In a press conference that afternoon, Netanyahu warned that if Hamas rejects the deal, or accepts it and then works against it, “Israel will finish the job by itself.”

The proposal would call for a “modest withdrawal” of Israeli forces from Gaza, said Netanyahu, and a return of all Hamas hostages within 72 hours of its signing. It would also establish a new, international body that Trump called “the Board of Peace.” This Board would be tasked with seeing Hamas fully disarmed and Gaza demilitarized.

Representative stock photo from Jerusalem, Israel courtesy of Tim Mossholder via Unsplash

The path ahead is complex. Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center says to remember that people’s lives and dreams and goals are involved here — not only the lives of the remaining hostages, but those at risk of being caught in a continuing cycle of violence.

“If you have a child who [is] 16 [and] he lost his family, what do you think this person will be? [A] peacemaker or a soldier, whether he is in Gaza or in Israel?” Sharaiha says. 

He acknowledges the evil that has been done on both sides of the conflict, starting with Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Even if one day Hamas is disarmed, it’s important to recognize it is more than a band of like-minded people.

“Hamas is a doctrine. Hamas is a school of thought. It’s called ‘political Islam.’ Even in so many countries in the Arab world, Hamas is forbidden,” Sharaiha says. “Hamas was kicked out of Jordan because of their doctrine. So no, the Middle East [is] not all on the same level of how they look at Hamas.”

Over and above all, Sharaiha points Christians to remember the bigger picture: “God loves the people, God loves humankind, and God wants all to come to faith in Christ. So whenever it’s tough, we go back to the basics,” he says.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

“In Genesis chapter one, where God created mankind in His own image, this really establishes that all people, regardless of gender, background, religion, bear God’s image and therefore have inherited dignity.”

Please pray

Keep asking God to bring the peace of Christ to people in the Gaza war zone. Pray for the government leaders who have a role in these peace conversations (1 Timothy 2:1-7). 

Pray also for the MENA Leadership Center’s future courses on trauma healing and refugee ministry. 

“We’re trying to prepare the church in the MENA to be ready for those people, and also to be ready to share the gospel in a way that [answers] the questions of the heart,” says Sharaiha. 

Header photo is a stock image courtesy of Marek Studzinski via Unsplash.

The nearly two-year war is only one of many current events dividing people across the world. 

“We are so polarized. ‘If you are not 100% with me, then you are 200% against me,’” says Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center. “This is not right. We need to talk. We need to discuss.”

How should the global Church respond to events in Gaza? Sharaiha first acknowledges the evil in this war. Neither side is innocent. People are dying on both sides, and Hamas still holds 48 hostages.

“In the midst of the whole evil that is around us, I believe that God is still worthy of all the blessings and all the glory,” he says. 

“I [also] want to acknowledge the need for us to go back to the basics and remember what Jesus said about peacemakers: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.’ We are called to love our enemies.”

(Photo courtesy of Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash)

Sharaiha says believers don’t have to understand every aspect of the war in order to respond the right way. He studied the history of the conflict between Israel and Palestine at the United Nations University. Even after receiving lectures from different leaders, not everything was clear to him. 

“But you need to get the Bible. You need to get ‘Who are we? What is our identity?’ We are called to be peacemakers. We are called to love our enemies,” he says. 

Talking about peace is premature in the midst of active war. But one day, people with great wisdom will have to begin that restorative work.

“The governments right now are really calling on both Israel to stop, and Hamas to surrender the hostages and surrender their weapons,” he says.

Even when the fighting ends, a different battle will continue in people’s hearts.

“I am very concerned about people dying today, but also I’m concerned about the one who did not die, next year,” Sharaiha says. “They will be filled with so much hatred, agony, trauma. That’s why we need to make sure that we are preaching Jesus to those people.” 

In the complexities of the Israel-Hamas war, please pray that the Church will be a peacemaker. Pray that the gospel of peace in Christ will reach more people in Gaza and Israel. Pray for the MENA Leadership Center, as it plans training courses that will one day equip leaders for trauma healing and refugee ministry. 

Header image is a stock photo courtesy of Marek Studzinski via Unsplash.

The Gospel work is an exciting journey of watching God’s will transform lives from emptiness to purpose. Personal and community change follows! Yet the process is sensitive and often hard to measure.

Fadi Sharaiha from the MENA Leadership Center says, “We’re not used to measure the impact. And the reason why is because sometimes we are afraid to see that we were not successful in that. It’s tricky how to measure and what to measure. How to measure spiritual growth, or if people’s lives have been changed?”

When it comes to measuring impact, purpose matters. “Many organizations measure to approve, not to learn, and there’s a difference in that,” explains Sharaiha.

