Christians in Bethlehem Endure Through Deadly Persecution

BETHLEHEM—“We are the forgotten people, but we are not forgotten by God.” That’s how Pastor Naim Khoury of First Baptist Church of Bethlehem—the largest evangelical church in the Palestinian-controlled West Bank area of Israel—explained his church’s continuing existence. After all, it’s been bombed 14 times.

 

The birthplace of Jesus is Bethlehem, the hometown of Israel’s King David. That part of Israel is currently in the West Bank, which Israel has given to the Palestinian Authority to govern. “We are not all terrorists,” Khoury insists, speaking in the sanctuary of his church. “There are Arab Christians here who love the Jewish people; there are sweet people here who love Jesus and love Israel.”

 

Khoury is the epitome of the happy warrior as he describes his struggle in a region plagued by violence. “They thought they could chase us away, but the Lord has sustained us,” he says as calmly as if he were describing the weather.

 

There are 150,000 people in Bethlehem. First Baptist Church is the largest Palestinian church in the West Bank. The church has 300 members, 65 percent of which are unemployed, and thus have no income whatsoever. It has also planted five more churches throughout the West Bank territory. They make do with very little amidst extreme poverty. Christians from America provide part of their financial support, some contributing online through the church’s website.

 

First Baptist has been bombed 14 times. “They thought they could chase us away, but the Lord has sustained us.” Explaining how he and his fellow Christians could persevere in such a climate, Khoury declares, “We have learned to trust him and obey him.” Elaborating on that, he continues, “The Lord is faithful all the time. He shall never leave us or forsake us.”

 

This pastor preaches that love for all is the key. “You cannot love the Jews and hate the Arabs; and you cannot love the Arabs and hate the Jews.” But First Baptist does so without compromising their beliefs. “We stand for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and show love for the Jewish people.”

 

He is under no delusions. “There will be no lasting peace until the Prince of Peace comes again,” Khoury admits. But much can—and should—be done in the here and now. “We need to plant the seed of love between both peoples.”

 

Read More: Christians in Bethlehem Endure Through Deadly Persecution – Breitbart

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