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Arabic Christian channel a hit?
The Washington Times ^ | November 26, 2005 | Julia Duin

Posted on 11/26/2005 12:24:24 PM PST by Lorianne

The founder of the nation's first Arabic Christian TV channel says the programming is attracting phone inquiries from curious Muslims.

The Southern California-based channel Alkarma, whose name means "the vineyard" in Arabic, premiered Oct. 17. It is the brainchild of Samuel Estefanos, an Egyptian-born businessman.

The channel gets 10 to 15 calls a day from Arabic speakers with Muslim surnames who are intrigued that Alkarma would give away a movie known as the "Jesus Film" and other materials.

"Some of them call and say they are Muslims and need to know more about Christ," Mr. Estefanos said. "Other people are Christians but say they don't know anything about Christ. In the Middle East, even though if your religion says 'Christian' on your identity card, that does not mean that you know Christ."

Mr. Estefanos invested about $200,000, much of it his own money, to purchase airtime and equipment for the 24-hour channel. The station still needs about $40,000 a month to operate. Total contributions so far total about $10,000 a month.

"I know this is a great station," he said, "and we are doing more productions. We are seeking to build a good foundation so we can grow more. I believe God will provide and we'll keep on going."

He estimates there are 35 Arabic-language TV channels airing nationally, but none of them were Christian until Alkarma began. The channel, which reaches about a million Arabic speakers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is slowly attracting advertisers.

"It's great," he said. "Some people call us and cry on the phone. They say, 'We knew Christ through this channel.' People send us e-mails and leave phone messages."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: alkarma; arab; arabchristians; arabic; arabmedia; christ; christian; christianmedia; islam; jesus; moslem; muslim; religion; satellitetv; tv
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1 posted on 11/26/2005 12:24:24 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne

Wow. That's great.


2 posted on 11/26/2005 12:26:18 PM PST by DoughtyOne (MSM: Public support for war waining. 403/3 House vote against pullout vaporizes another lie.)
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To: Lorianne

What a relief. At first I thought the headline read "Arabic Christian channel hit."


3 posted on 11/26/2005 12:26:57 PM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
The channel gets 10 to 15 calls a day from Arabic speakers with Muslim surnames who are intrigued that Alkarma would give away a movie known as the "Jesus Film" and other materials.

"Some of them call and say they are Muslims and need to know more about Christ," Mr. Estefanos said. "Other people are Christians but say they don't know anything about Christ. In the Middle East, even though if your religion says 'Christian' on your identity card, that does not mean that you know Christ."

Maybe the government should start beaming this to the middle east.

4 posted on 11/26/2005 12:31:12 PM PST by lesser_satan
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To: Lorianne

Now there's an idea as to how God wages war against the lies of islam.


5 posted on 11/26/2005 12:31:14 PM PST by Dark Skies ("The sleeper must awaken!")
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To: Lorianne

Bless him. If anyone tried this in a Muslim country, they would quickly get their heads cut off. But there is at least some chance that Muslims in this country can be converted without suffering the usual penalty for conversion.

One of the greatest dangers of Islam is that for Muslims conversion is a one-way street. Once you are Muslim, apostasy requires the death penalty. It's one of the reasons that Islam has spread so widely: Once in, never out, for a person or for a country, with the sole historical exception of Spain. Anything done to reverse that satanic one-way street is very, very welcome.


6 posted on 11/26/2005 12:31:33 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Lorianne

Good for them! Persian Christian TV gets broadcast from the U.S. to Iran, somehow, and is said to be quite popular.


7 posted on 11/26/2005 12:39:37 PM PST by Tax-chick (Advent starts November 27 ... have you dusted yet?)
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To: Lorianne; All
The remainder of the article:

The channel is one of 25 Arabic-language channels on the GlobeCast World TV satellite, which has 130 radio and TV channels in more than 30 languages. Alkarma, based in Seal Beach, Calif., is part of the nonprofit Media Dream. Its Web site is www.alkarmatv.com.

