Recently we had a special visitor in Buffalo, our dear friend Pastor Steven Khoury from Bethlehem, where he is a pastor in the Palestinian Christian community in both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I had the opportunity to sit down with him and discuss how, tragically, the historic birthplace of our Savior (and our faith) is largely forgotten by Western Christianity. In the time span of just a few decades, the 2,000-year-old Christian presence in Bethlehem has almost entirely disappeared because of increased persecution by terrorists in the region, and because of the subsequent “Christian exodus” from the Middle East.

Pastor Naim Khoury, Steven’s father, has pioneered with his family for the cause of God’s Kingdom in Palestinian areas for several decades. Remarkably, as Arab Christians they publicly stand with Israel at the risk of their own lives. Along with their congregations and communities, the Khoury family is establishing a legacy of steadfastness and maintaining the presence of God’s truth and power in the region.

At this critical time of history, we must remember and support our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East. Listen as Pastor Steven shares about the plight of the Arab Christians in Bethlehem and how we can stand with them in this hour.