Israel, Iran, Syria, and Jimmy Carter

Hi Everyone,

 

        I just returned from Israel and it was a fantastic trip! What a blessing to be there and to travel from the Golan Heights in the north all the way to the Negev desert in the south. The Sea of Galilee is better than you can imagine, and there is no city in the world that compares to Jerusalem. We also met with believers and heard their stories of what God is doing in their lives in the midst of persecution. We had a wonderful team that went with us and they fell in love with both the Palestinians and Messianic Believers as we worshipped with both of them while in Israel.  

        Currently, there are so many major events happening in the region. The Middle East is unpredictable and always in the news. Islamic Terrorists have brought hatred and instability to the region and it is growing. Yet God is moving in powerful ways there. Muslims are receiving Jesus as their Savior in record numbers today. In the midst of the darkness over the Middle East, the light of the gospel is shining brightly. Here are some of the current top stories and how they relate to the church in the Middle East:

 

Iran Erupts!  All this week in Tehran the streets have been packed with hundreds of thousands of Iranians protesting the reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President of Iran. Iranians are claiming that the election was stolen from the popular candidate Hossein Mousavi and that in some Iranian cities “the official vote” for Ahmadinejad was higher than the actual population of the individual city itself!  Protests are extremely rare in Iran as the people fear the Ayatollah Khamenei’s Revolutionary Guard and it’s brutal crackdowns. Massive crowds are gathered at Tehran University and in Revolution Square which commemorates the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Young people are energized and boldly protesting with signs that say “Death to the Dictator!” and “Death to Dictatorship!” A suicide bomber just blew himself up killing a handful of people near the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini the architect of the Iranian Revolution and it’s first Supreme leader.

        I believe that the protests that have now become riots are not just connected to the election but also in large part to the 30 year Sharia Law rule of  this cruel and corrupt regime. The people of Iran live in paranoid fear of the long arm of the evil government.

 

Fast Facts About Iran:

-The majority of the people of Iran (about 70%) now claim that they are atheists after 3 decades of hard line Islam.

-Iran is one of the most drug addicted countries in the world.

-68-70% of Iran is younger than 30. This is a youth oriented country.

-Young people in their 20’s speak openly about committing suicide if they cannot immigrate to another country.

-In 1979 there were about 500 Christians in Iran. The Ayatollah vowed to crush the church as he said “there is no room for two religions in Iran.”

-But Jesus promised in Matthew 16 “I will build MY church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” No government or leader can stand in Jesus’ way.

        They are no match for HIS incredible love for the people of the world and his power. Today the church in Iran numbers between 1-2 million! 

                 

Israel is Ready for Conflict with Iran  While in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government prepared the people for an Iranian war with a 5 day emergency practice test run. With no expected help from the Obama administration, Israel is ready and willing to defend itself alone and without American backing. But as believers we know that “indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:4

One week ago today I had the privilege of preaching at a Messianic congregation in Tel-Aviv. The worship was passionate and just before I spoke I received a text message from a new believer and former Muslim in Iran named Amir. He was upset because of the results of the election. I told him that I was in Israel and ready to preach at a Jewish Messianic congregation and then Amir sent a message for me to read to them. He said: ” Brothers and sisters in Israel, we love you in Iran. Regardless of what our evil government says, we have a great connection to you since we have lived together in Persia since the Babylonian captivity. We are practically cousins. Many people in Iran are coming to Jesus as Savior and we pray for you in Israel and we pray also that one day we will be free to travel to Israel to worship Jesus Christ together in Jerusalem!”  After I read the text from Amir there was a few seconds of shocked silence (most Israelis imagine that every Iranian wants to ‘wipe the Jews off the map’ like Ahmadinejad does) and then the place erupted in applause!!!  I will never forget that moment as the Love of Jesus broke through the negative news, the threats from Iran, and the coming conflict and united the hearts of the believers in Israel with the believers in Iran. Amir would have been smiling if he could have been there. Our American team was laughing and crying ourselves.

 

Syria- Iran’s Partner in the Pursuit of Israel’s Destruction The relationship between the two terrorist governments of Iran and Syria is tight. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah is from Lebanon and resides in Syria. He studied Islam in Iran’s radical seminaries in Qom and Najaf. He is bent on the all-out destruction of Israel. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Muslims and Alawites are coming to faith in Christ in Syria rapidly! Our e3 Partners leadership team there is 30-40 people now. They are godly and gifted leaders and bringing Christ to the people of Syria. Please pray for them when you see anything on the news about Syria. They are leading the a spiritual revolution right in the heart of fanatical Islam.   

