West Bank: Ministry Harassed

Holy Land Missions (HLM) continues to face threats as it spreads the gospel in the West Bank. “Apparently Satan has caught wind that we are carrying out the Lord’s calling to dedicate this year to winning the lost at all costs,” said HLM Vice President Steven Khoury in a letter to VOM.

The ministry recently purchased a building in a Muslim neighborhood to use as a youth center. A week before the youth center opened, Pastor Naim Khoury, Steven Khoury’s father, was summoned to the courthouse.

“Mr. Khoury, there are many complaints that you are going to begin outreaches in the youth center, and many people are afraid these outreaches will be noisy,” a government official told Naim Khoury at the courthouse. “A lot of trouble can come if you are active in that controversial neighborhood.”

Pastor Khoury promptly responded, “Well, it is very interesting that you have been warned about this because we have not even begun yet. So how will those that are concerned about our presence in the neighborhood know if we will cause trouble or noise?”

The government official agreed to let HLM begin its work in the neighborhood, but he warned Pastor Khoury that he expects to see him again.

The same week Pastor Khoury was summoned to the courthouse, a Muslim family threatened to harm HLM pastors and vandalized the center’s locks. The family said they would “break the legs” of anyone who enters the youth center’s gates. “You can break my legs, but you can’t break my faith,” responded Steven Khoury.

The youth center will enable HLM to hold outreach and prayer meetings in the Muslim neighborhood. The ministry hopes to attract local youths to the center to tell them about Jesus. The facility will be used for special events, dinners and activities, and HLM also plans to offer trips, Bibles, DVDs, Bible booklets and tracts.

“Please pray for our safety and for those that are appointed to come to be changed,” Steven Khoury asked. “Pray that they will not be afraid to come and that those that do come will not be threatened with repercussions.”

HLM has worked in Israel and Palestine for the past 30 years. HLM holds church meetings and activities several times a week just 1.5 miles northeast of the traditional location of Calvary, on the edge of a predominantly Muslim community called Beit-haninah.

Sources: VOM contacts, www.holylandmissions.org