Langham Scholars sow seeds of Christ’s peace in their nations
Believers here have seen this before—a coup that plunges their country into violence and chaos. The government and militant groups commit violent atrocities. Friends and family receive threats. Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities are targeted and jailed. (In fact, we won’t name this country in Southeast Asia for security reasons.)
In such a place, it’s hard to hope and even harder to believe in the possibility of peace. “There are many barriers of hate in this country,” said Langham Scholar Dr. Jon Muah*, who received his PhD in theology with Langham’s support.
Read more: Langham’s 2024 year in ministry
Jon serves as the academic dean of a key Bible school in the country’s most populous city. It’s hidden away on the top floor of an old apartment building. In this tiny, crumbling space, God is building something big.
“This is hard, but I am working to build restorative justice into the hearts of my students,” Jon said. “We needed a collaborative, restorative missions strategy.”
He and other Langham Scholars there are using their training to send church leaders back into their communities, equipped to break down those barriers of hate and reach their Buddhist and Muslim neighbors with the peace of Christ.
It’s rare for a Palestinian-Israeli to become a public prosecutor in Israel, yet that’s where Langham Scholar Dr. Rula Mansour found herself years ago. Like many Palestinian Christians with Israeli citizenship, Rula has struggled with her identity. Where does she belong? She doesn’t fit neatly into the large divides within the Holy Land—Muslim or Jewish, Israeli or Palestinian.
This dual identity created a unique opportunity. “My role as a bridge builder between two opposing worlds became clearer,” she said.
After a few years, Rula realized the roots of conflict went far deeper than the justice system could address. With Langham’s support, Rula pursued a PhD in theology, focused on the peace and reconciliation rooted in Christ. The training changed her life, and the lives of many others. She founded a peacebuilding organization and teaches about biblical reconciliation at a seminary in Nazareth, equipping others to pursue peace instead of hate in the heart of the Holy Land.
“Without equipping leaders who understand the implications of reconciliation, communities will continue to suffer the devastating effects of division and war. This is where organizations like Langham play a significant role,” Rula said.
Dr. Hikmat Kashouh, a Langham Scholar, came face to face with his enemy in church one Sunday. That enemy was a Syrian militant leader who had become a refugee in Lebanon.
Hikmat grew up during the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, a time of constant conflict and violence. His father lost jobs, homes and properties. Because of this, he thought of Syrians as the enemy, harboring anger and hatred.
Listen: Hear a conversation with Hikmat on our podcast
Fast forward a few decades later, Syrian refugees began pouring into Lebanon fleeing violence in their own country. Some of them, including the Syrian militant leader, found their way to Hikmat’s church. Hikmat was now a pastor with a PhD he received with Langham’s support.
To love these new members well, Hikmat knew he needed to confront the old hatred in his heart. One Sunday, Hikmat called the Syrian leader up to the stage and bent down to wash his feet.
“God brought to mind all the past memories and the stories, and I started to cry,” Hikmat said. “I learned an amazing lesson. When you bow down to serve your enemy, God comes down and heals your wounds, heals your past. And I cried, my leaders cried, we were all crying in that service, and it was so transformational.”
Hikmat’s church now runs a ministry serving Syrian refugees, offering holistic and spiritual care. God is using Langham Scholars like him to influence entire communities and heal old divides.
*Names changed or withheld for security reasons.