World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour joined 20 church leaders representing a broad spectrum of global Christianity in Lebanon on 3–5 November 2026 for the annual Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions.
Hosted by the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia, the conference brought together Christian leaders from all denominations for fellowship, reporting, and exploring opportunities for collaboration and coordination.
Representing 95% of Christians worldwide, the leaders took part in intensive, honest discussion, intrafaith fellowship, and shared spiritual devotion, with the aim of strengthening cooperation among churches across traditions and regions.
A devotion on Jesus and the Samaritan woman
Mansour gave a detailed report on WEA’s work since he took office in October 2025.
He also led a special time of prayer with a devotion on Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman (John 4). The devotion reflected on Jesus’ intentionality and kindness, and on the way He removed religious, ethnic, gender, and social barriers.
Mansour emphasized that, after coming to know who Jesus was through their dialogue and relationship, the Samaritan woman accepted Him as Savior and became a missionary.
His contribution reflected WEA’s long-standing emphasis that intrafaith engagement must be rooted in biblical mission.
Unity that serves a suffering region
The conference gave Christian leaders an opportunity to reaffirm shared commitments, deepen relationships across traditions, and pursue unity that serves the world through prayer, justice, and faithful mission.
Rev. Dr. Elijah Brown, General Secretary and CEO of the Baptist World Alliance and Chair of the conference, spoke about Lebanon and its suffering.
Lebanon is a land deeply woven into the biblical story, mentioned more than 70 times in Scripture. Today, it remains a place of extraordinary vibrancy, courage, and resilience, even as many we met spoke candidly of growing tensions and uncertainty about the future.
Elijah Brown
Meetings and visits across Lebanon
Alongside the conference program, Mansour and Brown visited the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary near Beirut.
They also met a delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches led by its Secretary General, Dr. Michel Abs. The meeting underscored the conference’s wider regional focus on dialogue, partnership, and cooperation among Christian bodies working in complex social and religious contexts.
On 6 November, the church leaders also made extended visits to the Armenian Theological Seminary in Bikfaya, the Armenian Genocide Orphans’ “Aram Bezikian” Museum in Byblos (Jbeil), and the Roman Catholic center in Harissa, as well as historical and religious monuments in Beirut.
