80% of 196 respondents who self-reported as Southern Baptist indicated a commitment to the principle of religious liberty for all; however, that commitment didn’t always line up with responses to questions related to houses of worship in their communities baptiststandard.com/news/faith-c...

I shared on the podcast Studying Law Around the World about Human Rights Advocacy, International Law, and Finding Your Calling. Episode webpage: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stu...

Our June newsletter is out! Discover how 21Wilberforce and partners around the globe are defending religious freedom — read it now: 21wilberforce.org/21wilberforc... and share to support the cause.

Religion and Power in Lebanon: The Cost of “Our” Country - Is the failure of Lebanese Christian Nationalism a prophetic warning for Western Christians? by Scott Gustafson substack.com/home/post/p-...

Grateful for the leadership and moral courage of Rev. Dr. Roy Medley. Read on our website about his ministry and advocacy for religious freedom: 21wilberforce.org/blessed-are-...

“Sustained by my Christian faith, I forgive the man who attacked me. However, I am determined that justice be served and that everything be done to ensure this never happens again.” Catholic sister attacked by an extremist in Jerusalem www.meconcern.org/2026/05/28/i...

The World Council of Churches is looking to hire a coordinator for the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations in New York, in charge of the Advocacy Work, Human Rights and Access to Justice. wcccoe.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0zvyo

This fascinating 1911 resolution from the Baptist World Alliance urged Baptists to 'protest against the extension of the warfield into the air.' baptistworld.org/bwa-resoluti...

21Wilberforce Condemns Killing of Baptist Pastors, Calls for Peace in #Manipur #India - Our statement:

We received the tragic news from Manipur, India, of 3 Baptist leaders killed in what seems to be tribal/ethnic violence. We're praying for peace and reconciliation, for God to protect & lead the Baptist leaders engaged in peacemaking. We urge Indian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable.

My heart is with the people of #Manipur #India as violence continues. I’m praying for — and 21Wilberforce stands with — the Christian peacemakers who are risking everything to bring healing & reconciliation. We call for justice & an end to impunity so families can rebuild lives.

Putting za'atar (thyme with sesame seeds and summak) on oat porridge feels like two parallel universes collapsing on each other cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020...

I love our work at @21Wilberforce and the amazing people we get to meet and collaborate with. Wapangrenba Imchen and Ashe Chakhesang are two such people: 21wilberforce.org/faith-on-the...

"The lockdown was lifted about 10 min later when safety officers determined there was no real danger. No harm done? (...) Is there anything normal about thinking you might die in a school classroom & then returning to your desk to finish the daily lesson?" faithworks.com/media/f/advo...

Embracing the Beauty of Christian Weakness in #Lebanon... Opening homes and churches to the displaced, persevering in prayer under threat, refusing hatred despite the pressure, continuing to bear witness to Christ, and loving the enemy: abtslebanon.org/2026/03/26/e...

Listen to this Economist Podcasts about #India anti-conversion laws resulting in violence, persecution and horrific scenes at Christian burial sites. Law against the living and the dead! shows.acast.com/theintellige...

Myles Werntz interviewed me on his podcast on religious freedom advocacy and our experience in coming alongside those persecuted for their faith. 👇 www.podbean.com/media/share/...

Gasoline price in January 2026 vs. April 2026. We're fortunate in the United States to have fuel and not to be rationing, and the fuel price hike cannot be compared to the lives lost in this war. But I know people here who will struggle to put food on the table because... 1/2

Upon reports of violence against Christian worshipers during Holy Fire Saturday in Jerusalem, World Council of Churches reiterated calls on Israeli authorities to protect the status of Jerusalem as a city holy to the three monotheistic religions. oikoumene.org/news/wcc-urg...

"Targeted Infrastructure," a cartoon by Bernard Hage. #Lebanon

400 dead so far, over 1000 injured, dozens and dozens missing. This is one hour into the massacre. I have no idea what the death toll will be in the end. Also, they have announced “another wave” of attacks coming

Many Christians neglect to pray and call to pray for peace, for an end of hostilities, for an immediate ceasefire, and for a process of healing and reconciliation. War is evidence of human sinfulness and a failure of the Church's peacemaking mandate. 1/2

Growing up in Lebanon in the 80s and 90s, I woke up on Easter mornings to my parents' TV playing Fairuz's Arabic Byzantine worship: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTf3...

