The Church in the Middle East

The Evangelical churches in the Middle East were largely established by Reformed missionaries. However, in recent decades they have been influenced by different unbiblical trends, superficiality and dead spirituality. Moreover, those of the Reformed persuasion in the region lack active fellowship and cooperation with like-minded Christians elsewhere. They need encouragement from Reformed churches and believers worldwide. MERF was formed to link together the gifts of the national believers with the vision and support of the Bible-believing Reformed communities worldwide.

Read more: History of Middle East Reformed Fellowship

Gospel Beginnings

In Isaiah 19 we read the prophecy that worship of the true God would be established in Egypt and that the Egyptians would come to know deliverance through the promised Saviour (verses 19-21). In Acts 2 we notice that Egyptians were present to hear the Apostle Peter preach the Gospel on the Day of Pentecost and were among the many who were converted that day when the New Testament Church was established. According to tradition, the Evangelist Mark, possibly along with those converts who returned to Egypt, spent much time preaching, teaching and church-planting in Egypt. In God's providence, Egypt was ripe for the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and the Christian faith spread very rapidly throughout the land of the Nile River.

Already the Old Testament Scriptures were available in the Greek language that dominated the northern part of the Nile River delta. This played a very important role, not only in facilitating the spread of the Gospel in Egypt, but also in establishing a very prominent academic role for early Egyptian Christians. Alexandria, with its great library, became a very important Christian centre. Leading figures in the development of Christian thought came from there. Those included church fathers Clement, Origen and Cyril.

Read more: Progress of the Gospel in Egypt

[Note: This article was written before the war]

Until recently most Christians were not aware of the presence of Christian churches in Iraq. It is possible that few Western Christians are conscious of the presence of Reformed churches there. Yet, biblical Christianity in Iraq goes back to the second half of the first century AD.

The land of the Tigris and Euphrates was Abram the Hebrew's birthplace. His wife, Sarah, and his son Isaac's wife, Rebecca, were also from there. Jacob also went back there in search of a good wife. He ended up marrying Leah and Rachael, his cousins, daughters of Laban, his mother's brother.

The Assyrians and Babylonians exiled the Israelites there. It was there that the people of God experienced a spiritual awakening under leaders like Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai. The concept of gathering in simple meeting places called synagogues to study the Scriptures sprang up there and spread among the rest of the Jewish communities in Palestine and elsewhere. From there the exiles returned by the Lord's mighty hand refreshed and blessed by the presence of a vibrant believing remnant. They rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. For several hundred years afterwards they were prepared for the coming of the promised seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham through whom all families of the earth would be blessed.

Read more: Reformed Churches in Iraq

By a Middle Eastern Christian, Posted January 2004

At one stage or another we each face unsettling events. It might be a problem in the family or at church or at work. It might be some sickness or the loss of a loved one. It might be business failure or the loss of a job. Still, it might be a major national event such as what happened in the US on September 11, 2001.

Sooner or later we are confronted by things that disturb and shake the depths of our being.

Read more: Godly Interaction with Muslims

Life and Work

Samuel Marinus Zwemer was born April 12, 1867 to Adrian and Catherine Zwemer in Vriesland, Ottawa Co., Mich., Apr. 12, 1867. His father, Adrian, was born February 12, 1823 in Oostkapelle, Netherlands. He was the youngest of seven children born to Jacob and Neeltje Janse Zwemer. Early in 1849, he left the Netherlands and settled in Rochester, New York. There he married Catherine Boon (1826-1886), who had traveled in the group with him, in 1849. Adrian moved his family to Holland, Michigan, in 1856. He was ordained by the Classis of Holland, Reformed Church in America, in 1858. His first church was at Vriesland, MI. Adrian and Catherine had 15 children, among them was Samuel. He retired from his last church at Spring Lake in 1898. He died on March 17, 1910 in Holland.

Read more: Zwemer - Pioneer Servant of Christ

The influence of Reformed missions on the Arab world and particularly the Arabic language and culture has been far reaching. Pioneer missionaries in the Arab and Muslim worlds enjoyed a great deal of zeal for the spread of God's word. Translation of the entirety of Scriptures into the Arabic language constituted the top priority for Reformed missions in the first half of the 19th century. Accomplishing such an endeavour in a very rich and complex language was not a simple undertaking. It required highly qualified and gifted people. One such a person was Eli Smith.

Read more: Eli Smith - Pioneer Bible Translator