What They Meant for Evil in Syria
When I was in Iraq in the mid-late 2000's, I had a translator who was an Iraqi Christian. She fled the terrorism and violence in Baghdad by moving to Syria - the safe place (at that time) for faithful believers in Jesus.
Then that changed. This article talks about the plight of Christians, and the historical roots of Christianity in the region. Join me in praying for the rebound of the church in Syria!
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In Acts 8, Saul of Tarsus is ravaging the early church, furious over the powerful witness of the martyr Stephen. In fact, he gets permission from the high priest to take his persecution on the road—all the way to Syria, where he plans to arrest Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem.
This road to Damascus wasn’t a short trip. It was about 135 miles northeast of Jerusalem, and about a six-day journey by foot. That’s how far Saul was willing to go to stop the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Except, of course, Jesus met him on the way. Jesus famously asks Saul: “Why are you persecuting me?”
You probably know the rest of the story. The self-revelation of Jesus transforms Saul. And before you know it, the Apostle Paul is appearing in the synagogues of Damascus with a new message about Jesus: “He is the Son of God.”
Today, when we’re tempted to look at places like Syria and wonder if evil is too entrenched for the gospel to make inroads, we look at the road to Damascus. When we look at people like Saul and wonder if such violent opponents of the gospel could ever change, we look at the Apostle Paul.
And when we watch the news and see only chaos, we look at Jesus. There’s no one he can’t save. There’s nowhere he won’t go.
Including modern-day Syria.
FOLLOWING JESUS IN SECRET
In 2011, ISIS militants began seizing territory in Syria and Iraq, sparking a massive refugee crisis, and displacing massive chunks of Syrian Christians. Before ISIS, the Christian population of Syria was about 10 percent. Now, some think it’s as low as 2.5 percent.
Many Syrian Christians still live as exiles in surrounding nations. But they’re also still living as disciples of Jesus, and trying to make him known.
A small seminary is offering theological training to refugee believers and church leaders, with a combination of online and in–person classes in the refugees’ native language.
One of the facilitators told us how much a student in the bachelor’s degree program has changed: “It is not just information to him but teaching that God used to transform this man into a godly man who serves his church and is a solid leader.”
A Christian woman studying for a certificate told us her husband was initially antagonistic to the gospel. She sometimes had to participate in online classes in secret. But her commitment to Christ and hunger for the Word actually won her family over. Her two sons and husband eventually came to saving faith in Jesus.
GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD
Persecution creates hardships. It creates diasporas. But it also creates opportunities. Opportunities to grow in new ways. Opportunities to reach people who seemed unreachable before.
Just like the Apostle Paul. A man who started out as a persecutor of the church, and died as a believer persecuted for the gospel of Jesus Christ. But he died joyfully, knowing heaven would make it all worth it. Because Jesus is worth it all.
Jesus is still worth it all, and we’re grateful that you’re partners with us on the journey to make him known everywhere. We’re thankful for how roads to Damascus become roads to glory. And we’re thankful that because of you, good news is still on the way.
–Jamie Dean, Senior Writer