I returned in early December from a short trip to Lebanon to see how the country is coping with a million refugees and how the church is responding.
Although there are huge challenges, there are many grounds for optimism.
Lebanon’s approach to the crisis is not helped by its governmental turmoil. Its parliament meets only very occasionally and it has not had a President since May 2014. This is because the Christians who elect him or her cannot agree on a candidate, although the Prime Minister (always a Muslim) is in post.
In the refugee camps
Nevertheless, there are huge signs that God is moving in Lebanon right now, with thousands turning to the Lord Jesus. At one camp in the west of the country we were told that 200 out of about 2,000 refugees had already come to faith. The Syrians we met included ‘D’, who had converted two weeks previously, who is now trying to win her husband for Christ and who would like to return to Syria (where her brother is missing) in order to evangelise it. And ‘A’, who is an electrician, several of whose friends were killed by President Assad. After a five-year journey to faith, which involved many conversations with his previous faith leader and some local pastors, he gave his life to Jesus about two years ago.
On Sunday we visited a Baptist church in central Beirut. There they have put on an additional morning service just to cater for the Syrians who have arrived in the city. About 200 attended when we were there. We learned that 80% or more have either converted from, or are currently existing members of, other faiths. And the Holy Spirit is breaking out, too, with miraculous healings almost commonplace. Truly we serve a wonderful, extraordinary Lord God!