المسيح قام من بين الأموات و وطئ الموت بالموت و وهب الحياة للذين في القبور Christos anesti, ek nekron, thanato, thanaton patissas ke tis en dis minimassi zoin, khrisamenos

I grew up in Lebanon. As a minority, the question of an Evangelical Christian’s relationship to power was not something we discussed. I believe this was a hidden blessing. evangelicalfocus.com/global-perse...

My good friend Fares Abraham interviewing my other good Nabil Habiby from Lebanon. Excellent conversation! www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bx0...

21Wilberforce mourns the passing of Keith Skaar, a founding board member whose quiet faith, generous spirit and unwavering commitment to Christ helped shape the organization from its earliest days. 21wilberforce.org/remembering-...

#OpenToWork #LookingForNewOpportunities I studied human rights law and humanitarian law. I am now out of work because there are no more violations of human rights law and humanitarian law. My experience is now irrelevant.

It's 3:40 a.m. in Beirut. Israel is bombing and war planes are flying low. Mom woke up as her building shook at the nearby bombings. She went to the balcony to look outside, saw this owl for the first time, sent the picture to me, and asked me to show it to her grandkids.

“Israel is repeating the Gaza playbook in its war on Lebanon: large-scale displacement of civilians, destroying infrastructure, targeting hospitals and healthcare workers, and killing journalists. And the world has become numb to Lebanese loss and suffering” — my comments to @dawnmenaorg.bsky.social

The Germans, perhaps, at first ill-treated the Jews because they hated them. Afterwards, they hated them much more because they had ill-treated them. The more cruel you are, the more you will hate. & the more you hate, the more cruel you will become. & so on in a vicious circle forever. - C.S. Lewis

"Pray for peace and counter-work everything that is likely to provoke Governments to act against each other." The call to counter-work governments, issued at the 1923 Baptist World Alliance Congress - the first Congress after the First World War - remains incredibly relevant today.

It's alarming that church worshipers in Nigeria are still being abducted during Sunday services - despite all the international attention on Nigeria and the U.S. administration putting Nigeria on the CPC list. Most recent such case was this past Sunday in Kwara State. 1/2

Asking my parents how they slept through a night of Israeli bombings of Beirut now feels like asking them about the weather. We've grown accustomed to evil and madness.

This war is neither legal nor legitimate nor just nor moral. Nor are any wars that I have lived through in my lifetime. And I've lived through many since the Lebanese civil war, during which I was born.

It's a hard night for my family in Lebanon. My sister shared with me this picture that she took from my parents' house. She and her friends moved to be with my parents. While my parents' house is close to Dahia (suburb) where Israel is attacking, and... 1/2

I finally started listening to the audio book of Mere Christianity. Sadly, it felt very timely. Written during the Second World War, C.S. Lewis' reflections on war and peace, evil and our response to evil, remain relevant today.

"Shifting geopolitical conditions require immediate adaptation of mobilization models, including time-bound global efforts that are now shaping priorities across many Christian networks." write Vijayesh Lal from the Evangelical Fellowship of India www.christiandaily.com/news/indian-...

"What appears to be a theological disagreement is rarely only theological. It is also about belonging, dignity, and power." write Bassem Melki from the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary abtslebanon.org/2026/02/12/t...

Evangelicals possess something governments often lack—trusted relationships at the grassroots and access to leaders across divides. An Evangelical Board of Peace could come alongside evangelical peacemakers with diplomatic and relational support. My commentary: evangelicalfocus.com/features/338...

I propose that we need an Evangelical Board of Peace. Here's why: baptiststandard.com/opinion/othe....

Grateful for my brother and friend Butros Mansour who stepped last year into the role of General Secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance. Praying for him as he works towards unity among Evangelicals.

Grateful for Baptist Standard interviewing Khalil Jeries, executive director of the Agora Initiative. baptiststandard.com/news/world/c...

Grateful for edifying conversations in Washington DC with Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam and Rev. Joseph Hayab from Nigeria, and Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah, from Sri Lanka and Chair of the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance.

Grateful for my good friend John Girgis as he steps into the role of World Evangelical Alliance Special Envoy to the Middle East worldea.org/world-evange...

Another excellent post by Scott Gustafson. So many good points raises in this short post. scottgustafson.substack.com/p/research-o...

Bomb Cyclone, Thunder Snow, Thunder Sleet Derecho wind storm... Living in the US has expanded my weather vocabulary.

Human rights law principles that govern police and law enforcement work were codified in the 1990 declaration "Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials." www.ohchr.org/en/instrumen... Article 9 states:

I'm quoted in this article 👉 baptiststandard.com/news/world/c...