Dear friends and partners,

This has been a busy season at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) with all the end-of-year activities and the start of a new academic year. We are blessed with an amazing group of students whom God is equipping for ministry leadership in the Arab world. The role of the Church is critical in a region filled with conflict and violence. Equipping leaders for the Arab Church is always a priority for us.

We just concluded two main events in the final week of September, the Middle East Consultation (MEC 2023), and a consultation celebrating the 25th anniversary of LSESD (Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development), which is CBM’s main partner in Lebanon and the umbrella organization of ABTS.

MEC 2023’s topic was My Peace I Give You: Practicing Peacemaking in the Middle East, a very needed topic for the region. You can read about it here: https://abtslebanon.org/middle-east-consultation-2023/. You can also read about the outcome of the consultation in a series of blogs on https://abts.blog.

We ended the week with the graduation ceremony of 19 men and women whom God has called to serve His Church in the region. This is always an inspiring event as we celebrate God’s work in these individuals as He sends them out to serve.

In early October, we hosted a cohort of students who came for a two-week residency during which we inaugurated the new library and research center. Along with a renovated academic residence, these new facilities will be used not only for our students, but also for researchers from around the Arab world who are conducting research that will benefit the Church in the region. We can host them at ABTS while giving them access to our research facilities, with physical and digital resources in both English and Arabic languages.

• Please pray for the Church in the region as it navigates ministry in a difficult and complicated context.
• Please pray for ABTS students and graduates as they serve God in this volatile region.
• Please pray for ABTS to remain faithful in responding to God’s mandate.

Thank you for your partnership in Kingdom work in the region. It is such a blessing to be engaged in God’s mission in the Arab world together.