Greetings, readers.
Some popular news sources start each Monday with a roundup along the lines of “Here’s the biggest news you missed this weekend.” This weekend was dominated by the attacks on Iran that killed Ayatollah Khamenei and others and the retaliatory attacks around the region that closed down major airports and shook many.
Newsletters from people in the Middle East arrived in my inbox. “We are safe,” they said. “But please pray.” When I see such messages, I pray for peace for the stressed-out missionaries who now have to add “reassure people back home” to their long list of ways to respond. I also pray for wisdom about the should-we-stay-or-should-we-go questions and others.
One writes: “If you’re not already, we’d love for you to join us in praying for the people of Iran and all those impacted by the conflict throughout the region. Our Iranian friends are asking for prayers for the safety of their families, lasting peace and a better future for their country. Pray for the church that has rapidly grown in Iran over the last decade, that they would persevere with courage and cling to Christ during this time.”
You may have seen many reports and opinion pieces by now. Here are a few from other sources we follow.
- Iranian evangelicals are staying put, tentative but hopeful, says pastor (Iran Alive Ministries, via The Roys Report) and a previous story from Iran Alive, this one in Mission Network News: Three bullets that killed his son, yet his faith endures.
- As Lebanon has joined the conflict, believers there are calling for Christians to work together to coordinate responses (Triumphant Mercy Lebanon, via Mission Network News).
- Also this weekend, Jim Denison reports, Austin, Texas suffered what appear to be Jihad-inspired attacks, but he then pivots to reminding Christians in America and beyond to turn from hatred or fear and lift their eyes to what God is doing to bring Muslims to himself in Iran and beyond. Includes some solid, Scripture-based prayer points. Take a look (The Denison Forum).
Grace and peace,
Marti