NETWORK LIFE

This month we are featuring the ministry of the Ottawa Arabic Bible Church 

Rev. Richard Raya grew up in a Christian family in Lebanon, received Christ as His Lord and Savior at the age of 9. He had been serving in full-time ministry since 2006 in Lebanon, and in 2015 he moved to Canada with his family. His extensive ministry experience in Lebanon included children and youth ministry, refugee ministry, church planting, MBB ministry and pastoral and leadership ministries. While still in Lebanon, Pastor Richard planted and led 25 home churches for MBBs.

After moving to Canada and settling in Ottawa, Rev. Richard pastored a local church, then started and has been leading the Hope Community Projects for refugees  (ESL program and Christmas outreach events). Later he planted the Arabic Bible Church (ABC) where he has been pastoring since. He is also a Facilitator of the Arabic Alliance Network in Canada.

ABC’s ministries in addition to biblical teaching and preaching :

• Heavenly Bread Ministry – an outreach to the poor
• Hope Community - providing weekly language training (ESL, Arabic), music lessons
• Christmas Parties for children (Gospel, games & gifts); majority on-line are Muslim children with parents often listening!
• Underground Church – for discipleship of new believers & safety
• Daily meetings for Bible study & prayer
• Ministries to Men, Women, Young adults & children

Rev. Richard has a vision to plant 15 Arabic churches in the 15 largest cities in Canada, modeled after ABC-Ottawa, to serve more than a million and a half Arabic speakers in Canada. He has accepted an international role, spending a portion of time overseas.  This is to help develop, implement, and monitor training and the selection of church leaders for ABCs in Canada.

Rev. Richard says: "We need help in the leading and operation of ABC-Ottawa and we already have an excellent candidate for the work.  What is immediately needed are funds for plane tickets, amounting to $10K.  We pray for further support for this family of 5 as they settle here in Canada. Please join us with great enthusiasm as we recognize, prayerfully and financially, the ways that God is drawing Muslims to Himself through our ministry, here and overseas."

For more information please visit: www.facebook.com/ArabicBibleChurchOttawa