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World Outreach Podcast
World Outreach Podcast
EP 48 The Courage to Serve in Conflict Zones: A conversation with Bassem
What happens when a simple act of obedience transforms not just your life but entire communities? This episode's guest, Bassem from Egypt, shares his incredible journey from feeling inadequate to becoming a leading figure in global gospel ministry. Inspired by his father's ministry work, Bassem tells us how his faith was profoundly shaped during his university years, which ultimately led him to take significant steps in church planting and mission work. Throughout this episode, we explore what it really means to be called by God and how He prepares those He appoints, even when facing daunting environments like North Sudan. Get ready to be inspired by stories of courage, faith, and the unwavering belief that God qualifies those He calls.
Join us as we unpack the urgency of spreading the gospel in regions filled with conflict and adversity. Bassem reveals the challenges and triumphs faced while evangelizing in places such as Syria, where sharing hope comes with the risk of persecution. Through moving anecdotes, Bassem illustrates the importance of being present for those in need and acting as ambassadors of faith, even when personal sacrifices are needed. This episode is a compelling look at the resilience required in ministry work and a reminder of our responsibility to seize the moment in these tumultuous times. It's a must-listen for anyone curious about the transformative power of faith and the impact of small acts of obedience.
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You're listening to the World Outreach Podcast dynamic conversations designed to empower our community as we engage unreached people groups everywhere. Today I'm sitting with Bassem and he's going to share with us about his church planning ministry and working in challenging environments to bring the gospel forward. So, Bassem, thanks for joining us on the podcast today. As we get started, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Speaker 2:I'm Bassem, from Egypt. I grew up in a Christian family, my father serving the Lord, so I knew the Lord since I was a child and I grew up in this environment and I thank the Lord for this. You thank the Lord for this.
Speaker 1:Tell us a little bit about your family. You married. You have children?
Speaker 2:Yes, I married 17 years ago. I have two children. Nadine is 16 years old and Nader 11 years.
Speaker 1:And how did you get into ministry? What was that journey?
Speaker 2:You came from a Christian family but then how did you move into ministry? First I saw my father in the ministry and he used to take us with him to the village, from one village to another, to preach the gospel. In the last year of my university studies, I was responsible about evangelism to my colleagues in the university. Last year I read two books, one to my college. In the university Last year I read two books, one of them about hearing the voice of God.
Speaker 2:The book name is Is that Really you, god? It's by Lauren Cunningham, and another book about how to live in the age, and it's like I remember this time very well. It's like I was praying to the Lord. It's not in my country, it's not in Egypt, maybe it's in other countries. And then I can say that I heard the voice of the Lord in my heart. No, I'm the same God and I am the one who sent. And in this just I finished my studies I feel the Lord stopping me from living a normal life and I felt the Lord start to direct my way in a different way.
Speaker 1:You heard God's voice speaking to you, putting a heart for your own people in your heart for ministry, and bringing the gospel. What did that look like in the early stages of your ministry?
Speaker 2:and it's like he qualifies the people whom they call him. The Lord didn't call or don't call the qualified, but he qualifies the one he calls him. I started from zero. I don't know how to preach First time, just I went to preach maybe after four minutes and I stopped the message. I can't continue. The Lord started. It's like it's not important where you go, but with whom you go. Abraham obeyed and this one of the significant verse in my life Hebrews 11,. Abraham obeyed the Lord without knowing where he go, but the Lord said it like with whom he go. This is the most important thing.
Speaker 1:You said just something really interesting, two things that I've really already found really interesting that God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies those he's called. How did that transpire in your life? How did you feel like here I am, lord, send me.
