Baptists asked to pray for conflict in Middle East

Baptists asked to pray for conflict in Middle East

After he traveled to Israel and troubled West Bank area March 23-30 Billy Jang Hwan Kim, president of the Baptist World Alliance, asks Baptists everywhere to pray for peace in that sensitive and critical part of the world.

“After visiting Israel and the West Bank it is easier to understand that there is no easy resolution to the Middle East conflict,” Kim said. “I believe that one of the immediate solutions is for Christians to pray that temporarily peace might be achieved. However, I believe that the eternal peace of Jerusalem will only occur when the Messiah returns.”

During his visit Kim met with the Mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, and Simon Peres, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Israel. Kim said he prayed with them for the peace of Jerusalem and the entire region. At the West Bank he met with the mayor of Bethlehem, Hanna J. Nasser.

Kim met with Baptist leaders Alex Awad, head of the East Jerusalem Baptist Church; Bishara Awad, president of the Bethlehem Bible College; Fuad Haddad, principal, Nazareth Baptist School and the new president of the Baptist Convention of Israel; and Naim Khoury, pastor, First Baptist Church.

“My heart goes out to those who are not only suffering from the conflict by also because of a tremendous shortage of jobs and lack of daily necessities,” he said. “As Baptist brothers and sisters around the world, we certainly need to pray for Christians in Palestine and Israel. Pray that they might come to an agreement in order to enjoy peace and live harmoniously.”  (BWA)