The following is reprinted from Mission Network News.
(MNN) — While President George W. Bush’s decision to send more troops to Iraq is being met with opposition from Americans, it’s being hailed by Iraqi Christians.
That’s the message from Middle Eastern Christians who were meeting with E3 Partners . E3 Partners’ Tom Doyle says, “These guys are on the ground floor seeing what’s going on — new schools, new hospitals. Our leaders from the Middle East were kind of shocked at how it was being portrayed on the news. They said it looks like the media is trying to portray that you’re losing.”
Many Iraqi and Middle Eastern Christians support the war for very good reasons. “If this had not happened, the war, they would not have 35 new churches in Baghdad, that they know of. There could be many more. That’s just what they can get their hands on and what they’re working with. (There are) tremendous things (happening) in the Kurdish area. They’re calling it a revival.”
Doyle says these church leaders indicate that many Iraqis few American soldiers as heroes. “In most places the American soldiers are perceived as their only protection and they’re honored in many ways. I think our media just focuses on that triangle that has always been bad. It was bad during Saddam’s days.”
In months past Mission Network News has reported that many Christians have left Iraq for safety reasons. Doyle says, “There are a lot of Christians leaving, but nominal Christians never stand up to persecution from Muslims, they just flee, but real believers many times stick around.”
Many Iraqis as a whole have fled Iraq. Doyle says that’s opened doors for evangelism in places like Jordan. “The believers in Jordan, as they have seen many of these Iraqis open to the Gospel, have encouraged them to go back. They have used that as a platform to train them and send them with the Gospel, discipleship and church planting.”
Funding for these new believers is important. Doyle says you can sponsor them, “For just $30 a month. And, the amazing thing is they will train at least 50 people and start a new church.”
Funding is also needed for Bibles, other Christian literature and EvangeCubes. Click here if you’d like to help.
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