Speaker 2:Many times I give excuse. Did you feel like here I am, lord, send me. Many times I give excuses. It's like the Lord. It's the most difficult thing that the Lord like convince us, the Lord, that we obey. All other challenges the Lord can do it about how he provide us, how he do everything, but the most thing is that we believe in him. And I stopped many Bible verses about Moses and about Gideons and how the Lord take a lot of time just to convince them. That many excuse. I said to the Lord there is many people qualified more than me. They can preach, they can do many things and from this just I obeyed, step by step, very simple steps. I started first year in my community and my church wasn't believe in mission. So it's like for them first. It's like no, if you will be full time, we need you with us and if you go to all over the world in the church it is a big building, six topics, so go all the church. First topics, first floor.
Speaker 1:Second third, second, fourth, third, four yeah, this is the mission.
Speaker 2:And after one year involved in youth meeting and many things, the Lord arranged for me to go for DTS with YWAM. It was like a mission school and I went for the first mission trip in my life in North Sudan and I spent there one month and a half. And I went for the first mission trip in my life in North Sudan and I spent there one month and a half and I remember this time. At the end of this time I said to the Lord I need to stay here, I don't need to return back home. I feel big need, I feel that my life here, it's like, will be useful. And then the Lord be quiet, will you will go and return? Go and return.
Speaker 2:So started from here. One of the morning we went in intercession time and they said to us you go for intercede prayer walk for one, one hour and weather was very hot. So I go for one hour and pray two, two things first, lord, I need this hour to finish because it's very hot. Second, lord, bless these people. And one girl stopped me and said to me give me some water. And because our water is not salty, it's bad. And just when I give her my water. And then the Lord said to me the most important thing is that you are available. The most thing is to carry water to someone thirsty. You don't need a master degree or a PhD, but you need to be available. And it's like are you available?
Speaker 1:Now that's a fantastic point, because that was tied into my second point, which is being a willingness to obey God. But now you're talking about being are we available to actually listen and obey God? How does that play out more in your life of that availability? Here I am. God, send me wherever you want, I'm ready.
Speaker 2:Many times, like many times as a young people, we need to hear the voice of God. We need to know what God wants us. But the most challenge is not to hear the voice of God, but to obey the voice of God. He is the responsible one to tell you his voice. He will speak to you. It is his responsibility. But in many situations, are we willing to obey? The Lord will not tell you the whole steps, but he will give you just a small step and if you obey, it will be like the light and it will be a step by step. So if we don't obey the simple steps, you will not be receiving more and more Right.
Speaker 1:How, in your life, walking with Jesus now for many years in ministry, how have you developed the discipline to hear God's voice, but then also to actually obey God's voice? What's been key to?
Speaker 2:the obedience I need first to say it's like it is the same challenge. We will not be expert in obeying the voice of God step by step, like it is the same challenge. We will not be expert in obeying the voice of God Step by step, every day the same challenge. And now, after this journey, I can say about now, 23 years in this journey by faith and many encouragement, many challenges, but every day we need to focus on Jesus in the same way. First, I can say that to anyone don't be alone. You need to be in a group, you need to be in the body of Christ. In this first book which I mentioned, he said if the Lord spoke to you, he should speak to another people around you. He should speak to some leaders around you. You are not the only one. It's like you don't go to your leader and say I heard the voice of God and it's like I will go. But the same God, he will speak in a certain way to some leaders, to some believers around you. So we can't move alone.
Speaker 1:So in that process I'm sure at times you feel like God's speaking, but then that community around you saying no wait. How have you dealt with those challenges to remain under authority of others and in community, as you just spoke about. How have you done that over the years in ministry?
Speaker 2:My leader was many times against my mission. He wants me to be in the church and he said to me we lost a lot of people and they go, and they went and we didn't see them again. So it's like many times we struggled together but I said to him no, I'm obeying, I'm in the church and I started just to gain trust, to build trust. So it's like my responsibility in the church was a university minister to university students. So many times I start to take a permission in the vacation time. Many times I said to him now it's like the season finished and it is the exams and there is no ministry in this, no activities. Can you allow me to go for one month? And he said, ok, you did a good job, go now. So I went first, it's like in the vacation time for one month and spend one month in the field and return back and I try to involve the church with me. So many times I return with many testimony what the Lord did with me and it's like we need to submit and we need also to encourage them. This is what the Lord is doing, this is the need around us and we can be apart from what the lord is doing outside. I remember after three years from this or four years, I invited my leader to go with me and he said, okay, okay, I have one week with uh empty, or okay, I, I consider it for me, uh, it, as like vacation time or something. I said, okay, just come with me and preach one of the meetings. And the Lord started to engage my church in the mission trip.