 

 Jimmy Carter Targeted for Assassination By Hamas  Last Monday we were in Jerusalem having dinner at the American Colony hotel and in walked former President Jimmy Carter. Known for being completely out of touch with the situation in Israel, he has consistently reached out to Palestinian terrorists. But for the first time in 3 decades of travel to Israel, Carter went on the other side of the fence and visited a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. He now says that the residents of Gush Etzion in the West Bank should be allowed to remain there. This is quite a turnaround for him. Which shockingly means that Jimmy Carter has a slightly more conservative view of Israel than does current US President Barack Obama who is demanding Israel to dismantle all Jewish settlements.

        Carter holds to a “moral equivalence” view which equates Israeli Defense Force soldiers who are called on to protect their country, with Palestinian terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. He is now asking President Obama to take Hamas off of the US terrorist list. If I were him I think I would be seriously rethinking my rose colored view of Hamas…since they tried to kill him while entering Gaza last week. Roadside bombs were found on the route that Carter was traveling on into Gaza City. Just another example of how Jihadist groups like Hamas really don’t care if you are conservative like George Bush or liberal like Jimmy Carter….. they want to kill all of us. In the end there is no solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict politically. The problems are spiritual in nature and they require spiritual solutions. Praise the Lord that former Palestinian terrorists and Israeli seculars are coming together in the freedom and forgiveness that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

        The good news is that our e3 leaders in Israel are committed to intentionally launching new churches that are half Jewish and half Palestinian. This is extremely confidential due to what would happen to Palestinian believers if they were caught with Jewish believers. But they believe that this will be a great lesson to the people of Israel both Jew and Arab that the only solution to the conflict is forgiveness in Jesus Christ. This is erasing the hatred that has been rooted in the Holy Land for 4000 years of which began with Isaac and Ishmael. We are thrilled to be a part of this historic movement. And you are a part of this historic movement! Thank you for your prayers for the Doyle family, your love and your generous gifts to our work through e3 Partners. We could not be involved in 10 countries in the Middle East without your help. We are so blessed to serve with you in this important region of the world. Please pray for our support as we are in the midst of working on that now.

            

We love you! We are honored and blessed to serve Christ in the Middle East and Central Asia. We are honored to represent you there too! God Bless you in the midst of these important days that we live in,

                Tom and JoAnn Doyle- e3 Partners     www.goodnewsfromthemiddleast.com  

 

Joel Rosenberg Interviews Tom Doyle

Joel Rosenberg Interviews Tom Doyle

On The Iranian Threat to Israel

 

 

 

Joel- Tom, do you see a war between Iran and Israel coming? How soon? What are you seeing and hearing?  

Tom- I think it is unavoidable at this point. Israel cannot afford to sit back and do nothing as Iran’s nuclear program continues to move forward rapidly and as President Ahmadinejad boasts that Iran will “wipe Israel off the map.” My guess is that Israel will take out some of the nuclear sites within the year.  An Israeli advisor to the Prime Minister told me that Israel does not have to hit all 39 nuclear sites but rather just 6 of the 39 to stop the program from being a threat to Israel and the rest of the world for about 6 years. 

Joel- When was the last time you were in Iran? What’s your take on President Ahmadinejad?  

Tom -I was in Iran last fall and the mood among the Iranians is gloomy to say the least! The people are fully aware that the Ayatollah and his spokesman President Ahmadinejad have isolated Iran from the West and a conflict with Israel is certain. Joel, I talked to Muslims and born again believers in Iran and they have one thing in common; they both despise President Ahmadinejad!  One Muslim man that I met who had served in the military with him said that “everyone in Iran knows that Ahmadinejad is crazy.” His reasoning was that since he spent so many years up on the frontlines in the Iraq-Iran war from 1980-1988 that he merely went insane. This moderate Muslim man was himself repulsed by the tactics used by the Iranians on the frontlines… he saw beheadings and mass electrocution. It seems the Iranian soldiers would lay electric cables in the river that the Iraqi soldiers were approaching and then wait until the majority of the troops were wading in it and then electrocute them. This man that I met in Tehran said “Ahmadinejad enjoyed this kind of brutality. He saw so much of it on a daily basis that I think he cracked up.” 

Joel- Are the Iranian people supporting Ahmadinejad and the Ayatollah Khameini? 

Tom- Not at all! The people believe that the Islamic Revolution has destroyed their country. The people live in constant fear daily because of the government’s fanatical obsession with upholding Sharia Law that was imposed on them in 1979. Iranians also believe that the government cannot be trusted and that corruption is rampant. In the last “election” in Iran I am told by insiders that only about 10% of the entire country voted. Another tell-tale sign is that an estimated 70% of Iranians claim to be atheists now. The majority of the people want nothing to do with Islam and their leaders.

 

 

Joel- What’s happening spiritually in Iran — and why?

Tom- In 1979 when the Islamic Revolution began there were probably about 500 believers in Iran. The country was going to become “an Islamic model” for other Muslim nations to follow. But those plans failed miserably. Because today we know that there are 1-2 million believers in Iran! The Church in Iran took off once the Islamic Revolution took place. Joel, the people of Iran are so open to Jesus! We had many people walk up and ask us to tell them about Jesus. The believers meet in secrecy, they share Bibles written in Farsi, and they worship passionately. In Iran if you are a believer your life is obviously at risk. Some key leaders have been martyred for their faith. 

