With parables, Jesus taught the people. And with parables, SAT-7 is sharing the Christian faith with viewers across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
With many countries across the North African region having few churches and only limited freedoms to explore faiths other than the majority one, many people find SAT-7 programming a reliable resource for learning about Jesus in the safety of their own homes.
A new program in the Moroccan dialect called Parables of Jesus uses drama to engage viewers through the parables Jesus told. The actors, crew, and filming locations are all Moroccan.
One episode explains the parable of the unjust judge and how it is important to pray all the time because God hears our prayers. In the drama series, a blind man goes out to sell his goat and meets another man who offers to buy the goat in exchange for a sheep. But the buyer, who is a swindler, gives the blind man a dog instead. When they go to the judge, he rules in favor of the swindler for a bribe. The blind man keeps going to the judge asking for justice and even visits him at home at night. Frustrated, the judge rules in favor of the blind man and gives him back his property.
“God is a loving Father,” said program presenter Bendadand, commenting on the parable. “It is important to focus on this because it is the essence of the relationship between God and humans. Sometimes God doesn’t answer my prayers because He knows what’s best for me better than I do. He knows my needs.”
One pastor from a house church in Marrakesh told SAT-7 how grateful he was for our ministry, which is helping them to grow the Church in the country. He told us, “Things are changing, and SAT-7 makes such an impact on people here.” He explained how important it is to have access to a television ministry and asked us not to stop what we are doing but instead to keep sharing the Gospel. He also asked us to pray for all Christians in Morocco: for their protection and safety, and that they can continue to serve God and bring the Good News to others.
When SAT-7 began airing programs made in North Africa, several viewers sent messages expressing their joy and excitement at finding out they were not the only Christians in their own country.
Everyone needs to feel they belong, and SAT-7 programs provide viewers with the opportunity to connect with other believers, to know there are others walking alongside them in faith.
While there is a well-established church in Marrakesh, the fourth largest city in Morocco, people born in the country cannot use it as a place of worship. The church, like others in Morocco, can welcome only foreigners who have come to live or spend time in the area.
North Africa was home to the church fathers Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. But when Arab invaders spread through the region in the seventh century, the Christian presence was greatly diminished.
Today, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco all officially protect religious freedom. But in reality, the situation for the Christian minority is far more restrictive. North Africans who become Christians often face pressure, rejection, or even the threat of violence from their families or others in society.
Recently SAT-7’s weekly live program You Are Not Alone covered a court case against young people in Libya who announced that they had accepted the Christian faith. They are facing the death penalty.
Please Pray
Please pray for SAT-7’s production team in Morocco as they travel across the country to produce programs like Parables of Jesus. Pray for protection and strength for them and their families and that they may continue to show the people of Morocco how Christianity is part of their history and something to be celebrated. Please pray too for Christians in the MENA, for their safety and that they will find Christian fellowship and support.
