Our New BTh Students
Disciples Loved by Jesus
This year, God has blessed us with 24 new students in the Bachelor of Theology program, 14 of whom are graduates from our Certificate in Ministry program. Though the number of students may vary from year to year, the calling remains the same: to know God more deeply, to grow spiritually, to be shaped behaviorally, and to be better equipped for ministry. Learning at ABTS is not pursued for its own sake but flows from a greater reality: God’s redeeming love that precedes, sustains, and transforms. This love, revealed supremely in Christ, surpasses understanding and will take eternity to fully understand.
Below, we introduce some of our students, who have graciously shared their stories: stories of hope, resilience, courage, and strength, carried by the gentle hand of God. Each journey is a testimony of God’s faithfulness who has called them out of darkness into His light, and who by His Spirit continues to sanctify and equip them for His glory throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Sabri – Tunisian:
I grew up in a conservative non-Christian family, but I later turned to atheism. I drank heavily, used drugs constantly, and rejected everything that had to do with God. In 2020, I read the Sermon on the Mount, and I was overwhelmed by the depth of the love it expressed. Then one day, despite my rebellion, God reached out to me in a dream. I heard a voice unlike any I had ever known, saying: “I am the way. Follow Me.” In that moment, I understood that my rebellion was not against God, but against myself. Since then, my relationship with Jesus has become an integral part of my life. Today, I serve in media evangelism, managing a social media page aimed at discipleship and planting local home churches. I also serve young people, meeting with them three times a week, and I regularly preach at a local church in Tunis.
Rabha – Sudanese:
I was a devout non-Christian, deeply committed to religious traditions. During difficult times, I relied only on myself and never shared my struggles with anyone. One day, I accompanied a friend to church. The pastor preached about eternal life in Jesus and said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). When I returned home, his message stirred my heart, and I reflected on it deeply. Later, at a Christian Festival in Khartoum, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Today, I enjoy a deep and intimate relationship with the Lord. Although challenges and trials remain, I hold firmly to the promise, “He who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13). I currently serve as the secretary of the women’s committee in my church and also work with teenage girls.
Mohamad – Syrian:
I am a Kurdish native from Afrin, Syria, and I grew up in a non-Christian family. From a young age, I felt an unexplainable void, and thoughts of death often filled me with fear. Due to my upbringing, I had many misconceptions about the Christian faith. In 2013, during the mass displacement caused by the conflict in Aleppo, a group of believers came to Afrin. After meeting them, I visited a church for the first time, a moment that marked the beginning of my journey with Christ. I began studying the Bible in secret, and in time, I surrendered my life to Christ. At the end of 2014, I publicly declared my faith and was baptized in the church in Afrin. Today, I serve as an elder in the Kurdish church in Beirut, and since 2023, I have also been shepherding a Kurdish ministry in South Lebanon.
Enas – Syrian:
I am from Hama, Syria, and grew up in a Christian family. Though we attended church regularly, it often felt more like routine than true faith. At 26, I met Jihad, who had a deep love for Jesus. After our marriage in 2009, God blessed us with two children. In 2016, during the war in Syria, I lost my daughter in the streets of Homs, but after crying out to Jesus, she returned home safely. When I asked how she found her way, she told me that Jesus held her hand and guided her home. That night, we, as family gave our lives to Christ.
We later moved to Lebanon, where I grew in my understanding of Scripture. In 2021, I suddenly lost my husband to illness. Despite the immense pain, I experienced God’s comforting presence. In 2024, I faced a serious illness that required urgent surgery, but I could not afford it. I cried out to God for help, and just a few days later, I received the news that He had provided the funds for my surgery. Today, I serve at Beirut Nazarene Church in the design and media team, and minister among women, youth, and discipleship groups.
Joseph A – Lebanese:
I grew up in a Christian family, yet I pursued worldly pleasures, seeking what I thought was freedom. I cared little about right or wrong and lived according to my own desires. At eighteen, I joined a music band in a government position. There, I began studying music and discovered a talent I never knew I had. During this period, I also began earnestly seeking God. As I read the Bible and asked for His guidance, my relationship with Him grew deeper and more personal. Today, I am a member of the Church of Hope in Zahle, where I serve in several ministries. I teach music, lead worship, take part in the welcoming committee, and visit homes to encourage fellow believers.
Lydia – Iraqi:
I am from Iraq, and I was raised in a non-Christian strictly religious and socially conservative family. My childhood was shaped by religious study, and I later taught women the laws and practices of my faith. I viewed God as distant and harsh, and my worship was driven by fear rather than love. After witnessing great suffering, and after discovering that my husband had given his life to Christ, I tried to disprove Christianity. I approached the Bible with skepticism, but through reading Scripture and experiencing dreams and visions, I encountered God’s peace in a way I had never known. My heart was renewed, and Christ made me a new creation. Later, my husband and my children gave their lives to Jesus as well. Because of our faith, my husband and I face persecution, yet by God’s grace, we now serve Him boldly. Today, my ministry focuses on discipleship, both online and in person. I also serve with a women’s ministry, offering care, support, and follow-up to women who lead in their churches.
Joseph S – Lebanese:
I was born into a Christian family but drifted away during my teenage years. I lived in fear of death and became trapped in trading pornographic movies and destructive habits. I believed that success and admiration would bring happiness. One Sunday, while standing at the door of a church in tears, I cried out to God, mostly because the doctors told me that I might have cancer. In that moment, I heard His voice say, “You will not die. You are Mine. You are born today.” In 2011, God made me a new creation. He transformed my desires and freed me from the things that once enslaved me. Today, I serve with the youth group at Youth for Christ and with young people in my local church.
Neveen – Egyptian:
I grew up in a Christian family that loved the Lord, but I didn’t have a personal relationship with Him. Though my parents encouraged me to draw close to God, He felt like a fairytale, and I was afraid to openly confess my faith. One day, a sermon about the prodigal son deeply touched me. The preacher said that the true son is not the one who stayed but the one who left and returned. At 14, I surrendered my life to Christ and began serving in Sunday School. That was the turning point when I began to experience the true love of Christ. Growing up, I wrestled with the way my church often undervalued the role of women. I questioned God, asking why He made me a woman, until I read Genesis and realized that both men and women are created in His image. Today, my husband and I shepherd a church together, and I serve in women’s and family ministries.
Our prayer is that each of our students continues to grow in Christ. Before they became ABTS students, they were first and foremost disciples of Christ. We trust that the same Teacher who called them to the seminary will sustain them through His steadfast love. Challenges and moments of discouragement may arise, but as one of our students beautifully shared: “God was faithful then. He is faithful today. And He will remain faithful forever.”