Many in the region urgently seek him. But how does the Arab Church meet this need for knowledge about Jesus in an accessible and attractive way?
Christianity Explored Ministries offer courses that enable seekers to find out about the Christian faith through exploring the Gospel of Mark. Their resources have been successfully used by thousands of churches around the world. Now, thanks to Dar Manhal Al Hayat (DMAH), these courses are available to Arabic speakers for the first time.
Two Christianity Explored Ministries resources have been translated by DMAH: Christianity Explored (CE), aimed at adults, and Soul, which is specifically for young people. Each manual contains a leader’s guide, a participant’s guide and DVD. The publications were launched at two training events at the beginning of June: one in Egypt (1 June), the other in Lebanon (3 June).
The Egyptian workshop was held at a time of increased tension for Christians in the country. Days before on 26 May, gunmen had attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians, killing 28 people and injuring 25. Despite this, over 130 brave men and women from different age groups and denominations attended the DMAH conference, some travelling up to 10 hours to be there, such was their desire to help people understand more about Jesus.
At the workshop, entitled ‘The most important exploration in your life’, trainers from Christianity Explored Ministries explained how best to use CE and Soul. There were opportunities for discussion, for people to ask questions, and for worship and devotions too.
Many felt CE and Soul would be helpful for their churches and for those seeking to know more about Jesus. One young woman said: “The CE material opens new questions and presents a new way to see God, know Him and understand why He came.” A young man commented: “I will deliver the gospel through this course and use it in different ways for different age groups.” And another woman, who works in youth ministry, added: “I am encouraged to live and apply the word of God in a better way. The course is great and rich with biblical truths.”
Two days later, the conference was held in Lebanon at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut. Again, over 130 people came to the training. At the end of the day, there was a 30-minute prayer session to thank God for the opportunity to use these resources for his glory and the courage to do this well.
Like the Egyptian conference, there were many positive comments from attendees on the resources. A young woman, under 30 years old said: “I learned the fundamental principles in every Christian’s life and how to deliver the Good News to others who may be interested in Jesus.” A Sunday school teacher also felt the CE resources would be incredibly helpful: “This course provides different insights into teaching and preaching the gospel,” she said.
There was much excitement about the potential impact of the resources in sharing the Christian faith with those that want to know more.
Please pray for all of those that received the Christianity Explored training in both Egypt and Lebanon, as they take it back to their churches and start to use it in the coming months. Pray too for DMAH as it continues to equip the Arab Church with the resources it desperately needs.
“We thank the Lord for the new CE materials and for the amazing opportunity we had to learn how to use both curricula. We are very thankful for the excellent training provided by the Christianity Explored Ministries team and are looking forward to seeing lives changed as it is put into practice.” – DMAH Director Sawsan Tannoury
Chris Hall