Joel- I love your new book, Two Nations under God. It’s powerful and provocative. How would you summarize the central point you’re making? 

Thank you Joel! I believe that America has been blessed for supporting and loving Israel now for over the last 60 years. America has been Israel’s best friend and has stood with Israel as they have defended their tiny nation during 6 major wars. We have blessed them and in turn God has blessed us. The promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 to ”bless those who bless you” has been realized in the United States of America. Also while ministering in Israel we have found that the Palestinians are very open to the Gospel and as believers we are called to love them too. God’s love is for all people and unfortunately most people in America when they hear the word “Palestinian” think of terrorism. While terrorism is most certainly destroying the Palestinian culture, on the other hand there is a vibrant Palestinian Church in Israel and in other countries where Palestinians live like in Jordan and in Lebanon. The Palestinians are some of the warmest and most loving believers we have ever worked with. We love them! They are amazing in how they follow Christ in the midst of such danger. 

     We know that Jesus is the only answer to the Israel Palestinian conflict. Peace treaties will come and go and so will the leaders who write them. But those peace treaties will never be able to deal with the hatred that the two groups have for each other. Only Jesus can give you a new heart. And he is doing that as Jews and Palestinians are coming to Christ and finding true reconciliation. Joel, seeing Jewish believers and Palestinian believers worship together is one of the most exciting experiences I have ever been a part of. It makes your hair stand up! 

Joel- You’re not Jewish, right? How did you develop such a love of the Jewish people?  

Tom- No I’m not Jewish. Actually I’m Irish…Thomas James Patrick Doyle! But I love the Jewish people and that love for them began when I went to Israel for the first time in 1995. My life was changed dramatically touring Israel. I realized that the Bible was so clear about God’s love for the Jewish people and also that we were called to have the same heart and love for them too. I never stopped going to Israel.  I eventually became a licensed Tour Guide for Israel. God is moving in Israel today and Jews are coming to faith in Christ.   

Joel- How do you explain the deep and widespread love evangelical Christians have for the Jewish people and the nation of Israel? 

Tom- I think that because about 80% of our Bible is about Israel that it comes natural for us to love them. And it should! Our faith has roots dug deeply into Israel’s soil. Our Lord walked there. The prophets preached there. Jesus started His Church there. The Apostles took the Great Commission to the world from there. And of course the Scriptures were given by God to His choice leaders there. The Jewish people today of course are diverse in beliefs but their persistence and resiliency amazes me. My wife and I have a deep love for the Jewish people. It seems to me Joel that more believers are discovering Israel today and the love for Jewish people is growing in the church. I believe God is pleased. 

    The nation itself is a miracle to That Israel survives is a miracle in that it is positioned in the midst of the Islamic Middle East. But the Jews of Israel not only survive… they thrive and in Two Nations under God, I list just a few of Israel’s accomplishments. Here is just a partial list: 

 

• The cell phone was developed in Israel by Israelis working for Motorola. 
• Voice mail technology was developed in Israel by Israelis working for Microsoft and Cisco.
• Instant Messenger for America Online was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis.
• Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies outside the United States and Canada.
• Israel has the highest number of scientists and technicians per capita in the workforce.  One hundred forty five out of every ten thousand Israelis are employed in these technical professions.
• Israel is the only country to enter the twenty-first century with a net gain of trees.
• Israel ranks number 2 in the world with the second highest per capita of new books.
• Israel has the world’s best airline flight security.
• Israel also has the largest number of biotech startups per capita.
• And this one is just flat-out mind blowing – between 1901 and 2006 there have been 750 Nobel Peace Prize winners.  Of the 750 winners, Jews have accounted for 158!  Twelve million Jews account for twenty-two percent of all Nobel Peace Prizes.

Joel- What’s happening spiritually in Israel right now — and why? 

Tom- Jews and Palestinians are desperate as the conflict shows no signs of letting up. But God is breaking through the strife. Muslims are having dreams and visions about Jesus and coming to faith in Christ. The Church is strong and healthy in the Palestinian areas. They are so passionate for Jesus. Jews also are opening up to Jesus as their Messiah. When I first began going to Israel it was rare to hear about a Jew becoming a follower of Yeshua. Joel, now we hear that routinely. The Messianic movement is growing in Israel. The worship is awesome to be a part of as Jewish believers recognize the Biblical feasts and festivals. Holocaust survivors, Israel soldiers, Orthodox Jews and secular Israelis are just a few of the people that I know of that have received Jesus as their Savior just in the last few months. Israel is ripe. The spiritual harvest has begun.

Joel- What is E3 Partners, and how can people be praying for the ministry you’re engaged in? 

