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He also believes that an evangelical alliance would give Iraqi Christians a voice and increased legitimacy in public opinion. "One of the ways we can help the Iraqi church is by continuing to show that evangelicalism is not an American phenomenon," said Tunnicliffe. "Whether the nuance of that actually gets through is another story."

Aglow International, a charismatic Seattle-based women's organization, launched an affiliate group in Douhuk, Iraq, in May. A second local fellowship is currently forming.

Aglow president Jane Hansen said the ministry does not target specific countries; "The Lord does his work and all of a sudden, they're on your radar screen." In the case of Iraq, Kurdish women formed a local fellowship after a medical aid worker from the U. S., Abby Abildness, told them about Aglow.

Aglow reports that 100 percent of its 4,600 groups are led by nationals. Women meet in small groups and hold annual conferences on evangelism and prayer. Aglow women are also involved in their communities as mentors and volunteers.

"In terms of security, we don't have any active security measures, just common sense and prayer and trusting God," said Hansen, adding that having indigenous leadership lowered risks considerably. Still, "In the Middle East, they have to use great wisdom in when and how and what they share."

While nowhere in Iraq is safe, Kurdistan has been separate from the south for about a decade and is stable due to a strong, secular government and homogenous population, said Marina Ottaway, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Middle East program. "That explains why it's possible for Christian groups—for anybody—to operate. There is foreign investment. There are business groups operating there. There are all sorts of different activities going on."

Christopher Swift, a researcher at the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, said that in spite of Kurdistan's insulation from Baghdad's violence, all is not well. Religious rights are tenuous, and discrimination and property confiscation continue to be problems for the area's Christians.

Neither Bassous nor Tunnicliffe suggests that launching parachurch organizations in the north of Iraq is a signal of increased stability. "Unfortunately, there has been a demographic change in Christian presence in Iraq," Bassous said. "Most of them have moved to [Kurdistan] because of its relative safety." In fact, said Swift, internally displaced persons are a strain on the region.

However, they say it does show an increased solidarity among Iraqi Christians.

The increased Christian presence in the Kurdish region is not only due to refugees; Kurds are spreading the gospel among themselves, according to Bassous, and the Kurdish church is growing.

"We have now at least more than 1,000 Kurdish people who have changed their religion to be Christians," said Omeish. "And this is in front of the government to see. This is the only Muslim country like this."

In addition, said Tunicliffe, "People are also becoming followers of Christ as they see the church reaching out and ministering to the whole needs of people." Abildness told Aglow that the Kurdish women were partly motivated to form a fellowship because "They appreciate the good works that Christians do to help and rebuild their community."

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

The Bible Society in Lebanon and United Bible Societies and Aglow International have more information about their affiliates in Iraq.

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September (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51