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Mimis Lignos's church tries to share God's love with its Orthodox neighbors. Set in the middle of the working-class neighborhood of Lignos's childhood, the church last year launched Operation Rose, delivering a rose to each Orthodox family in the area.

And while the majority of Greek society continues to fear the recent wave of Middle Eastern refugees that have settled in Athens, the Aigaleo church has embraced this marginalized minority. It has begun an Arabic congregation and sponsors meals for the church.

Romeos says the evangelical church's linkage of worship and evangelism can deepen the spiritual life of Greece. "Part of the very essence of our worship is to witness to God's glory," Romeos says. "[Evangelism is] not focused on proselytizing other people, or fighting the Orthodox Church, but on communicating God's attributes."

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Recent media coverage on Greece's identity card battle includes:

Politics and Identity — Kathimerini (August 31, 2001)

Greek President Dismisses Church Referendum — VOA News (August 30, 2001)

Archbishop deflated — Kathimerini (August 30, 2001)

Greek church causes fresh identity crisis — The Guardian (August 30, 2001)

Greek church demands ID referendum — BBC News (August 28, 2001)

ID-day today in church war against state — Kathimerini (August 28, 2001)

Greek Church in ID Card Hassle — Associated Press (August 28, 2001)

Church vs. State, again — Kathimerini (August 22, 2001)

Religious row blazes over Greek identity — BBC News (March 15, 2001)

For current coverage of Greece, see Yahoo full coverage.

Previous Christianity Today articles on Greece include:

Pope Apologizes | In Athens, Pope defuses hostility by asking God to forgive Roman Catholics for sins committed against Orthodox Christians. (June 11, 2001)

Churches Want To Revive Ancient Tradition of Truce During 2004 Olympiad | Plans for Athens games to be outlined in September. (June 11, 2001)

In Greece and Syria, Pope John Paul II Tries to Heal Ancient Wounds | But many Orthodox Christians and Muslims are suspicious and hostile to visit. (May 9, 2001)

Leading Catholic Priest Urges Pope to Delay Controversial Visit to Greece | Opposition reportedly growing in Orthodox Church, government. (April 6, 2001)

Greece's Churches Divided Over Identity Card Data | Protestants cheer government plans to remove religious identification. (June 6, 2000)

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September 3 2001, Vol. 45, No. 11