Every year, we gather with our supporters around Australia to share about the strategic nature of our global ministry. Not only do we enjoy a delicious three-course meal, but we’re privileged to hear from an international guest speaker who helps us understand the landscape of Christian leadership development in their region. This year we are excited to highlight one of our key partnerships in the Arab world.
Across Lebanon and the Arab world, church leaders are serving amid conflict, economic hardship, displacement and uncertainty. Yet in the midst of these challenges, God is raising up men and women who faithfully shepherd His people, bring hope to the discouraged, restore dignity to the broken and bear witness to Christ in difficult places.
Preparing leaders for this calling requires more than academic training. It demands holistic formation that shapes character, deepens faith and equips leaders to engage their communities with wisdom, compassion and courage.
This is the mission of Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS). Located in the hills overlooking Beirut, ABTS trains students from across Lebanon and the wider Arab world. They have earned a reputation for developing servant-hearted leaders who thoughtfully engage their cultures and communities for Christ.
Local Leaders International is delighted to welcome Wissam Nasrallah, President of ABTS, as guest speaker for our 2026 Annual Dinner series.
As a leader at the forefront of theological education in this turbulent region, he offers a unique perspective on the challenges facing the Church today and the remarkable ways God is at work through His people.
A Lebanese-Canadian national, Wissam combines sharp analytical thinking with a deep understanding of diverse cultural contexts. He was raised in Saudi Arabia and earned degrees in finance, strategy, and the social sciences in Paris. Called to serve in Lebanon with his wife and children since 2017, Wissam is dedicated to empowering the Church in the Middle East and North Africa.
This is a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from a significant voice in shaping the next generation of Christian leaders for the Arab world.
All dinner events commence with drinks and canapés at 6:45pm. The Adelaide Supper begins at 7pm.
FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER
Avoca Beach Hotel – 326-360 Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach
SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER
Roseville Golf Club – 4 Links Avenue, Roseville
TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER
Tocal College – 815 Tocal Road, Paterson
*Regional rate: $60 per person
THURSDAY 5 NOVEMBER
Regatta Hotel – 543 Coronation Dr, Toowong
SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER
Box Hill Golf Club – 202 Station St, Box Hill South
TUESDAY 10 NOVEMBER
7-9pm at Edwardstown Baptist Church – Cnr Dorene St & Rothesay Ave, St Marys
*Free event.
FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER
The University Club of WA – 1 Hackett Drive, Crawley
Cost for dinner events is $110 per person, or $100 per person for groups of 6 or more
*(Lower rates apply for select regional events)
You can book your seats by filling in the details below and paying by credit card.
If you would prefer to pay via direct deposit, please contact us at communications@localleaders.org.au
“Our graduates will not simply write papers; they will preach and serve in refugee camps, plant churches in cities, counsel and be peace makers in war zones, and bear witness in hidden places where no one sees. Their classrooms may be tents, basements, and homes. Their pulpits may be broken streets, prison cells and unjust systems. Their faith will be tested not in theory but in f ire.
Brothers and sisters, we do not know what the future holds. But we know the One who holds the future, and He is faithful. So let us labour not in vain, but in step with His Spirit.
Let us build, not our own kingdoms, but the Lord’s house.
And 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.
This is our vision. This is our calling.”
WISSAM NASRALLAH
