Pastoring 60 Nationalities in the Middle East with John Folmar

What does a healthy local church look like when it spans 60 nationalities in a Muslim country? John Folmar has been finding out for over 20 years in Dubai.
April 30, 2026

For over 20 years, John Folmar has served as a pastor in Dubai, UAE—leading a congregation that spans more than 60 nationalities in one of the world’s most complex geopolitical regions. In this conversation, he describes what it means to shepherd a multinational, largely expatriate church in a Muslim country, how the UAE government has uniquely allowed Christian worship, and what this unusual congregation reveals about the global reach of the gospel and the universal nature of the local church.