The photo on our cover is of Iraqi Christian Heleen Dawood from December 2014. Heleen is posing in a tented refugee centre in the grounds of Mazar Mar Eillia Catholic Church, which became home to hundreds of Iraqi Christians forced to flee their homes—many with less than an hour’s warning—as the Islamic State (ISIL) advanced in Erbil, Iraq. Asked (after her family) what was the one thing she could not leave behind as ISIL drew near, Heleen said it would have to be her Bible.
Although we sometimes complain about the challenges of living as people of faith in secular New Zealand, we cannot deny that we still have so much religious freedom and that there remains a great deal of respect for the right of people to hold different faith views. We openly travel to our church activities, hopefully never thinking of hiding where we are going or why. In other countries, this type of freedom of association would never be taken for granted.
As you read our excerpt from Killing Christians by Tom Doyle, let’s strengthen our resolve to pray and act on their behalf. We certainly don’t want to be ignorant or bigoted about other faiths, but we also want to be passionate advocates on behalf of those who are following Jesus in places where that is an exceedingly dangerous thing to do.
When we hear of the bravery, sacrifice and dedication of Jesus-followers in countries where Christianity is under attack, our thoughts are perhaps drawn to our own lifestyles and witness. What are we doing with the religious freedom we enjoy? How easily and how often do we talk about the Jesus we love and follow with those we meet? How often do we invite people to church—not just to worship, but also to other groups and activities.
Jesus said his followers are meant to be ‘the light of the world’. That light shines brightest in places of great darkness and suffering. Pray for the strength and resilience of persecuted Christians. But pray too that we would be motivated to turn up the light closer to home, in our far safer communities.
Christina Tyson
Editor
Psalm 9:9 New International Version
‘The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.’
Ngā Waiata 9:9
‘Hei pā teko anō a Ihowā mō te tangata e tūkinotia ana, hei pā teko i ngā wā o te hē.’