Mr. Estefanos, who emigrated here seven years ago, said he began dreaming of such a station 15 years ago after he graduated from college in Egypt in 1990.

Beginning in 2002, he said, God began directing him to start Alkarma.

He has had to produce seven original programs in Arabic. One is named "Virtuous Women"; another is called "The Healing Touch"; a third is called "God and Christianity"; and an interview show is called "Where is the Truth?"

"There are no debates between religions," he said. "Our goals are focused on two things: providing solid biblical teaching and programs for the family."

Its Arabic programs are in various Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi and Egyptian dialects. The channel also airs some English programming for children plus portions of "The 700 Club" from the Christian Broadcasting Network.

8 posted on 11/26/2005 12:40:53 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne

This is good. A clear presentation of the claims of Christ as to His own Person, nature and attributes is vital. Muslims already accept Jesus as a prophet of God, but they reject His being the Son of God (Islam denies that God has ANY sons, let alone the only-begotten Son), and they reject the vicarious atonement. In fact, Islam teaches that Jesus ascended to Heaven without dying at all. So, Islam denies that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. No death of the Lamb to pay for the sins of mankind, and no resurrection to justify and give new life to any man --- that's Islam. I trust, praying, that the comprehensive claims of our Savior, Jesus Christ, will be made most prominent on the airwaves in the Middle East.


9 posted on 11/26/2005 12:51:03 PM PST by Free Baptist
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To: Lorianne

Impressive!


10 posted on 11/26/2005 12:56:47 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people believe in Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: Lorianne

The imams/mullahs ain't gonna like this. Hope he keeps his head down.


11 posted on 11/26/2005 1:30:48 PM PST by manic4organic (We won. Get over it.)
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To: Lorianne
"...even though if your religion says 'Christian' on your identity card, that does not mean that you know Christ."

This man sounds like the real deal.
12 posted on 11/26/2005 1:37:31 PM PST by Minus_The_Bear
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To: Lorianne

There is another fantastic Christian network beaming from Lebanon called Telelumiere. Check it out at www.telelumiere.com

I know they need subscribers and contributors to grow and make a difference in the Middle East.


13 posted on 11/26/2005 1:42:55 PM PST by winner3000
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To: Tax-chick

Yes. I have a friend who is a searching Muslim woman. She talks about the Christian Persian channels. Says they are on satellite and are seen in Iran. Says that satellite is outlawed in Iran but people get it anyway.


14 posted on 11/26/2005 1:50:48 PM PST by Kay
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To: Kay
satellite is outlawed in Iran but people get it anyway

I'm not surprised. Technology is taking down the repressive dictators, slowly but surely.

I think I read that videos of the Persian Christian broadcasts are passed around, too, as well as the "Jesus" film in Farsi.

15 posted on 11/26/2005 1:55:21 PM PST by Tax-chick (Advent starts November 27 ... have you dusted yet?)
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To: kayak; Faith

Thought you might enjoy this Good News!


16 posted on 11/26/2005 11:30:32 PM PST by Kay
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To: alpha-8-25-02; FlashBack; Hiskid; Kitty Mittens; CyberAnt; Victoria Delsoul

Thought you might be blessed by this Good News.


17 posted on 11/26/2005 11:59:31 PM PST by Kay
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To: Kay; Jemian; Guenevere; Molly Pitcher; Miss Marple; jtill; Brad's Gramma
Thanks for the ping, Kay. Good News, indeed!

I will be praying for this special ministry.

18 posted on 11/27/2005 6:21:08 AM PST by kayak (Praying for MozartLover's son, all our military, and our President every day!)
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To: Kay

This is awesome news .. thanks for the ping!

We have a guy in our church who is from Palestine - and he's taking the real Christianity to his family and their friends. He travels there often.


19 posted on 11/27/2005 9:34:17 AM PST by CyberAnt ( I believe Congressman Curt Weldon re Able Danger)
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To: Kay

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!


20 posted on 11/27/2005 11:17:37 AM PST by Faith
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