GAZA PASTOR: Connected Together Through Pain

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The Voice of the Martyrs

Christianity, Martyr, Vom, Persecution, Gospel, Pastor, Persecutedchurch, Apologetics, Islam, Christian, Church, Missions, Missionaries, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 February 2023

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today Hanna Massad, former pastor of Gaza Baptist Church, assists persecuted Christians and refugees across the Middle East.

He knows what they are facing. He’s had his own first-hand experiences of Christian persecution, living and pastoring a church in a Muslim context. His wife led the Gaza Bible Society during a time when it was bombed twice. Their coworker and friend, Rami Ayyad, was kidnapped and murdered.

In these difficult moments, Hanna and his family had to completely rely on God’s Word. When Gaza police told him they couldn’t protect his family, Hanna thought of Psalm 46:1, “The Lord is my refuge.” He and his family knew God could protect them, even if local authorities could not or would not.

In the face of threats of further attacks, they decided to leave Gaza, at least temporarily. They planned to be away for a few weeks, long enough that the situation could settle down again. Instead, their departure became long-term.

While the doors have never re-opened for the Massad family to return permanently to Gaza, that doesn’t mean their ministry in Gaza ceased. Massad, author of the book Pastor From Gaza (affiliate link), continues ministering to Christians in Gaza through the church, online connections, the Bible Society library and regular visits back to his homeland.

Listen as he shares an update on the current ministry of Pauline Ayyad, Rami’s widow and a recent guest on VOM Radio. He’ll also share what it means to be a true disciple and he’ll challenge every listener to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Hanna is the founder and president of Christian Ministry to Gaza, blessing and serving widows, orphans, and refugees in multiple nations of the Middle East, helping provide for spiritual and physical needs.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hannah Masad was a pastor in Gaza City. His Christian community experienced two bombings,
0:07.2	then his colleague was kidnapped and martyred for his faith in Christ.
0:12.0	How could Pastor Masad continue to minister under these conditions?
0:16.8	The Lord put this assurance in his heart.
0:20.6	If you aren't my well, even if you live in one of the most difficult places in the world,
0:25.9	like Gaza, that would be the best place for you. But if you are out of my well
0:30.6	and living in the greatest country in the world, America, that would be the worst place for you.
0:35.6	So the best place for you and for me, love one, God, help us wherever we live,
0:41.7	to be in the midst of His will, because that's the best place and the safest place.
0:49.2	Jesus never promised His followers an easy path. In fact, He told His disciples that the world
0:54.9	would hate them. He sent them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus' words came true in the life of the
1:01.0	apostles, and they're still coming true today in the lives of His followers around the world.
1:06.0	Join host Todd Nettleton. We hear their inspiring stories and learn how we can help right now
1:11.5	on the Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network. Welcome again to the Voice of the Martyrs Radio.
1:15.9	My name is Todd Nettleton. Last week we heard part one of a conversation with Hannah Masad.
1:22.0	He served as the pastor of Gaza Baptist Church, and he told us about some of the persecution
1:29.0	that he and his congregation faced. To get you up to speed for today's conversation,
1:33.9	I'll remind you of some of those things. Pastor Masad's wife oversaw the Bible Society in Gaza.
1:40.6	That organization was bombed twice. Then a coworker at the Bible Society,
1:46.5	Rami Ayad, was kidnapped and killed for his faith in Christ. Rami's widow, Pauline, was our guest
1:53.3	last fall on VOM Radio. You can hear that interview at our website, VOMradio.net.
2:00.4	When we left off the conversation last week, Pastor Masad was telling us about the aftermath of
	...

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