Speaker 2:After six, seven years, the Lord challenged me don't go alone. Start to mobilize young people from your church. And this was the second challenge, one of the principles we have learned when he guides, he provides. We are in Egypt, we can't pay for our support mission A big challenge to spend outside your country, a lot of challenges but when he guides, he provides. This is his way. My leader asked me we went, two teams, 17 young people. Well, my leader asked me we went, two teams, 17 young people. And my leader asked me what you will do if you don't have enough money. I said it is God's business, not mine, and I will cancel After we go. We went and we returned back. Now it's like not Bassem telling the stories and the testimony, but 17 from the church, young people start to speak to the families and to the testimony, but 17 from the church, young people, started to speak to the families and to the people and I feel it was starting for a movement or a wave for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so momentum started to build. People were hearing coming along. So, as you move forward in ministry, this has been a big practice of yours. If God has the vision for it, he's going to provide for it, as long as you're willing and obedient to go and that has brought challenging places and difficult places in your region of the world to bring the gospel.
Speaker 2:What does that look like and what are you seeing God do in these challenging places reached to refugee in many countries? So it's like the Lord puts small seed in your heart to move. When you move, he is with you and he is in front of you. When the Lord told Peter to go to Cornelius Acts 10, the Lord was there. The Lord started. So we just engaged what the Lord is doing in the field. Many testimonies that you went to some unreached people and just you hear from them that we dreamed yesterday about something we see, dream about the cross. We see many things and just if we are available and we are there, we will be part. He is in front of us. Many testimony and first, in my first mission trip, one guy came to our church and said I need to talk to someone. I dreamed yesterday a big dream about cross and it was like a light and cross. Light and cross. And you are the only group speak about this sign. You are the Christian, you speak about this. What does this mean?
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I remember one of the team said to him if I need to tell you the address to my home, can I explain to you the address to my home? He said, sure, he said to him the Lord tell you the address of his home, he tell you the way, he tell you how you can come to him. This is his address and from this it's like it took one week maybe to explain step by step, and he knew the Lord. Wow, Many experience like this.
Speaker 2:I was traveling from Jordan to Iraq after the war and I was the only Christian in the car and I was hearing in my headphone the gospel, Just because 12 hours in the road and it's like a little bit, I'm the only Christian in the car. And then the driver asked me we need to hear with you? I said no, it's something special, I need to hear alone. He said no, we need to hear with you Long distance. I said it is not a music, it is not songs, it's not, it's something belong to me, he insists. And then he put, and in a loud voice. I heard the gospel in a loud voice in the car with many people, and then one lady said to me oh, you are Christian. I said to her you are clever, you are very intelligent. She said to me brother, we heard Jesus fell and we knew the story. So sometimes we think we are the only people God, he is in front of us in many ways and just we engaged what he is doing already with the people.
Speaker 1:So good, I mean, that's so encouraging and inspiring to think that as we step out and obey that he will be there before us. And it's a bit like a faith muscle, isn't it? A little bit of exercise. The more you do this, the more confidence you have that he's going to be there. But God is moving. His Holy Spirit is moving around the world. Today. Are we putting up our sail to catch the wind and to go with him in that direction? Very encouraging. In these places there's quite a lot of persecution, quite a lot of hardship that you're seeing and that you're facing. What are you learning about God in the midst of the persecution?
