September 2025

Grace and peace to you in Christ our Lord.

These first two weeks of September have been filled with the steady, sanctifying work of the Word among us. I have continued the teaching series on the unity of the body of Christ, drawing first from 1 John 2 and now from Matthew 18. The aim has not been theory but obedience. Week by week the Lord has pressed us to love one another, to pursue reconciliation, and to walk in the light together. Hearts have been softened, long‑delayed conversations have begun, and there is a growing desire to be agents of peace within the church.

Matthew 18 has set our expectations about conflict and forgiveness. Not every disagreement is sin, yet when sin is present the Gospel gives a path for both confrontation and restoration. Christ’s call to forgive again and again has humbled us, and His pattern for discipline has given us courage seasoned with gentleness. As the Scriptures have been opened, the Spirit has comforted the broken, exposed old wounds, and pointed us to the cross where all of our debts were paid.

We also rejoiced recently in the baptism of a dear sister in Christ. Her confession was clear, her joy was evident, and her baptism bore witness that she has been united with Christ in His death and resurrection and now walks in newness of life, as Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12 attest. That moment served as a living sermon to all of us and a call to renew repentance and faith. Please pray that her first steps of discipleship would be firm and fruitful.

Preparing for the Nicaea Book Launch

In preparation for the public launch of my book on the Council of Nicaea on October 17, 2025, I led a training session for Baptist pastors in northern Jordan earlier this month. We walked through the pastoral heart of Nicaea: why confessing the full deity of the Son matters for preaching, discipleship, and the life of the church. We examined the language of the Creed, the challenge of Arianism in the fourth century, and how a clear confession of the Trinity strengthens the people of God today. The discussions were candid and rich, with thoughtful questions about teaching the Nicene faith in congregational settings, counseling, and evangelism. Please pray that these shepherds would carry that clarity and courage back to their flocks, and that the book’s launch would serve the wider church and magnify Christ.

During the training session, the pastors engaged thoughtfully and asked questions that revealed both pastoral concern and doctrinal seriousness. Some asked how to explain the language of homoousios (“of one essence”) to congregations with little theological background, while others wrestled with how to apply the Creed in preaching without sounding overly academic.

One pastor raised the question of how Nicene Christology can strengthen dialogue with Muslims who deny Christ’s divinity, while another pressed into how this confession should shape baptismal instruction and catechesis in their churches. Several also wondered how to guard their flocks from online teachings that recycle Arian ideas under modern packaging.

The discussions were rich, marked by a hunger to anchor pastoral ministry in the ancient faith once for all delivered to the saints, and by a shared conviction that clarity on Christ’s full deity is not optional but essential for the life and health of the church.

Remember to keep praying for a fruitful and busy fall:

As we look ahead, I ask earnestly for your prayers. The coming weeks and months are filled with several significant ministry opportunities:

• Academic Paper (Sept, 24th): I will present an academic paper in a theological conference in Jordan titled "Confessional Foundations: Seventeenth-Century Baptist Theology and Its Contemporary Significance." This paper underscores the supremacy and sufficiency of Scripture as the sole, final authority that orders the church’s faith, worship, and mission, showing its enduring relevance for guiding the people of God today.
  

• Book Launch on the Nicene Creed (October. 17): We will host a significant event introducing readers to my book on the Nicene Creed. Please pray that it strengthens believers' confidence in the foundational truths of our faith.

There are even more opportunities lined up this fall, but for now, I share these to invite you to pray fervently with us for faithfulness, effectiveness, and God's abundant blessing in every effort.

Looking to God for Strength

As I look forward to the upcoming commitments ahead, I turn my eyes and heart wholly toward our sovereign God for strength, wisdom, and endurance. Conscious of my own limitations, yet deeply assured of His boundless provision, I seek to rely entirely on His empowering grace. I humbly ask for your fervent prayers—that the Lord may guide my steps, fill my heart with courage, and use each opportunity to magnify His glory and strengthen His people.

Yours in Christ's steadfast love,

Rami Halaseh, President of Mission Quest