New Ideas and Immediate Impact: Middle East Update 2026
“The conference sparked new ideas and renewed my passion for ministry. It helped me see new possibilities for using media and technology to serve the Gospel.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
“The conference challenged me to think differently… I left with practical ideas that I can immediately apply.” —Middle East Conference Attendee (Names withheld for security reasons.)
Where the gospel is restricted, media opens the door.
The Middle East conference changed the lives of 184 pastors, ministry leaders, church media professionals, and Middle Eastern Christians working in secular media forever.
For those who gave and those who prayed:
Relational as well as educational, Phil talks with an attendee during a break.
What happened in this training event is already impacting nations. Thank you, Influence Lab Partners. Phil and Kathleen Cooke share their reports below…
Phil reports:
Participants came from across the Middle East, including Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco. True to The Influence Lab’s philosophy, the training was led by local Christian media professionals. Kathleen and I joined Ron Harris and Kyle Gilbert of Media Alliance International in teaching alongside these local leaders.
Some of the attendees had to memorize their notes from the sessions because they couldn’t risk being caught with them as they returned to their countries.
“The conference transformed my understanding of media ministry… I left with practical tools, a clearer strategy, and a renewed vision for using media to serve God’s Kingdom.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
This event inspired Kathleen and me as much as it taught the attendees. It made me realize how much more I need to do with the media resources, equipment and freedoms we have in the U.S. If you saw what these guys are doing with what they have, you’d step it up as well.
Thank you, Influence Lab partners. Your generosity helped make this outreach possible. We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters as they share the gospel through media, despite the challenges or restrictions. —Phil Cooke
Keep reading for Kathleen’s report…
“I left motivated not only to apply what I learned, but also to share it with others and contribute more actively to God’s work.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
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Kathleen reports:
The Muslim minaret sounds out the call to prayer in Jordan five times every day. For me, it was a constant reminder of the need for Christians to pray and create effective media to reach the nation with the good news of Jesus Christ. As it woke me up nightly, I prayed for Christians to wake up globally to the challenges that those living in predominantly Muslim countries face in sharing the redemptive story of Jesus.
In this heavily Muslim-based country where the light of Jesus is dim, Christian believers are fervently sharing Jesus and learning to do it with the use of effective media. Even while the Muslim Minarets were blaring and calling people to pray to an idol God, Christians were gathered with us to learn and grow their media skills to communicate.
“The conference helped me shift my perspective from seeking likes, views, and numbers to pursuing genuine influence and life transformation.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
The determination, faith, and joy of the Christians Phil and I connected with at this Middle Eastern media conference inspired us. Those who attended were hungry to learn and excited to connect with other Christians from across Jordan and the Middle East.
God’s remnant, living in a war zone on many levels, reminded me of the early Church and how they sacrificed so much so that Jesus might be seen and heard. This was the first media conference ever held for Christians in the region, and the almost 200 attendees couldn’t seem to get enough, wanting more from each session.
I had the opportunity to speak with Phil on a panel on how media and entertainment influence our culture, the effects it has on Gen Z, and why Christian artists need to be bold and create content that disrupts and penetrates our screens with imaginative artistic projects. I also shared the importance of creatives staying personally and actively engaged with the Bible in order to present God’s wisdom and share His redemptive story effectively through media, entertainment, music and the arts.
Kathleen shares the importance of creatives staying engaged with the Bible to effectively share the gospel through media.
During breaks and mealtimes, I connected with the women attending and encouraged them to join Influence Women and engage with our Online Chapter gatherings, webinars and other online content to continue to be emboldened as leaders and creative artists. I can’t wait to see what God will do now that they have connected and will collaborate to create change in the culture of the Middle East for the Kingdom of Christ.
Pray for them! By using effective media infused by God’s creative spirit rather than minarets, they will change the mindsets of the Middle East’s culture. —Kathleen Cooke
“I appreciated the balance between spiritual encouragement and practical training. The content was highly relevant, and the speakers brought both wisdom and experience.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
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Kathleen with Anoud Goussous, ATHAR conference organizer.
“We are especially thankful for the contribution of Influence Women and Influence Lab… we believe the relationships formed and seeds planted during these days will continue to bear fruit throughout the Middle East and North Africa as attendees return to their ministries with renewed vision and commitment to Christ’s mission.” —ATHAR Conference Organizers, Farah Abbassi, Anoud Goussous
“It felt like a glimpse of heaven—a gathering of believers from different nations, backgrounds, and ministries united by one purpose: making Christ known.”
—Middle East Conference Attendee
Phil and Kathleen Cooke joined Ron Harris and Kyle Gilbert of Media Alliance International to teach alongside local Christian media professionals.
Middle East Conference attendees share more testimonies:
“I have already started applying what I learned by using more intentional visual content and focusing on meaningful impact…” —Middle East Conference Attendee
“Meeting leaders from different countries was one of the greatest blessings. We realized that many of us face similar challenges, and the relationships built here will continue long after the conference.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
“The AI workshop completely changed my perspective. Instead of fearing technology, I learned how to engage it wisely and use it as a tool to support ministry.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
Can you help? Our next outreach is coming up fast as we travel to Australia this summer. Your gift impacts nations, training pastors and communicators in digital and media strategies to share the gospel.
Become an Influence Lab Partner today and start impacting nations! Give here.
“The sessions on AI and digital tools opened my eyes to the opportunities available for ministry today. I learned how technology can be used responsibly and strategically to reach people with the Gospel…” —Middle East Conference Attendee
“What impacted me most was the reminder that technology is a tool, not the mission. Our mission remains making Christ known.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
“The conference expanded my vision for ministry… I left feeling inspired, better equipped, and more committed to using every available opportunity to share the Gospel and build God’s Kingdom.” —Middle East Conference Attendee
(Names withheld for security reasons.)
THANK YOU, INFLUENCE LAB PARTNERS. TOGETHER – WE’RE IMPACTING THE NATIONS.