Displaying items by tag: Christian Broadcasting

Iraqis, Muslims, Christians and those of no faith at all tune into a radio station vastly different from what is normally heard on Middle Eastern airwaves. ‘Saut al Salam’ or ‘Voice of Peace’ is broadcast from a tiny studio in Qaraqosh and reaches 150,000 listeners, living up to its name. The programmes have no politics or conflicts. The broadcasters tell stories about the church, Christianity and Christian life, dispelling many misconceptions in the Muslim world that are passed on from generation to generation. For instance thinking that Christians just like to party and drink alcohol. Saut al Salam is changing wrong perceptions with programs on raising children, Christian music, and reporting cultural church events. Their highest hope is that listeners, a majority of whom are not Christians, will hear a message of peace, consideration and love.

Christians in the world’s 6th largest nation make up just 2.5% of the population. Many are poor and experience discrimination because of their faith. The struggle to survive is silencing the voices and eroding the faith of many young people. But also there are remarkable leaders emerging in the Church - strong in the Lord, intellectually bright, culturally aware. PAK7 is a new approach to strengthen and support the Church in Pakistan and her witness for Christ to 200 million countrymen, many of whom know nothing about Jesus. It empowers young Pakistani Christians in the use of media so that they have strong faith, confident voices, and a platform to explain who they are, what the Bible means to them, and the difference Jesus makes in their lives. Click the ‘More’ button to watch a short video about PAK7’s work.

Sudan is among the world’s worst for gender inequality, with many women deprived of their rights. Now, a new SAT-7 Arabic show is offering women a platform for their voices to be heard. Hosted by three female Sudanese presenters, ‘Woman and Mirror’ is giving women hope by letting women view themselves through the mirror of the Bible. Sudan’s gender discrimination begins in childhood. The country has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation in the world (87%). A quarter of Sudanese girls stop attending school early in secondary education, and can be legally be married at age ten. Soaring inflation, public protests, and a security crackdown under a state of emergency have made life difficult and unsafe for many. Pray for the country’s people. Pray that ‘Woman and Mirror’ will offer guidance and reassurance to women and families in these unstable times.

World News recently published an article highlighting what Christian broadcasters are doing to contribute to the fastest growing evangelical population on the planet. Iran Alive Ministries broadcast Christian programmes across the region, and Dr Hormoz Shariat, the president and founder, has been called ‘the Billy Graham of Iran’. Millions of Iranians refer to him as ‘my pastor’ as he speaks to them in their living rooms each evening on satellite television. In recent months, protests have broken out all over Iran, with people marching in the streets against their government. Dr Hormoz helped listeners outside and inside Iran to understand what the protests mean. He encouraged Christians in Iran to use the protests as an opportunity to share the gospel; in doing this Iranians saw even more people come to Christ. See also

Tony Fayez is a freelance singer-songwriter who performs for SAT-7, a media outlet broadcasting in Arabic, Turkish and Farsi. He writes lyrics and composes hip-hop worship songs, to reach out to young people and help young Christians worship in a language they feel belongs to them. ‘The fast rhythm of rap reflects the passion, energy and speed of teenagers’, he says. ‘That’s the music they listen to when they are together. It’s a good way to reach them, using Christian lyrics that they can remember and sing along to.’ Traditional churches and some parents say the language degrades Christian values and encourages poor vocabulary. Tony believes in giving youth freedom to express their faith in ways that are meaningful to them. ‘They can listen to whatever music they choose so instead of trying to fit them into a rigid form, we can reach out to them and speak their language.’