The reality of persecution
We won’t be taking any photos or video of the speaker at our St Patrick’s Day Festival Service, and we’ll be asking you to do the same.
That’s because “Michael Jones” is an Egyptian Christian whose real identity must be protected.
We’re Standing with the Persecuted Church worldwide on 18 March and are privileged to have both Michael and Eddie Lyle, President of Open Doors UK & Ireland, as our speakers.
Michael is a businessman married with two children. He is an elder in one of Cairo’s local evangelical churches and has been serving believers there since 1990. He is working with ministry partners to strengthen the church and teach Christians in Egypt to stand strong through persecution and pressure. Michael travels throughout the country to encourage and empower small local churches and Christians wherever they live.
Christians in Egypt face daily discrimination in education and the workplace. The legal system is biased against non–Muslims, and Christians are frequently treated like second class citizens.
There have also been violent attacks on Christians and churches.
In an interview with The Guardian (10 January 2018) Michael said:
“There is only a minority of violent extremists, but the culture in Egypt cherishes the perception that Christians are infidels.”
The response of the Christian community was one of endurance, prayer and forgiveness, he said. “By forgiving our attackers, we’re not saying they should not be punished but retaliation and revenge is not our response. We don’t want to be part of a cycle of violence.”
Michael said that many Christians had left Egypt because of discrimination and persecution. “I have thought about leaving many times, but I believe God will take care of me. I don’t want my life defined by fear,” he said.
There are 9.5 million Christians in Egypt. They make up about 10 per cent of the population of Egypt, and half of all Christians in the Middle East.
The country is number 16 on the 2019 World Watch List, Open Doors’ annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution. In 2018 Egypt was number 17 and the year before, number 21 on the list.
We invite you to join us for some or all of the St Patrick’s Day Festival on Monday 18 March. Find out more at this link.