Bethlehem college is a strong Christian witness in the Holy City

Bethlehem Bible College (BBC) in the West Bank was founded in 1979 by local Arab leaders with a vision and only $20. Today, the interdenominational college of 538 graduates is well-known and well-represented in the Christian community of the Holy Land. Through its training and outreach programs, BBC is providing a powerful and much-needed Christian witness in this community torn by prejudices and hatred, while training native Arab Palestinians to minister the Gospel to their own people. At a time when the West Bank is losing many Christians to emigration due to political, economical, religious and social challenges, BBC plays a crucial role in building up the foundation of the Church by training young leaders and encouraging them to minister in their own communities.

Outreach to the majority group of the Palestinian people is a critical concern for BBC. The college provides a safe place for students to be trained in Christian discipleship and living, and the food relief and medical assistance programs sponsored by the college are an invaluable means of sharing the Gospel with their surrounding community. BBC’s newly opened library is also the only public library in Bethlehem.

BBC serves all the churches in the West Bank, Israel and Gaza for the Arab-speaking communities. The college is training over 150 students each year through their Bethlehem campus and three extension satellites in Nazareth, Gaza and Lod. Through its variety of programming and outreach ministries, in particular mass media (reaching 150,000 with its TV program), tour guiding, charitable outreach and community language programs, the College provides encouragement to the Christian community while simultaneously equipping its students with marketable and pedagogical skills that will ensure them greater opportunities following graduation.

BBC is in the midst of construction on its new Student Center, which will provide much additional training space. Expressing thanks to OC and its donors for their significant contribution to this project, BBC says, “Developing strong Christian institutions for Palestinians is vital if the Church in the Holy Land is to survive.”

Faculty scholar Rev. Jack Sara is studying toward his Doctor of Ministry at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, and is the senior pastor of a local church. He writes, “My thesis work has enabled me to better understand the needs of the majority group of the Palestinian people who show an interest in Jesus Christ and…to help and serve them better. I hope that my writing will be practical, like a manual, to be used by the Palestinian Church in reaching out to the community all around us.”