How do you measure the impact of the Gospel on a person’s life? (representative photo courtesy of Rodrigo Gonzalez via Unsplash)

“Measuring impact shifts focus from the activity, — he continues, — what we do or what we did — to an outcomes and even transformation to what really changed.”

You can compare the process to working in a lab! “You work with the controlled environment or conditions, and then you change some factors.”

The ability to observe and measure impact guides strategy, fosters learning from past mistakes or successes, and creates a culture of continuous improvement.

“Basically, it would demonstrate really faithful stewardship, because it enables the ministries to show the donor, the stakeholder and the communities they live with that resources are being used wisely and effectively,” says Sharaiha.

This, in turn, builds trust and credibility among workers in God’s harvest field.

In a few weeks, the MENA Leadership Center will host a course on measuring ministry impact. Attendees from the Middle East and North Africa, Pakistan, their diaspora, North America, and beyond will gather to strengthen their work.

“People will be exposed to the different tools and frameworks for measuring impact,” says Sharaiha.

The topics include, but are not limited to, the importance of measuring impact, how to define ministry goals, learning how to work with data, developing good communication with stakeholders, and pursuing ongoing improvement.

Many pastors and Christian leaders who will attend the course live in war zones or areas of political unrest. Pray that they will be able to join and benefit from the program. Pray also for the lecturers.

Visit MENA Leadership Center to learn more.

Header photo courtesy of Atlantic Ambience via Pexels.

Fadi Sharaiha serves with the MENA Leadership Center. This fall, their Emerging Leaders Program has made strong mentor-mentee pairings for Christians from the Middle East and North Africa seeking to grow.

“[A] mentor is someone who has been in the field for some time with a track record of spiritual maturity, achievement, and professional conduct,” Sharaiha said. 

One such match is for an Arabic-speaking church plant in Europe.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

“They are trying to figure out what to do, what’s next for them, how to conduct the ministry in different levels,” Sharaiha said. “For them, we have someone who has been a pastor [and] who took care of pastors in Europe as well.”

Mentorship isn’t just for leaders. Jesus modeled personal discipleship in His earthly ministry, choosing twelve men and then three even more personally. That means investing spiritually in others is a call for every Christian, in big or small ways. 

“It’s an open invitation from God Himself to us as people of the Church to be more aligned with His purposes and to be more aligned with His heart,” said Sharaiha. 

Sharaiha invites you to dive into both giving and receiving mentorship as part of the Body of Christ! 

“How are you using your time, gifts, and the history, the experience that you have? Are you using it for the glory of God — through mentorship as an example?” Sharaiha said. “The reason I think that the Lord created the whole Church as one body is that we help each other. We are there for each other.”

Interested to take discipleship a step further? Reach out to the MENA Leadership Center if you might be able to offer mentorship to a leader in the Middle East and North Africa. Or consider partnering with this ministry financially to sponsor a life-giving mentorship already taking place.

Header photo courtesy of HIVAN ARVIZU @soyhivan/Unsplash.

The ministry journey you share can change lives — if it carries two powerful ingredients: the story and the number.

Dr. Jenn Murff from MENA Leadership Center says, “When you share stories, it allows relationships to be restored. It allows discipleship to take place because people can relate to those stories.”

The power of a story lies in its ability to connect a person to their own experiences — both good and bad — to the emotional side of life, and to an example they can apply to their own journey. Jesus knew people needed that bridge in order to accept the Gospel.

He was a master storyteller: “Jesus uses stories to make the kingdom relatable. He uses stories to make the kingdom approachable. He uses stories to be able to connect the hearts and the minds of His people to His kingdom.”

A simple story can guide a person to their Creator (photo courtesy of Eduardo Braga via Pexels)

Numbers are equally important. They help measure the expansion of God’s kingdom — whether through miracles, healings, souls saved, or symbolic figures. Moreover, they help us grasp the power of the Gospel in a practical way!

The apostles ensured that future generations would have this tool. Jesus spoke to the multitudes; the twelve disciples caught one hundred fifty-three fish; five thousand people were fed with five loaves of bread and two fish, and so on. Yet, separated from the story, a number can steal the spark from the testimony of God’s work.

Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, Bartolomew, Philip — just a few of the lives He transformed through His personal, one-on-one attention.

“He sees the one, he sees the multitude. And so it’s important that we don’t lean so heavily just in one area, but we remember both, because Jesus remembered both,” says Murff.

This principle is vital both in personal evangelism and in the work of ministry. “You have to be able to share those stories in such a way that it connects with the human heart,” Murff adds.

