We are making an impact in the Middle East! In the first nine months of 2024, just the Facebook page of our Middle East Children’s Program alone has reached over 160,000 people, which includes over 10,000 video views on social media. This is an increase in viewership and impact compared to 2023.
In addition to broadcasting on social media, our Good News Club programming which is broadcast over satellite TV across the Middle East in modern standard Arabic and several Arabic dialects, which has the potential to reach millions of children with the Good News.
This season’s broadcasts were produced in Egyptian Arabic as well as, for the first time, Jordanian Arabic. The expansion into Jordan is strategically important as Jordan has received refugees from Syria, Iraq, Gaza, and the West Bank this year. It is a goal of our ministry team to be able to engage children who are in these refugee camps.
Engagement and follow-up are a critical piece of a media strategy, as we shared earlier and will cover in more detail in a subsequent post. The ministry team has engaged in over 5,000 follow-up interactions on Facebook with viewers and listeners so far this year.
Making disciples is a commandment from the Lord, and disciples are made in the context of relationship. Engaging with viewers and listeners is an important human touchpoint and seekers can have questions answered and be connected with local fellowships of believers.
What do you think has been the nature of most of these interactions? Our ministry team reports that most have reached out to them with a very harmful or aggressive attitude with the intent to attack and argue. This is not a big surprise and is similar to what they have reported previously.
We are not dismayed nor discouraged by this, because any touchpoint – even if it is from an angry listener – is an opportunity to respond with the love of Christ and kindness. This is precisely what our ministry team is doing. In fact, every person who reaches out is presented with the message of salvation!
We pray for more engagement with children who turn into the Middle East Children’s Program and that more hearts will be turned towards the Lord.