I was listening to NPR’s Foreign Dispatch Podcast today when I heard the most interesting story. It was about our brothers and sisters in northern Iraq, where the Gospel has been present for at least 1,600 years.
Side note: The Apostle Thomas was most likely the guy who started the church in Assyria (modern day Iraq and Iran). This Assyrian Church of the East developed independent of the churches inside the Roman Empire mainly because the two governments kept fighting each others.
Sigh. This makes me want to learn more about the Assyrian Church: What’s their history? Who did they survive Muslim rule? Who where their great theologians? Missionaries? Pastors? What’s their theology stands on salvation, baptism, church leaders, etc?
[@more@]There is so much more to be learned about the Kingdom of God among our brothers! Double sigh. I need a life time to devote to studying and learning….
Speaking of a similar topic, I really, really, really need to go to the Eastern Orthodox Church in town. I have been delaying because I wanted to first read the theolog
ical books the priest gave me this summer. Yet, at this rate I will be 90 before I get the chance to read them. Triple sigh.
Back to the main story:
A bunch of churches in northern Iraq got tired of all the violence around them, so they organized security forces to keep the peace. So far, it’s been working.
Oh – and it seems that the finance minister for the Kurdish regional government is helping foot the bill for the new forces. Interesting stuff. Check out the written report or the podcast.
Some of my friends are serving in northern Iraq right now spreading the good news. If you are interested drop me a line and I will put you in touch with them.