This morning I had a very profitable meeting with Monther Naum (right), Chairman of the Association of Baptist Churches (ABC) in
Israel, who is on a visit to UK. Baptists are a small group in Israel – ‘a minority within a minority within a minority’.
One aspect of our conversation was particularly striking, concerning the change in the population mix in Israel since its formation. In 1947 there were 700,000 Jews, 1m Muslims, and 150,000 Christians. In 2008, there were 6m Jews, 4m Muslims and 155,000 Christians. Of the Christians, the majority are Catholic (60%) or Orthodox (35%), 6000 are evangelicals, of whom just 3000 are Baptist.
Listening to Monther, it wasn’t difficult to realise that this man is one of a number of visionary Christian leaders of the work in the Middle East. Their task is huge, and they seek our understanding and support. Although our partnership with the ABC is only 2-3 years old, others in the UK have taken a lead over a number of years in reaching out and supporting the work there. How our role might develop will become clearer in the coming year as Gordon McBain, our regional secretary for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and I visit the region in 2010.
The year 2011 will be significant for ABC when they celebrate 100 years of Baptist witness in Israel. Their hope is that by then they might obtain legal recognition by the State of Israel. When David Coffey, Baptist World Alliance President and newly appointed BMS Global Ambassador, was in Israel in 2007 he and Monther met with President Shimon Peres and raised this issue, and received a sympathetic hearing. It would be wonderful if this could be achieved in 2011, and if we can help in any way, we will be ready to do so.
David Kerrigan
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