by Daoud Kuttab, special reporter for Milhilard.org in Seoul, Korea

In a unique display, the flags of 161 nationalities from around the world, including those of Arab countries, fluttered in the air at the opening session of the World Evangelical Alliance Conference, held at the SaRang Church in Seoul, South Korea.

The Palestinian flag and the Palestinian keffiyeh were highly visible at the opening ceremony of the 14th Evangelical Alliance Conference, attended by more than 7,000 local residents and representatives from 120 countries worldwide, including the mayor of Seoul and senior evangelical leaders from around the world.

Pastor Rick Warren delivered the evening sermon, emphasizing the importance of church leaders following the example of Christ in their approach to communicating with people.

The presence of 40 participants from Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa attracted attention from participants from around the world, and this was evident in the symposium dedicated to the situation of churches and the evangelical community in the Middle East and North Africa.

Rev. Dr. Jack Sarah, representative of the World Evangelical Alliance branch in the Middle East and North Africa, said in a special seminar for the group that this is the first time in the history of the alliance that Middle East and North Africa issues have been featured prominently in terms of numbers, participation, and seminars. Furthermore, it is the first time the alliance has a secretary general from a non-European country or background.

Two sessions were dedicated to discussing the situation of evangelical churches in Arab countries, and youth and women representatives participated in the World Alliance committees.

A special prayer session was dedicated on the third day of the conference to the special situation in the Middle East and North Africa. The prayer session concluded with the Lord’s Prayer, with participants forming a circle of worshippers holding hands and praying in multiple languages. The General Assembly is expected to meet on Wednesday evening to elect a new administrative body, while Thursday evening will be devoted to ratifying the selection of Rev. Boutros Mansour as the new secretary general for the next five years of the World Alliance.

A special prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Jack Sara, President of the Middle East and North Africa Branch of the World Evangelical Alliance. Below is the video, and below it we publish the text

Would you please pray with me for the Middle East and North Africa? Amen. A region that has been marked by suffering, difficulties. And as we stand for the nations of the Mina, let’s pray that Jesus, the prince of peace, will bring his peace to our land, beginning from my city, Jerusalem, to the ends of the world.

Lord, we come to you in the name of Jesus, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. We plead for you, Lord, that your spirit will move across the Arab nations. We pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken hearts all across the Middle East and North Africa. Lord, bring renewal, bring repentance, and bring revival.

Lord, this land that you have come to the which saw the incarnation in Bethlehem, saw the resurrection in Jerusalem, and so the ascension and the descending of the Holy Spirit among the disciples, where the church was born, and then they sent missionaries to the whole world. Lord, may you awaken that land again, beginning from the holy land to the ends of the world.

Lord, I pray that your spirit will bring peace instead of conflict. May your spirit, Lord, bring joy instead of despair. Lord, we pray that you will be with those who are displaced. We pray against the Lord the plans of the enemy to kill and to destroy, and we declare that you will bring peace and life and life in its abundance.

Lord, in a place where there are genocides, in places like Gaza and Sudan and elsewhere, we pray Lord that you will bring healing to the brokenhearted Jesus. And may you, Lord, raise your church again so that your unity and strength will happen among leaders and believers. We pray for the church in the Mina region that will walk in unity and humility, overcoming divisions and serving together as a body of Christ.

Lord, we ask you to deepen love and partnership, especially among the many alliances that are there within our evangelical body. Lord, may they be one as you are one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Lord, we pray for courage and endurance in ministry. We pray for resilience, Lord. We pray for resilience for the leaders who have chosen by choice to stay in those lands.

And may they be used so that your kingdom will expand. And we’re looking for that day, Lord, when those nations, Lord, our nations, and all the Arab nations, all the Muslim nations will come, Lord, and bow before you and confess you as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Amen. Let’s all have an act of unity.