is the right religion andm it shows how the bible is wrong. There are no faults in the one Quran and yet there are 15 versions of the bible ??? We believe that jesus lived but he is not God how could a god be born and how could a god die? Also the bible shows the weakness of the cristian "god" and on the seventh day the lord rested??? Why would god rest it just shows how a supreme being has human qualities??? It implies that the Christian "god" has fallacies and is susceptible but on the other hand we see that Allah is almighty he is the supreme being and has no fallacies. In fact I challenge any Cristian to find any fallacy with Allah, the Quran and Islam as a whole.
Thank You
M. Pjetrovic
Muslim