At crossroads, we are committed to demonstrating the love of Jesus.
As I read this article from Mission Network News, it made me think about what demonstrating the love of Jesus would be like in a place where Jesus-followers will be persecuted.
Iraq (MNN) While many Christians are fleeing persecution in Iraq, some have chosen to say. Karen Hawkins of Bible Pathway Ministries says one church of several hundred people is even reaching out to others in the community.
“They are going into the community, and they are being received well by some of the Muslim leadership,” she said. “Because they are demonstrating the love of Christ, they are sharing what they have with those who are less fortunate…even though there may be persecution to follow…they are demonstrating the love of Christ to people who are not being reached, people who are considered unloved and unlovely.”
Just a couple of weeks ago, the church took in a pastor from Mosul who was shot. Since it was too dangerous for the pastor to stay in Mosul, he came to stay with the other congregation.
“He was accosted by a couple of gunmen, and he was shot three times, one bullet very close to his heart,” Hawkins said. “The doctor said it was a miracle he was alive, but he’s not leaving.”
Bible Pathway has been in contact with the church, which runs a school and other programs, for about six years. The Christian enclave in the area is among the oldest in the world, but now many people are fleeing the country because of persecution. Others, however, are going on with life as usual.
“They’re going on with their Christmas programs: they’re giving gifts, they’ll have their candlelight services, they’ll be praising the Lord just as we will here in the States, only there may be gunfire and rockets going off,” Hawkins said.
The pastor of the church is not planning to leave anytime soon, Hawkins said.
“He has told me numerous times, we are not going to leave. This is where God has us. He has us here for this time. We are His hands and feet, and we do not intend to leave.”
Although many Christians may not be able to imagine what life is like under persecution, Hawkins says Iraqi Christians need their prayers.
“We really need to be praying for our brothers and sisters over there, because they are on the front lines, and it’s their homeland,” she said. “They want the people to know about Jesus – Isa, in Arabic – how much He loves them, and they’re going to stay.”