IMAGES OF LEBANON TODAY
The first weeks of June I taught at Mediterranean Bible College in Beirut, with some students also coming over from the Ar
ab Baptist Theological Seminary in town. The end of May the worsening political situation in the country did give me some second thoughts about going, but my hosts gave me assurances that I would be in no direct danger. So I went, and was so glad I did–it was an amazing time.
Some highlights and other impressions:
1. My class of 13 students, representing 9 countries: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Ghana, and Philippines. This was one of the most engaged and enjoyable classes I’ve taught overseas—I was so impressed by the faith of these dear brothers and sisters, many of whom come from (and will be returning to) some really hard places. One of the Philippine ladies emailed me this recently:
In behalf of my colleagues, I wish to thank you for a wonderful teaching that you shared to us. Truly it is an additional knowledge that will help the music ministry in the church where I serve. You are a blessing to us. GLORY TO JESUS!
2. The beauty of Beirut and the country of Lebanon. Mountains, blue sea, and some tenuous last remaining stands of the 3000-year-old “cedars of Lebanon.” War, however, has had a terrible and lasting effect on the country, its economy, its tourism, and the outlook of its people.
3. The religious climate of Lebanon. Unlike most of the Middle East, the country has a large traditional Christian population (Catholic and Orthodox mostly, but also Protestant groups). It is not unusual to see a church and a mosque side by side. These groups lived in peace for many, many years before politics and religious extremism caused all the problems.
4. A strong evangelical heritage as result of earlier missionary work by Presbyterians, Baptists, Church of God, etc. There are some remarkable extended families with a long history of faithful service and influence.
5. The strange juxtaposition of the hairdresser named “Salon Jihad” (Jihad is a common man’s name here) next door to the “Uncle Sam Bakery.”
6. The continuation of fighting in the north part of Lebanon the whole time I was there. Security was pretty tight, which made me feel a little weird but never really in any danger. In downtown Beirut, members of Hezbollah 
are camped out in tents trying to get the government to resign; one can also see the site of the bomb blast that killed the prime minister in 2005, and everywhere there are billboards with the pictures of the half dozen other politicians who have been assassinated since then. Three bombs did go off in Beirut during my time there (I actually heard one of them in the distance), including one which assassinated a member of the Lebanese parliament. Students would ask for prayer in class for the Lebanese army and for friends and family members fighting in the north.
7. A discussion the director’s family had in the evening after the assassination that day—about how school would probably be cancelled the next day, since it usually was the day after an assassination! Such is daily life in Lebanon today . . . All school field trips had been cancelled this spring, and school let out early for the summer, because of the tense situation in the country. The director shared with me how his daughters struggle with this kind of thing, and with the safety and affluence all of their cousins enjoy (their families have emigrated to the U.S.).
8. The Quaker school that these girls attend is the one that Osama bin Laden graduated from. (Apparently he missed the pacifism lectures…)
9. The commitment of this director, who is transitioning out of that role because he started a mercy ministry to the villages and refugee camps of Lebanon (see www.heartforlebanon.org).
10. The testimony of a young man moving to Saudi Arabia for business and ministry, who calmly told me he was ready to die for the Lord. “It would be a privilege,” he said.
11. The worship service which ended the course, planned and led by the class members, focused on the theme of the glory of God.
What a rich experience. Writing these things is a good reminder for me of that, since I haven’t stopped moving since getting back! God is at work in some really hard places, and the real heroes to me are those—nationals and missionaries—who are there long-term. But what a blessing to be able to make a small contribution.
This book is a biblical and theological study of the role of Christ in leading our worship. The topic of the present ministry of Christ in our midst is an important and often neglected one, and a necessary corrective to our tendency to do worship in our own strength. I hope this little book will be a helpful contribution to the discussion. 
