Quincy Bergman | Global Mission Pastor | March 25, 2025
Greetings From Egypt
I (Quincy) am now two days into a three-day conference organized by our good friends at Bridges of Hope, about an hour outside Cairo. A second conference will begin on Wednesday evening.
Every year, Bridges of Hope hosts two significant gatherings for Christians living and serving in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region—one specifically for leaders and another for workers and their families serving in some of the most challenging places to be a Christian. Typically, these two conferences occur at different times of the year, but they are being held back-to-back this year.
One reason for this change is the immense effort—and risk—required to coordinate the arrival of guests from various countries.
We are currently attending the Strategic Leadership Summit with over 150 pastors and leaders from 15 different countries. They have come to be encouraged and challenged to learn, pray, and worship God in freedom and truth!
Between the scheduled events, I’ve had the privilege of sitting with many incredible people and hearing their stories.
One young man, who once described himself as a radical Islamist aligned with the ideology of ISIS, had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. He became a Christian, started a ministry, and got married. (I’m leaving out many amazing details, of course.)
As we spoke about the cost of following Jesus—how it affects relationships with family and even the ability to live and work in certain places—he shared about baptizing new believers. He asks his people the same questions we ask at The Peoples Church (TPC), with one addition:
“Are you prepared to face ridicule and persecution from family and neighbours? Are you prepared not only to suffer for Jesus but to die for Him?”
Then, with a smile, he told me, “If they can’t say yes, then I tell them I cannot baptize them.”
I sensed no judgment in his words or his heart—only a deep love for the people he is called to lead and disciple. He does not offer a false hope of a life free from hardship, danger, or sacrifice. Instead, he presents the truth: that following Jesus is hard, but there is nothing better in the world.
I—we—have so much to learn from him and the many leaders here!
It has been a gift to meet new people and reconnect with those who have known us at TPC for years.
This morning, I was woken up at 4 AM by the distant sound of the call to prayer. Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan. For some here, that sound brings back painful memories of a past life. For others, it is a reminder of family and friends who have disowned them for making Jesus their number one priority. And for still others, it is a call to action—reminding them of the work that remains in sharing Jesus with the world.
Tomorrow marks the start of Here I Am. Our gathering will grow to 600 attendees—workers and their families—coming together to share stories, intercede in prayer, and encourage one another to stand firm and be well-equipped for the next season of ministry.
No photos this time, out of respect for the privacy of so many who are risking so much.
Thank you for praying!
Grace & Peace.
Quincy.
Quincy Bergman | Global Mission Pastor | March 31, 2025
Continuing to Pray for Our Partners
All the conferences are now complete, and I’m back home in Toronto, reflecting on the time spent with our partners in Egypt.
What an incredible experience of prayer, stories, tears, and celebration. Between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, another 500 people arrived from all over the world, and we remained together until Saturday. Organizing an event of this scale—without drawing attention to international visitors—was no small feat.
This gathering brought together international donors, frontline workers in the field, and their families. Each day, we spent over 10 hours hearing testimonies of answered prayer, sharing requests, engaging with Scripture, worshiping through song, and praying together.
Day after day, we listened to those who have responded to God’s call to serve in some of the world’s most challenging places. While the numbers may not seem large, the number of people coming to know Jesus in the Middle East is greater than ever before.
This is remarkable, given the significant challenges they face when choosing to follow Him. It was especially encouraging to see so many young adults and families taking time to rest and be refreshed in the company of fellow believers.
Here are some of the prayer requests shared during the conference:
- That God would raise up more workers, particularly to provide training and deeper discipleship.
- For unity among believers in the region, especially across different churches.
- For wisdom and faith for parents raising their children in the way of Jesus while navigating a predominantly Muslim culture—balancing faithfulness with discretion.
- Against the spirit of fear.
- For those that are currently serving prison time for their faith
- For individuals in government to experience a softening of heart.
It is deeply encouraging to know that The Peoples Church is so closely connected to the ministry happening in North Africa and the Middle East. Our partners are profoundly grateful for our continued prayer and financial support. We, too, can be grateful for the privilege of walking alongside such courageous and inspiring individuals.
Let’s continue to pray!
Grace & Peace,
Quincy
Global Mission Pastor
Stories from Bridges of Hope
In 2023 we shared stories from Bridges of Hope and you can watch them on our YouTube page. They are powerful stories that will challenge and stir our hearts as we learn about what it means to follow Jesus in some of the most challenging places to live as a Christian in our world today.