Dear ministry partners, while life in Lebanon is getting more and more complicated, it still serves as a strategic gateway for ministry in the Arab world and as a launching pad for training leaders for the Church in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). We are grateful for the role that God is giving us in coming alongside the churches in the region as we equip faithful men and women for ministry. We are also grateful for you, our partners, as together we get to fulfill God’s mandate for this part of the world.

God continues to grow the ministry of ABTS (Arab Baptist Theological Seminary) despite the prevailing challenges. Due to the pandemic, ABTS pivoted to online and hybrid education. This has increased the accessibility of their programs and has expanded their impact. Key church leaders who wouldn’t have been able to take three years off to study in Beirut, can now receive training without sacrificing time away from their ministries. This has led to more than double the enrolment at ABTS in the last two years and is growing each term.

ABTS is now offering programs for leaders no matter their religious or academic background. Students can choose a Certificate in Ministry, a cohort-based integrated vocational training program, or a highly academic Master of Theology that develops local theologians who can publish high quality theological books in Arabic. In addition, ABTS is working with two other seminaries in the region to start a doctoral program.

ABTS is also developing an Arabic digital library as well as a physical research center. They will be able to host researchers from all over the Arab world who can stay at ABTS and use its physical and online resources to pursue their research interests.

As CBM continues to invest in the ministry of the Lebanese partners, the CBM MENA team is busy developing partnerships with the Baptist community in Egypt and in Sudan. Exciting opportunities are emerging in both countries. At the same time, we are supporting projects in Morocco, Syria, and other countries in the region.

• Please pray for Lebanon as the situation is still spiraling downwards, economically and politically.
• Please pray for Sudan and our partners there. The recent clashes in Khartoum have devastated the city. Most of the leaders and the church community have fled to safer places in Sudan, some have even left the country.
• Please pray for the churches in the region as they serve in a difficult, and sometimes hostile, environment. Pray that they maintain a bold witness and a prophetic voice in the midst of the volatility.
• Please pray for the CBM MENA team as we continue to serve alongside our local partners.

Thank you for your love for God and His mission in our region. Please consider visiting our team in Lebanon to witness first-hand the work of God here.