Egypt Experience
By Daniel Vestal
September 29, 2008
Earlene and I just returned from Cairo, Egypt, where we participated in a remarkable evangelistic and outreach effort for three nights. CBF field personnel Chaouki and Maha Boulos live in Beirut, Lebanon, and for the last eight years have conducted 30 of these events (“Celebrations”) in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in collaboration with evangelical Christians and churches and with involvement from Coptic, Orthodox and Catholic Christians and churches.
We gathered for open air worship services in a space rented from a Catholic monastery. Twenty-five Egyptian churches (Baptist, Presbyterian, Non-denominational Charismatic) worked together in preparing and planning. The church members invited their friends, neighbors and families to attend the services and then rode buses (17 of them) to the event. Each night a thousand people gathered for spirited and lively worship led by Arab Christians. I preached (with an interpreter) simple Gospel messages and invited people to publicly receive Christ as Savior and Lord. There were 320 public decisions for Christian discipleship where names and addresses were recorded. Many others sought prayers for healing and help. It was a marvelous event.
After the final service one pastor told me that his church averaged about 30 people and they had more than 200 people attend the Celebration from his district. He smiled and said, “I’m going to wear out my shoes visiting these people.” Another pastor gathered a circle of young people from his community before one night’s service and asked me to pray with them. The fervor and passion among those young adults humbled and challenged me.
It has been some time since I have been in an event where there was such spiritual intensity, hunger and thirst. People wept over their sin and need. Young and old sought deliverance and healing. There was also time of joy with music and praise that reflected Arab culture and glorified God. After services that lasted for at least two hours, people lingered for counseling and conversation.
In mission and ministry there are times for sowing and there are times for reaping. Often the Gospel is proclaimed effectively to only one person, and then again to large crowds. Some people come to faith in Christ suddenly and dramatically. For others it is more of a process. No two churches are exactly alike, and methods of evangelism change over time. But wherever and whenever the Spirit of God works in and through human efforts it is enriching and encouraging. Such was my experience last week.
I have returned to Atlanta with deep gratitude for Chaouki and Maha Boulos as well as all of our CBF field personnel. It is a privilege to serve with these dedicated followers of Christ. Please pray for them. Please continue to support them financially, and please partner with them by being personally involved.
Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.
If you have problems viewing this newsletter, click here to view the Web version.
Copyright 2008 The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
|