Michelle Sessoms serves with Freedom to Lead International, a ministry that comes alongside believers in North Africa and the Middle East. 

One Christian from a Muslim background told Sessoms, “Persecution is not the greatest difficulty that we face. The greatest need for Muslim background believers is identity.”

Sessoms explains that this need for identity comes because on one hand, these new Christians are persecuted by radical Muslims. On the other hand, they are shunned by the traditional church, which doesn’t know what to do with them.

Photo courtesy of Gabriel Almanzar via Pexels

“Part of our heart is that we want to cultivate these faithful, effective leaders so that they can guide this unique global family, because they don’t know how to fit into that traditional church,” she says. 

“We have a four year program where we walk them through leadership development from a ministry development standpoint and character formation focusing on the stories of Jesus.”

This equipping is for real-life, practical questions facing these Christians today.

“It changes our perspective of, ‘How do you lead a healthy church when there’s no structure of a church? How do you be a peacemaking leader when all these forces around you are happening? How do you mentor the next generation when it’s such a young church?’” Sessoms says. 

Ask God to build communities and leaders who can pioneer hard questions that Muslim background believers are going through today.

“We learned a lot from them (Muslim background believers),” Sessoms says. “[We realized] ‘You know, there’s bigger questions here that we don’t have answers to.’ Really [it’s] dependence on the Holy Spirit to guide in these ways.”

Learn more about Freedom to Lead here.

Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Amir Hosseini via Unsplash.

“We talk about cultivating competent, Christ-centered leaders through story, symbol, and song to unleash their potential for impacting local communities with the whole gospel,” says Michelle Sessoms with Freedom to Lead. 

The ministry began partnering with believers in Middle East within the past five years. It’s led to deeper insight into what the Church there is really like. Sessoms points out a missing piece in common Western perceptions toward Muslim background believers.

(Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of mostafa meraji/Unsplash)

“The Muslim community is often seen as persecuted. You know, this is ‘the persecuted Church.’ They are at the center of a lot of conflict that we can’t control,” Sessoms says.

“I think what’s missing is ‘persecution is not their whole story.’” 

Believers in the Middle East are grappling with how to lead and grow as churches in gospel witness, not just how to survive. 

“They are just people like you and me. They [are] mothers wanting to raise their children. They are fathers that want to be a shining light in their communities,” says Sessoms. “They are trying to understand what it is to grow a church from the grassroots when you don’t have any kind of structure.” 

Freedom to Lead brings Christians from different nations together for conversations that are especially poignant for Muslim background believers.

“We work with them in just helping them have a shared experience of ‘what does it mean to be a leader in this context?’ They need to have a community to come together to really say, ‘Hey, how can we learn from each other on how we’re leading in this specific context that is different in this part of the world?’” Sessoms says.

Would you pray for these brothers and sisters across the Middle East?

“They do live in difficult and dangerous places, and so we do want to honor that part of their story. [Pray] that God will protect them as they are bold witnesses for Christ,” Sessoms says. 

Learn more about Freedom to Lead International’s mission and ministry here. 

“We really have a heart to connect national leaders with each other,” Sessoms says. Leaders can reach out to them at freedomtolead.net.

Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Amir Hosseini via Unsplash.

The government’s response to recent protests on these issues has not been encouraging. In August, hundreds of protesters were arrested and at least 20 were shot and killed. More recently on Nigeria’s Independence Day (October 1), protesters were again arrested. That same day, seven people were killed by Fulani herdsmen in a village in central Nigeria’s Benue State — in an area that had already seen three attacks in the previous month.

Benue State highlighted in red. (Image courtesy of Himalayan Explorer via Wikimedia Commons, based on work by Uwe Dedering CC BY-SA 3.0)

Gideon Para-Mallam is a Nigerian minister who started the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation. He is also a leadership development catalyst with the Lausanne Movement. He believes persecution in Nigeria is becoming an existential threat to Christianity in the nation. 

Two of the challenges facing Nigerian Christians today are lack of collaboration and lack of resources. 

“The discouragement is not even coming from the persecution, per se. The discouragement is coming more from leaders who need to get together to craft a response that’s biblical,” says Para-Mallam. “That’s not coming.” 

