On Saturday, August 12th, 2023, a service of Ordination took place for our pastor Bashir at our Hope Evangelical Church in Zahleh. In addition to leading the 11 ministries of Hope Evangelical Church, Bashir also leads our ministry in the Bekaa Valley.
By: Bashir Sarkis
Pastor, Hope Evangelical Church Zahleh
Field Manager Bekaa, Heart for Lebanon
Heart for Lebanon’s ministry is multifaceted and focused on one thing: “To Make Disciples.” Hope Evangelical Church in Zahle is a ministry that was established and grew as many people came to Christ through Heart for Lebanon’s initiatives. As the church grew and rapidly expanded, the need for a Sunday School for the many children was apparent. The vision for the Sunday School was set, plans were made, prayers were lifted, and the work began.
Children between 5 and 12 years old now had their own “children’s service” every Sunday. This ministry teaches the children about Christ. They learn Bible lessons, memorize verses, and sing worship songs. The time includes many spiritual events and purposeful activities.
Sunday School at Hope Evangelical Church is very organized, and thus, it trains the children to build a Christian routine and spiritual habits. It teaches the child to participate and assists in their growth in both knowledge and faith. Teaching Bible truths is the goal! Through those truths, teachers help children walk the Christian path and live moral valued-based lives. Most importantly, the one main objective is to lead them to Christ Jesus where they can find their salvation.
Our Sunday School is a healthy growing environment, far away from what might cause a child’s brain to wander or doubt faith. It is a safe place where children grow immune against false teachings, and instead, get fully immersed in the Word of God. Generations are being prepared to love the Lord and carry Biblical values. Sunday school is a generation of children prepared to carry on the ministry of the church because children are the church of tomorrow. Standing on that truth brings a huge responsibility, it is important that we “train up a child in the way he should go, even when he grows older, he will not abandon it” (Proverbs 22:6).
Although Heart for Lebanon has the H.O.P.E. Program (Helping Overcome Poverty through Education) that works with children, its objectives are different from those of Sunday School. The H.O.P.E. initiative is to aid students in learning academically, help them develop good cognition and open doors for them in the future for a better life. They also learn about faith through chapels and Bible lessons. Sunday School children are brought by believing parents that carry on the spiritual work at home. The children at H.O.P.E. often have parents that are completely against the Christian faith, and thus, they need a different approach to lead them to Christ.
Nonetheless, teachers in both ministries exert the same amount of prayer, commitment, and dedication to reach children’s souls with Christ and their minds with education.
Did you know that Hope Evangelical Church in Zahle has 10 different programs to reach the local people?
1. Sunday Morning Service
2. Discipleship – Ethnic Group Worship Service
3. Discipleship – Bible Study
4. Discipleship & Baptism Classes – Baptism
5. Discipleship – Sunday School Classes
6. Youth Ministry & Discipleship
7. Prayer Meetings
8. Pastoral Care Visits
9. Special Services (Christmas, Easter, New Year)
10. Camps and Retreats
