Lebanon and Sudan: The Adventist Church in hard places
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Mention Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, or a myriad of other places and the media image is one of war and suffering. Yet the Gospel must also be heard in these lands. |
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From left: Levon Maksoudian, president, East Mediterranean Field, Lebanon, Trans-European Division Arkangelo Clements, ADRA/Education director, South Sudan, Trans-European Division
Mention Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, or a myriad of other places and the media image is one of war and suffering. Yet the Gospel must also be heard in these lands. Seventh-day Adventist church members around the world have prayed and supported outreach in these hard-to-reach places. Now, those prayers are being answered.
Levon Maksoudian is president of the Adventist Church's East Mediterranean area, based in Lebanon, but also caring for the church in Syria and Jordan. These are churches that struggle. A 15-year civil war in Lebanon meant many members chose to emigrate. By 1991 when the war ended most of those who remained were employed by the church. Maksoudian explained to ANN that this resulted in a lethargic church with little spiritual vision. But, while the church is small things are changing.
The Adventist Church boasts two high schools and a university. These institutions are reaching out to Muslim and non-Adventist teachers and students. Muslim students become friends with the Adventist staff and join in special projects such as Christmas carol concerts. Maksoudian states, "The campus is a neutral place. The students come to study, but get much more."
But growth is happening outside of the educational setting. A praise and worship service began a few months ago within the university campus. It started with no visitors but in just six months has attracted an audience of over 100, many of them non-members. Maksoudian puts this down to a move towards gift and needs orientated ministry. Traditional evangelism continues in Lebanon and Jordan but Maksoudian emphasises the need to move "beyond brain-level only, and build relationships with people."
He rejoices in the marvelous growth of the church in other parts of the world and prays that as expectations change from knowledge to spirituality that the church in the Eastern Mediterranean will see real growth.
That real growth is already happening in South Sudan. The church there is young -- most members are below the age of 30, and most of the 5,500 members have joined the church in the last 5 years. That might be seen as surprising considering that Sudan has been embroiled in civil war for all but 10 years of its 49 year history.
Pastor Isaiah Maleik used to be an Episcopalian priest, but his commitment to Christ was very superficial. His life was changed when he met Adventists. He joined the church and decided to go back to his home area of Bor. The change in his life was so noticeable that it inspired others to give their lives to Christ, including two rebel commanders. Traveling through landmine infested countryside Maleik has led over 2,000 people to Christ. They see him as a miracle.
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) worker and education director, Clement Arkangelo told ANN, "No matter how difficult the situation, Christ always cares." His experience in difficult places is that you "can always find somebody else to help and create a relationship with them."
The combination of ADRA's development programs and the 250 primary schools across South Sudan are doing just that.
There are severe challenges. War means there is a lack of education so lay members need to be taught to read so they can study the Bible. It is also a young church so to be self-sustaining the members need to be able to find work and develop skills. Currently the church is very dependent on outside financing.
However, there is no sign of despair on Arkangelo's face. "No," he says, "we have hope. The Adventist message makes us have hope. It gives a spiritual message and teaches holistic lifestyle issues."
Arkangelo appreciates the prayers of members across the world. He says they are very powerful for the difficult times his members live through. But now there is peace he wants to take the opportunity to help evangelize.
"Members tend to live better than others due to hope in Christ. They can then help others. This is the time the world needs this message."
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is growing. As delegates at the 58th business session of the World Church in St Louis, Missouri, pastors Levon Maksoudian and Clement Arkangelo rejoice in those reports of phenomenal growth around the world but praise God that he has a mission and a love for those people who also live in the worlds hard places.
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