How 21Wilberforce Began and Its Mission

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, host Mark Turman welcomes Wissam al-Saliby, president of 21Wilberforce, for a rich conversation about God’s heart for religious freedom and the hope that drives advocacy around the world.

Wissam shares his story of faith and calling, shaped by his years in Lebanon and his work at the United Nations in Geneva with the World Evangelical Alliance, where he championed the cause of 600 million evangelical Christians. From training national alliances in religious freedom to equipping leaders across the Middle East in human rights and humanitarian law, Wissam has seen firsthand both the suffering and the steadfast courage of those who follow Christ under pressure.

Together, Mark and Wissam explore how defending freedom of belief is part of God’s greater mission in the world, the biblical vision that grounds that work, and the practical ways churches and individuals can respond. It’s a conversation that invites us to see advocacy not as politics, but as a reflection of God’s love for every person made in his image.

Topics

• (00:00): Introduction
• (00:37): Reflecting on American history and religious freedom
• (02:40): Introducing Wissam al-Saliby 
• (04:50): Wissam's faith journey and career path
• (09:52): The mission of 21Wilberforce
• (13:27): Biblical inspiration and real-world challenges
• (21:12): Stories of persecution and advocacy
• (27:19): Theological foundations of religious freedom
• (28:30): Challenges and complexities in religious persecution
• (32:54): Global advocacy and local empowerment
• (38:19): Hotspots and lesser-known areas of persecution
• (44:58): Call to action for churches and believers
• (47:52): Conclusion and ways to get involved

Resources

• Ask Us Anything: info@denisonforum.org
• How has Denison Forum impacted your faith?
• 21Wilberforce
• Why Supporting Religious Freedom is Part of God's Global Mission - 21Wilberforce
• World Evangelical Alliance
• The Voice of the Martyrs
• Open Doors
• First Liberty Institute
• Why is religious freedom necessary? “Liberty for All” offers answers - Denison Forum
• What does the Bible say about religious liberty? - Denison Forum
• Ken Starr's "Religious Liberty in Crisis" is an indispensable guide to defending religious freedom - Denison Forum
• Global persecution of Christians continues to rise - Denison Forum
• When I'm attacked for being a Christian, how should I respond? - Denison Forum
• Are Christians the most persecuted faith on earth? - Denison Forum
• "Free to believe" is for everyone: A conversation with Randel Everett of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative - Denison Forum

About Wissam al-Saliby

Prior to his appointment as President of 21Wilberforce, Wissam al-Saliby was the Advocacy Officer and then the Director of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland for the World Evangelical Alliance, a network of 140 national alliances representing 600 million evangelical Christians. Under his leadership, the Geneva Office has engaged the United Nations in direct advocacy in approximately 20 country situations each year. Al-Saliby has also pioneered new efforts to help national alliances strengthen their religious freedom training and empower them as religious freedom leaders.

Before his work engaging with the United Nations, al-Saliby served as the Development and Partner Relations Manager at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS). In his role as Manager of Development and Partnership Relations at ABTS, al-Saliby was a member of the leadership team that set the vision of the seminary and helped shape its ministry. In addition to nurturing and cultivating existing relationships, he identified and built new relationships with churches, foundations, and individuals in the United States, Europe, and the Arab World.

Al-Saliby previously co-founded and managed the Summer School on Law and Armed Conflict in Lebanon. He has also served as the National Coordinator and Lead Trainer for Geneva Call in Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and traveled across the Middle East region for seven years training numerous multi-faith religious leaders, civil society groups, armed groups, and political parties in strengthening human rights and the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

Al-Saliby graduated from Lebanese University with a bachelor’s degree in law and then earned from the Université Paul Cézanne, France a master’s degree in international law with a specialization in Protection and Human Security.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Mark Turman, DMin, serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of The Denison Forum Podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.

Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.

Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for 35 years, including 25 years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas.

Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.