We end this series by seeing what life is like now for Christians who have lived in the West Bank for 2,000 years. (It's hard.) We also think about what we can do, as Christians here, to build more peace. Since Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and we want to be blessed, what could we do? And if we want to support people in the situation over there, what does support look like?
To open the handout for this session (an article about the Biggest Myths of the Israel-Palestine Conflict), click here.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 6
We return to our series about the Holy Land this week, as we learn what it’s like to live in the West Bank area. For some groups it’s easy and pleasant; other groups are impeded from leading natural lives. As we’ve been doing in this series, we take time to understand what the conditions and motivations are for all the people involved, so that we can better understand what’s going on, and then be better able to work for peace.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 5
Tonight we hear from both Palestinians and Israelis about what it's like to live in the Palestinian Territories, which Israel controls. There is a lot that is undefined for the residents of those places (the West Bank and the Gaza Strip), which raises anxiety. And the many separation barriers lead to lives being separated too.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 4
This week we talk specifically about the city of Jerusalem. It's considered holy by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. So there are many holy sites in the city, but that makes it a contentious situation, as everyone wants to control it. We learn about who controlled what parts of the city throughout history, and yearn for the possibility of peace. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Christians led the way in making Jerusalem a city of peace.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 3
In this session we continue the timeline of what events happened in the Holy Land, from 1948 onward—what changed, and how it affected the local population. We also watch an interview with a local Palestinian who is a Christian peacemaker, as we think about how we can join in the work to "seek peace and pursue it" (Psalm 34:14).
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 2
Over the last 150 years, the Holy Land has experienced a lot of changes in terms of who has controlled and moved into it. Different populations, empires, and countries have impacted what life has been like for those who were living there. We learn a lot about that timeline, hear from a Jewish rabbi there, and talk about what the emotional effects have been.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 1
This week we start a new series to help us learn about the historical and modern-day situation in the area we call the Holy Land—the stretch of land featured in the Bible that is important to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The situation there is deep and complex, so we will spend many weeks learning about different aspects of it. In this first week we learn about Christians who have lived in Palestine since the very beginning of the Christian church.
Russian Baptist Leader Flees for Safety
Yuri Sipko, a pastor and former president of the Union of Baptists in Russia, had to flee the country in August when authorities attempted to arrest him for publicly praying for peace in Ukraine. He anticipated the government’s action after his participation in a virtual prayer vigil in February. The event was hosted by Mission Eurasia on the one-year anniversary of the invasion.
Pastor Sipko said, “The law makes it a crime to call the war a ‘war’ and does not allow anyone to call for peace in Ukraine. But I prayed for peace and said it is a crime to drop rockets and bombs on the Ukrainian people.”
He evaded capture at his Moscow home on Aug. 8 and has since been placed on a most-wanted list for disseminating “false information” about the invasion. “It is a terrible thing when the word ‘peace’ is outlawed. Everything is upside down in Russia. But until I am gagged, I will continue to speak out. The gospel and Christianity compel us not to remain silent. Jesus Christ was not silent, and the apostles were not silent. Paul was not silent even when he was in prison. I am merely following the example of the gospel and such great Christian witnesses.”
Mission Eurasia is a Nashville-based global ministry helping Sipko with living expenses while he is in hiding. Mission Eurasia president Sergey Rakhuba said that Pastor Sipko “left his house in a t-shirt and jeans and barely managed to escape. They came after him with special police, like SWAT teams. They wanted to arrest a pastor for saying, ‘Stop killing people’ and ‘Stop bombing people.’ The state threatens evangelicals and there is no religious freedom under Putin. Only the Russian Orthodox Church has freedom, and the state threatens evangelicals with imprisonment.”
He added a plea for US churches to continue helping and praying for Ukraine: “Ukraine is a very resilient nation, but they need help defending their country, feeding their people, and protecting their right to freely worship God.”
A Word from the Pastor – Surviving Election Day
Today is election day. So how should we handle it? Most importantly, be mindful of what helps you and what doesn’t—what gives you peace, and what stresses you out. It will be tempting to watch constant news or scroll social media all day, but I don’t think that will help you feel more peace and less stress. After you have already voted, maybe helped others be able to vote, and the polls have closed, your civic duty is done for the day, so be sure to take care of yourself…… [click View Post above to keep reading]