Egypt and Lebanon

Shepherds’ Training Institute

MEMBER SCHOOL

               Number of Graduates: 61 | Churches Impacted: 26               

MISSION

To glorify the Triune God by equipping Arabic-speaking preachers and teachers to faithfully understand, apply, and proclaim His Word to the Church and the world.

KEY DETAILS ON SHEPHERDS’ TRAINING INSTITUTE

About

  • STI exists to support local churches in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region by helping them equip current and future pastors, elders, servants, and disciples with the necessary biblical and theological knowledge and ministry skills for faithful Christian ministry.

    • Train qualified Arabic speakers for ministry, especially pastors and elders

    • Promote, model, and teach expository preaching

    • Maintain a clear foundation of Bible-based ministry

    • Emphasize the primacy of the local church

    • Highlight the importance of biblical counseling

  • We use weekly classes and intensive modules in our programs. We prefer in-person learning, whenever possible, to promote discipleship and relationship building. Students are assigned a faculty mentor for the duration of their program. They use Canvas for all their homework submissions. In the preaching program, students preach 10 times to ensure that they can apply the principles of expository preaching effectively. In the master's program, students continue their learning at an advanced level in systematic theology, biblical Greek, and pastoral ministry. All of our courses are offered in Arabic.

Training

  • Master of Biblical and Theological Studies (MBTS): A four-year (48 credits, part time) program that focuses on biblical Greek, systematic theology, pastoral ministry, and Bible survey.

    Certificate of Expository Preaching (CEP): A two-year program that equips men to preach in an expository fashion from the Arabic text of the Bible.

    Certificate of Bible Survey (CBS): A lay-level one-year program that covers how to study the Bible and a survey of the Old and New Testaments.

  • STI was founded in Beirut, Lebanon in 2018 and initially offered a 2-year certificate in expository preaching. There were four graduates from that first cohort of preaching students. STI opened another training location in Egypt shortly thereafter. Today, more than 60 graduates serve in a variety of churches in Lebanon and Egypt. 20 individuals are currently receiving training. The student body includes Lebanese, Egyptian, and Sudanese.

  • We desire to increase the scope and reach of our ministry in the next five years: First, we are praying that the Lord would provide for a building in Lebanon to anchor our growing ministries in the MENA region. Second, we plan on adding much needed online elements (website, social media, etc.). Third, we want to offer training in new locations, Lord permitting, such as Sudan and Syria.

Context

  • The Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region encompasses upwards of 19 countries, primarily united by Arabic language and heritage, yet spanning a wide range of economic and demographic diversity. Known for its abundant natural gas and oil reserves, this region plays a key role in the global economy. In the 20th and 21st centuries, it has been a site of intense conflict and change stemming from issues including decades-long geopolitical disputes. 

    Although MENA is the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, it is the only large region with a majority Muslim population; a fifth of all Muslims live in MENA. Christians make up a very small percentage of the population, along with Hindus, Buddhists, and religiously unaffiliated people.  

    Compiled from Pew Research Center, World Bank, and Encyclopedia Britannica

  • “I came because I love to study the Bible. I want to learn how to study the Word and to discover what the text actually says—not what we expect it to say or what we want it to say.”

    D., Student at STI

  • “The faculty were truly qualified and had servants' hearts. They did a wonderful job helping us to pass the challenges we had while in the program.”

    M., Student at STI

  • “It is an immeasurable gift to be able to look at the text in the original language…The training I have received has enriched my preaching, enabling me to get my theology from Scripture, and keeping me from putting my own thoughts into the text.”

    A.H., Graduate of STI

  • “Before experiencing this training, I was totally unaware and preaching in ignorance. But this program is helping me to understand biblical preaching well-rooted in its text and its context.”

    Student at STI

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