Visit MENA Leadership Center to discover how the Gospel is transforming lives through ministry stories in the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond.

The Gospel is a tapestry of stories woven into one grand narrative. Find your place in it!

Header photo courtesy of Matheus Bertelli via Pexels

“I see those challenges as opportunities for us to work on those challenges. So whether it’s a capacity-building challenge, whether it’s [an] evangelistic approach challenge, those are opportunities for us to go meet those needs,” he says.

The MENA Leadership Center is taking steps toward connecting with church leaders in Pakistan. It is starting in-person training programs that will teach believers how to better reach the lost with delivery tactics and by using their understanding of cultural needs. Through these partnerships, local leaders of Pakistani churches will be empowered with mentorship and training to encourage their members to spread the gospel.

The ministry has connected with one Pakistani leader who is currently the head of 120 different churches. He is eager to learn how he can best help them share their faith despite persecution. Sharaiha invites us to share in his vision for the future of this partnership:

“Can you imagine if we have those 120 churches on fire for Christ?”

The MENA Leadership Center hopes to see many leaders equipped and the Church of Pakistan awakened and mobilized to powerfully share the good news. Sharaiha reminds us that the mark of Christianity across the globe started with only 12 disciples, so any small step will make a difference.

Please join with the MENA Leadership Center in praying for wisdom and discernment for the team, fruitful partnerships, effective mentorships, an increase in financial resources, and protection against the spiritual attacks of the enemy. 

If you want to learn more about the MENA Leadership Center and how you can partner with them, click here.

Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Adnan Mughal Photographer via Pexels.

Dr. Jenn Murff with the MENA Leadership Center hopes to help Christian leaders better prioritize work and home lives through general principles as well as the class “The Road to Mature Christian Leadership.”

Ditch, Delegate, Draw the Line

Early in her career a CEO and mother gave Murff some helpful advice. “She goes, ‘Jenn, I want you to first know that you can’t do it all, so sometimes you have to ditch it.’ And I said, ‘Well, what else?’ She goes ‘Sometimes you can’t do it all, so you have to delegate it. And number three, you can’t do it all, so sometimes you have to draw the line and just not even try.’”

(Image courtesy of Kelly on Pexels)

This advice changed the way Murff viewed her priorities. Now she passes on that advice to her teammates and those who come to the MENA Leadership Center. She emphasizes that God did not call His people, including those in leadership, to do everything. Every person needs to fulfill the specific roles and purposes God called him or her individually to do.

“Being a mature Christian leader means that you understand that you have to lead a life that is based on priorities,” Murff says. “You have to be able to develop a Christ-centered, anti-cultural approach towards leadership, and you have to learn and apply disciplines to be able to be effective in the lives of your team and your organization.”

A Question of Resources

One of the specific challenges that many leaders in the MENA region face is lack of resources. Those resources could be time, talent, finances, etc. Uncertain political or social circumstances often increase this strain. However, leaders in this region have learned to prioritize tasks with the resources they can access, and God is working.

“We’re seeing God move in such an amazing way, where we’re seeing the Gospel expanding and people coming to know Christ by the droves. We’re seeing leaders that come from the majority population, that are coming to faith in Jesus, and they’re accomplishing a lot of work. We have ministries on the ground that focus on humanitarian aid, trauma healing, leadership development, education. All of these leaders are doing things that even if they were told, they wouldn’t have believed it. So one of the challenges that they face is those limited resources. I would just ask you to pray for our ministry partners as they are trying to stretch resources and to do the things that the Lord has called them to do.”

Get Involved

The daily struggle Christian leaders in MENA face for resources can feel removed from life in the West. However, Murff explains that these brothers and sisters need prayers. “I think about our friends in Sudan, our friends in the West Bank, or in Israel. They have not stopped doing the work that God has called them to do, and they could really use your prayers. They are still trying to accomplish the things that the Lord has put in front of them.”

Please pray that God would protect these leaders as they prioritize and continue the tasks they’ve been given. Please also pray that they will not tire of doing the good work they have to do.

If you would like to learn more about the MENA Leadership Center, click here.

Header image courtesy of Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

“Whatever type or demographic of refugee we’re talking about, the principles are still the same. Those people are in need for help and support within the region,” says Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center.

Sharaiha says believers in Lebanon are a great example. They have lived out James 1:27 by welcoming displaced Syrians in recent years — those who traditionally might be considered their enemies. 

“What I love about this is that the Lord is challenging us to be more like Him in accepting and helping and supporting refugees,” Sharaiha says.

