History was made in Beirut this month.
No, it wasn't the horrific double suicide bombings that killed more than 40 people and injured nearly 240 in the Hezbollah neighborhood of Bourj al-Barajneh, but an unprecedented ministry outreach called, Power to Change.
For one month, the images of Lebanese celebrities appeared on Beirut billboards advertising Lebanon's Power to Change. Lebanese by the thousands phoned prayer centers inquiring, "What is this power you are talking about to change Lebanon?"
Counselors prayed with callers and told them about the transforming power of Jesus Christ to bring peace to Lebanon by changing hearts and minds. It was a message the Lebanese so desperately needed--and admittedly--wanted to hear.
The national outreach culminated in three special festival events held at a Beirut venue and guarded by heavily armed Lebanese soldiers. Each was attended by more than 1,500 people and was broadcast by three TV channels, including Lebanon State television. That meant mllions of viewers--mostly Muslims in Lebanon and Syria-- were able to view the broadcasts.
Fifty-seven Lebanese churches joined in the ministry outreach which was sponsored by Hanu Haukka's Great Commission Media Ministries of Finland.
Few people in the Middle East respond to altar calls, but countless numbers of those who attended the special events came forward at the end of the program to request prayer.
Take a look. This video is courtesy of Sat 7 and Great Commission Media Ministries:
And here are some of the Power to Change campaign highlights:
-- 30,000 orders for books and DVDs with transformation stories and the Life of Jesus. Orders are coming in from the Beqa Valley, Syria, Jordan, and other Islamic countries as well.
-- Social Media - More than 58 million impressions and over 20 million hits from around the Middle East were logged on the campaign's Facebook pages and website.
-- And several prominent Lebanese government officials requested copies of the Power to Change book in Arabic.
So, after more than three decades of war and violence, God is on the move in Lebanon. And a growing number of Lebanese are embracing the Power to Change.