Tom-I am privileged to serve with e3 Partners and it is a strategic church planting ministry. We pray that God will plant a church in every village worldwide. e3 stands for “We equip believers to evangelize their nation and establish new churches.”  That’s our heart and that’s our passion. Our ministry President, Curtis Hail, told us recently that about 3500 churches were planted last year alone by e3 leaders around the world. God is so powerful and so loving and He does not want anyone to perish. The most effective way to be a part of that is to disciple believers and helps them start new churches where they live. We saw 127 new churches launch last year in the Middle East alone! My wife JoAnn started a women’s ministry with e3 Partners in the Middle East called Selah. It just started a year ago but they have been invited to 15 countries already. Women in the Middle East need to know that the God of the Bible values them and loves them. 

    Please pray for the Gospel to advance even more this year and for God to rise up more national leaders to disciple the massive number of new believers worldwide. Once new believers are discipled they will be the leaders that plant new churches around the world.

 

To order Two Nations under God simply click on the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/Two-Nations-Under-God-Should/dp/0805447717/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217708656&sr=8-1

  

Or pick up a copy at your local bookstore.

 

A Great Time to Go to Israel!

In one month I take a group to Israel for a Bible Tour. It is the Two Nations Under God Bible Tour. Betty Hollan is the winner of the free trip to Israel that was sponsored by Broadman Holman the publisher of Two Nations Under God…Why You Should Care About Israel.  I cannot wait!

This is one of most important times to visit Israel. The relationship between America and Israel is hanging in the balance. A showdown is underway and it is between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and US President Barack Obama. The US President has made no secret of the fact that he is going to pressure Israel into a peace agreement that could prove disastrous for her. Most Israelis are ready to concede the West Bank to the Palestinians. What keeps them awake at night is what will happen after that. Since the terrorist group Hamas is ruling in Gaza and gaining popularity in the West Bank, what does the future hold for Israel? If President Obama demands that Israel give up the Golan Heights to Syria, plus give over the West Bank completly to the Palestinians… Israel will be indefensible.

This will make things impossible for Israel. Though we desire to see the Palestinians have a better life, they will never have it with terrorist leadership calling the shots in Gaza and in the West Bank. Some Palestinian Muslims privately told me recently that they fear for their lives if a Two-State Solution is adopted. We must pray. Pray for Israel. Pray for the meeting between the Prime Minister and the US President. Pray for the Palestinians whose leadership has proven that they do not want peace with Israel but rather the Jewish State’s destruction.

And we must go to Israel! This a great time to make a difference in the Land of the Bible. I believe that the only solution for Jews and Palestinians is the peace that is available in Jesus Christ. Jews will not leave Israel. Palestinians are not leaving either. The only way that they can live together is when Christ frees them from the hate and bitterness that is residing in their hearts toward each other. Palestinians have been set free in Christ from the evil that drives them to want to kill Jews. Jews, likewise have been set free from their prejudice and harsh treatment against Palestinians when they have received Yeshua as their savior.

There can be peace in Israel. It will come in Jesus and in Jesus alone.  Join us in Israel this summer and you will meet Jewish believers and Palestinian believers too. They are experiencing Jesus’ true peace and this is something that no government can give them. Just go to www.goodnewsfromthemiddleeast.com  for more information. Shalom and Salaam is in Jesus!

Malta and Reaching Muslims for Jesus!

Hi Everyone,

            Greetings from the Island of Malta! In Acts 27-28 Paul the Apostle went for what would be his last voyage on the Mediterranean and shipwrecked here in about AD 60. He was on his way to Rome for his trial before Caesar. He would eventually get to Rome and die a martyr’s death there a few years later. If you remember from the Biblical account the weather was violent and this is the reason for the shipwreck on Malta. They were forced to stay here for 3 months. The time of year was “after the fast” which is a reference to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Since this special holy day was held during the fall that means that sometime during the November to February timeframe was when the famous crash landing on Malta happened. Paul used that time to preach the gospel and great miracles occurred during his time here. The entire Island of Malta was cured of diseases. No wonder they wanted Paul to stay!

 

        Acts 28 tells us that the people were unusually kind and it was rainy and cold the entire time he was here. Things haven’t changed much in nearly 2000 years. The people are wonderful here and we are freezing in the cold rain. The conference I am attending with ministry friends has been awesome. God is doing so much in the Muslim world. In the last 5 years many doors have opened from Morocco all the way to Pakistan. These are great days to share the gospel with Muslims. Several Muslim Background Believers are here from all over. In the Book of Acts God used the shipwreck to reach an entire island. Isn’t that how He sometimes works through us? In the midst of trials God can use us for His glory and do the miraculous when we least expect it. I think it is great that today leaders from around the world meet in this Biblically historic site to pray and strategize on how to reach Muslims which is the last gospel frontier.

