Egypt Pastors’ Conference – Ministering to Heroes of the Faith

As you have received Christ Jesus…so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith…overflowing with gratitude. Col. 2:7

Egypt National Pastors’ Conference – This month Indigenous Ministries is privileged to sponsor an Egyptian Pastor’s Conference. With the extreme difficulties and persecution over the past four years, the theme is “He Restores My Soul.” Below, I’ll share a very special account that happened four years ago – the last conference we were able to have there.

We need your help: pray for this very important time, for the pastors, and for those of our US team ministering to the pastors and for the women’s and children’s ministry that will also take place. We are launching our child sponsorship program this month there.

Helpless no more: Most of us feel helpless when reading the Middle East headlines and reports of evil and oppression especially towards the Church. As we train nationals to reach nationals with the Gospel, there is absolutely NO BETTER WAY TO MAKE AN IMPACT and push back against the evil than ministering to and blessing the under shepherds, or, pastors, in this region. They are the pillars of the faith and stand daily in the face of overwhelming trials.

As these ancient stone pillars stand as monuments to this great, ancient country, pastors in Egypt today stand as living pillars of the faith.
As respected leaders, they play a vital role in their churches and communities in turbulent times.

Here’s the account I wanted to share with you: Four years ago we were preparing to hold a pastors’ conference in Egypt. Shortly after we arrived in country, violence broke out in Cairo. We witnessed on live TV as hundreds of Christians were horribly and tragically crushed by Egyptian tanks. To cover the crime, we also saw soldiers toss many of the bodies into the Nile. Within hours, many foreigners in ministry there weighed the situation and left the country.

After checking with the US Embassy, local police and reviewing all our options, John concluded that our location in a compound was secure. Our US team chose unanimously to continue on with ministering to the pastors and their wives that week. As we knelt in prayer with our national team for Egypt, for the killings to stop and for Believers across the land, the Lord’s presence was very evident. It was a holy time. That night, the tanks were called back and silence fell. We spent the next three days in fasting and prayer for Egypt as John and team led the conference. Peace came, but only for several months; shortly afterwards persecution broke out in great force against Believers.

How simply “showing up” makes a difference: Each of the Egyptian pastors said in tears how much they appreciated even our presence as a comfort and relief. Then to have the Biblical instruction, they said, was an added gift. The prayer and fellowship was very sweet…and ever since then, the doors have been closed for us to return to hold another conference until now. That was four years ago.

We believe the Lord is going to use this time this month in a very, very special way. Don’t miss this opportunity to encourage these men; pray for and support this conference. One of our donors put it this way, “please tell me you haven’t raised all the funds for the pastors’ conference in Egypt because, selfishly, my husband and I want to help these pastors receive all the blessing we can send them!”

With a remaining need of $2,500 to cover this vital ministry, would you prayerfully consider helping out with a $100 gift? You can be a blessing to these servants who have endured so much. Click the Donate button on the right, , select Middle East Pastors’ Conference.  Thank you.

Indigenous Ministries in Egypt since 2006:

• Working through national pastors to reach Egyptians for Christ
• We have partnered to plant 10 churches in Egypt through prayers, mentorship and financial support with our national Egyptian team
• 4500 Egyptians have come to Christ through this partnership
• Preparing to build the first church building for one of these church plants
• Our team has government permission to plant churches throughout Egypt
• Cost to support an Egyptian national pastor: $500/mo, or $6k/year
• 20+ trained pastors are ready to go; only their is support needed for them to begin
• October 2015 we launch our child sponsorship program in Egypt
• IM has held pastors’ conferences in Egypt
• IM has held Beautiful Int’l women’s conferences in Egypt
• IM has helped thousands with mercy ministries of food
• IM has helped dozens of women with goat micro business projects
• IM has sponsored outreach projects