"FChurch of the Remnant in Syria vil Predominantly consist of Christians with a Muslim background." They are then joyful and sad at the same time prediction, like Ares, a of project managerno forthe relief work in Syria brings.
The message is sad as ofn relative growth in the number of Christians with a Muslim backgroundin the Syrian church is taking place against a bleak backdrop, namely that many from traditional Christianethnic Minority, as For example Armenians and Assyrians, have left Syria. At the start of the civil war, there were an estimated 1.2 million Christians in the country, buts their numbers are now likely to be counted in the hundreds of thousands. Estimates are uncertain due to civil war in the country, and the is difficult to get an overview of the situationbut In any case, the number of traditionale Christians sharply declining.
The reason to their exodusis mainly the Syrian civil war, which after almost 10 years is not completely overas there are still pockets of conflict. Covid-19 has only exacerbated the crisis. It has is A daily struggle for many to put food on the table, And many parents don't see future opportunities for their children. And what parent doesn't want their children to be able to get a good job after graduation? Add to this the ravages of Islamic State in 2014, where many Christians is displaced from their homeland, where they could have lived for generations.
However, the message is also joyful. It is always joyful when people with no Christian background come to faith in Jesus. There is a sprout growing in Syria, as we also see i several other countries in the Muslim world. DIt's a privilege, thatWe as Danee getr allowed to be part of this harvesting work.
Recalibration changes the cultural expression of the church...
The recalibration of the church in Syria means that the futures church will be different than the, we knew. The converts' faith in Jesus is contextualized to Arab culture, so the majority of the population to a greater extent than before can see that it is possible and legitimate to be Arab and Christian at the same time. The development has been a work in progress for several years and will take many years, as the battle for national identity is a tough one, as its outcome can shape the development of the countryands culture.
The Church will change the cultural expression of the Middle East to be less Christian in the future ethnic groups, but more contextualized to an ancient, traditionally non-Christian, Middle Eastern culture and expressed differently, for example musically, linguistically and in meetings.
...and brings a new form of persecution
The persecution can also change in nature to be more from family, friends and communities accusing converts of betraying their ancestral faith. Conversely, the Christian ethnic minorities within their communities have been safe, while visible symbols such as crosses and church buildings have made them vulnerable to bomb attacks by extremists.
Many thanks to everyone there in this particular time Praying for the church in Syria as well as in the rest of the Muslim world!
