(Image courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)

Three days ago, a Reuter’s headline trumpeted “ISIS has fallen in its last Syrian stronghold”.  Yet, by Friday, newscasts had relegated the story to a mere mention, considering the significance of a three-year struggle for liberation.

Raqqa was considered the de facto capital city for the caliphate.  By the time US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces raised a militia flag inside the main stadium, there wasn’t much of the city left that wasn’t in ruins.   Even as celebrations began, the United States Central Command stopped short of declaring victory, noting pockets of ISIS fighters remain.

Even though they’ve lost much of the ground they snatched up in 2014, the group isn’t gone. They’ve already begun preparing for a new phase. Mohamed of Global Catalytic Ministries (GCM) explains, “Because this ideology is still alive, ISIS will morph into something new.  That’s the key question: Praise God that ISIS has fallen and they’re leaving Iraq and Syria, but what about the ideology?”

He added that there will still be funded groups around like the Taliban and al Qaeda that share a similar view on ultraconservative Islam.  When asked what would change that kind of worldview, he responded, “We need to show people that the true way of following God is not by killing yourself, blowing yourself up and killing anyone who’s not like you, but loving on people and showing them that God is love and God is full of forgiveness.” 

More to the point, he noted the admonition in Matthew 10:16 regarding being ‘wise as serpents and harmless as doves’, even when surrounded by tens of millions of Muslims who are devoted to Sharia Law which mandates that those who turn away from Islam must be punished and killed.

(Image courtesy Global Catalytic Ministries)

Now is the time to introduce hope—especially with the elation of freedom in Iraq and Syria.  “One of the most powerful ways that we can come alongside the Underground Church in these devastated areas of Iraq and Syria is just being compassionate; how can we come alongside of them and lift them back up?”

Is it dangerous?  Most certainly.  Mohamed cites the earlier part of Matthew 10:16, where Jesus says, “‘I send you as sheep among wolves.’” However, he believes this fear is like a smoke screen which distorts what’s really going on.

“The real ‘fake news’ is this: the wars, the fighting, the killing. The real news is that Jesus is moving powerfully in the Middle East. God is moving! It’s not all destruction and death and craziness. It’s actually amazing things.”   He also says this side of their work is less about personal risk and more about the biggest spiritual revival happening in the Middle East since the Islamic conquest.  “The Middle East is kind of like China 20 years ago, where hundreds, thousands, then millions, are coming to Jesus. The same thing is happening in the Middle East, but we need prayer because this is a spiritual battle.”

People sometimes want to know what difference they can make in such an overwhelming, broken situation.  To that question, he answers, “Everything begins, is in the middle, and finishes with prayer, so I’m actually looking for people to pray for us because I know that God will lead them to move in other ways, too.  I’m looking for prayer partners.”

The goal is to get a thousand people dedicated to pray for GCM in a year.  Imagine what God could do through the prayers of His people!  GCM is on track to release an app at the beginning of 2018 to help people pray more intelligently about transforming Muslims through Jesus Christ around the world.

(Image courtesy Global Catalytic Ministries)

You can also help provide the supplies they need to help survivors.  GCM sends hygiene kits and food supplies to partners who work in refugee camps and other areas affected by ISIS.  They’re also going to need medical personnel as the region recovers. “We are in a huge need of medicine, especially in Syria because the fighting has being going on till [recently], especially in Raqqa.  Helping us getting supplies, moving supplies, coming yourself—we’re also looking for doctors, surgeons, nurses and midwives that are feeling the call of God to come to the Middle East.”

In the vacuum left by ISIS, now is the time to act.  Click here to get details on how to come alongside the Underground Church in the Middle East.

(Photo courtesy Flickr/CC/Beshroffline)

Syria (MNN) — “Pay up or die.” It’s an ultimatum that sounds like it came out of a mobster movie, but it’s happening today in Syria.

Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs USA, explains, “One of the particularly radical Islamic groups, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which is also known by the acronym ISIS, has established the tax and the subjugation of Christians in the city of Raqqa.”

The ultimatum left Christians in this town with one of three options: “They’re given the option of ‘Convert to Islam;’ they’re given the option of paying this ‘jizya’ tax and coming under this agreement; the third option was ‘face the sword.’”

Given the choice, it seems like the true aim of ISIS is to rid the city of Christian influence. Nettleton agrees. “This is a city of about 300,000 people. The original population before the conflict started was about 3,000 Christians–about 1% of the population. Many of them have fled as the conflict has risen, so we don’t know exactly how many Christians are still in the area that would come under this agreement.” The city was the first and only provincial capital to be completely in the hands of rebels. Nettleton gives this description of them: “This particular radical Islamic group, ISIS, is sometimes at odds with some of the other rebel groups that are fighting the Assad regime, so they’re known to be extra radical.”

ISIS said it would give Christian residents “protection” if they agreed to the list of conditions, Nettleton says, clarifying, “Some of the things they agreed to: pay a tax for every adult male; they also agree not to display any religious Christian symbols like crosses in public; their women are required to veil, and they’re required to hold services: only in church and quiet enough that a Muslim standing outside the building cannot hear it.”

(Image courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)

Many Christians fled after ISIS started attacking and burning churches. Nettleton wonders, “How will Christians survive in this setting? How will they reach out? How will they be able to share their faith? Those are huge questions.” More than 2,000 people are believed to have been killed since Western-backed and Islamist groups attacked ISIS strongholds in early January.

Nettleton says while their teams are providing assistance to refugees and bringing spiritual help, “One of the big things, though, is to deliver the message to them that they’re not forgotten, that people are praying for them, that people know what’s going on, and to encourage them to stay strong in their faith.”

Given the new set of restrictions in the occupied territory, it will be especially difficult for Christians to blend into the new social order. “Pray for protection, and I think even more importantly: pray for their encouragement. Pray that the Lord will empower them and strengthen them to stand up under the pressure that they’re facing.”