8 LESSONS: celebrating Pentecost in the context of war
In just two weeks we will again have the glorious privilege of visiting the church in Lebanon and Syria. We do not take these visits lightly. For us, they are sacred opportunities to learn, to encourage, and to witness the beautiful harmony of the body of Christ across borders and circumstances. It was exactly a year ago that we returned from a similar journey, and the lessons remain vivid in our hearts and minds. As we prepare to travel once more, we pause to recall eight lessons that shaped us then and continue to shape us now. We offer them again in the hope that they will echo the message of Pentecost.
FROM NORTH KOREA TO AMERICA: when idols appear, cults are exposed
Let’s begin with the obvious point that many commentators seem to be missing. The issue is not about President Donald Trump putting up a statue of himself on his own private golf-course. The issue is about those who sanction it – the religious leaders who praise it and bless it. The issue is not the object but the CULT that elevates it. The golden statue is only the SYMPTOM of a far greater spiritual challenge facing America at the moment.
THEY TALKED TO THE TREES: but no one listened to them
The most profound interaction between Pres. Xi Jinping and Pres. Donald Trump took place during a visit to the cypress groves near the Circular Mound Altar and the Imperial Vault of Heaven in Tiantan Park, Beijing. But for those with eyes to see, the moment carried a deeper truth. Trees do not flatter. Trees do not perform. Trees simply stand — patient, enduring, unshaken by the ambitions of men.
The Christian Faith in the Context of Gaza
Rev. Katanacho: The reason why I used the title “The Christian Faith in the Context of Gaza” is a deep personal conviction. I do not want to live out my faith in isolation from my political reality, nor do I want to face my political reality in isolation from my Christian faith.
USA: praying light into darkness
We conclude our 6‑week journey of prayer this week by turning our hearts toward the one nation that holds the key, the future, and, to a large extent, the military arsenal shaping the war in the Middle East: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WHATABOUTISM: the art of dodging the issue
Whenever I post an article on the suffering of the innocent in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and, recently, Iran, I would always receive a standard response from the pro-war lobbyists: “But what about Hezbollah firing missiles at Israel?” “What about Hamas using civilians as human shields?“ “What about the oppressive regime in Iran?” Or,…
DEATH BY DESIGN: A starving Christ in a hungry Gaza
Take a moment to let that sink in: Two months of war in Iran equals eight years of food supplies for 2 million starving people in Gaza.
PAKISTAN: praying light into darkness
In previous weeks we prayed for Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. This week we continue the journey of prayer by calling “light into darkness” as we turn our hearts toward a nation uniquely positioned at the crossroads of conflict and reconciliation: PAKISTAN.
THE SUFFERING CHURCH: and the sin of selective sympathy
A Christian village in Lebanon was recently completely destroyed by Israel. And the Church in the west was silent. It exposed an inconvenient truth that selective sympathy is the moment when loyalty for the perpetrator speaks louder than concern for the victim. For fifty years I have served the persecuted Church across the globe. And one of the most painful truths I have encountered is this: the compassion of the Church in freedom is not always consistent. We raise our voices boldly when persecuted Christians suffer at the hands of those we already view as enemies, but we grow noticeably quiet when persecuted Christians suffer at the hands of those we consider friends. This is the sin of selective sympathy
DÉJÀ VU AT THE HILTON: two Presidents, two moments, two lessons
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan had just finished addressing a labour gathering at the Washington Hilton when John Hinckley Jr. stepped out from the crowd and fired six shots at him. One bullet ricocheted off the presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest, puncturing a lung and causing severe internal bleeding. He…