Haifa

Haifa is a major port, with an oil refinery, and is Israel’s third-largest city with 250,000 inhabitants from various ethnic groups and five different faiths. Secular, religious and orthdox Jews live side-by-side with Christians, Muslims, Bahais and Druze. The Bahai World Centre is based in Haifa and the city is known for its religious and ethnic tolerance. Recent arrivals include refugees from South Lebanon who came when the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) withdrew from South Lebanon.
Evangelical churches work together in evangelism (using the ‘Jesus’ video), in helping the refugees, and in prayer. The Tuesday evening prayer meeting of 2-300 people is attended by Arab, Jewish, Chinese, Russian and Philippino believers. The Pastor, Phillip Saa'd, is a key player in bringing these different groups together, and pastors meet regularly for fellowship and prayer.
	The church has its own building in Haifa but meets for worship on Sunday evenings in the Lutheran hall because of the numbers of people coming. Plans are in hand for upgrading and extending their own building, but at an almost impossible cost to the congregation of around £100,000. The premises are small, but the land behind and to the side of the building allows for expansion.
Other activities include a midweek Bible Study, Women’s prayer meeting, Friday evening Youth activities, and various outreach events. The Youth share conferences with young people from the other Baptist churches in Israel twice yearly, and many have come to know the Lord over the years at these camps. Some of the young people have worked with OM Summer Teams in Spain.
Philip & Violette Saa’d, Haifa Philip & Violette came to Haifa Baptist Church in 1986 and the congregation has since grown to about 120 people. Both teachers, Philip has a Masters degree in Arabic language and culture from the University in Haifa, and a Masters degree in Theology from Dallas Baptist Seminary. Philip & Violette have six children: Nardine, Sharon, Peter, Nasrine, Paul and John Mark.
"Here in Haifa, in the church we experience God's hand moving in our midst. I experience a special anointing on my preaching, people are blessed, encouraged, edified and motivated, and people are being saved and added to the church, we experience a special visit of the Holy Spirit. As days, months and years pass on, things get more exciting, to be honest things get more challenging among our family. Please keep praying for us, and for our church and for my family, for Violet and the children." Your friend in Christ,Philip S. Saa'd Philip and Violette are fluent in Arabic, Hebrew and English. He has been President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Israel, and during this time he represented the Association to the Israeli government. He is currently an executive member of the UCCI, Israel’s equivalent of our Evangelical Alliance. Philip and Violette are gracious, hospitable ambassadors for the Lord both in Israel and overseas.