The new military escalation, following attacks by Israel and the United States against targets in Iran and Iran's response, has plunged the Middle East into what Christian leaders describe as a “heavy and strange moment”.

Amid growing fear, evangelical voices from Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth are calling for prayer and a Christ-centred focus.

Zaza Lima is a psychologist and theologian with decades of experience in missionary work among Arab peoples and in Muslim-majority contexts. When the attacks began on Saturday, she was at a meeting with Christian leaders from the Middle East, hearing first-hand about the emotional impact of the escalation.

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“Everyone was talking about the pain and the trauma”, says Zaza Lima, speaking to Spanish news website, Protestante Digital.

She explains that the meeting was a time to reflect and share the pain with people from different places, who may currently be experiencing missile strikes and attacks from the armies involved in a bloody battle.

“I don't have a voice to represent everyone. I speak as a friend, as someone who loves, prays for, and supports others”, adds Lima, who is currently studying at Bethlehem Bible College, where she is in close contact with Palestinian Christians, Arab believers who are Israeli citizens, and other evangelical leaders in the region.

A lament and a prayer

Among them was Reverend Jack Sara, the president of Bethlehem Bible College and general secretary for the Middle East and North Africa Alliance, a member of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).

Born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem, Sara described the current moment as “very heavy and strange for our region”.

“The war on Iran and the ongoing violence that so often does not distinguish between the innocent and those involved are deepening fear and uncertainty across the Middle East”, he pointed out in a message released on Saturday.

Sara asked Christians to pray, “not only for the Holy Land, but for the entire region. Pray for restraint. Pray for wisdom among leaders, for protection over civilians. Pray for the Church to be a faithful witness of Christ’s peace in the midst of turmoil”.

He quoted Psalm 46:1. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”, and added: “May the Lord have mercy on us all and bring His peace where human efforts have failed”.

This prayer was echoed by Azar Ajaj, a professor of Bible and Mission at the School of Intercultural Studies at Bethlehem Bible College, who expressed his sorrow on social media for “a conflict is expanding, affecting more lives, and leaving behind families displaced from their homes and their sense of security”.

“Fear and uncertainty are heavy, but even in the heart of the storm, the voice of hope remains”, he underlined.

Ajaj called on Christians to “join me in praying for anxious mothers, terrified children, families who have lost loved ones and livelihoods, and displaced people fleeing dangerous areas with nowhere to go”.

A suffering humanity

Missiologist Zaza Lima insists that the weakest and poorest are usually the ones who suffer most in this type of conflict. “Many cannot even leave the areas where bombs are falling, which is why it is so painful to see some people pointing to war as a solution”.

“For me, whenever war breaks out, it is because there has been a failure”, points out the Christian psychologist and theologian.

During these days, Lima also spent time with Dina Katanacho, director of the Arab-Israeli Bible Society, which makes the Bible accessible to almost 1.8 million Arab citizens of Israel; and Rasha Saba, general secretary of the Fellowship of Christian Students in Israel, a ministry that unites Messianic Jews, Arab Christians, and international believers studying in the country.

The presence of these leaders, who serve in complex identity contexts — Israeli Arabs, Palestinians and Messianic Jews — underscores a reality often overlooked by the media: the church in the region is made up of diverse communities that share the same fears, grief and uncertainty.

Returning to the path of peace

“Violence begets violence”, warns Lima. For her, “war is always a solution that reveals failure. It is the result of our failure to engage in dialogue and diplomacy”.

Without denying the political complexities or historical tensions, Lima believes that “war never comes from the heart of God”.

That is why she stresses that Christian witness cannot be built on the justification of suffering, but rather on compassion and reconciliation.

“My desire is that, as the church of Jesus, we never lose sight of the fact that he is the Prince of Peace”, concludes Lima.

Critical situation for refugees and displaced families

Christian humanitarian missions are working on the ground in many countries among the most disadvantaged and needy communities.

Alianza Solidaria (AS), the humanitarian branch of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance, supports a project with refugees in Lebanon. This project is located in an area where Hezbollah often has a military presence.

According to sources from AS who spoke to Protestante Digital, it is currently a dangerous area where even contact is difficult.

World Vision is also monitoring the situation in several countries where it operates. “We are deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in the Middle East, which is putting the lives of millions of children and families across the region at grave risk. We call for peace and urge all parties to the conflict to de-escalate”, said Eleanor Monbiot, the NGO's regional director for the Middle East.

“We know from working with communities in Lebanon, the West Bank, Syria, Jordan, and Türkiye, how ongoing conflict, violence and displacement over recent years and months emotionally and physically damages children. This cycle of violence must come to an end, allowing children to thrive and reach their God-given potential”, she stressed.

That is why World Vision urges “all parties to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of families and children, while ensuring humanitarian assistance can reach those in need across the region”.