 

        A special thanks to all the Colorado people for coming to the dessert at our home a few weeks ago. I think it was our best one yet. It was a blast having all 117 of you! We didn’t know our home could hold that many. Ziad and his family were thrilled and with your generosity the entire amount for the Jordan Training Center was raised in one night. That’s right… all of it came in! We cannot thank you enough!!

    

    We love you all and thank you for being such a big part of the Middle East ministry. God is using you so much in our lives and in the lives of the people of the Middle East. God Bless you and thank you for your prayers and faithfulness and generosity!!

        

        Back to the conference and then on to Rome… er…. I mean Colorado!

                                        Jesus lives!

                            From St. Paul’s Bay, Malta - God Bless you, Tom

What’s Really happening in Gaza!

Dear Friends,

    There are so many major stories developing in the conflict in Gaza in the last few days. Here is a quick rundown:

The Gaza Strip- Israel’s Defense Forces have entered the Gaza Strip in a ground war offensive against Hamas after a week of air attacks. Hamas has vowed to fight to the death and they may get their wish as Israel appears to mean business this time. After 3 1/2 years of receiving a missile every three hours compliments of Hamas, this otherwise passive government has decided to go after the terrorist group. On December 23rd the Hamas terrorist government voted unanimously to institute Sharia Law in the Gaza Strip. They are receiving their cues from another terrorist government run by the Ayatollah in Iran. They have become the new spiritual mentors of Hamas. One of the things that Sharia Law calls for is death by crucifixion in certain cases. Check out this quote right from the Qur’an:

In Surah 5:33, The Qur’an mentions crucifixion as a form of punishment for those who fight Allah and his messenger.

‘The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter.’ Surah 5:33

Because of this verse in the Qur’an crucifixion is still one of the Hadd punishments in the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran’s Islamic Criminal Law, Article 195)^[33].

    The Iranian Influence-The Iranians are especially proud of crucifixion since it was invented in their country when it was part of the Persian Empire in the 6th century BC. Most people think that the Romans invented this gruesome persecution that our Lord Jesus endured, but they merely perfected it. The Persians practiced it several centuries before the Romans even heard of it. It is being practiced in Iran today and sadly, now it will be a part of the Gaza Islamic death culture. The targets will be supposed “Israeli sympathizers” and believers. One time while we were in the Gaza Strip, 4 men were hung because terrorists suspected them of collaborating with the Israelis. After the men had been executed, they were found to be not guilty, but of course it was to late and what’s more, no one seemed to care. How sad and ironic it is that the people of Persia now called Iran have brought back the cruel practice of crucifixion to the land of Israel.

    How to Pray-This is an important time to pray for the believers in Gaza and for the suffering people of the Strip. We have spent many days in the refugee camps and the people are so open to Christ. This is also a time to pray for the IDF soldiers who are trying to make Israel a safe place by ridding the region of Hamas. We know Israeli soldiers who are believers and they are now in for the fight of their lives.  Everyone will be thrilled if Hamas is successfully defeated. Both Jews and Palestinians have suffered tremendously under their evil. Because Hamas has an unrealistic obsession with eliminating the nation of Israel, both Jews and Palestinians fear for their lives today. Jews are in bomb shelters in the Biblical cities of Ashkelon, and Ashdod and in other southern Israeli towns, villages and cities. Palestinians likewise are confined to their homes as the streets of Gaza are far to unsafe for anyone to leave their homes.

Pastor Hanna and his family are safely out of Gaza and so are many of the believers from the Gaza Baptist Church. Pastor Hanna will be at our e3 World Conference in a few weeks. 

The Map- I have attached a map so you can see the major conflict areas. The first map shows Gaza and you should be able to enlarge it to see it better. In Gaza City the “The Gaza Training Center” that was hit by a missile is right across the street from the Gaza Baptist Church. The church is on the frontlines of the conflict! In the second map you can see the places that have been receiving the missiles from Hamas. Since this is a UN Map, you can clearly see the anti-Israel bias as it says “reported Hamas rocket attack locations.” The people of these cities and villages have had to run to safety in bomb shelters on an almost daily basis for years now. I’m sure the people living in southern Israel can attest to the fact that these are real attacks not merely “reported attacks.”

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. Please pray that God would give Israel a victory over Hamas! This would make life so much better for Israelis and Palestinians. May God be glorified in the midst of all this!

There are so many great things that are happening for the Lord in the Middle East despite the war in Gaza.  Even though the Middle East is in conflict once again, this is going to be a great year for the Lord in the region. People are desperate, open and ready for Jesus. He is the only answer to all of this! 

                                            God Bless you. We love you! Tom and JoAnn

Out of Egypt!

We just returned from Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. It was an amazing time.

