“Whether you’re in Lebanon or the US, I think as Kingdom people we need to rise above that worldly empire thinking,” he says. 

We should continually be asking the question, “What is the Gospel message and the Kingdom way of thinking and doing in this atmosphere?” 

If we give in to narratives of ethnic groups or religious sectarianism, we become vulnerable to deceit by worldly narratives, and we risk losing the Kingdom. 

“For example, the opportunity to reach Muslims could be jeopardized from either being afraid of Muslims or being angry with Muslims instead of showing the love of Christ to them,” Houssney says.

One way to avoid deception is to keep primary things first and secondary things second. Whether political, religious, or social, the issues need to be kept in their proper place. 

“We need to look at the hierarchy of these things and act accordingly,” he says. “We need to keep the Biblical priorities as the top priorities, and then we try to work out the difficult questions of how we deal with the social issues – the places where it gets really messy.” 

Houssney points out that in Jesus’s model of dialogue with and in front of the Pharisees, some conversations seemed aimed at the people being addressed, and some seemed aimed at the surrounding listeners.

Image courtesy of Sincerely Media via Unsplash.

“So I think for us as believers, we do need to have dialogue with believers in order to try to win them, but also to win the people we’re dialoguing in front of,” Houssney says.

No matter what type of dialogue believers engage in, it must always value the other speaker. 

“The issues are important,” Houssney says. “This doesn’t mean we should just lose arguments and compromise on the truth in order to make people like us. It’s not a popularity contest.”

But Jesus was uncompromising in His love toward the people even through his calls for their repentance. Houssney exhorts believers to act likewise, always testing our hearts and conscience as we engage with people who are not like us.

“If any news headlines bring up hatred and anger and bad fruit within us, then we know we are going in a path that is not godly,” he says. 

But if headlines motivate our love and strengthen our desire to fulfill the Great Commision, this is a good indicator we are on the right path. 

Please pray that believers would raise the banner of the Gospel in dialogue with others. 

Pray that the Lord would continue to send harvesters to the field, where so many people are waiting to hear His good news. 

Pray also that believers would cling to the truth of the Gospel and not give sway to worldly power narratives. As Houssney points out: 

“We as kingdom people should not be bought or sold.”

Featured image courtesy of Alexas Fotos via Pixabay

Aoun’s candidacy was backed by the US, France, and Saudi Arabia. He secured a win despite Hezbollah’s attempts to maintain power. Pierre Houssney with Horizons International says Aoun is already a well known and loved leader in Lebanon. 

“He is the man who seems financially to have more integrity than any other leader that we’ve had in present history.” 

For more than two years, Lebanon has operated without a head of state. The previous president, who shares Aoun’s last name but is of no relation, was instated by Hezbollah and widely viewed as a puppet leader. Aoun’s victory was a landslide: he won by 99 votes in the 128-seat parliament. 

Houssney says the Lebanese government is ethnically structured to ensure equal representation by Christians and Muslims. The prime minister is always a Sunni Muslim, the speaker of the parliament is always a Shiite, and the president is always a Maronite Christian. 

“So when we don’t have a president in office, that means we don’t have a Christian who is leading our government,” Houssney says. 

Since the country’s civil war in the 1970s, various ethnic fiefdoms have sought power in Lebanon. 

“The good thing about the new president is that he does not belong to any of those political parties,” Houssney says.

What’s more, Aoun intends to reclaim Hezbollah’s remaining military power, most of which has dried up with the fall of the Assad regime and its arms supply from Iran. 

“He wants to enact a state in the country where the Lebanese army monopolizes the bearing of military grade arms,” Houssney says. 

Across ethnic and religious lines, Houssney says there is great rejoicing and a sense that oppression has been lifted.

“There is an unprecedented amount of hope,” he says. “It’s been beyond our dreams, honestly, and right now we’re hesitantly waiting to see whether the new order in Syria is going to be positive, and whether we’re going to see real, sustainable change happen in Lebanon.” 

