Sudanese Churches Abiding in the Word of God

Last weekend, a story entitled “Sudanese Faith in the Future,” was featured several times on CNN International. It is now available to watch online, as well.

The story’s location is St. Paul the Apostle Sudanese Episcopal Church, in Phoenix, Arizona. Part of the show follows an entire worship service, beginning with the pre-service choir rehearsal to the closing recessional. It is obvious from their joyful worship that it is their faith in the Lord that enables the Sudanese to have faith for the future.

Journalist Aja Harris interviews church members – former Lost Boys, young mothers, and the elders of the community. She also interviews the rector, Rev. Anderia Arok, a longtime friend of IRD. We have worked with him on situations affecting the Sudanese community both back in South Sudan and also in the United States. Right now, in addition to shepherding his large flock of almost 400 members at St. Paul’s, Anderia is struggling with school fees for a Doctor of Ministry degree program on Global Health and Wholeness to better serve the Sudanese community in Phoenix, but also back in South Sudan.

Harris notes the significance that the church is not just the place where the Sudanese come to worship, but “where they come to heal.” Young and old alike, the church members tell her that “hearing the Word of God among fellow Sudanese helps to ease some of the pain and the loss they suffered during Sudan’s decades of conflict.

Choirmaster John Pat tells Harris, “Our church came with us. When we were in the bush, fighting in Sudan, we always put God first.” He says that they knew that God was with them, “Twenty-four years in the bush fighting, with nobody – no mother, no father.” But God sustained them, and, he says, when they came to the United States, they wanted to “abide in the Word of God.”

Although Harris refers to St. Paul’s as “possibly the first Sudanese church in America,” there are lots of other congregations of Sudanese across the United States abiding in the Word of God.” I’m personally familiar with some of them in northern Virginia, Kansas City, Nashville, and elsewhere. These churches need the support of their fellow Christians. And so do the churches in Sudan itself.

Although South Sudan has held a successful referendum to separate from Sudan and be free, the same ideologies of Islamism that waged violent jihad in the South are now attempting to continue the jihad with money and influence. In addition, the Government of Sudan has already begun trying to undermine the new Republic of South Sudan by supporting proxy militias of disgruntled former commanders to create conflict and chaos in the country. And churches outside of the South, in the North or Nuba Mountains, for example, are more vulnerable to persecution and oppression than ever now that the South has separated. Sudanese church leaders in the country and elsewhere need leadership training and support to build up their churches, schools, and economic opportunities for their people to counter this infiltration.

Over the past twelve years, IRD’s Church Alliance for a New Sudan has built relationships with many Sudanese church leaders from bishops who have defended the gospel at risk of their own lives to visionary young priests and lay leaders ablaze with passion for Christ’s Kingdom. You can help. See in what way your Sunday school class or prayer group is interested in finding ways to contact these brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us come alongside them to help not only individuals, but an entire nation to find healing and wholeness. I’d love to hear from you!