Marwan Botros* is a Professor of Psychology at a University in the Middle East who has leveraged his knowledge of the Gospel to engage in illuminating conversations about religion and the Bible in a culture with little to no knowledge about Jesus. From answering questions to challenging misconceptions about Christianity, he is making truth accessible one conversation at a time. He boldly shares his faith in a religiously diverse environment that has little to no knowledge about Jesus.

Marwan’s path to this moment was far from straightforward. Born and raised in a non-Christian environment, he spent years searching for the truth. Curious about the world’s major religions, Marwan decided to research the greatest historical figures in human history, beginning with Jesus Christ. As he read the Scriptures, the message of Jesus became clear and he surrendered his life to Christ. He joined a small home church where local believers welcomed him warmly. Then he discovered Haggai International.

When Marwan attended the Haggai Leader Experience (HLE), something clicked. For the first time, he found a framework to address reaching people from all types of religious backgrounds. The HLE gave him more than knowledge. It gave him a refined vision and tools to steward his unique influence as a professor and community member.

“Every time [at the HLE] I learn something new about how to teach people about the Gospel and the new tools we can use to summarize the ideas and to organize visions.” 

Through the HLE, he gained a global family that shares his same passion to see every nation reached with the Good News of Jesus Christ and to see the restoration of all things.

His transformation didn’t stop at personal equipping. He was invited to join the International Facilitator Development training, which reshaped his understanding of leadership. As a university professor, teaching was natural to him, but IFD taught him how to facilitate transformation rather than simply transferring information. Since then, God has given Marwan the privilege of facilitating Haggai sessions in many different countries, both virtually and in person.

After completing IFD, Marwan attended the Faculty Empowerment Experience in Dubai, which stirred an even deeper commitment to strengthen Haggai locally. He felt a clear call to begin an alumni association, and through prayer and collaboration with other local leaders, that vision became a reality. Today, Marwan serves as President of the Haggai Alumni Association in the Middle East, uniting and empowering local leaders to end gospel poverty in his country and beyond.

Marwan’s story embodies what Haggai Leaders do: equip others. He was a seeker who found truth and a believer who found tools, and now he is a multiplier investing in others the same way HLE invested in him. His personal vision to end gospel poverty is now a movement through the leaders he continues to equip across his country and around the world.

*name changed for security

written by Leah Alexander