Spiritually, Houssney says the present situation comes with wide open doors. 

“As the smoke has cleared after this big war of the fall, we’ve actually found our church partners are more connected into the communities of non-believers,” he says. 

Houssney acknowledges that each of the past few years have come with renewed drama and crises for Lebanon. While Aoun’s election may represent a new direction, Houssney’s hope and focus remain elsewhere. 

“Whether it’s a good thing that happens in our country or more bad things, our prayer as a ministry is that the spiritual open door would remain open so that people would come to Christ.”

Featured image courtesy of Mohamad Mekawi via Pexels

Pierre Houssney with Horizons International explains, “We’ve seen people from a Muslim background hanging around churches for many years but still are not understanding basic things in the faith because nobody explained it to them based on their former worldview.”

Similarities between Islam and Christianity often present a stumbling block. “For example, if you take the word ‘sin,’ they have that word in Islam, and we have that word in Christianity, but they mean totally different things,” Houssney says.

“In Islam, sin is like a rule you break. If you do a good deed, it will balance out or wipe out the impact of that sin in your life.”

(Graphic courtesy of Horizons International)

This Islamic understanding means that believers from a Muslim background often don’t fully grasp teachings about salvation.

“When you preach a message of grace [about how] Jesus can wipe away your sin, they’re seeing Him as another way, like, ‘Oh, I could either go on a pilgrimage, or I could accept Jesus, or I could, you know, give to the poor. Those are all good deeds that would wipe away my sin as an act,’” Houssney says.

Pierre’s father, Georges Houssney, drew on decades of experience to develop Cubs to Lions, a discipleship curriculum for MBBs or believers from a Muslim background. The material presents truth in a way that’s familiar to Muslims yet clearly separates Christianity’s teaching from Islam.

“They (Muslims) don’t understand that the wages of sin are death,” Pierre Houssney says.

“They need to understand what sin is according to the Bible before they can understand what salvation is and who Jesus is.”

Connect with Horizons here to learn more about Cubs to Lions.

“Soon, [listeners and readers will] be able to read the book my dad is writing about how to disciple Muslim converts effectively,” Houssney says.

“We’re [also] going to be doing an online training, and we do that periodically; we can bring people into that online Zoom training to learn how to disciple Muslims.”

Header image is a screengrab of the “Love Muslims” campaign. Photo courtesy of Prayercast.

“That was quite frustrating, but it’s encouraging to know that things are, at this time, looking like they are going forward. You do get the feeling that it could fall apart, but we are all hopeful that it could really be true.”

Under the agreement, officials anticipate a 60-day period in which the Israeli army will withdraw troops from key positions, handing them over to the Lebanese army. If Hezbollah attempts to reestablish ground near the border, the Lebanese army will be responsible for dealing with the threat. Israel reserves the right to strike if no action is taken. This would be done in coordination with and under approval from the US, Houssney says. 

Nearly 3,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023, when Hezbollah first fired rockets into Israel. Israel has been conducting airstrikes in response and launched a ground invasion on October 1st of this year. Since September, Israeli forces have targeted and killed at least seven of Hezbollah’s top leaders, destabilizing the group. 

“We do get the sense that the Hezbollah operatives that are sending missiles are not under central command, Houssney says. 

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The flow of weaponry to Hezbollah has ceased or heavily dwindled under the Israeli offensive, but the group is still able to operate from hidden stashes of missile reserves. 

“There has definitely been a triage when it comes to Israeli strikes on these weapon caches where they’re striking the bigger locations,” Houssney explains. In an effort to eliminate the weapon depots, Israel is moving from bigger targets to smaller ones. 

“God only knows how many micro-reserves of weapons there are, but you do get the sense that they are dwindling,” Houssney says. 

Interacting with Christians on the ground in Lebanon, Houssney hears hesitant hope. He says the idea of a ceasefire brings psychological relief.

Still, the road ahead is long. Believers can pray for people whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed in the conflict.  

