Jerusalem, Amman, Cairo, Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad – August 5th, 2024

Arab Evangelical Leaders from Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon embarked today on a united effort to invite the global Church into a dialogue to restore unity in the Body of Christ, which has been hurt due to the distorted view of evangelicals as it pertains to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and beyond.

According to a press release, in the action is entitled “A Collective Call to the Global Church from Middle East Evangelical Leaders ”Arab evangelical leaders lament the silence and at times support of some church leaders within the Western Church regarding the actions in Gaza—actions that have been labeled as plausible genocide by the International Criminal Court, human rights groups, and an increasing number of nations. We urge accountability and call for an “immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the unrestrained flow of aid into Gaza.

The two-page statement supported by 32 biblical references questions the approach of many western churches causing a discernible gap with Churches in the Middle East.

A discernible missional gap exists between the Western Church and the Middle Eastern Church, reflecting our unaligned mission priorities. This divide contradicts our collective identity as one Body in Christ.

Arab evangelical leaders insist that they “unequivocally reject all forms of violence against civilians to achieve justice (Jeremiah 22:3; Romans 3:15-18), and strongly condemn all religious, political, and social ideologies that hinder a lasting peace including antisemitism, islamophobia, and Christian Zionism. As citizens of our nations, we believe we are called to speak the truth and pray for those in authority so we can live in peace.

To close this gap the signatories to the statement urge Christians around the globe to come to the Middle East not only to visit the ancient biblical sites and relics of the past but to come and engage with the living stones of the Middle East—a faithful community of believers who have maintained their presence in this region for over two millennia.

A high-level summit is planned for spring 2025 in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Among the signatories to the statement which is coordinated by Palestinian -American Rev Dr. Fares Abraham of the Levant Ministries includes

Rev. Dr. Sameh Maurice
Kasr El Dobara Evangelical Church, Egypt

Rev. Mazen Al-Halteh
Dahyet Al-Nakheel Church, Jordan

Rev. Dr. Edward Awabdeh
Evangelical Alliance Church, Syria

Rev. Dr. Ara Badalian
Association of the Iraqi National Evangelical Churches, Iraq

Rev. Khalaf Barakat
The Egyptian Baptist Convention, Egypt

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac
Bethlehem Bible College, Palestine

Rev. Dr. Hanna Katanacho
Nazareth Evangelical College, Israel

Rev. Dr. Issam Raad, MD
Health Outreach to the Middle East (HOME), Regional

Rev. Nour Sahawneh
Mafraq Alliance Church, Jordan

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara
Middle East & North Africa Evangelical Alliance, Regional

Rev. Dr. Ezzat Shaker
Evangelical Churches of Egypt, Egypt

The Arab leaders invite their Western counterparts to meet via Zoom on September 18, 2024. They have expressed their interest and willingness to come to your church, speak at your special event, or join your podcast to share incredible stories of how God is moving in the Middle East.

For more details read the statement and other documents: here

https://levantministries.org/together-me