A group of Christian leaders from Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq has issued a plea to Christians around the world to know that they exist and to stand with them in solidarity.
“We warmly invite our brothers and sisters in the global Church to engage with us, listen to our stories, and together acknowledge the power of unity and the Gospel to transform our broken and divided region,” the letter begins.
Recent data shows that there are approximately 15 million Christians in the Middle East. While the leaders recognize that they are in the religious minority, they want the global Church to know that their region is not a lost cause and that Christians have been living there consistently for 2,000 years.
“We urge Christians around the globe to come to the Middle East not only to visit the ancient biblical sites and relics of the past,” they wrote, “but to come and engage with the living stones of the Middle East—a faithful community of believers who have maintained their presence in this region for over two millennia.”
In their letter, titled “A Collective Call to the Global Church from Middle East Evangelical Leaders,” the leaders express concern over the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine and ask for the global Church to join them in seeking peace throughout the region.
“Our deep conviction is to love our Muslim and Jewish neighbors,” they wrote. “We assert that the conflicts in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are not manifestations of spiritual warfare but are instead rooted in complex socio-political dynamics that demand nuanced understanding and strategic responses. We unequivocally reject all forms of violence against civilians to achieve justice, and strongly condemn all religious, political and social ideologies that hinder a lasting peace including antisemitism, islamophobia and Christian Zionism. As citizens of our nations, we believe we are called to speak the truth and pray for those in authority so we can live in peace.”
The leaders also acknowledged that there have been diverse views among Christian leaders in the West about how to approach the war, which has resulted in the death of over 40,000 individuals. However, they are calling on leaders to put aside partisan ideologies and help Palestinians who are suffering.
“The devastating crisis in Palestine, characterized by mass civilian deaths and famine in Gaza, has resulted in immense suffering, particularly among women and children,” they wrote. “This requires compassion from the global Christian community. We cannot remain silent in the face of these stark realities. We lament the silence and at times support of some church leaders within the Western Church regarding the actions in Gaza—actions that have been labeled as plausible genocide by the International Criminal Court, human rights groups, and an increasing number of nations.”
The letter concludes with an invitation to leaders to join Middle Eastern Christians in completing the Great Commission.
“Today is the day of opportunity to advance the Great Commission in one of the most historically significant places on earth,” they wrote. “Together we can write the next chapter of God’s story in our region—one that honors our one true faith and looks forward to a future filled with hope and peace. Together, we can demonstrate to our fractured world the power of our Christian unity. Together, we can shape the Middle East into a vibrant epicenter of outreach.”
