Murder and Vandalism
By Hans-Ole Bækgaard, Danish Israel Mission, Jerusalem
It is not very often we consider that being a believer may result in severe persecution or death for the gospel. But this is the situation in great parts of the western world.
Martyr Rami Khader Ayyad
For Rami Ayyad death became a reality on October 6. The 30-year-old Christian Palestinian and leader of the Bible shop in Gaza had earlier received threats: that he should close down the shop, stop his Christian activity and, not least, convert to Islam.
But his life was Christ. Saturday he was kidnapped, and Sunday morning his mutilated body was found near the Islamic University. No one seems to know who was behind this. Newspapers have attempted to give the impression that it was an accidental robbery that turned violent. But the menacing letters and other incidents tell a different story.
He is survived by his young pregnant widow, Pauline, and their two children: George at two and Wisam, only nine months.
Spiritual terrorism
On October 23, at 10.45 pm, a fire in central Jerusalem was discovered. Jewish neighbours had seen fire in the church “Baptist House” at Narkis Street. The fire had been started in three places in the building. Fortunately only minor damage was done, unlike last time, in 1982, when an earlier church was burnt to the ground. That fire was also deliberately started. Anti-mission Orthodox Jewish militants (Yad L’Achim) were behind it and have since threatened on several occasions, say church leaders. Within recent years the bookshop has been exposed to incendiaries.
The building houses several congregations: an English-speaking church of primarily local Christians, a Russian Messianic congregation, a Hebrew-speaking Messianic congregation (El Ro’i) and an English-speaking American Baptist church.
Ofer Amitai, pastor of the El Roi Messianic congregation has called the arson “spiritual terrorism”. So far, no one has been charged with the crime. “Just as no terrorism in the world is going to stop Israel’s restoration, so no ‘spiritual terrorism’ is going to stop God from pouring out His blessing and His Spirit on His body here,” says Amitai.
Chuck Kopp, pastor of the international congregation has said: “Thankfully, we have many more friends than enemies and they encourage us to continue and we’re going to do that very thing. We’re pleased to see the Gospel is going forth despite any tragedies.”
Several Jewish people in the neighbourhood have demonstrated their kindness; for example, a rabbi from a reform Jewish congregation who offered them the use of the synagogue for their services.
Struggle – with hope
No one has been promised that life as a Jesus-believer should be easy. No one has been promised that it should be without costs to stand in the service of the mission, not in the Middle East or anywhere else for that matter. No has said that – and certainly not Jesus. Being faithful to the truth about him, holding on to his teaching and practice and being a bold and unambiguous witness about him in one’s everyday life may imply struggle and hardships.
It is important to know that we have to live our lives determined by faith and prayer and with the eternal hope in view.
God himself became man and entered our world to make this reality known to us and living for us.
Hans-Ole Bækgaard