JoAnn and the Selah Women’s Team of Kathleen Flynn, Cheri Fitzsimmons, Julia Schatz, Diane Jones, Connie Prince, and Angel Davis ministered to 4 different women’s groups in Egypt and in Jordan. God opened up the women’s hearts in each place. Our national leaders from these countries said they had never seen anything so powerful like this. The Selah team goes to minister and not lecture teach. They are led by God to build up the oppressed women of the Middle East. They worship, share their testimonies that are tied to Women from the Bible and then they wash the feet of every woman there. 

All the walls of shame and hurt crumble after this and the women freely begin to share the hurts and pain of their past. Women in the Muslim countries are considered second class and are treated that way. In Cairo for instance, 85% of the women surveyed by the Cairo Times said that they had been molested on city buses! You can imagine what happens in private. I am so proud of the Selah Team and their wonderful servant hearts. God is blessing this ministry. The team ministered to over 200 women and 20-30 of them committed their lives to Jesus in Egypt and Jordan too. Praise the Lord. pain of their past. Women in the Muslim countries are considered second class and are treated that way. In Cairo for instance, 85% of the women surveyed by the Cairo Times said that they had been molested on city buses! You can imagine what happens in private. I am so proud of the Selah Team and their wonderful servant hearts. God is blessing this ministry. The team ministered to over 200 women and 20-30 of them committed their lives to Jesus in Egypt and Jordan too. Praise the Lord.

The men’s team trained national workers in Egypt in our Church Planting course First Steps. The conference is 3 days and at the conclusion of it we sent three teams out to share the Gospel in villages in Egypt. The results were again amazing. About 250 people accepted Jesus as savior and we have now launched 10 new churches in these villages where there was no Christian work going on whatsoever. Praise the Lord. We also were blessed to train 4 congregations with the EvangeCube throughout Egypt. Curtis Hail the President of e3 Partners and Steve Cretin did the training along with our national workers. We were just blown away to see our national workers in action. I can remember having a few workers in the Middle East when we started the work in 2001. Now our Middle East national team is over 100. They carry the work on of sharing the gospel, discipling new believers, and starting new churches 52 weeks out of the year. God has built a great team in the Middle East. We are honored to work with them. It was great for me to travel into Iraq. The situation is better in Iraq since the last time I visited but there are at least 10 major terrorist groups currently operating in the area. Recently, believers have been targeted. 

In fact, we have a big prayer request. The believers in the Middle East are experiencing a new wave of persecution. It is intense and inspired by satan himself. These saints of God need our prayers. Here are a few of the recent events that our e3 leaders told me personally about. 

In Egypt- Christian homes were blown up in El Minya by Muslim terrorists and the local police did not respond until the hard line Islamic group was finished. They kept saying “we are coming.” It was easy to see that the persecution was approved of by the police. One believer was killed and 19 were burned and injured severely.  

In Jordan- A young Muslim woman just became a believer and when her father found out he killed her. He stabbed her repeatedly and then smashed her head with a heavy boulder. The father believed that he was killing his daughter to please Allah. This is a well known story in Jordan but authorities have done nothing.  

In Iraq- A pastor that is a friend of mine was kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken out of Baghdad where his Islamic abductors made him watch as they executed several Christians. They were going to kill him too but a gun fight ensued as American troops arrived and miraculously he escaped.  

One pastor that I met in Iraq told me that his brother was killed recently. He was translating for an American businessman and traveling in a car in Southern Iraq. Islamic terrorists killed his brother brutally and then sold the American businessman to Iranians militants. The American is still in Iran as a hostage.  

In Syria- The Druze are considered an unreached people group and perhaps the most difficult to reach in the region. Recently we have seen Druze become followers of Christ and because of this these new believers have been killed. No one is safe as even teenagers have been murdered because of their new faith in Christ. 

 That’s the bad news. The good news is that the church in the Middle East is growing faster than ever before. More Muslims have come to Christ in the last 10 years than in the last 15 centuries of Islam.   

The believers in the Middle East send you their love and told us to tell you that they pray for you in America everyday!   Believe me, you and I are privileged to have these saints of God pray for us. They are passionate prayer warriors.

 

Obama and the Middle East

Now that the election is over it is interesting to see the attitudes about Barack Obama developing in the Middle East. JoAnn and I left for Egypt on election day. We had with us leadership from e3 Partners and the Selah Women’s Team too. I am training national leaders in Egypt, Jordan, and also Iraq. JoAnn’s ladies team is doing 3 women’s conferences in Egypt and one big one in Jordan.

It is a joy to serve with these committed believers here in the Middle East. The women’s conferences have been fantastic as the Selah Team has ministered to some special but hurting ladies. Women of the Middle East face so much discrimination just because of the low view of women in Islam.

In one leadership training that our e3 men’s team did in El Minya, we sent three teams out into the villages along the Nile River to share the Gospel. How awesome God is! We saw 220 pray to receive Christ!!! Our e3 Egyptian leaders will follow them up and disciple them now.

