Once again, the people of Lebanon find themselves caught up in a war they did not choose. Over the past 10 days, the spillover of the conflict in Iran has brought further destruction to a population already exhausted by violence.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, more than 680 people are reported to have died in the armed clash between the Hezbollah militia and the Israeli government, which resumed on 2 March.

Around 800,000 people have already fled, mainly from southern Lebanon towards Sidon and Beirut, the capital. Among those responding to the need for shelter is the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS), a respected institution that trains Christians throughout the Middle East.

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Located on the eastern outskirts of Beirut, the seminary is hosting about 180 people on its premises, a quarter of whom are children. “Despite the sounds of drones intensifying in our skies and smoke from the bombings rising over Beirut, we continue to witness glimpses of Christ’s love at work: a love that shapes, softens, and unifies”, they explain in an update on the impact of the war on their website.

The displaced persons welcomed by the Christian organisation come from the suburbs of Beirut, the Bekaa area, and the south of Lebanon.

“In the midst of uncertainty, we see them gathering hand in hand to assist the kitchen staff in preparing meals”, they say. “Join us in prayer that during this season of hardship, just as these meals nourish their bodies, the word of God may also nourish their spirits”.

ABTS has also started daily community chapels, where people can pray and praise God amidst the tension, even “while the bombing continued to be heard in the background”.

Mental and emotional support are also priorities, they explain.

Loulwa El Maalouf: “We need prayer for God’s will to be done in Lebanon and the region”

“We need God’s peace to take over,” says Loulwa El Maalouf, ABTS Directos of Partnerships, speaking to Evangelical Focus.

After a week and a half of bombing in the country, she continues, “we need prayer for God’s will to be done in Lebanon and the region. Prayer for wisdom and godliness for all those in authority”.

Frequent Bible readings are a comfort in these days of open warfare. “Habakkuk’s prayer in chapter 3 and specifically the famous verses from 17 to 19 continually remind us that despite the situation, the Lord is Sovereign, and our joy is in God our Saviour”, explains El Maalouf.

There is also a sense of unity among Christians in the Middle East, transcending national borders. “Our brothers and sisters across the Middle East have also had more than their fair share of conflicts and suffering; however, we regularly receive warm, encouraging messages from our students and their churches across the region, sharing that they are lifting us up in prayer during this difficult time”.

War upon war

The seminary’s president, Wissam Nasrallah, wrote in a letter on 10 March of the Lebanese people’s exhaustion due to a new violent escalation, whilst the population is still trying to recover from previous conflicts.

In 2024, ABTS had already hosted dozens of people in need, and now some have returned to the seminary to seek a safe haven.

“To receive the displaced is to echo the heart of Jesus who “did not come to be served but to serve’”, says Nasrallah. “Still, we feel the tension: the urgent needs of today and the long work of tomorrow”.

“As Christians, we are people who take reality seriously without surrendering to it. We do not minimise the gravity of what is happening, but neither do we yield to fear. Our hope is anchored in the living God: steadfast, sovereign, and near to the brokenhearted. When the future feels uncertain, His mercy does not. The Psalms do not teach us denial, they teach us refuge. They give us permission to tremble and still to trust, to lament honestly and still to pray boldly”.

On the Seminary’s website, there is the opportunity to financially support the efforts of ABTS as they provide a clean and safe environment and three meals a day to displaced people.

Evangelical Focus regularly publishes articles of theological and social reflection by faculty members of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in this opinion column.