Speaker 2:It is impossible without him. He is there and he is with us. Without the grace of God, I can't be here today. I remember in my life many difficult situations. Sometimes we were evangelism in the street and then they took us and just some investigation why you are in our country, what you are doing, and just we say, no, we love you, we are just and this is our good news. And he said, okay, but do it inside your church. And and said, okay, but also this is our gift for you, for you, and in some situations he took from us many dangerous situation, many dangerous situation. One of these dangerous situations happened with me and after this it took me maybe two months. I'm afraid of even traveling. And then the Lord said to me it's one sign just for what I'm preventing all the way, and just you show a symbol. It's not everything. It's like we need to say this when we have these things, we will return back or we have more boldness to move because he is with us.
Speaker 2:Many times in the border, sometimes we travel in the roads like this. Many times in the border, many times they want to prevent us. Many times after the earthquake to enter Syria, I should have special permission, but I felt I should be there, we should be with the people, we should be the answer of God for the people. And in the border it's like they stopped me for one hour and then they have permission from high authority and say no, you are allowed to enter, please go. Many like's like in Syria after the war many churches, many believers left the country and you find the church full with new people from many different backgrounds and groups and they say we are hungry and thirsty to know the truth. Yeah, without evangelism. Just tell us. Tell us.
Speaker 1:I remember a year or so ago, you and I sat down with some of the churches, the believers in the churches, and even though they had been persecuted and killed family members killed there was a hunger to go back and share the gospel with those who did not know him and even those who had been inflicting persecution on them and the hardships and the war that was fought. Tell me a little bit about how you see the love of Jesus transforming people's lives and bringing love for their neighbors.
Speaker 2:They found something very precious, they tasted something happened in their life. I can't forget one lady. She said to me maybe I will not see my children again, but my prayer to see them in the eternal, my prayer to God, and the Lord answered her and two of them. Now they became believers and many times he said I sacrifice even my family. Even so, they tested something.
Speaker 2:They tested one of the houses, one man, his literacy. He can't read or write, but it's like Jesus dealt with him and his life changed. Then he put a cross in his home and he took me outside the home and he started to cry and say because of this sign, all my family refused to enter my home. He said it's like someone healed me, someone appeared to me, someone deal with me, so I give him my life, but all my family refused to enter my home. But now the Lord said to me I have many brothers because I have you, because just you enter my home. So what I can say is they tested a real thing. They found what they missed in all their life. So sometimes we feel we sacrifice, but no, we, we, we have more thing, we, we have christ in our life, we have hope and eternal, eternal life. Because of this, we can do.
Speaker 1:we've received something greater than what this life can hold for us in our relationship with j, and they've tasted his realness. They've tasted and seen that the Lord is good. They've come and experienced that above everything else, it's so amazing and so encouraging to hear these stories and intermix with them, and to see them taking place alongside you. What is giving you passion right now? What are you excited about in your region of the world?
Speaker 2:I need to say it's like first, I feel responsibility, I feel we are not in a game, we are not just no, and in the aspect of the time, one of the prophecy or one said this that when the Lord is shaking, when you see the fig tree is shaking, it is a time of harvest. And it is the same with the nations. When they see the nation is shaking like this, it's like the fig tree, it's time of harvest, it's time. So I feel it's like if we are the ambassadors of the Lord and if we have the message of hope, every day in our life can make a difference in the life of the people.
Speaker 2:One of my partners in Lebanon and he brought many believers to Christ from many backgrounds and he told me a very hard story. He said to me one of the youths I used to follow up with him. He said to me 10 times he needs to meet you, to meet me, but I was very busy and I couldn't answer him this day for 10 times. I said to him okay, you need to keep your distance, we are not responsible about everything. And I tried to give him many excuses. And he said to me Bassem, this man committed suicide and he finished his life. And then he started to cry and say, if I answered him, maybe we have a different reason.
