Mission Network News (Fri, 06 Mar 2026 - 2 min)

0:00I'm Steve Odell with Mission Network News, tensions are rising in Lebanon as the government takes rare action against Iran. Members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Lebanon could soon face arrest and deportation. The move targets the IRGC's partnership with the Lebanese extremist group Hezbollah. At the same time, Israeli strikes have hit southern Beirut and Israel has warned people to evacuate. John Cernelia with SAT7USA says, I was in a meeting this morning with colleagues who live in the region. I have a colleague who lives in Beirut and he turned his phone out the window of where he is in Beirut and we were watching bombings happen. SAT7 broadcast satellite gospel television across the Middle East and North Africa. Pray for the protection of all people in the region and of course it also our brothers and sisters in Christ. And Syria joins perpetrators like Iran and China in a report released this week by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Dan Olashani of Open Doors International says,

1:00The U.S.A. report helps to highlight countries where there are egregious violations or freedom of religion and belief. They are the same countries where Christians suffer the most. Mandated by Congress, the U.S.C.I.R.F. report helps to inform state department decisions. Actions can range from individual sanctions to economic pressure. It really becomes important when the U.S. government and other Western governments take this report more seriously and apply pressure, they could be positive pressure or pressure that actually hurts. Then it starts to make a difference. Olashani describes three ways to pray at missionnews.org. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one way ministries. We are listeners supported by people just like you. So by giving to mission network news, you enable us to keep the stories of God's Kingdom coming. And together the Great Commission happens. Look for the links at missionnews.org. I'm Steve Odell.