Fishers Arabic Church
On Sunday evenings, people from Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt worship next to each other in Fishers, Indiana. United by a common language and love for Jesus Christ, the Fishers Arabic Church has created a faith community that reaches out to the large Arabic-speaking community in northern Indianapolis. Although this church has been meeting since 2013, they joined FEC in 2019.
The outreach to Middle Eastern people who grew up in predominately Muslim countries and have immigrated to the United States can be challenging. First, understanding the gospel poses a significant hurdle since teaching about Jesus is often confused by Islam or churches in those countries. Second, when they immigrate to the United States, they are motivated to pursue financial security. So, most immigrants work multiple jobs and long hours to provide for their families, leaving little extra time for other activities.
The church’s head elder, Emad Ayad, understands the unique needs of this population. He came to the United States from Egypt, seeking asylum nearly 20 years ago. Leaving his wife and family behind, Emad worked 3 jobs to earn enough to buy a house and bring his family to the U.S. During that time, he felt lonely, so when a customer invited him to church, he accepted her invitation. Although he grew up in a Christian family, Emad wanted to reconnect with God and other Christians. At the church, he met an Egyptian family and helped to start an Arabic-speaking group.
As a used car salesman, Emad can interact with Middle Eastern people from various countries and backgrounds. He lives the vision of Fishers Arabic Church, seeking to create a community where people from a Middle Eastern background can discover a life-changing relationship with Christ and build genuine and supportive relationships.
