Faith Growing in the Desert: Enduring Faith Conferences in Iraq
  • 44 min
Faith Growing in the Desert: Enduring Faith Conferences in Iraq
Prisoners of Hope
Play

 

A former ISIS child fighter takes his first communion. A man whose father locked him in a burning shop for following Jesus says he "lost everything but gained everything." Iraqi believers risk death traveling 12 hours through militia checkpoints for their only chance all year to worship with other Christians.
 
Join Josh Youssef and Brother Salam as they share stunning stories from Help the Persecuted's Enduring Faith Conference in Iraq—a gathering where 110 converts from Islam came together to worship, many seeing another Christian face-to-face for the first time all year...or in their lives.
 
 
Persecution Hotspot: Iraq (1:24-6:06)
  • Iraqi church survived 2,000 years but faces worst persecution in last 20 years
  • ISIS conquered Christian towns, forcing mass exodus
  • Christian population dropped from 1.4 million (2003) to under 250,000 today
  • Yazidi genocide in Sinjar - thousands killed, women enslaved
  • Post-ISIS: Shia militias now fill power vacuum

From the Frontlines: Brother Salam Interview
Purpose of Enduring Faith Conferences (6:15-10:43)
  • Gathering for persecuted believers who cannot attend public churches
  • Many travel from areas with zero Christian presence
  • This is the only in-person fellowship opportunity all year for some
Stories of Persecution (13:18-18:05)
  • A man's father locked him in a burning shop for converting
  • Failed honor killing—father accidentally killed the wrong son
  • Mustafa's rescued by our team
  • Two martyrs lost in Iraq last year
Conference Impact (26:33-30:05)
  • Growth from 90 to 135 attendees year-over-year
  • A woman received Christ at the conference
  • One attendee brought 22 people to Christ in 2 years
  • Ahmed the taxi driver accepted Christ first night
ISIS Child Fighter Testimony (33:09-37:17)
  • Taken at age 10 to fight for ISIS
  • Father watched The Jesus Film, leading to the family's conversion
  • He took first communion at the conference
Listener Questions (41:04-42:18)
  • Conference experience: "Most seminal moment in my faith" - Joshua
  • Future hope: Afghan conference outside Afghanistan

Connect with Us:
  • Support persecuted believers through Help The Persecuted: htp.org/donate