When we get to Iraq, I will be meeting with believers from Mosul who escaped their ancient city formerly called Ninevah when Muslims started killing them in the streets just weeks ago. The church in Iraq is under so much persecution and they need our prayers!

So what do the people of the Middle East think of our president elect?  There are three responses: Muslims love him! Christians are afraid of him. Jews are petrified of him. Many have told me that they think his Muslim roots will help Islamic countries. Muslims have even said openly “he says he is a Christian but he really is a Muslim right?”

Actually, most believers that I know in America are wondering the same thing! More later on that!

We will be training Egyptians to share their faith with the EvangeCube tonight in the northern region of Egypt. God Bless you from one of the great cities of the world- in Alexandria, Egypt with love, Tom and JoAnn

History is Being Made Today…. And There is Hope!

We are living in an amazing time. Today, there are many major game changing worldwide events unfolding before our eyes. It is hard to keep up with all of it. Our world stands at a crossroads and in the next few weeks your life and mine could change dramatically. America is focused on the coming national election but before we get to that, let’s take a quick trip around the planet to sort out the current global drama.

* Christian Persecution is on the Rise! - Jesus promised that as His followers we should expect to be hated because the world hated Him first. In fact, it was one of His final teachings to His disciples. This month we have seen Christian persecution sky rocket!

In Iraq  between 25-40 believers were killed openly in the streets of Mosul which is the ancient site of the evil city of Ninevah. As many as 3000 believers fled the city in one week. Our e3 leader in Iraq told me yesterday that the numbers that he is hearing on the news are probably lower than what actually happened. In November I will be leading a small team into Iraq and will be meeting with some of the leaders of the underground church that has escaped into Northern Iraq. We hope to get you more information on this in a few weeks.

in Afghanistan Gayle Williams was shot and killed openly in a Kabul  street by the Taliban. She was a British- South African Christian aid worker who worked with handicapped children and adults. Ministry leaders tell me that she was “executed” in broad daylight. JoAnn and I were just there with Joel Rosenberg and Jeremy Grafman  and we heard that in some cases, the persecution in Afghanistan is so extreme that believers have actually escaped from the country into Iran!  Which is incredible because Iran is no picnic either! Two Christian leaders were scheduled to be executed in Iran this month until International pressure forced the hard line Islamic government to back off it’s death sentence ruling. Iran has done this before and then closes it’s eyes as one of it’s many terrorist groups does the job for them later. Please pray for Aziz and Basirat from Shiraz. Because they have been released from prison, their lives are in extreme danger.

In India more than 70,000 believers have fled Orissa in North-Eastern India. Radical Hindus have become like hard line Muslims in the region and have declared war on all Christians. JoAnn and I talked with a pastor from the area a few months ago and he told us that believers have been hiding in trees in the forests that surround Orissa.

The good news is that the church will win! We may suffer, be persecuted, and even killed in some cases…but Jesus said in Matthew 16: “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail over it.”  Now that’s a promise to live by!

* Israel’s Future is Up in the Air! - Prime Minister Designate Tzipi Livni was not able to pull a coalition together in Israel and so now the country will have a national election for Prime Minister. Livni had 40 days to assemble a government coalition after Ehud Olmert stepped down because of his indictment on bribery charges. The clincher came when she was unable to move the Ultra-Orthodox Shas party into her camp over one issue. The issue was the fate of  the City of Jerusalem. Livni was willing to give half of the Holy City to the Palestinians and the Ultra-Orthodox said “no way!” Within 90 days Israel will have an election and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the favorite to win. This would most likely bring to an end Israel’s current “land for peace” deals with the Palestinians. Can you imagine Israel giving away half of the City of Jerusalem? Unfortunately, President Bush has also pushed for this.

Also in Israel, Syrian troops have amassed once again in Lebanon just north of Israel. Syria is also angry that America just yesterday bombed a village on the Iraqi border that has given terrorists an easy entrance into Iraq.

Palestinians are also calling for a national election. Life in Gaza has become unbearable as Hamas has delivered nothing to the people except continual open war in the streets. Will the Palestinian Authority win or Hamas? If Hamas wins, Gaza and the West Bank will both ruled by them, and then the West Bank will certainly become more radical than it already is. This would be a disaster for Israel since the West Bank surrounds Jerusalem.

The current belief in the Middle East is that Iran will be ready to fire a nuclear missile at Israel within a year so Israel will be forced to knock out some of their nuclear sites after the US election. Russia has just sold Iran a defense system that could stop Israel’s pre-emptive strike on Iran when it becomes functional in 6 months.

All of this is nothing new for Israel. In Old Testament times they were continually surrounded by nations that were stronger and had armies several times larger than Israel’s. But that never mattered because God promises to protect her. “Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121: 4  No matter how bad it looks….Israel will survive because the God of Israel will be at her side.

*The US Election is Making More than Just Americans Nervous!

