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Lutheran Hour Ministries
launched new radio outreach
in the Middle East
Weekly Arabic program broadcasts into civil turmoil countries
Six months ago, the Lutheran Hour Ministries
(LHM) office in Beirut, Lebanon, began broadcasting
Arabic-language Christian programming
that reaches 10 predominantly Muslim countries—
Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Yemen, the Palestinian Territories, northern Sudan
and, of course, Lebanon. LHM—Lebanon, known locally
as Middle East Lutheran Ministries (MELM),
will write and produce one original program that will
air weekly, as well as shorter spots that will air twice
daily to advertise the regular program and offer enrollment
in Bible correspondence courses.
According to Eric Gates, Lutheran Hour Ministries’
area counselor for Africa and the Middle East, this
initiative ties into one of LHM’s strategic imperatives.
“We are working harder than ever to reach ‘unreached
people,’ “ says Gates, “which includes people who
have grown up Muslim in that part of the world. The
recent political developments in the region highlight
how important it is to make the Gospel available to
them right now.”
Reaching the young adults among the unrest
Lutheran Hour Ministries expects its audience to be
composed primarily of university students and young
adults. According to Gates, more than 73 percent of
adults age 18-35 listen regularly to radio programs.
“It used to be that listeners would respond with postcards,”
Gates adds. “But when these ‘digital native’
listeners contact us, they’ll use email, text messaging
or even social media websites. We’re prepared with
resources to help them understand what they hear.”
Fadi Khairallah, director of Lebanon’s ministry
center reports
“It is sad to realize that the situation is slowly deteriorating
into civil war and that violence could spread to
Lebanon especially to North Lebanon near Tripoli as
there is a strong Alawite community among a majority
of Sunnis there. Although the country and Beirut will
be affected, the staff should be safe and fine and work
at the office should continue uninterrupted.”
Middle East Lutheran Ministry staff prepared for the
launch of Arabic-language Gospel programming.
Abdullah’s story
Abdullah, a Jordanian young man, remembers
with bitterness those dark days that he lived before
he knew Jesus Christ. “I was so desperate, bored,
depressed and restless until that time when I heard
about Jesus on a radio program titled, “Hope Amidst
Despair,” broadcast by MELM. I didn’t have the least
desire to listen but luckily something beyond my will
made me stop and listen” he says.
Since then, Abdullah’s life took a whole turn and
his soul desired nothing anymore but to know more
about Jesus who took him from despair to hope, from
restlessness to comfort and from darkness to light.
“Words are not enough to express the change that
took place in my life after listening to your program.
I owe it all to Jesus who died for all of us sinners” he
adds.
Those at MELM ask all our friends and supporters
to pray for those who are trapped in the darkness of
the world to find their way out just as Abdullah did
and to pray for us to continue reaching out for those
in need to hear about Jesus.
R TEXAS district