Speaker 2:And because of this story I feel in many times, in many situations, it's like we are responsible. It is not a funny game, it is not just some small activities, but we represent Jesus himself because of the time. So for me I feel we are. In some countries we have like a motto about our ministry. We call it last hour workers. So we say we use the last hour to reach others in the last minute. You know this Matthew 20, when he said why you stood here all this day without doing anything. And it's like last group they went and they used the last hour. So in some nations, many nations around us, we used to go, but now we are not allowed to enter and some of these nations now it's like the season for hair is not available. So the sense of time, sense of responsibility, I think is very significant to me.
Speaker 1:There's an urgency to the call. There's an urgency in the world. There's still so many people that need to hear the good news of Jesus. And you've responded and said here I am, lord, send me. And now you're calling more people. Join me into this great task. What are you seeing as the response of people as they're getting challenged to join into ministry to bring the gospel to the unreached?
Speaker 2:One of our responsibilities is not just to go, because the responsibility is bigger than us, so one is to invite others to go. Also, I can't expect from young people to buy themselves without taking them to see. I can't expect that they will obey something without testing, without seeing, without taking them to see. I can't expect that they will obey something without testing, without seeing, without. So the first thing that the Lord take us to see, the need and sometimes the mission, start to see God's heart, what is in his heart. When the Lord appeared to Moses, he said to him I saw their suffering, I saw, I knew, uh, they're crying, and then I came to save them. So it start when we see the god's heart, to to the people, to the nations, and every day he say whom I send, whom ready to go for us. So as much we close to the lord and as much we close to one another, uh, it's like we can uh go, yeah, and there's still a great need for us to go a lot, a lot, a lot last, yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2:Last, uh uh. Last trip it was in a very uh far area in south sudan. Some of the student came to the conference. It's first people we go to. We are first believers went to this area to support some people after the civil war, so we went there. It was a long distance and helicopter and then many things, and we went. Some of the students and the people came to our classes. They walk for two years, two days. They walk for two days in the forest just to attend two days walking. There is no things they don't have, there is no transportation and so for me, just okay, I feel I'm tired, I feel I go a long distance, but there is seresty and they need to hear One of them said to us if you don't come, others will come. And I need to say about all the area I'm serving if true, true believer, if the church does not go, others will go from many wrong belief systems and faith.
Speaker 1:People from the other faith will go.
Speaker 2:They will be there. So now it's like who will obey and go? Who will be there?
Speaker 1:Very good. I mean, that's the challenge, isn't it in the day that we live in, who will go and who will obey as we wrap up?
Speaker 2:any final encouragement to the listener, to the church at large, about obeying this call to god. I return back to the, the, the book I read. Is that really you, god, as we walk with him, as we obey, we will experience him more and more, step by step, and every step of faith is every step of obedience will build our faith. So it's like we don't speak about a great faith, no, just small faith like the seed, but in a great God we have a small faith and every step of obedience will build our faith more and more and more. Many the word of God reached to us through many Our Arabic translation. Now we celebrate 150 years because American missionary, and he put his life. He was in Lebanon, van Dyck and he put his life and I can't imagine my life without Arabic translation Bible. So because he obeyed and he was there in this point all of us knew the Lord and our life transformed and I think, other generation wait for our obedience also.
Speaker 2:So let's continue until the day of Christ.
Speaker 1:Very good. Thank you, Bassem, for your time today. It's been very encouraging. Thank you, Listener. We thank you for tuning in. I hope you've been encouraged and challenged by Bassem and his stories about obedience, about a willingness to step out in faith in a big God, to see lives transformed, to leave a legacy for others to know the goodness of God in their lifetime, and that we would be obedient to bring that to Him. As always, if you'd like to leave a comment or questions or ideas for further episodes, you can email me. The email is in the show notes. Otherwise, please share this episode with your friends and those interested in missions, so that we can continue to see the kingdom of God moving forward and let's continue to make disciples amongst unreached people, groups everywhere. Thank you and we'll see you next time. Bye.