Nabil Habiby joins The Fares Abraham Podcast to discuss the challenges facing Christians in Lebanon and across the Middle East, including war, migration, and the long-term future of the church in the region.

Nabil Habiby is a Lebanese theologian, youth pastor, and lecturer in New Testament. He serves as Dean of Students at the Nazarene School in Beirut, teaches at the Arab Nazarene Bible College, and is an adjunct lecturer at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also a doctoral student at Nazarene Theological College in Manchester, where his research explores impurity and demonic spirits in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Judaism.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

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Helpful Links:

“Reshaping the Ultimate Other: Levantine Conversion from Extremist Islam” (Academic Study Referenced in the Conversation)

Urbana25 hosted a panel on Palestine and Israel, giving students a space to talk about what their response to the conflict should look like today. It was a profound honor to stand on the stage, not alone, but alongside my brother Aaron Abramson from Jews for Jesus. In a world demanding we pick sides, we gathered to talk about a third way: the way of Jesus.My prayer is that this conversation helps you see Israelis and Palestinians not as extensions of a conflict, but as human beings made in God's image. As I shared on stage: God is not pro-Israel or pro-Palestine; God is pro-peace.

Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

faresabraham.com | linktree/faresabraham

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

Jews for Jesus | Urbana Conference

Dr. Anne Zaki joins The Fares Abraham Podcast for a rich and eye-opening conversation about the indigenous church of the Middle East and why remembering where Christianity began changes how we understand faith today.

Anne and Fares explore how the Middle East is not just a mission field but the birthplace of the Christian story, home to believers who have carried the gospel for nearly 2,000 years. Anne shares how reading Scripture through Middle Eastern eyes opens up the parables of Jesus, how unity is restored through honest conversation, and what it means to preach hope in a region marked by conflict. She also reflects on her journey as a woman called to ministry and why our “outer container” should never define or limit God’s call.

If you’re passionate about church history, cultural insight, or seeing the Middle East through a gospel lens, this episode will deepen your understanding and renew your appreciation for the living stones who continue to witness to Christ where it all began.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

• “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes” by Kenneth E. Bailey
• Anne Zaki’s Message on Unity at the Fourth Lausanne Congress⁠
• The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo

Brian Heerwagen, CEO of MissionWorks, joins The Fares Abraham Podcast for a thought-provoking conversation on rethinking mission and partnership in the Middle East.

Together, Brian and Fares unpack how the gospel rises above politics, why effective partnership resists bias, and how ordinary believers—not just “spiritual giants”—are called to live sent where they are. Brian also shares insights from his decades of leadership, including how mentoring the next generation, allowing room to fail, and focusing on transformation over activity can reshape the church’s mission.

If you care about unity in a divided world, the call to everyday mission, and seeing the church move from programs to people, this episode will both challenge and inspire you.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Explore Brian Heerwagen’s work:

• MissionWorks (referenced in the conversation)
• ⁠Mission Connection Conference — Palestinian & Israeli on One Stage (referenced in the conversation)

Pastor Edward Awabdeh of the Alliance Church of Damascus joins The Fares Abraham Podcast for a powerful conversation on shepherding a church through war, bombings, and persecution in Syria.

Together, Edward and Fares explore the realities of pastoring in a city scarred by explosions and regime change, the mid-June bombing at Mar Elias Church, and the martyrdom of Dr. Abdelmasih that reshaped what “success” in ministry really means. Edward also shares why the church chose to stay when leaving was easier, how community outreach and home groups led to growth during the war, and what it looks like to live the resurrection in a city of fear.

If you care about the persecuted church, the cost of discipleship, and the resilience of faith in the hardest places, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about the church in Syria and its context::

• Recent coverage of the Mar Elias Church bombing in Damascus

• Global Christian Relief: How churches in Syria are mourning

• Syria Lebanon Partnership Network: How churches worldwide are standing with Syrian believers

As a Palestinian-American originally from the West Bank, Fares Abraham speaks with firsthand experience of the suffering, displacement, and cruelty that mark daily life for many in the land of Jesus. In this message from the Church at the Crossroads conference (September 11–13, 2025, Glen Ellyn, Illinois), he challenges the global Church to consider how the credibility of the gospel in Palestine and Israel depends on its witness of peace, reconciliation, and costly discipleship. His story is not abstract theology—it is a testimony rooted in lived reality, calling Christians to embody the cross in the face of conflict.The Church at the Crossroads brought together pastors, theologians, and practitioners to wrestle with how followers of Jesus can respond faithfully to the crisis in Israel and Palestine. Rather than retreating into silence or partisan slogans, the conference pressed into repentance, reconciliation, and solidarity with all who bear the image of God.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Resources:

• Church at the Crossroads Conference (CATX)
• A Collective Call to the Global Church from Middle East Evangelical Leaders

• CATX Resources

Evangelist, author, and founder of Dare 2 Share Greg Stier joins The Fares Abraham Podcast for a passionate conversation on mobilizing young people and the future of the gospel in the Arab world.

Together, Greg and Fares explore why so many teens are curious about Jesus but lack discipleship, what lessons Cairo cafés can teach us about relationship-first ministry, and why teen-to-teen gospel conversations are both untraceable and unstoppable. Greg also shares his remarkable journey from an inner-city childhood to leading a global movement that equips millions of students to share their faith.

If you care about the next generation and the rise of gospel movements across the Arab world, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠

Explore Greg Stier’s work:

• ⁠Dare 2 Share (referenced in the conversation)
• Gospelize Your Youth Ministry E-book
• The Greg Stier Podcast

Palestinian evangelical journalist and award-winning media figure Daoud Kuttab joins The Fares Abraham Podcast for a powerful conversation on journalism, truth-telling, and the pursuit of peace in the Holy Land.

Together, they explore Daoud’s remarkable journey from growing up under occupation in a pastor's home in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Ramallah, to becoming one of the Arab world's boldest evangelical voices. Daoud opens up about his experiences in Israeli and Palestinian prisons, the misunderstood narratives surrounding Palestine, and his passion for mentoring young Christian journalists in the Middle East.

If you're passionate about justice, peacemaking, and how Christians can faithfully engage with conflict and culture, this episode is essential listening!

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠

Explore Daoud Kuttab’s work:

• The State of Palestine Now
• Al-Fajr English Newspaper Archive