by Alliance Pastor Joseph Francis as told to Janet Root
I have news from Iraq—not the news you hear from CNN or the BBC about bombings, the corrupt government, or protests. I have Kingdom news.
God is moving in our country and in our city.* The church is growing, and many people, especially people of the majority religion, are coming to Christ. They have started attending our church, and we are discipling them and preparing them for baptism.
Religious extremists, the bad parliament, and the bad parties in our city are helping to reveal the violence and oppression of the majority religion here. As a result, the people are seeking peace, hope, and lovingkindness—they are beginning to seek the true God.
*Watch Prepare the Way For the Lord (2:08) to see how God is moving in the world today—making a way for all people to find Him!
Taking Jesus to the Streets
God prompted our church’s leaders to show Jesus’ lovingkindness and humility in our city’s streets. We are sowing good seed under these troubling circumstances you have heard about in the news, and there is fruit.
Sometimes the people who have followed the majority religion come to the church, and they already believe in Jesus Christ. He has shown Himself, declared Himself to them, healed them, and opened their minds and hearts.
Food Parcels and Prayer
We are honored to join God in what He is doing, demonstrating Jesus’ lovingkindness to people like M. He is an Iraqi political officer who joined a movement affiliated with his religious sect to support his family and provide them religious protection.
One day M and his wife received devastating news: their young son had contracted a serious brain tumor. About this time, a group from our congregation was going door-to-door in some of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods, providing free food parcels and offering to pray for each household’s needs.
When they knocked on M’s door, his family displayed Iraqi hospitality, inviting the guests inside for tea and conversation. Few people refuse prayer, even in Jesus’ name, since their religion respects Him.
“Jesus Healed My Son”
So the family requested prayer for their son. Our team laid hands on the boy, prayed, then moved on to the next house.
At their son’s next medical checkup, the doctors were baffled—there was no trace of the boy’s tumor! “Jesus healed my son! Jesus healed my son!” M’s wife shouted, running up and down the hallway.
We Will Love
Recently, about 300 followers of the majority religion sat for two hours in the street, listening as we shared the gospel. Afterward, the church elders began washing their feet.
The people asked, “Why are you doing that?” We responded, “We are nothing, but Jesus Christ—the Perfect One—He taught us to do this, to love each other. We love you!”
Jesus Christ washes His disciples’ feet and is the perfect teacher and master. Brothers and sisters, I am no one to do this, but He gives me this honor to do this in my nation among my people—He is everything.
Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit; He gave us the encouragement; He gave us the strategy to go to the streets. Only Jesus can bring healing and a cessation of hostility as people drop their weapons in worship of the Savior.
It is a privilege and honor to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in this time.
What You Can Do
Pray for the church of our city. Intercede continually for the leaders, the pastors, for me, for my family—to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. Thank you, and God bless you.