PERSECUTED AND ABANDONED: the story of the church in the Middle East
Across the Middle East, churches and ministries speak passionately about standing with persecuted Christians — in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and beyond. We mobilize prayer, raise funds, and tell their stories with urgency. Yet when the suffering of Palestinian Christians comes into view — in the West Bank, in Gaza, in places like Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Taybeh — many of these same voices fall silent. This is the sin of hypocricy.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST IN ISRAEL: the lampstand removed
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, Israel’s security cabinet approved a sweeping set of measures designed to intensify Israeli control over the West Bank. Christ was symbolically crucified once again. And the church in the West looked away.
REFRAMING PERSECUTION: Who Owns the Narrative?
Over more than four decades of walking alongside the persecuted Church, I’ve come to a sobering realization: for many Christians in the West, the story of persecution often centre’s more on the persecutor than the persecuted. We amplify the pain that fits our worldview and mute the cries that disturb our conscience. TAYBEH is a perfect example