Words For Life
From a rebellious teenager to a follower and teacher of God’s Word, Pastor Adel Malek helps empower viewers to face everyday challenges through the program Words for Life. He shares how his personal transformation has helped him to grow in faith, and encourages viewers to seek the truth in the Bible.
“Interpreting and understanding the Word is very important, because the Bible tells us about God and what His will is for us,” says Pastor Adel Malek, Presenter of Words for Life. “God doesn’t just want our prayers. He created us to be his hands and feet on the earth, and fulfill His will through our works and service.”
THE WORD GIVES LIFE
Pastor Malek chose the name Words for Life for the program to highlight the importance of God’s Word in our lives. “The Word of God is so powerful, it gives life and changes us,” he says.
As the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, there is no stronger weapon to face the turbulence of worldly worries and spiritual attacks with than the Word of God. Many Christians in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) who have inadequate education on, or limited access to, Christian teaching can now learn Biblical truths as Pastor Malek explains the Scriptures in a simple and profound way.
A JOURNEY OF TRANSFORMATION
Pastor Malek draws inspiration for his teaching from his personal experience of transformation.
“I dutifully went to church as a child, but during my teenage years I felt a wave of rebellion overcome me,” explains Malek. “I began to have questions that no one could answer. I thought that Christians were naïve in their faith and didn’t have strong evidence to support it. It sounded illogical to me.”
His thirst for understanding was quenched when he met a Lebanese man who was able to explain the Christian faith and theology to him in a systematic and logical way. Since then, Pastor Malek has been keen to explain the Word of God to new generations.
“Blind faith is dangerous and fragile,” Malek explains. “It is not based on strong foundations of historical facts and reasoning, so it could collapse when subject to questioning. That’s not our Christian faith.” Pastor Malek insists that people don’t take any thought or idea for granted but rather research and find the truth.
ANSWERING GOD’S CALL AFTER EIGHT YEARS
Adel Malek and his wife immigrated to the US in the 80’s where he worked for 25 years as a traffic engineer.
“For eight years since receiving my master’s in theology God had been calling me to serve as a pastor, but I was reluctant to leave my career as an engineer,” Malek confesses. “In 2011, seeing the rising numbers of Arab Christians immigrating to the US, I made the decision to become a pastor.” Malek is currently Pastor of the Arabic Fellowship Church in Huntington Beach California.
NEW TOPICS AND SEGMENTS
Pastor Malek visits Egypt regularly and records episodes of Words of Life for SAT-7 ARABIC. Following the success of its first season, the channel is producing season two with Pastor Malek presenting interpretations of the book of Romans, scheduled for broadcast late 2019. Additionally, this season introduces a new segment where people from the streets of Egypt ask questions and Pastor Malek answers from the studio.
George Makeen, SAT-7 Arabic Channels Programming Director, explains the importance of SAT-7 producing its own teaching programs:
“Nobody knows our viewers’ needs more than us. We receive so many comments, requests and questions from them daily, so it’s important for SAT-7 to invest in producing teaching programs that answer these questions, rather than just acquiring ready-made programs,” Makeen explains.
“Most television producers prefer to focus on comedies, dramas, or competition game shows. They don’t feel that teaching programs are interesting enough. But our viewers seek our teaching programs, and gather around the tv set and watch together. It is their source of discipleship and spiritual nurturing.”