Heliopolis Evangelical Church in Cairo, Egypt, Uses Arabic Musical Style in Worship

Heliopolis Evangelical Church, a megachurch in Cairo, hosted writer Ed Stetzer during a visit to Egypt last year. Stetzer said that gathering with Egyptian Christians and churches was a highlight of the trip. At Heliopolis, the church’s lead pastor, Youssef Samir, invited him to speak on Jesus’s mission.

The church is located in the Heliopolis neighborhood of northeastern Cairo and takes its name from that neighborhood, according to Stetzer. He describes it as a thriving congregation and a model of contextual, indigenous worship and mission. He said that understanding its setting is necessary to understanding its work.

Stetzer wrote that Christians of all denominations are now a significant minority in Egypt, which is largely Muslim. He noted that Egypt’s ancient Orthodox tradition traces its roots to the early centuries of Christianity, while the country’s evangelical congregations grew out of missionary work over the last 200 years. In his account, indigenous leaders are now leading the way in mission, and Heliopolis is an example of that growth.

Stetzer described the neighborhood as historic, with busy commercial streets, cafés and a mix of ancient and modern life. He said the community includes neighbors of many backgrounds, which gives the church’s worship and mission a rich setting.

Stetzer said that during his visits to churches around the world he usually hears familiar songs drawn from American and Australian worship music, translated into local languages. He said none of the music at Heliopolis was familiar to him. He described a glowing cross at the back of the stage as the focal point of the worship space, which had been decorated for Christmas during his visit.

He characterized the service as a blend of a high-energy gospel choir and a spontaneous Pentecostal worship night, with a distinctly Middle Eastern tone. He said the church uses Arabic musical styles throughout its worship. Stetzer noted that Middle Eastern music uses maqam scales, which include “in-between” micro-tones that he said sound haunting, mysterious and somber to Western ears.

Stetzer identified the qanun, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument, as a key instrument at the church. He explained that it is played flat on a lap or stand and plucked with the fingers. He said the instrument gave the church’s worship a distinctive sound that he found thoroughly Egyptian.

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