The Middle East

Over the past two weeks I have stepped into two very historic cultures, Turkey and Lebanon. It’s a region of the world that is in the news often for all of the wrong reasons. With conflict surrounding both countries in Libya, Egypt, and most impactful Syria, I am sure you have read something in the past day or two talking about the conflict. For me this was a huge learning trip in a variety of different ways, but I think one of the biggest ways was that my view of the Middle East moved from a headline to people’s faces and relationships. Reality set in quickly as the journey got started.

            In Istanbul, Sam was speaking at a conference of global Church planters on the value of training and developing servant leadership. The opportunity to sit in a lecture type setting and learn from his wisdom and insight was a tremendous opportunity. Often Sam and I have one on one conversations, but to get to hear him teach other “high ranking” leaders from different organizations was pretty unique. Also during this time my respect and appreciation for how CRM uniquely attracts and develops leaders, continues to grow. After three intense full days of serving and teaching the other conference attendees we jumped on a flight to Beirut.

            Here we stopped in to spend time with Nadim, the director in Lebanon. This is a very talented busy man who God is using in a variety of ways. Within Lebanon there is the development of leaders in Beirut and ministry within a Bedouin tribe on the outskirts of town. On top of that there is training and equipping of Jordanians, Iraqis and Iranians in starting a Church Planting Movement. One of the many amazing stories attached to this training is that twelve men from a dominant Middle Eastern country were equipped and trained then sent back home. Upon getting home they have now started around 250 new groups who are studying the Bible together. Despite the strong Muslim influence, God is still doing amazing things. Through Nadim’s care and leadership abilities the diversity of ministry to so many different groups is pretty amazing. So please keep Nadim and his team in your prayers and also be praying for the Church in the Middle East.

 Also joining us was Jerry Little, an entrepreneur who has an amazing gift for starting businesses to help fund local missions. He has started a restaurant and hotel in Romania, which now in-turn gives back around $250 – 300,000 to ministry in Romania each year. He joined us here since he is looking to create a new business in Beirut to help fund local ministry there. 

Overall the Middle East held so much more then I can really begin to dive into over a blog. Just to give you further perspective on the reality of the situation in Beirut, as we drive from the airport the road is lined by Hezbollah and Sunni neighborhoods. Two rivals in the Muslim world that as an American you are just not able to even enter. In many parts of those neighborhoods the police do not even go. During our time there a Christian church was bombed, foreigners were kidnapped and held for ransom, and two drive by shootings occurred during protests. This happened over a period of three days and it appears to be the norm. With soldiers all over the city you sense the tension, but amidst all of this life goes on. People go to the movies, eat out at restaurants, have shopping trips, life continues in the midst of the conflict. Amidst all of that tension I have further learned that God wants us to run to where the pain is because He wants to bring healing!

 Thank you for your prayers and support!