It was great to see around 300 people, many of whom were visitors, gathered together at the Centre on Wednesday to hear Andrew White, the “Bishop of Baghdad”, talk about some of his experiences in Iraq. Andrew White serves as vicar of St. George’s Church, Baghdad, the only remaining Anglican church in Iraq.
It was amazing to hear White talk candidly about his experiences in Baghdad:
What became evident was his steadfast faith, his utter dependence upon God, his genuine love and heart for the people of Iraq, and his determination to continue in the work of God in that devastated city.
Indeed, we were all blown away when he related how his church grew at a rate of 50 a week and now stands at more than 3500 people: what an amazing testimony to the power of God, that even in a predominantly Muslim country, torn apart by war, He can still grab hold of hearts and work for the good of His church: I was reminded of Jesus’ promise “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Poignant too was the short interview with a former soldier who had served in Basra. He told of how he was caught in a mortar attack whilst on routine patrol one evening: he was wounded, potentially fatally, when flying shrapnel caught the major arteries in both his legs. Yet through a series of fortuitous events his life was saved. Not only was he somehow able to get himself to the temporary barracks on wounded legs, but here he also found advanced medical assistance which meant that the shrapnel was safely removed from his legs, and the bleeding stopped. This meant that not only his life, but also his legs were saved. He conveyed how he believed that what happened that night was more than coincidence: the reason he was saved was because his parents prayed for him everyday. This story not only brought home the horror and reality of war, it also demonstrated God’s constancy, and the fact that he is present and can act in every situation.
The evening was essentially an introduction to the Alpha course which starts next week (Tuesday 2nd February) and so it was great to hear about how the church in Baghdad runs regular Alpha courses for both Iraqis and the coalition forces there: their last run saw 2,700 Iraqis attend! But it was also sobering when White related the fact that 11 of 13 recent converts to Christianity had been killed for making this commitment. This really hit home the fact that in Iraq, and in many parts of the world, to be a Christian is a dangerous and life-threatening thing. And yet the fact that people still make this commitment, even at such high stakes, speaks volumes about their conviction about the truth of the gospel. And this should motivate us, in our privileged situation where religion is so “easy”, to be impassioned and aflame with a desire to reach out to the multitudes around us who do not know Christ. That Alpha flyer that we may regard apathetically may be the first step towards salvation for our friends, our neighbours, our families. I hope that from this evening, we will see many people turning up to Alpha and that lives will be changed through this course.