This lack of a constructive, united response to the Islamic militant attacks has deeply frustrated younger Christians. 

Displaced and in need

The other challenge Para-Mallam notes is that when believers are systematically uprooted from their ancestral homelands, it leads to lack of resources.

Nigerian children. (Photo courtesy of Victor Nnakwe/Unsplash)

“In the last decades, the [form of] persecution [is] sustained in the sense that they’re uprooting Christians from their ancestral farmlands, their homelands,” Para-Mallam says.

“When you begin to uproot [a] large population of Christians from their ancestral homelands, it’s not a joke. Their houses are burnt, their farms destroyed, and on top of that they have no place to go. It presents the huge challenge of humanitarian response, and when that [need] is not met, it can be very, very discouraging.”

Now that you know, would you commit to praying for Nigeria?

“Pray for Christians to respond biblically to this persecution. Listen to the story of what’s happening in some of these places, because if you don’t hear, you don’t know, you won’t know how to bring the needed support in terms of collaboration,” Para-Mallam says. 

The Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation brings Muslims and Christians together to reflect on the important subject of peace. Learn more about their mission here.

“Our inspiration came from Matthew 5:9,” says Para-Mallam. “‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ — underscore makers, not peace builders, but makers — ‘for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God.’”

Header photo of 2020 protests in Abeokuta, Nigeria courtesy of Tope. A Asokere via Unsplash.

However, Christians and church leaders also face increasing challenges.

Nepal’s “government [is] going to make things legal here – abortion and then same-sex marriage. Christians [are] struggling [with] what to do in this situation,” Chitry says.

“We are working, Christians all together, [to decide] whether we should put a legal case in the Supreme Court.”

(Photo courtesy of A3)

Formerly known as Asian Access, A3 networks with church leaders throughout Nepal and helps organize collaboration groups to address issues like these. More about that here. A3 programs focus on developing leaders and, by extension, churches that multiply.

Biblical discipleship is at the forefront. “Believers from the Hindu background need to have a discerning spirit and more biblical knowledge to become strong in the Lord,” Chitry says.

Societal issues aren’t the only challenges believers face. “Persecution is severely taking place in Nepal. We are local Christian[s] helping those [who] are beaten by Hindu fanatics,” Chitry says.

“[One] mother was beaten and broke three teeth, and her hand was broken.”

Ask the Lord to strengthen believers who face persecution and give church leaders wisdom as they proclaim the Gospel amid opposition.

“Pray for evangelists who travel from one mountain to another mountain, from one district to another district. They need God’s help and guidance,” Chitry says.

*Pseudonym

Header image depicts a mountain village in Nepal. Photo courtesy of James Wheeler/Pexels.

Nepal endures the rainy season every year, but this year’s deluge looks slightly different. Chitry* with A3 says, “The rain was delayed this year, and people are really struggling. Farmers were planting rice, but suddenly, heavy rain poured in Nepal.

“17 people already died, and I’m not sure how many will be [affected] because this is the beginning of the rain of this year.”

(Photo courtesy of Balendra Sah/Instagram)

A3 is training pastors and church leaders in Kathmandu this week, but “Some of them (pastors and leaders) may not be able to come to the session this time because roads are [washed out and there is] no transportation available right now.”

One pastor will be walking five hours to reach a nearby city, where he hopes to catch a bus to Kathmandu. If a bus is not available, he’ll have to walk five hours back home.

Ask the Lord to protect Christian leaders trying to attend the A3 training session.

“Please pray for those who are struggling because of the flood. Some of them lost their house; some houses were damaged. Their economic situation will be affected,” Chitry says.

Formerly known as Asian Access, A3 develops and empowers Christian leadership networks in strategic regions like South Asia. Learn more here.

*Pseudonym

Header and story images depict flooding in and near Kathmandu, Nepal. Photos courtesy of Balendra Sah.

Ethan Joe first connected with On Eagles Wings, a division of Hutchcraft Ministries, in 2018 as a student. Then, “coming out of high school last year, I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do with my life?’” Joe says.

Friends at OEW encouraged Joe to check out the Leadership Center and its nine-month gap year program. He hesitated at first, with family responsibilities heavy on his mind.

