Before the civil war in Lebanon, it had occupied a strategically influential role in Arab world. With the return of peace, Lebanon could once again know the unhindered preaching of the Gospel and its progress through out the region. After 1992 the day of Prayer has focused on the growth of evangelical churches in Lebanon and their mission activity in the Arab world. Unprecedented growth in the las
t few years, but evangelicals constitute only 1% of the population of Lebanon. Much more evangelism is is needed in that country and in the other 19 Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Much also needs to be done in the way of disciplining and consolidating the new believers--and encouraging the Evangelical churches to effectively reach out to the rest of Middle East. In the Spring of 1990 several of us felt a special burden from God to pray for Lebanon as it was going through the worst time of its civil strife. Four months after the first planned day of prayer for Lebanon was held, in the providence of God, the civil war in Lebanon came to an abrupt end. In that year the Lebanon Prayer Group came into existence. Subsequently, the yearly Day of Prayer, was divinely led to include all the Arab World, and the USA . For the last 18 years we saw the Lord answer our prayers in a dramatically meticulous way. We believe strongly that this last decade, hundreds of thousands of new Christian converts in the Arab World, are but a direct answer to these prayers. This 19th year we are calling for a larger participation by churches all over the world to rise to the great challenge, and opportunity to pray on THE DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE ARAB WORLD AND USA, THE FIRST WEEK-END OF MAY 2008. The eternal destiny of Hundreds of Millions in the Middle East is at stake. Only God, who began this great opportunity, knows how brief and fleeting it may be. Today we are faced with many great challenges: over one billion un-reached Muslims stare us in the face, Terrorism has become a global concern, Potentially explosive conditions in the Middle-East are numerous, and Persecution of the church is growing. In view of these massive challenging needs, we must have a sense of urgency to PRAY.
