Bethlehem Baptists Not Going Away

Bethlehem Baptists not going away [Excerpts]

The Palestinian Authority is refusing to provide recognition for a Baptist church in Bethlehem because of pressure from existing churches.

Naim Khoury, pastor of The First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, explains that the Palestinian Authority has told him officials have taken the action after consulting with traditional churches.

"And the head of the traditional churches or the council of the traditional churches, they refuse us to be registered because we are evangelical and Baptist -- and they consider that Baptists and evangelicals ... are Zionist and blah, blah, all of that," he says.

Khoury has made it clear they are not asking for recognition from traditional churches but from the Palestinian Authority.

The pastor was asked if his church will close. "No sir! The Bible says the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and even so we will continue. It doesn't matter -- we will keep preaching the gospel and we will keep functioning."

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1557602