On April 28-29, Christian leaders from different ministries in the Middle East (including Pakistan) will begin the “Refugee Ministry Framework” course. The MENA Leadership Center has partnered with the International Association for Refugees (IAFR) to offer this training. Students will learn how to evaluate needs of displaced people and identify opportunities to meet those needs in the name of Christ, who was Himself a refugee once.

“We are not using this ministry to enforce or impose the gospel on people. Definitely not,” Sharaiha notes. “But it’s again, another opportunity to share the gospel with them.” 

Sharaiha adds that outside of intense persecution, equipping local believers to respond to local refugee crises is usually the best plan, instead of relocation. 

“As Christians, we need to support and help, not for them to come to Europe or different countries, but to help them manage the refugee situation or displacement situation within the region,” he explains.

MENA Leadership Center partners with more than 132 ministries throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

Find your place in the story

You can be a part of what God is doing in the MENA region to raise up leaders in the church for gospel ministry.

“I really would like to invite people to have compassion — Jesus’ heart, Jesus’ hand and Jesus’ eyes to the situation [of refugees],” Sharaiha says. 

Pray for local ministries in the MENA region who are trying to serve refugees, sometimes with very limited resources and training. Pray for the MENA Leadership Center and IAFR as they prepare for and then deliver the course training this month. 

“Finally please, if you can and [are] able, support us financially so that we can do more of those courses,” Sharaiha says. 

If you’re interested in building up Christian leaders in the MENA region, partner with the MENA Leadership Center here. Check out the courses coming later this year to see what you’d be investing in.

Header image courtesy of the MENA Leadership Center. 

“It’s not about ‘expanding my ministry, expanding my church.’ It’s all about glorifying the Lord,” says Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center. “Part of the glorification thing is to love Him from our hearts, souls and our minds.”

Tomorrow, March 4, some Christian leaders from different ministries in Pakistan will begin the “Strategic Thinking” course with the MENA Leadership Center. Together they will discuss decision-making processes, cognitive bias, and more. Sharaiha says the practice of strategic thinking goes hand in hand with faith and dependence on the Lord. That’s the heart attitude they want Pakistani leaders to come away with.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

“Please pray — right now, just take one second. Pray for people taking those courses that they can take the knowledge, but more than the knowledge, also the attitude of seeking God’s discernment and also having decision-making process in their minds while doing this,” he says. 

There’s a reason Sharaiha is passionate about strategic thinking and the other topics they will be teaching Christian leaders about later this year.

“I’ve seen so many ministries and churches — not only, by the way, in Middle East/North Africa, [but] even Asia or Europe, or [the] United States and Canada — so many ministries failing because they are not thinking strategically,” he says. 

“This is what we need to be doing as well as Christians, is looking at, ‘How can we function in a way that is God-glorifying and also having more of a strategic way of approaching things?’”

It could be as simple as studying the demographics of the city your ministry is working in, so you know who you are trying to serve. But the bottom line is, “we need to know where we’re going, and we need to know how to arrive to our ultimate goal, which is, again, the glory of God. How to do this along the way is strategic planning, strategic thinking, along with other competencies,” Sharaiha says. 

If you’re interested in building up Christian leaders in the MENA region, partner with the MENA Leadership Center here. Check out the courses coming later this year to see what you’d be investing in!

Header photo courtesy MENA Leadership Center.

Founded in 2019, MLC’s mission is to accelerate gospel ministry by equipping Christian leaders across the Middle East and North Africa. They’ve seen much fruit. Last year, 450 participants from nearly 30 different nationalities enrolled in their courses. 

Fadi Sharaiha highlights the impact of two courses on digital church and on AI for professionals.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

“Before the trainings that we have provided, some people did not even have an online presence,” he says. “Now one of the ministries I have in mind, they have around 50,000 people attending their online church.” 

Online churches meet a huge need in regions where Christians can’t always gather in person. Then the AI course taught leaders how AI can support discipleship and even evangelism. Participants discovered how AI chatbots can help them connect with people online. 

“The AI itself will be interacting with people and then do some kind of funneling so that people can do the follow-up with the right people. Amazing ways of how to use the technology for the glory of God,” Sharaiha says. 

There’s more like this ahead in 2025! MLC will be starting asynchronous courses as well as creating a new initiative that will invite partners and ministries to come and learn together. 

If this type of leadership capacity building gets you excited for the future church in the MENA region, pray for the MENA Leadership Center and get involved! 

“Whenever we are doing something for the glory of God, Satan is not happy. Please pray for protection,” Sharaiha says. “Please pray for financial support for the ministry. We are in need to fill the gap for next year. We are in need for partners to come on board.” 

Learn more about MLC at their website.

Header photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center.