THE CRY FROM A FIRST-GENERATION CHURCH
Whilst the growth of the Church in Algeria is exciting and encouraging, it also brings challenges and needs. SAT-7 is responding to these by broadcasting a range of programs to encourage and disciple Algerian believers.
CHURCH GROWTH – PAST AND PRESENT
Christianity flourished in this area between the fifth and seventh centuries but gradually disappeared after the Arab invasions. Although new churches were started under French rule, an entirely local church has been born in recent years among the Berber people. Its extraordinary growth in the last few decades is thought to be the fastest in the Arab world – several thousand new believers are baptised every year!
Whilst the growth of the Church here is exciting and encouraging, it also brings challenges. Within this ‘First-Generation Church,’ there is a great need for discipleship, strong biblical teaching, and encouragement for believers.
SAT-7 is responding to this need by broadcasting a variety of programs to encourage and disciple Algerian believers.
A RANGE OF PROGRAMMING
Viewers have the opportunity to experience worship services and biblical preaching through My Church in Algeria. This broadcasts every week from a large, Kabyle-speaking church in northern Algeria. Around 1,000 people attend the services, and approximately 80 believers are baptised each month.
Bible Teaching from Algeria, presented by Pastors Saleh Shlah and Farid El-Amry, explores the central concepts of Christianity and provides practical guidance from the Bible to help individuals with questions that they may have as new believers. The program’s producer, Salah Kessai, highlights the importance of this program in countering unhelpful doctrines and helping illiterate people understand how they can communicate with God each day through prayer and worship.
INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT
SAT-7 is also currently airing the second season of a testimony series called Free Souls. Produced and presented by Samia Jallali Kessai, Free Souls features the strong personal testimonies of women from Algeria and other North African countries who are eager to tell how they chose to follow Christ, even at great personal risk. Their stories are an inspiration and encouragement to others.
One Algerian Berber viewer contacted SAT-7 to say,
“Every Tuesday night I call my friends in the village and ask them to join my family to watch the testimonies of brothers and sisters in My Church who came to know the Lord. God changed their lives! We even watch the re-run on Fridays. We need these kinds of programs!”
Recent research into SAT-7’s audience demonstrates the spiritual hunger of this young Church in Algeria, with around 1 million viewers. While many Algerians are unable to leave their homes or simply live too far to travel to a church, SAT-7’s programs can share God’s love and disciple believers across this country with God’s word.