Mission Crossroads is a three-time-a-year magazine focused on worldwide work of the PC(USA). It offers news and feature stories about mission personnel, international partners and grassroots Presbyterians involved in God's mission in the world.
Issue link: https://missioncrossroads.epubxp.com/i/491857
12 Spring 2015 Te need to minister to a growing number of already underserved Christians has never been greater. Te Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Egypt (EPCE) was planted by missionaries of our church more than 150 years ago and is today, the largest Protestant church in the Middle East. With the revolution that began January 25, 2011, there is unprecedented openness to the church's role in society. Studies conducted by the Evangelical Teological Seminary in Cairo (ETSC) show that more than 70 percent of Christian Egyptians do not have access to a church. Although Christians represent more than 10 percent of Egypt's primarily Muslim population, two-thirds of Christians in Egypt have no church to attend because of the limited capacity of churches of all denominations to minister to the people. Te EPCE's congregations, presbyteries, and councils currently oversee more than 66 new church developments in cities and remote villages. In recent years, the Egyptian government has given land to EPCE to build 14 new church buildings, and made signifcantly simpler the process to obtain building permits. Tis is unprecedented in the history of Egypt since the Arab Islamic conquest in the seventh century. For legal, cultural, and security reasons, a worshiping community in Egypt cannot meet or function outside a church building. It is not possible for a congregation to exist without a specifcally designated church building. One of the major obstacles in planting new churches is funding for buildings. As a partner, World Mission is working with the EPCE to fund construction of new churches and hiring organizing pastors. Te buildings will start at $80,000. A mission co-worker will be needed to coordinate new church construction and other assignments. Te cost is $83,000 for four years. In addition to buildings, there is a critical need for more trained pastors to lead congregations in worship. More than any other institution in the Middle East, the ETSC has trained pastors for churches from Libya to Syria to Iraq. It continues to grow by ofering access to satellite campuses and online courses in Arabic. Te ETSC and World Mission are hoping to fund a New Testament professor at the ETSC in Cairo. Many students want to serve God but do not have the fnancial resources to further their education. For $7,000 an individual or congregation can sponsor a student from Sudan, Syria, or Iraq. To learn more about the projects underway, visit pcusa.org/egypt-church. Growing the church in Egypt 1967 Israel attacks Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Missionaries are suspected of siding with Israel, and are evacuated for their safety, but return in fewer numbers a year later. 2000 Ministries of Synod of the Nile included 350 congregations, three hospitals, 22 schools, and several locally run clinics and various outreach ministries. Today PC(USA) personnel serve in active partnership alongside Egyptian Presbyterians to give witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ through ministries of compassion and discipleship. There are 66 new Presbyterian churches planned for Egypt. Charles Watson founded the American University in Cairo ยป Support Help us Grow the Church in Egypt! Make a gift via the Web: presbyterianmission.org/ donate/E200102 or by mail to: PC(USA), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA, 15264-3700. And note on your gift "Grow the Church in Egypt" with E200102.