Institute of Middle East Studies

In the twenty-first century the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has faced many challenges – conflict, changes of governments, terrorism, trauma – yet new opportunities have opened up for local churches to demonstrate the love of God and bless their communities. This book provides a fresh look at the theology driving Christian mission and at emerging ministry models by addressing ten aspects of missio Dei in the Middle Eastern context. Subjects such as church planting, discipleship, media, and peace building are introduced with their historical background, and contemporary stories and case studies of transformative work in the MENA region. As the book examines these topics we see how mission in the Middle East is no longer "from the West to the rest" but is now characterized as "from everywhere to everywhere." All Christians will find in these contributions important biblical principles for their own context to follow Jesus Christ and bear witness to him. Readers are also reminded that hardship does not have to be an obstacle to the church living out the mission of God as salt and light, and there is much the global church can learn from the activities of Christians in MENA countries. While each chapter in this book focuses on a particular aspect of mission, churches must be holistic in transforming lives and to this end, societies, and this book is a gift from the MENA church to the rest of the body of Christ.

We live at a time when religious diversity has become a fact of life in our globalized societies. Yet Christian engagement with Muslims remains complex, complicated by fear, misunderstanding and a history fraught with political and cultural tensions. These essays, drawn from the 2018 and 2019 Middle East Consultations hosted by the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary's Institute of Middle East Studies, engage the need for a carefully developed theological understanding of Islam, its origins and its sacred text. Weaving together the work of Christian scholars of Islam, the Bible, theology and missiology, along with the insights of ministry practitioners, this book combines scholarly exploration with pertinent ministry practice, offering a rich framework for the church to continue its conversation about its engagement with Muslim communities and its proclamation of Christ worldwide.

The Middle East is in a period of profound change. In the midst of turbulence, trauma, tragedy and the hopelessness felt by many, an increasing number of indigenous churches are finding ever more imaginative ways to be active in the societies of which they are a long-standing and integral part. This book describes some of these developments. It seeks to inspire Christians worldwide to stand alongside such people and to provoke everyone, in the Middle East and elsewhere, to ask what they should be doing to encourage transformation of societies to the glory of God. How can we be the salt, light and yeast that Scripture exhorts us to be when faced with despair? How can we live as active heroes when others expect us to be passive victims? The expert contributors of this book delve into these issues to give churches direction in these disorienting times.