The Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) in Beirut marked a historic leadership transition on Sunday (Sept. 28) as Wissam Nasrallah officially assumed the presidency, succeeding longtime leader Dr. Elie Haddad. In a passing the baton ceremony, Nasrallah outlined a vision centered on worship, Scripture, critical thinking, and servant leadership as the seminary enters a new season of ministry across the Middle East and North Africa.
Addressing faculty, students, alumni, and regional church leaders, Nasrallah spoke with “humility, gratitude, and a holy sense of fear,” acknowledging the weight of responsibility and the privilege of leading an institution that has served the Arab Church since 1960.
“We are here not only to mark a transition in leadership but to remember that ABTS belongs to the Lord,” Nasrallah said. “It is His work. His mission. His house. We are but stewards, entrusted with the Gospel.”
Nasrallah paid tribute to his predecessor, Haddad, who led ABTS for 19 years through Lebanon’s economic and political crises, a global pandemic, and major transitions in theological education. “Under his leadership, ABTS became a pioneering educational institution, respected not only in the Arab world but internationally,” Nasrallah said. “You have not merely managed change; you have cultivated a legacy of faithfulness.”
The Board of Trustees had announced Nasrallah’s appointment in December 2024, following a “comprehensive and prayerful process.” The board praised his “deep devotion to God, visionary leadership, and passion for advancing the mission of ABTS.”
Having previously served as Chief Operations Officer for LSESD–THIMAR, ABTS’s parent organization, and as part of the seminary’s leadership team, Nasrallah brings both institutional knowledge and a regional outlook. His appointment took effect formally on Oct. 1.
In his inaugural address, Nasrallah anchored his vision in Psalm 127:1 — “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” — emphasizing that theological education must remain Christ-centered amid technological change and social upheaval.
“All our innovations, strategies, and even technologies are in vain if Christ is not the cornerstone,” he said. “Our calling in this new season is clear: to form a generation of worshippers, grounded in Scripture, critical thinkers and lifelong learners, and servant leaders who reflect Christ Himself.”
Expanding on his fourfold vision, Nasrallah began with worship as the starting point of theological formation. “True formation begins with reverence, awe, and joy in the knowledge of God,” he said, drawing from Jonathan Edwards’ description of “holy affections” and warning against emotional zeal detached from understanding.
“Just as light kindles heat, understanding should ignite adoration and worship,” he said. “Even as our classes move online, technology is a tool, not a threat. It allows us to reach the unreached and train leaders in their own ministry contexts.”
Turning to Scripture, Nasrallah underscored ABTS’s commitment to biblical authority. “A solid foundation in the inspired, trustworthy, infallible, and authoritative Word of God is not about clinging to certainty in fear,” he said. “It is about being anchored in the unchanging character of God revealed in His Word. This foundation does not silence our questions; it gives them direction.”
ABTS, founded to serve the Church in the Middle East and North Africa, continues to equip pastors, teachers, and ministry leaders across the Arabic-speaking world. Nasrallah said that in an era of “ideological confusion, disinformation, and digital overload,” the seminary must form leaders who can “engage culture without being conformed to it.”
“We need leaders who think theologically, critically, and contextually; who can speak Gospel truth into complex realities with clarity and conviction,” he said. “By the time our students complete their studies, they will realize that they have only begun to scratch the surface of God’s truth. They will graduate not as know-it-alls, but as lifelong learners, men and women prepared to keep learning, unlearning, and being reshaped by the Word of God.”
Servant leadership, Nasrallah said, is the ultimate goal of ABTS’s mission: to form leaders who “do not lead from power but from service.”
“Servant leaders do not build followers; they raise successors,” he said. “They listen well, collaborate widely, and disciple faithfully. They speak truth with courage, serve with sacrifice, and lead with prophetic vision in turbulent times.”
Describing ABTS as “a Kingdom outpost,” Nasrallah emphasized that the seminary’s graduates are not confined to classrooms or pulpits. “Our graduates will preach and serve in refugee camps, plant churches in cities, counsel and be peacemakers in war zones, and bear witness in hidden places where no one sees,” he said. “Their classrooms may be tents, basements, and homes. Their pulpits may be broken streets, prison cells, and unjust systems.”
Despite the uncertainty facing the region, he concluded with confidence in God’s faithfulness: “We do not know what the future holds, but we know the One who holds the future, and He is faithful. So let us labor not in vain, but in step with His Spirit.”
Founded in 1960, ABTS is a ministry of Thimar–LSESD and serves churches throughout the Middle East and North Africa by providing theological education, pastoral formation, and ministry training. Its vision is “to see God glorified, people reconciled, and communities restored through the Church in the Arab world.”
Under Nasrallah’s leadership, ABTS aims to continue that mission by equipping “faithful men and women for effective service” through residential and online programs that integrate theology, culture, and ministry practice.
“As we build upon what has been entrusted to us,” Nasrallah said, “let us raise up leaders lit by the flame of worship, grounded in Scripture, sharpened in mind, and shaped by the wisdom of the cross, so that Christ may be seen, Christ may be treasured, and Christ may be proclaimed in every corner of the Arab world.”