“Even if tomorrow morning they were to go back to their areas,” Houssney explains, “they would be setting up tents where their homes used to be.” 

He also asks for prayer “that God would continue to work in the hearts of people and use the church that’s present here in the Middle East to make the biggest Gospel impact that we can in the midst of the crisis.”

Header image courtesy of fahed kiwan via Pixabay

It’s easy to sit back, passively receive the latest news, and form opinions about current events like these. But is that how Jesus wants His people to respond?

“A lot of people have opinions about whether Russia is right, or Ukraine or Hamas or Israel. But as Christians, we cannot sit back without a heart of compassion for those suffering on all sides,” Georges Houssney with Horizons International says.

“Whether it’s Russians who are dying, or Ukrainians, or Sudanese, Muslims, or Hindus, we must have a heart of compassion.”

Christians should be aware of current events and Gospel opportunities so that they can turn compassion into action, he explains.

“Every Christian needs to have a heart of compassion as they watch the news and not take sides from a political perspective,” Houssney says.

“When Jesus looked at the crowds, He had compassion on them. With compassion comes a desire to save people from darkness, sin, violence, [and] hatred.”

Making a difference without “picking sides” and maintaining your Christian identity is possible.

(Photo Courtesy of Global Outreach Day)

“My goal in ministry is not to take sides but to minister to both sides,” Houssney says. “Jews need Jesus, Muslims need Jesus, and even nominal Christians need Jesus. That’s my approach.”

There’s a lot of need in our world today. The Lord will reveal where and how He wants you to serve. He only asks for a willing heart.

“I heard a pastor once say that every soul without Christ is a mission field, and every soul in Christ is a missionary,” Houssney says.

Ask the Lord to help you see the world through His eyes. Then, keep first things first. Instead of commenting on the latest political developments, watch for opportunities to share your faith.

“From a spiritual perspective, all of these things are happening because Satan wants to destroy, kill, and steal, as Jesus told us,” Houssney says.

“We need to go back to the basics of the Christian message, which says God loves you and He will give you eternal life if you accept Jesus, His Son, as an atonement for your sin.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Eepeng Cheong/Unsplash.

The Lebanese army says Syrian gang members hijacked the politician’s car, killed him, and took his body to Syria. Pierre Houssney of Horizons International says Lebanese anger is spilling into the streets.

“A lot of Lebanese are taking justice into their own hands and starting to be like vigilantes,” Houssney says.

“We’ve had guys go out on the streets with loudspeakers and issue general threats to Syrians that they need to leave their homes and go back to Syria.”

Furthermore, because the politician belonged to an ethnically Christian political party, “Every day, there have been instances of Syrians out in the streets being accosted by ethnic Christians beating them and threatening them,” Houssney says.

“It grieves my heart when we see people who are bearing the name of Christ beating these Syrians. It feels like they’re pushing them further away from the Gospel.”

The situation directly impacts Syrian Gospel workers at Horizons’ facilities.

Horizons workers visit with children at a refugee camp.
(Photo courtesy of Horizons International)

“You take for granted that people can come into the office [or] go to their place of ministry, whether it’s one of our ministry centers or our school for refugee kids. All of those things have had to shut down,” Houssney says.

“The Syrians can’t show up because it’s just too dangerous for them to be on the streets in certain neighborhoods.”

Pray for calm in the streets of Lebanon, and pray Syrian Gospel workers can walk safely in public again.

“It’s likely, based on the past, to calm down after a few days, and life goes on as usual until the next time these tensions peak,” Houssney says.

Learn how Horizons International proclaims Christ and equips disciples through its ministry in Beirut, Lebanon.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Ahmed akacha/Pexels.

“We have lost all hope in the government. I didn’t even pay attention to the news headlines because that’s how certain we are from history that, ‘Oh, they’re not going to elect a president,’” says Pierre Houssney, Executive Director of Horizons International.

