Opportunities for ministry in the Middle East

1 minute 15 second read

Cross-cultural ministry in the Middle East is deeply affected by the restrictions on evangelism that are present across the region. Despite this, opportunities in these nations are numerous, ranging from the arts to accounting, English teaching to engineering. Are you open
to the Lord leading you to this needy part of His harvest?

Business as a platform

Many countries in the Arab world have opportunities to use business as a platform for ministry, especially in the Arabian Peninsula, where expat workers often outnumber locals. This can be either by starting your own business, or by taking a job in the region.

In either case, being intentional is important to ensure that you have contact with local people. In many countries, it’s very easy to find yourself in an expat bubble unless you are deliberate about building local relationships. Ideally, your employment will naturally facilitate this, but you may have to be creative! Could you employ local people in a tourism business? Could you be deliberate in your leisure time to socialise in Arab coffee shops and cafés?

Meeting needs

Sadly, the Middle East has many needs: it has too often been a place of warfare, humanitarian crises, and displaced peoples. Because of this, it’s a region where the love of Jesus can be shown in many different practical ways. Medical work, mental health, education, and humanitarian efforts are all areas where mission workers can make an impact. This is especially true for ministry among refugees and asylum seekers, who are often desperately in need of compassionate care.