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2. You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbour and hate your enemy, but I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. The Gospel of Matthew 5:43-44
3. From Muslim Extremist to a Follower of Jesus The story of Rev. Hicham Chehab
4. Beginnings
Hicham Chehab was born in Lebanon in 1960 into a conservative Muslim family.
He attended school and a Mosque like any other boy in his community.
At the age of seven he was attacked by another boy because he was a Muslim.
5. Lebanon in the Middle EastLebanon was divided into Christian and Muslim areas. Tensions were high. Wars with Israel heightened internal conflicts.
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7. The Lebanese Civil War began in 1975, and resulted in close to 250,000 fatalities
8. Early Education After a few weeks in my Muslim school the teacher started giving us books that today we call political Islam. They said, the world is divided into two parts, the world of Islam and the world of Infidels.
Hicham Chehab
9. God Had Another Plan For My Life Hicham was trained as a Muslim militiaman.
He was also encouraged and trained to be a Muslim preacher.
But before he could give his first sermon he was involved in a car accident that left him with two broken legs.
10. Broken Legs in a Head-on Collision
11. A long recovery, and new interests A long medical recovery followed lasting more than two years.
To pass time Hicham read. His English improved, and he was accepted to the American University of Beirut, the Harvard of the middle east.
He thought about studying medicine.
12. The American University of Beirut
13. But again God had another plan for my life. Hichams only brother, who had become a captain in the Muslim militia (that Hicham left), was killed in the civil war.
Hicham had a strong desire to revenge his brothers death.
15. Love Your Enemies But in a course on cultural studies Hicham read Jesus Sermon on the Mount.
I heard love your enemies for the first time.
I asked myself, how could this be? People I knew were only concerned with what they saw as the law of God.
16. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.Romans 8:28 ???????? ???????? ????? ????? ??????????? ???????? ????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ????????.
17. A Loving Savior For Hicham the words of the Sermon on the Mount came alive.
He now saw Christ, the Son Of God, as perfect and compassionate.
God was not just an angry judge, but a loving Savior.
18. This Jesus Christ talked about loving God and other people in a way I had never heard before.
19. A New Heart for Christians
20. A Changed Life I started reading the Bible.
God used many events in my life to bring His word to me.
I believed Christ died for my sins.
I became a Christian.
21. Christian-Islamic Dialogue AssociationIn 1989 the civil war in Lebanon ended. I wanted to be the peacemaker Jesus was talking about. Hicham Chehab
22. Reconciliation between Christians & Muslims
23. Peace through God and with one Another And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2: 17-18
24. A Commitment to Christ Hicham decided to become a Pastor. He finished his pastoral education at Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN.
Presently, he serves Salam Arabic Church, the first Arabic LCMS church started in Chicago out of converts in 2008.
25. For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The Gospel of John 3:16
27. The Way, the Truth, & the Life Jesus answered, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The Gospel of John 14:6
28. Teaming up with Rev. Bernie Lutz, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod missionary,on a mission trip in Beirut
29. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.Ephesians 2:8-9