Few Lebanese hold any hope for lasting change or reform in this election cycle. “We’re used to long periods not having a president,” Houssney says.

It took two and a half years and a series of political deals behind closed doors for Aoun to be elected in 2016.

“The voting that happens in the parliament gets reported internationally. But the actual power structures that decide the elections are completely outside those government structures,” Houssney says.

“That’s how far the corruption has gone.”

Meanwhile, the Lebanese people suffer. Unlocking billions in international aid depends on concrete reforms in government.

Horizons works alongside Lebanese churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. As a result, thousands of refugees and Lebanese citizens have proclaimed faith in Christ. More about that here.

As the Arab League country with the most freedom of religion, Lebanon is a critical Gospel gateway to the rest of the Middle East. “Pray and act so the global Church would [realize] how important things are for the body of Christ in the Middle East right now,” Houssney says.

“Things are being decided for the next century in this geographical area.”

Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati leads a cabinet with extremely limited powers. The header image depicts Mikati meeting with the United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in September 2022. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]

Nearly 290 cholera cases and 11 deaths have been confirmed since October sixth. According to the World Health Organization, a rampaging outbreak began in Afghanistan in June and then spread to Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and now Lebanon.

“It (the cholera outbreak) is a natural result of crumbling infrastructure. [Many] parts of Syria don’t have clean water, and it’s spilling into Lebanon through these rural communities of refugees,” Pierre Houssney of Horizons International says.

Cholera, a contagious bacterial infection caused by contaminated water or food, often thrives in areas with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and health care. Although it’s completely preventable, cholera spreads quickly and can kill within hours by causing severe dehydration.

The people need clean water and sanitation access – usually provided by public utilities – to combat this outbreak and prevent new infections.

“Unfortunately, the people empowered to address it (the outbreak) have already made off with the money budgeted for the infrastructure that could have prevented this,” Houssney says.

With nowhere else to turn, people in need rely on nongovernment organizations for help. “It’s a little intimidating because [the outbreak is] such a huge problem,” Houssney says.

“It’s not something you can put a band-aid on real quick; a lot of infrastructure needs to be implemented to get clean water to millions of people.”

Pray for wisdom as Horizons International helps church partners address this crisis in the name of Jesus. “Pray that the Church would stand up and continue being a faithful witness in this Muslim region,” Houssney requests.

“I believe that a bigger harvest is coming, so pray that God would encourage the hearts of [believers] and they would rise and reach out to others.”

Learn more about Horizons’ work in Lebanon here.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Most questions concern Lebanon’s new leadership and its political implications, but Pierre Houssney of Horizons International says there’s something else to consider; how is Lebanon’s economic situation affecting regular citizens?

Lebanon has access to economic prosperity, but Houssney says it’s mostly concentrated in a mega-rich upper class. That means “working class people are living on a really, really tight margin because…the living expenses in the country are very high, on par with [or] even above some places in the US.”

Photo courtesy of Horizons International

The working or middle class faces tight budgets in the face of increasing costs of living. That means they don’t have the same access to education for themselves or their children, basic living expenses, or streams of income they once held.

Houssney says some people are even receiving only 50% of their salaries on a monthly basis. What’s more, some local banks won’t let them withdraw any cash. Some banks have even been accused of selling dollars to money changers on the street to make a profit, giving their customers Lebanese currency as a major decrease.

Couple that with 30-40% prince increases on essentials such as groceries and you have a recipe for intense economic stress.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Syrian refugee crisis is ever-present. “A lot of people around the world have kind of gotten just fatigued of hearing about the refugee crisis, while at the same time, it’s getting worse and worse here,” Houssney says.

Normally, Horizons International would provide those refugees with financial support and backing. However, at the same time as Lebanon’s economic crisis, donations to Horizons International have not grown fast enough to keep up with the vast needs and opportunities in front of the organization.

That’s led Houssney and Horizons International to make some difficult decisions. For example, “We actually had to cut off… all 39 churches that we had been supporting with food portions. We had to cut them off last month, not just because there’s not enough donations to cover the food supplies, but also, even the food distributors that we’re getting food from, a lot of them have stopped being able to even get the materials.”

