By Walid Zailaa In a world that is constantly evolving and changing, it is crucial that the church remains open to reevaluating its practices and beliefs. The concept of reformation has been a cornerstone of the Protestant faith, but perhaps it is time for the church today to take a closer look at what reformation truly means in our modern context. Are we living out the teachings of Jesus in a way that reflects love and compassion? Are we willing to challenge the status quo and make necessary changes before it is too late? Are we prepared to endure the painful process of pruning? In what follo ..read more

By Chelsea Hurlburt I grew up in a church where “liturgy” was a bad word. “Liturgy” meant dead ritual, and for those from my non-denominational church tradition, liturgical practice implied faithless, routinized worship. Yet over the years as a Christian, I’ve grown to appreciate liturgy as a platform on which to build a more solid faith. This is especially true at Easter, where the events of the liturgical calendar leading up to Resurrection Sunday help me more fully comprehend Christ’s salvific work on the cross. Bear with me – I realize that liturgy is an odd topic for an Easter blog! Yet I ..read more

by Loulwa El Maalouf Lebanon remains a failed state, and God continues to remind us that there is hope. This blog post is not about new ideas, but rather musings on how God can always use His church for His purposes, and how a church united leads others to know Him. Lebanon continues to be President-less (for the sake of Lebanese history I suggest this word be added to the dictionary). The position of President in the country has been vacant for over a year. This is not the first time that has happened. Once again, the Parliament has so far failed to elect a new president for the country. It i ..read more

by Elie Haddad Unquestionably, there is no book that has shaped my life like the Bible, God’s written word. No contest. However, God also uses many other spiritual and theological books to deepen my understanding of Him and His word, to challenge my preconceptions, and to spur me into action. Essentially, these books help shape my thinking and practice. The way I look at it, just like God uses many men and women we know to impact our walk with Him, through books He also uses men and women we do not know and have never met to shape our faith. What inspired me to make these reflections is the pa ..read more

by Lydia Kelliney “The dance reflects the movement of God, which also moves us upon the earth. The drama presupposes the holy play between God and man. Verbal art is the hymn of praise in which the Eternal and his works are represented. Architecture reveals to us the lines of the well-built city of God’s creation. Music is the echo of the eternal Gloria.”[1] In the current tumultuous state of our world, many people turn to forms of art to express their voice, particularly the voice of freedom. However, in the Middle Eastern context, an apprehension exists about intertwining art with what is ..read more

by Kees van der Knijff Let me start with a confession: lately, I have been deeply disappointed with, or even disillusioned by, much evangelical theology. I’ve found it hard to even open a theology book and concentrate on it. For how is it possible that after all these centuries of biblical interpretation and theological thinking, there is still so much shallow theology? How is it possible that readings of Scripture legitimizing so much violence are still widely prevalent, especially in the West? Are we failing at our task? While preparing for a class on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, I came ..read more

by Abed Zien El Dien As the end of December approaches, so does my 40th birthday, which has sparked contemplation about the journey ahead. Engaging in a conversation about this milestone with an older Christian friend brought forth the concept of midlife crisis. He shared with me some of his own experiences as he went through a midlife crisis. It was not an easy 6-month ordeal, but God took care of his heart, body, and mind. I will explore the dimensions of this phenomenon, drawing from personal experiences and insights shared by others in the Christian community. I hope to offer some insights ..read more

by Dustin Ellington I was inspired by what I saw and heard at this year’s Middle East Consultation (MEC) focusing on “My Peace I Give You: Practicing Peace in the Middle East.” It was my first time attending the MEC. What I found most inspiring was hearing stories and explanations from many believers in diverse settings engaged in a multitude of peacemaking initiatives. So many people are stepping out in the name of Jesus Christ to bring peace where they are. Moreover, I found it meaningful that the conference understood peace as holistic, made up of layers including national, intergroup, inte ..read more

by Bassem Melki Following the October blog by Sherri Ellington (“Layers of Peace”) about MEC 2023, I want to shed light on the issue of confrontation (which was raised during MEC 2023 and will be tackled again during MEC 2024) as an important step of peacemaking that we cannot neglect anymore by avoiding conflicts. The MEC participants expressed how our churches are ravaged by conflicts that were left unresolved and swept under the rug. In his book The Peacemaking Pastor, Alfred Poirier makes a powerful statement: The Christian church lacks credibility in its witness to Christ when it displays ..read more

By Sherri Ellington This year’s Middle East Consultation – which happens to be my first ever, and I was touched, impressed, and inspired – was called “My Peace I Give You: Practicing Peace in the Middle East.” It was the second year in a row for the MEC to be focused on peacemaking in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region; last year’s consultation focused on different theories and theologies of being peacemakers, while this year’s had more to do with the “how.” Between the two consultations was also a February 2023 mini-MEC where nine leaders from five countries in the MENA region (Ir ..read more