In a new Israeli poll, Jews in Israel are frightened at the prospect of Barack Obama becoming the next President of the United States. The line of thinking is this: Israel is surrounded by 300 Million Muslims that would love to see them defeated or even anihilated. America has been Israel’s only true friend for the last 6 decades of her existence. But Barack Obama was: born a Muslim, to a Muslim father, and continues to have a Muslim name even though he supposedly converted to Christianity. When Barack said that he “converted” no Muslim group protested but all still openly support him. The word “conversion” in the Muslim world is the most volitle one to followers of Muhammad. When the Pope baptized a converted former Muslim this past Easter at the Vatican, there were threats to blow the whole place up. Yet the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran are all quoted to be “pulling for Obama.” Israelis say that even if Barack has converted, at the very least he still has strong Islamic roots. They have a right to be nervous! And so do all Americans.

As American believers we must pray fervently. Many are fasting for the next week before our elections. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Friends, we are living in important days to say the least! They are historical. We cannot go forward in fear. Let’s all: 1. Pray for our suffering brothers and sisters around the world. 2. Pray for Israel as her enemies are gathering. 3. Pray for America and for God to intervene in this important election.  

And as for us remember: “We have put our hope in the Living God.”  Above all…we have hope in our Living God.

Afghanistan: Will the Taliban Win?

What a great trip to Afghanistan which is the new front line for the War on Terrorism! Afghanistan has changed in the last few years. There has been a slow resurgence of the Taliban and they have all the funding that they need from the massive drug trade that they are now controlling. I was there with JoAnn, Joel Rosenberg who was our mystery guest,  and Jeremy Grafman -Joel’s assistant at the Joshua Fund. What a week we had! Joel was there to research for his new book called “Inside the Revolution” which will be released on the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. He wanted to find out how the revolution had affected the region, and since Afghanistan is right next door to Iran this was a great place to get some final interviews for the book. He also asked me to write for his new book some practical ways that we can love Muslims to Christ. Despite the increased persecution in the region, the church is growing rapidly.  I was there to connect with our e3 Partners leader who is one of the most gifted young men I have ever met.

The Good News is that there are thousands of new believers in Afghanistan. The numbers may be as high as 18-20,000! How amazing the church is in Afghanistan! The pressure and the persecution is hard to fathom. Our e3 leader Abdul Herat is being used by God in great ways in this war torn country. But this is not without great danger. One female missionary was kidnapped 10 months ago and has not been heard from since. Believers meet in the middle of the night in secret locations. They are passionate for Jesus and know that He is the only answer to the problems in Afghanistan and throughout Central Asia.

I believe that if our military is given free reign in the region that soon the Taliban and Osama bin Laden’s terrorist group- Al Qaeda will be soundly defeated. We must pray for that! We are in the process of posting pictures from our trip and we hope that they spur you on to pray for the believers in Afghanistan!!!

Pictures From Afghanistan

Iraq- Urgent Prayer Needed for Believers in Mosul

 نعمة وسلام ربنا يسوع المسيح مع جميعكم..Dear Friends, This request comes from our e3 leader in Iraq. Please pray for the believers being killed in Mosul which is the Biblical city of Ninevah. In the Old Testament, the people from Ninevah of the Assyrian empire were some of the most violent and destructive people in history. That’s why Jonah did not want to travel to Ninevah and he certainly hoped for the judgment of God to fall on these people. Isn’t it amazing that these believers are being killed in the very place that Israel’s Northern Kingdom was taken into captivity? Please take the time to read this and to join with believers around the world praying and fasting for God to intervene in Mosul

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,  this email is a prayer request from Iraq, the people in general and especially the city of Mosul (known also as Nineveh) and the Christians there.

During the last 4-5 days around 25 Christians (some say 40) were killed in the streets in different parts of the city for religious and political causes, in the past people used to be kidnapped, threatened pay a ransom to be freed…well now they’re being killed without prior notice…the government haven’t done anything so far! Even the media didn’t cover it till the third day. many Christians fled to the near by villages and cities where they’re living under severe conditions (families are actually sleeping in their cars), fear and worries fill the place…We’re Praying an (S.O.S) prayer for the terrorists who think that they’re doing so for God to wake up and know who’s the real God. For the Christians the believers and the nominal ones to get closer to Jesus, for the many families who lost a loved one, their houses and money that they’ll never forget that no matter what we lose, we’ll still have the places Jesus is preparing for us in Heavens… and finally for Christians who live in the safer area that they remember and do as Jesus asked “For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward”. Mark 9:41.

We’re starting to fast to 3 days for Iraq and its people like the days people of Nineveh fasted at the time of Jonah. For that our suffering will turn the eyes towards our savior…

Let’s life our hands together asking for Peace from the King of peace in Jesus’ name

“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14

Grace and peace to all of u.

Forward this email to all Christians whom you know. أبعث هذه الرسالة لكل المسيحيين الذين تعرفهم