National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon

The National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL) represents the Protestant Reformed movement in the Middle East, initiated in the 16th century by the Augustinian monk Martin Luther. Reformed in theology and Presbyterian in governance, NESSL has its origins in the early 19th century, when American and European missionaries introduced Reformed and Presbyterian teachings to the region, then under Ottoman rule. These missionaries sparked a spiritual revival, and communities formed around a new understanding of the Gospel, marking the birth of the Evangelical Church in the Levant.