Inflation has also forced Horizons International to cut back on missions trips, refugee aid, and other local programs.

Photo courtesy of Horizons International

And yet where finances fail, God’s love is still at work.

“We’re still seeing so many just hundreds of believers from a Muslim background that are remaining in the faith, that are remaining committed to Jesus, committed to the Church,” Houssney says. “That’s been really, really encouraging.”

Pray for encouragement and courage for the Lebanese Church. Consider how you might contribute to their efforts via Horizons International.

Right now, “things feel a little bit dark. And that’s when we need to remember and… regain our vision that this is about the Gospel,” Houssney says. “This is about salvation, that Jesus is the light of the world.”

“Let the church be leading in this time of need.”

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.

(Photo courtesy of Shahen books via Wikimedia Commons)

“I think that it’s become painfully clear to Lebanese people, and they’ve had an awakening, that really the main economic problem in the country for the past 30, 40 years has been the ruling officials, because of their corruption,” says Pierre Houssney, executive director of Horizons International.

“When someone has cancer, they need to undergo poison; they need to undergo chemotherapy in order to kill the poison that is damaging their body… I think the Lebanese public is ready to put the entire country on the line in order to get rid of these politicians and their stealing and their corruption and their embezzlement of government funds.”

The Lebanese want a remedy, even if it comes at a personal cost.

“They know if they’re able to clear out that ruling hegemonic elite, then they will be able to have a chance to rebuild their country and rebuild their country’s economy. So, the poor people and the middle class throughout Lebanon are making big economic sacrifices right now to shut down the country just in order to smoke out these political elites because they feel that there’s no other way. And if they fail right now, then their hopes will be dashed for the future,” Houssney says.

Actions and Reactions

On an international scale, the resignation of Lebanon’s prime minister paints a picture of change, an illusion portraying a toppled government. However, Houssney breaks down the reality of the current government structure in Lebanon.

(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

The same establishment the Lebanese people are protesting is still firmly in place. Houssney says the prime minister is a representative of the weaker branch of the government. This branch is considered weaker due to the fact the ruling party is a collaboration of the Shiite Muslims and the Christian Lebanese, while the weaker branch is made up of Sunni Muslims. (Learn more about the governmental structure in Lebanon here.)

Until both the president of Lebanon (Christian) and the speaker of parliament resign (Shiite Muslim), the government corruption the Lebanese people are protesting remains intact.

“The big powers of the government are still in place, and they are not listening to the people, and they are not budging at all, which is really igniting a new wave of anger,” Houssney says.

Impact on Work

The congestion brought on from the protests is impacting the work of organizations like Horizons International. It is difficult to get in and out of the city. This has decreased the frequency of outreach across the country for Horizons International, forcing the group to shift its focus to more local work. On a limited basis, Horizons International has opened up its ministry centers for activities.

(Photo courtesy of Horizons International via Facebook)

But even amid massive protests, encouraging things are happening in Lebanon. Houssney’s prayer is for the Lebanese people to become more open to accepting Christ.

“As recently as last week, we’ve been getting reports from our church partners here in Lebanon that a lot of new families of Lebanese people have come into the Evangelical churches as a result of the turmoil,” Houssney says.

“We’ve seen people that are showing renewed interest in the Gospel. That’s exactly what we’ve been praying for, so it’s incredibly encouraging to see that God is actually doing that.”

Pray for Lebanon

Pray for these families and individuals who have a renewed interest in the Gospel to find Christ and community through the local Church. Ask God to bring about a wave of spiritual openness to the Gospel in Lebanon.

“God doesn’t let one single prayer go to waste. So, we need every single believer around the world to be praying that God would be glorified in the Middle East through these events,” Houssney says.

Learn more about Horizons International and ways to support its work here. 

Image courtesy of Kaufdex via Pixabay.