Knowing that many families in Lebanon are facing a season of pain and displacement after months of...
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has a rich and diverse Christian heritage dating back to the birth of Jesus in the region and to the early spread of the Gospel, which went out from there “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8b).
But today, the survival of some of the MENA’s ancient churches is under threat. Over the centuries, conflict, poverty, and persecution have significantly impacted the Christian presence in the MENA, and today, Christians comprise just 4.2 percent of the population.
Both established and emerging churches in the region face many challenges, but there is no doubt that God is at work. SAT-7’s multi-platform media ministry is helping to meet the spiritual needs of men, women, and children of all ages, while also supporting the ministry of the local Church.
Our vision is to see a growing Church in the MENA, confident in Christian faith and witness, serving the community, and contributing to the good of society and culture.
For many Christians across the MENA, practicing their faith is extremely difficult and even dangerous. Isolation, discrimination, and persecution are commonplace, and believers lack Christian resources and fellowship to support them.
SAT-7 seeks to ensure that Christians of all ages feel connected to the global Body of Christ through satellite programming, digital media activities, and Viewer Support Teams, who accompany viewers in every step of their faith journey. Our discipleship content provides much-needed biblical teaching, worship, and encouragement.
For believers in places like Afghanistan and Iran, SAT-7’s ministry is a lifeline of spiritual support. Our Persian-language channel, SAT‑7 PARS, broadcasts a two-and-a-half-hour block of programming in Dari – the Persian language most widely used in Afghanistan – every Friday afternoon. This includes a new weekly home church service for Afghan believers from Ariana Church, featuring Bible readings, teaching, and times of praise.
The channel’s Viewer Support Team also holds weekly Bible teaching sessions on Zoom for small groups of believers, an invaluable source of discipleship and fellowship for Isolated Believers in Iran and Afghanistan.
Making the next generation of disciples is vital for the future of the Church in the MENA, but for Christian families, raising their children in the faith is challenging, especially for those who do not have access to church, Sunday school, and Christian youth groups. SAT-7 is supporting this important work with discipleship content for children and youth across our four channels, which broadcast in the region’s main languages of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.
Our Arabic children’s channel, SAT-7 KIDS, recently launched a new magazine-style Christian show called Jesus is Our Strength for youth ages seven to 12. The program provides a dynamic, engaging platform for children to learn about faith, kindness, and community through fun activities, inspiring stories, and interactive segments. It encourages children to explore their own experiences and their questions about living a Christ-centered life through live episodes that broadcast four days a week.
For young Turkish viewers, Great News, aimed at 7- to 11-year-olds, is a bright and entertaining news-style program presented by well-known SAT-7 TÜRK presenter Nora Yazırlıoğlu and her loveable assistant Mr. Straw, a dog puppet with a liking for jokes. But as well as entertaining young viewers, the presenters weave in biblical principles such as the inherent value of every person and the importance of prayer, throughout different discussions, news, and segments.
Church leaders in many parts of the MENA have limited access to resources and training. Some become leaders of house churches as new believers who are only just starting to get to grips with the essentials of the faith for themselves. SAT-7’s teaching programs provide robust and engaging theological material that both reinforces their own faith and enables them to communicate it effectively to build up and equip their congregations.
We aim to meet the specific needs of the Church in particular contexts, such as in Algeria, where all but one of the country’s Protestant churches have been closed by the authorities. No longer able to film our long-running and popular series My Church in Algeria – live weekly broadcasts of church services – we are now broadcasting an adapted version of this program called Home Church in Algeria.
Filmed in a set styled like a family home, the program features Bible teaching, worship, and prayer with a small group of believers who share food and fellowship. It gives Isolated Believers an opportunity for teaching and a sense of connection to other Christians across the country, but it also models house church meetings.
“This is very important to the Christians in Algeria right now,” producer Salah Kessai says, “because it gives them tools and shows them how to meet together in homes and how to form smaller communities.”
From Egypt and Lebanon, where the Church is much larger and enjoys more freedom, SAT-7 broadcasts live services and festivals across the region. This multiplies the Church’s impact on a much bigger scale and gives Isolated Believers in places where such gatherings are not possible the opportunity to join others in worship and prayer from their own homes.
In 2023, at least 82% of your gift went directly to fund programs building up women, children, and families across the Middle East. Functional expenses (all entities).