“I was scared for my mom; I didn’t want her and my family to be alone because they relied so much on me,” Joe says. “But then Seth [my mentor] told me, ‘When you go somewhere, God doesn’t forget about your family.’”

MNN’s Ruth Kramer and Ethan Joe pose for a photo at the On Eagles Wings Leadership Center.
(Photo courtesy MNN/Ruth Kramer)

Joe submitted his application and was accepted. “When I got accepted, I was dancing everywhere [and my] mom was laughing and seeing how happy I was. I was just so overjoyed to see that the Lord had provided this,” he says.

Joe completed the Leadership Center program this spring and now has a new direction and purpose for his life. “It’s taught me to understand the role of leadership, where I’m meant to be, and how I’m supposed to act as a man of God and as an adult,” he says.

“It’s also revealed a lot of baggage that I’m still chipping away at and a lot of things that I still need to work on.”

Joe is attending the On Eagles Wings Warrior Leadership Summit this week in preparation for Summer of Hope 2024. More about that here. The week-long youth conference serves as a launchpad for “hope teams” sharing their testimonies during a month of outreach events.

“We have hardly any Native men who are willing to stand up and take that role of leadership,” Joe says.

“I want to teach the young generation that looks up to me what it truly means to seek God with your whole heart and put Him first over anything else, and not seek after the pleasures of the world.”

Support from people like you helps Native young people like Joe discover God’s purpose for their lives at the OEW Leadership Center or Warrior Leadership Summit.

Pray for continued growth and focus as young believers attend this week’s events and share their hope stories throughout the summer. “[Pray] for peace of mind, to stay focused on the task and be consistent, and, above all, to keep seeking God first,” Joe requests.

“I feel like nothing can satisfy me except for God. Nothing pleases me more than being in His presence and doing His will.”

Header image depicts the 2024 graduating class of the On Eagles’ Wings Leadership Center; Ethan Joe in the center with a blue shirt. (Photo courtesy MNN/Ruth Kramer)

Instead of teaching Gospel workers how to fill leadership positions, MLC works with believers currently in a leadership role. These leaders already have “boots on the ground,” MLC’s Fadi Sharaiha says.

“We are empowering them so that we will have a much larger impact. Whatever they are learning, they are applying in their ministries,” Sharaiha says.

Executives must often expand their knowledge in various fields, from persecution to HR to strategic planning. MLC connects Christian leaders in every workshop with a subject matter expert or SME. More about that here.

“The training inspired me to new approaches to ministry… I began to implement the material, combining both the passion and skills for a more significant impact in God’s kingdom. Thank you for the abundant, precious resources you left in our hands.” – Key Ministry Leader from Jordan
(Photo, caption courtesy of MLC)

Using a format fit for adult learning, leaders in MLC workshops are “meeting and learning from each other” about a particular topic, Sharaiha explains. “The SME, or the subject matter expert, facilitates the whole learning process.”

During one MLC workshop, believers learned how to develop online training courses. The “trickle-down effect” of training leaders at an executive level was phenomenal.

“We trained maybe 60 or 70 different people from 20 ministries in the MENA,” Sharaiha says.

“Those ministries took the materials and produced around 100 training programs with around 15,000 people being trained online.”

Another popular workshop originated during the pandemic. “In Digital Church, we have trained 150 people in the last three years,” Sharaiha says.

“Today, [there is an] online presence for different ministries and churches, and we have around 102,000 people benefiting from this.”

MLC workshops are usually reserved for leaders in senior or executive positions. “It is important that we can work with the right people rather than building the capacity of people who are not going to lead in those ministries,” Sharaiha says.

If you want to invest strategically in the MENA region, consider partnering with the MENA Leadership Center.

“Please pray that we have the right SMEs – subject matter experts – for our teams. Please pray that those ministries and churches in the Middle East and North Africa will be rooted in Christ,” Sharaiha requests.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Levi Meir Clancy/Unsplash.

Hamas officials have not agreed to a temporary ceasefire that Israel signed off on, so the war rages on, sending ripple effects throughout the region.

“Remember that whatever is happening in Gaza is affecting not only the surrounding countries but also the whole Middle East – Yemen, Dubai, Jordan, Egypt,” Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center says.

