Senator Michael Nazzal, Chairman of the Tourism Committee in the Jordanian Senate, visited the headquarters of the Council of Evangelical Churches of Jordan in Amman’s Khalda area on Monday to discuss ways to further develop Christian tourism in Jordan.

Nazzal met with retired Major General Imad Ma’ayeh, President of the Evangelical Council of Churches in Jordan, who is also chair of the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Jordan, Palestine, and Galilee. Ma’ayeh presented a detailed overview of the five churches within the Jordanian Alliance and reviewed the church, social, and humanitarian activities of evangelicals in Jordan, whose work dates back to the late 19th century. Senator Nazzal was also extended a special invitation to participate in a celebration on May 29th marking 100 years of organized evangelical work in Jordan, and a reception for the new General Secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance, Rev. Butros Mansour of Nazareth, to be held in Amman on May 30th.

Senator Nazzal stated that, in his capacity as head of the Tourism Committee, he seeks to cooperate with all churches in Jordan to encourage Christian pilgrimage to the country. He proposed ​​organizing a special pilgrimage route to the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ in the Jordan Valley. A deep and frank discussion also took place regarding the obstacles facing evangelical churches, and an action plan was agreed upon to raise awareness among the Jordanian public about the role, importance, and patriotism of evangelical churches, which are considered an integral part of the Jordanian Christian community.

The meeting was attended by Reverend Mu’tasim Dababneh, pastor of the Free Evangelical Church in Salt, and Reverend George Zananeiri of the Assemblies of God Church, both members of the Assembly’s administrative board. Also present was Daoud Kuttab, a former member of the Assembly’s administrative board and Senior Communications Officer for the World Evangelical Alliance, which represents approximately 650 million evangelical Christians worldwide. Engineer Nidal Qaqish, a member of the Orthodox Society, also participated and emphasized the importance of all Christian Churches in Jordan supporting Senator Nazzal’s initiative regarding Christian pilgrimage.

A thorough discussion was held on how to support Jordanian plans to commemorate the 2030 third millennium, marking the beginning of Jesus Christ’s ministry, when he was baptized on the East Bank of the Jordan River, as recounted in the Bible. Senator Nazzal and Major General Ma’ayeh agreed to continue their cooperation and coordination in service to Jordan. The President of the Evangelical Churches in Jordan presented Senator Michel Nazzal with a copy of his book “Glimpses of a Man’s Life: The Biography of a General, Parliamentarian, and Servant of Christ,” the autobiography of retired Major General Imad Saliba Ma’ayeh.

The Council of Churches in Jordan was founded in 2006 and comprises the Baptist Convention in Jordan, the Assemblies of God – Jordan, the Free Evangelical Church, the Nazarene Evangelical Church, and the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church. Institutions affiliated with these evangelical churches serve the local community in numerous areas, including education, healthcare, refugee services, prison services, and support for the elderly and orphans.