Syrian evangelicals are asking Western Christians to join them in urgent prayer and fasting for the life of a kidnapped pastor.
For security reasons, they call the pastor “Jacob” (not his real name) and say the 27-year-old was seized Saturday by members of the Druze community in a region south of Damascus known as Jabal al-Druze.
According to Syrian pastor “David” (not his real name), who knows “Jacob,” the young evangelist spends much of his time sharing the love of Christ, bringing a message of hope to the Druze and other Syrians throughout the country with a “dedicated heart to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and he has a vital role in the church in Syria.”
Druze elders have threatened to execute “Jacob,” who has a wife and one-year-old daughter. They’ve demanded the payment of a 4 billion (Syrian) pound ransom for “Jacob’s” safe return.
“If we sell the church, we will not make that much money to pay them for his release,” explained pastor “David.”
Syrian Christians have appealed to the Druze leadership to spare the life of “Jacob.”
“I tell them today, use God’s wisdom and think about what you are doing. He is not your enemy. The Christian is not your enemy. Jesus Christ is not your enemy. We are not your enemy. We are here to love you,” Pastor “David” explained. “We are here to stand with you. We feel your pain. We feel what you are going through. But killing an innocent pastor will not solve your problem.”