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Syrians Converting to Christianity Despite Persecution

Veronica Neffinger

Syria is a war-torn, tumultuous place where Christians face intense persecution. Despite these conditions, many Syrians are coming to Christ.

According to ChristianToday.com, one Syrian pastor stated, “Syria is getting torn apart and evil is all around us. We can touch evil and feel it. It is heavy on our hearts. But we also experience truth of the living Jesus Christ. It is encouraging though to me to see Isaiah 60, which says the light rises up on the church and his glory is on the church.”

One amazing conversion story involved a Muslim couple who wanted a Bible so that they could learn about the Christian God.

The Syrian pastor tells the story: "There was a husband and a wife who wanted to compare the God of the Bible with the God of the Qur'an. The more they studied, the more they came to realise that they wanted to follow the God of the Bible who taught love, kindness and forgiveness."

Even when these converts face persecution from the Islamic State, they remain strong in their faith.

The pastor said that Syrian Christians need the prayers of fellow believers from around the world. 

"I want Christians to know that their support and prayers means a lot to us. We can feel your prayers. It strengthens us and lifts us up,” he said.

Syria is ranked sixth on Open Doors recently released 2017 World Watch List of countries where Christian persecution is most severe. As many as 400,000 Christians used to live in Aleppo, Syria, but now, due to the Syrian Civil War and the Islamic State, less than 60,000 remain.

 

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Publication date: January 17, 2017