Middle East/North Africa (MNN) — Gospel workers face significant challenges in the Middle East/North Africa region: illiteracy, unemployment, honor killings, war, massive displacement, food insecurity, and persecution – to name a few.

“According to Pew, this is the worst persecution in 1,000 years for Christians globally,” Dr. Terence Ascott says. Dr. Ascott is a founding member and former CEO of SAT-7, a satellite TV ministry to the MENA.

Militant Islamic leaders and terrorist groups pose additional problems. “Some people say ISIS did more to convert people in the 2014-16 era than Billy Graham could have done. People were so disgusted at how ISIS treated other Muslims in the name of Islam that it led to a bad reaction in many countries,” Dr. Ascott says.

“People have rejected the hypocrisy they see in Muslim leaders and the misuse of Islamic labels to manipulate.”

Additionally, “the more Islamic the country, like Iran or Saudi Arabia, the more people are disowning Islam and becoming deists or atheists,” he continues.

“There’s a growing atheism in Egypt – something that would have been unthinkable a couple of decades ago.”

If these are the latest trends, what’s the good news? More Muslims are turning to Christ in the MENA than ever before. New fellowships filled with Muslim-background believers are forming faster than anyone can count.

SAT-7 supports persecuted and oppressed Christians, isolated Christians, and church leaders in the MENA through its “Discipleship Across Borders” programming. As described here:

SAT-7 offers content providing scripture-based teaching, shared testimonies and viewer stories, and prayer and counseling. And the programs act as a platform through which believers can join a wider Christian community, participate in worship, and experience fellowship.

Learn more about SAT-7 here. Pray the Lord will raise up faithful supporters to keep Gospel work going in the MENA.

Header image is a representative photo courtesy of SAT-7.