“All over the Arab world, people are feeling it.”

(Photo courtesy of ErikaWittlieb/Pixabay)

The timing of Israel’s potential expansion into Rafah has some Middle Eastern leaders on edge. Ramadan – the Islamic month of fasting – begins on March 10, the same day Israel vows to begin its assault on Rafah.

Christians are not immune from the regional tension. “This is also affecting the mental health and the spiritual health of Christian leaders,” Sharaiha says.

“Christians are anxious in the region because this is not over yet. The whole thing is a mess, so people are anxious, especially in Lebanon, because they’re not sure what is next.”

Believers can also fall into the trap of polarization and political argument. “In the thick of it, sometimes we forget who we are. Our DNA is we are peacemakers.

“We need to be very, very prayerful that Christian leaders and the Church does not lose focus on the Lord.”

MLC courses help Christian leaders keep their eyes on Jesus. More about that here.

MLC offers practical coursework on MENA-relevant topics like “trauma healing, conflict resolution, how to empower Christian leaders to be peacemakers, and religious freedom,” Sharaiha says.

Help from believers like you makes it all possible. First, “Please pray for us. Pray for discernment, grace, and wisdom,” Sharaiha requests.

Second, consider supporting Christian leaders in the MENA through sponsorship. More about that here.

“You can sponsor a leader taking a course or you can sponsor a whole program,” Sharaiha says.

“This is a project for individuals, families, and churches, and there is a blessing whenever you are involved.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Hosny salah/Pixabay.

This approach doesn’t work for Christian leaders in the Middle East/North Africa region.

Fadi Sharaiha with MENA Leadership Center says, “The target group [is] more of a community people; they love to work, learn, and live in communities.”

Graphic promoting 2022 training course.
(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

MENA Leadership Center trains and equips Christian leaders so they can do more of the good works God has laid upon their hearts.

“They (instructors) will tailor those training programs for people from their own group. We have people coming to Christ from Arabic backgrounds and Berber backgrounds,” Sharaiha says.

“We don’t take more than 20 or 25 people maximum in a course, and we believe that it should be from the instructor or the trainer and peer-to-peer learning. This is very important,” he continues.

“What we do is not you and your computer. It’s you and the community and the computer.”

Heavy persecution throughout the MENA region already presents problems for Christian leaders. Will you remove one obstacle by connecting these believers with the necessary training?

Find your place in the story here!

“By supporting a Christian leader coming from the MENA, you will be able to impact the people he is discipling,” Sharaiha says.

“By supporting us, you’re supporting the work of the Holy Spirit in the MENA, accelerating the Gospel, and building the capacity of Christian leaders working in the Middle East and North Africa.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Keira Burton/Pexels.

“The women are so incredibly fruitful because they’re pastoral by nature,” Transform Iran’s Lana Silk says.

There are many disputes within United States Christian communities about the role of women as pastors. “I do find it interesting, as an Iranian Christian, hearing the debates in the West on what women can and can’t do or shouldn’t do,” Silk says.

“When you’re in the context of a Persecuted Church, no one’s discussing those kinds of questions.”

In Iran, “50 percent of the Church are women, so we don’t want to incapacitate half of the Body [of Christ]” by imposing restrictions, Silk continues.

Transform Iran spent several weeks training Iranian Christian women this summer at a secure Middle East location. The training topics varied by individual need, but every session equipped believers to do more for the Lord in their context.

Help Transform Iran train more leaders here.

Transform Iran breaks the harmful cycle by teaching women and girls about their worth in Christ.
(Graphic courtesy of Transform Iran)

“There is a lot of material they can access in their own time, whether it is through the Cheshme app or other media channels where they can go to Bible college or do apologetics training,” Silk says.

“A lot can be done remotely. But sometimes it is important to bring them to a place where they can be strengthened and refreshed in person.”

Pray for wisdom as these women return home and apply what they’ve learned. Pray for strength to resist Satan’s attacks and temptations.

“We must be wise to the methods of the enemy. He will use whatever tactics he can to convince us that we are unqualified for the work of God,” Silk says.

“The reality is that we are unqualified, but Jesus is the one who does the work through us.”

Header and story images courtesy of Transform Iran.