Sat-7 is a Christian broadcaster, which is able to provide information, news and presentation of Christ and the Gospel, as one channel among many broadcasting from the satellite that relays TV programming across the Middle East. It thus broadcasts to 300 million Arabic speakers, 100 million Persian speakers and 77 million Turkish speakers. While it has a great deal of western Evangelical support and resources the small communities of Middle Eastern Protestants (including secretly bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ and hope to many Muslims, often at great risk to them), it is also scrupulous in working with, respecting and involving the ancient historic Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the region – as the picture below shows.
Here is the link to Sat-7’s website – and the full version of the statement summarised below.
|
|
|
Dear Prayer Partner
|
|
Understanding
the present situationRecent political events in Egypt, especially security force
conflicts with the Muslim Brotherhood, have highlighted both deep divisions within Egypt
and between how the situation has been viewed in Egypt and abroad. All of us
will have been deeply distressed by the violence and numbers of deaths in
clashes between protesters and security forces (over 800 including 70 in
security forces), but Egyptian Christians and many others who called for
Mohammed Morsi’s departure, are perplexed at the way the situation has been
reported and viewed abroad.
|
|
|
Coptic
Christians gather in a burnt-out church
|
Dr Terence Ascott,
International CEO of SAT-7, has issued a statement on behalf of Christians
in ministry in Egypt to explain why so many were dismayed by the foreign
reporting of events.
In seeking “to give a bigger picture of what has been
going on in the past year or so”, he considers:
- How
committed to democracy are ex-president Morsi’s supporters in reality?
- How large
was Mohammed Morsi’s mandate and why did he forfeit the support of
most of the population?
- How did
the peaceful occupation of Tahrir Square by demonstrators in
January 2011 and at the end of June 2013 difer from the protest camps
of the Muslim Brotherhood?
- How
Christians have responded with faith and forgiveness to the violent
wave of attacks that have seen over 40 churches attacked and many
destroyed (see photo in which a Coptic congregaton worshipped last
Sunday in the building’s burntout remains).
Dr Ascott asks urgent prayer
that:
- The current
violence will end soon
- The
effective rule of law and order will be re-established for the benefit
of all citizens
- There will
be effective protection of church and other property against attacks
by extremists
- Egypt will
be governed for the benefit of all its citizens, with people of
different persuasions able to live alongside one another peaceably
- Egyptian
Christians will have opportunity to play an increasingly prominent and
effective role in addressing the needs of all Egyptians and helping to
bring healing and reconciliation in the country”
Please continue to pray for
SAT-7’s Cairo team
especially at this time as they continue to broadcast hope and faith to
audiences shocked by the unrest and, in many cases unable to attend church
because of curfews or safety concerns. Any
gift you can make to SAT-7 ARABIC will provide precious support
to these viewers.
Yours in Christ
Rachel Fadipe
Executive Director
SAT-7 Trust
|
|
