Where Does Hope Lie? Exploring Global Shifts and Engaging Islam with Matthew Niermann & Tharwat Wahba

The Christian gospel is a message of hope for all. However, it is not the only promoted avenue of ‘hope’ in our contemporary world. From competing world religions to secular ambitions and pleasures, the world is continually asking:

‘What is the source of hope?’

In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast we explore the topic of hope and its connection to global mission, with a special focus on Islam.

We are joined by guests:

Dr. Matthew Niermann: Director of the State of the Great Commission Report.
Dr. Tharwat Wahba: Professor of Mission and Evangelism and the Chair of the Mission Department in the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt and leading expert in the field of Islam.

Key Discussion Points:

Context shifts of hope in the world and Christianity including secularism, science, transcendental values, the self, and world religions.
Insightful reflections on Christianity’s history in Egypt.
The challenges of engaging with the Islamic faith.
Rising opportunities for Christian mission.

These interviews call for unity, discipleship, understanding, and strategic mission work to navigate the complex global landscape, offering messages of hope and encouragement for future missions and ministry efforts.

If you found value in our discussion, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with others. Visit our website for more insightful episodes and resources.

References:

Find the State of the Great Commission Report: https://lausanne.org/report
Connect with Dr. Wahba: tharwatw@yahoo.com
Frontier Fellowship: https://frontierfellowship.com/

The Practice of Mission in Egypt by Dr Tharwat Wahba: https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Mission-Egypt-Integration-Evangelical/dp/1783681039

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Guests in This Episode

Dr. Tharwat Wahba

The Reverend Dr. Tharwat Wahba earned his Ph.D. in 2009 from the London School of Theology. His dissertation was on the history of Presbyterian Mission in Egypt and Sudan. Dr. Wahba is the Middle East Mission Coordinator with Frontier Fellowship and an adjunct professor of mission and evangelism at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. He served as the chairman of Pastoral and Outreach Ministries Council of the Synod of the Nile, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Egypt (2012-2021). He served with Campus Crusade for Christ in Egypt as a staff and a campus director for 12 years. His interest is for evangelism, church planting, and frontier missions in Egypt and the Middle East.

Matthew Niermann

Director of State of the Great Commission Report

Matthew Niermann has served the Lausanne Movement since 2010 in a variety of roles including research and operations. He is currently serving as the director of the State of the Great Commission Report for Lausanne 4. In addition, he serves as a dean and professor of architectural design at California Baptist University, where his research partially focuses on the relationship between creativity and Christian witness.