Our vision, our history
Our vision
More than 25 years ago, it started as a Christian café ...
Beit Al Liqa’ (House of Encounter) seeks to be a place where God’s love is felt and seen.
Our motto is: Meet People – Encounter God.
It is a place of fellowship with one another, but above all, it is a place to meet the living God. At Beit Al Liqa’, the Bible, the Word of God, is fundamental and central to our teaching and ministry. It is our mission to call people to follow Jesus as their Savior and Lord, and to help them serve God through their lives and grow in faith.
Through Beit Al Liqa’s various areas of ministry we seek to:
- Raise the children in our care to be peacemakers by teaching the Word of God starting with the youngest
- Support young people on their way to adulthood, helping them to become devoted followers of Jesus and take up social responsibility
- Share our lives with the people around us, trying to find ways to meet their needs and deal with their issues and questions
- To lead the Christian population in the Bethlehem province back to the roots of their faith and to encourage them to live as a testimony for Jesus Christ in this land.
History
It all began in 1996. Back then, Beit Al Liqa' started off in rented rooms in the town of Beit Jala. What was initially planned as a Christian café, grew rapidly within just a couple of years, and soon more space was needed. In 2000, we purchased a large property of around 3,000 square metres at the city's heart.
In October 2001, a time of political turmoil, we took a leap of faith and laid the foundation to a four-storey building. Johnny Shahwan, founder and senior leader of Beit Al Liqa' put it this way: “Withstanding all common sense, God gave me the mission to build a house to His glory in the midst of war.”
Johnny ShahwanFounder"While houses are being bombed on one side of the city, we are building a house here to the glory of God!"
Through the courage to believe in the future at a time of destruction, Beit Al Liqa‘ turned into a symbol of hope to many. We became a place of refuge for the lost, the needy and the seeking. As we served our community by showing God’s love in practical ways, many opened their hearts to the Word of God.
Today, Beit Al Liqa' is a blessing to all visitors. A wide range of programmes, events and activities for young and old alike are on offer within and without its walls. Beit Al Liqa' is an oasis of peace and a house to meet the living God.
