Report from Ras Baptist Church

Recent Events

• Relief has been given to more than 150 families monthly through distributing detergents, blankets, mattresses, clothes, shoes, milk, diapers, toys, furniture, and food. 

• Baptism: 6 people were baptised on 31st December, three Syrians and three Lebanese. 

• Every week new people are coming to Christ and converting from Islam. They declare their faith in front of others, and some women are taking off the veil. 

• Miracles and visions are happening to many people. 

• Kids and youth programs and events. 

Personal Stories

MCQ

MCQ came to church to get relief and then was invited to attend a Bible study. Psalms 23 got her attention and she started asking the Lord why he wasn’t taking care of her. Then she attended more Bible studies and the prodigal son parable touched her and she knew that she is a sinner and that she needs Christ in her life. She accepted Jesus four years ago. She learned that she has to love all people, and learned that she had to forgive her enemies. M is in full-time ministry and she has the gift of teaching others about Jesus. At one point, Jesus touched her and told her that her place is in Lebanon to minister to the other Syrian refugees. 

RK

RK's friend invited her to come to church and she accepted Christ into her life from the very first meeting. She comes from a Muslim background and she says that the Lord has moved her from the darkness to the light. She leads a Bible study group and loves the Lord deeply in spite of her hard situation in life. Recently she decided to pray for her husband with the authority that we have in Christ; after MCQ had encouraged the group to use this authority. Her husband was present in the meeting and he accepted Christ then and there, and he witnessed that something happened inside him that he has not experienced before. She had promised the Lord early on that she would bow in the middle of the church and praise Him when her husband accepts Him as savior. She did so, and her husband bowed with her and together they praised the Lord. 

FJ

FJ came with her friend to church when she was grieving her father’s passing away. She did not accept Christ at the beginning but after attending all the Bible studies on the Gospel of John she came to realize the love of Christ although she comes from a Muslim background. She used to question God’s love and if He accepts her as she is. She took the decision and accepted Christ in her life and now she is busy doing ministry among the young generation by helping them with their homework, and helping with the relief work at church and the Bible study. One day she heard the Lord asking her to break the last constraint of Islam, i.e take off her veil. She did that and made the decision to get baptized although her husband would not allow this to happen. He threatened to take their children and never let her see them if she does so. 

Ideas for the Future

DBS PLAN: Implementing the Discovery Bible Study and aiming to have daily bible study groups in different locations that adds up to 365 different groups per year. 

Current Issues and Challenges

• Persecution because we are sharing the Gospel and presenting the message in a very clear way. Some of those who accept the Word are persecuted by their families.  

• Many are leaving the country. Lebanon has become a station for the many refugees from where they go to other countries so the challenge is for these new believers to grow in faith in their new countries. On the other hand, many times we are losing potential future leaders in the church.  

• Financial difficulties: Some of these people will not be able to stay in their communities because of their new faith and often the future is not clear whether they will stay in this country or will be permitted to migrate to European countries or Canada. 

Prayer and Praise Points

We lift our praise for the number of people who are accepting Christ and the fact that in spite of our small location we are able to do a wonderful ministry. New believers are getting busy ministering to others and even witnessing to the Lebanese. People are coming to us already ready to accept the Good News and start ministry.