In Lebanon’s poorest region, an ordination answers decades of prayers 

Hunter Williamson

November 7, 2025

For decades, the members of Rahbe Evangelical Baptist Church in Lebanon’s northern Akkar region prayed for a pastor from their small rural village. Over the years, different pastors had come and gone, but the church knew that it needed a pastor from their own community, someone intimately familiar with the hardships of Lebanon’s poorest region. On October 18, 2025, their prayers were answered. 

That autumn afternoon, hundreds of people gathered at the church to witness the ordination of Bahaa Mahfoud, a local resident of Rahbe who has served as a leader in the church for several years. 

“We thank the Lord Jesus,” said Mahasen Fahmi, an attendee and one of the oldest members of the church. “The Lord blesses him. He is a servant of the Lord, leaving everything behind, carrying the cross, hearing the voice of Jesus, and walking only toward Jesus. His life is devoted to the Lord. This is the greatest blessing.” 

The ordination of Mahfoud by the Convention of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Lebanon marked a momentous milestone for the church in Rahbe. It was also a moment that reflected Thimar’s growing relationship with our northernmost church-partner in Lebanon.