Our Story
Our beginning is rooted in a home group church called Community Harvest, where Rabih & Sandy Sabra gained the conviction that faith in Jesus can be expressed only in the context of relationship. A non-profit organization named Relationships, Inc. was established by the elders of Community Harvest in 1992. Its purpose was to help build redeemed relationships in the church that are based on the unconditional love of Jesus Christ and which are the building blocks of transformed communities. The picture shows the home group praying for Rabih & Sandy at the dedication of their youngest child in 2001.
In 1996, Rabih & Sandy Sabra were sent by Spring Branch Community Church (now BridgePoint Bible Church) and several other Houston area churches to Lebanon. They started ACCESS, the American Center for Computer and English Studies and services in an effort to express the love of Jesus Christ to the commuity. Picture shows Rabih & Sandy with Ted and Peggy Fletcher, founders of PIONEERS, a large US missions agency.
In 1999, Relationships Inc. was renamed CBS Lebanon. In the same year, we purchased a property in Aley, Lebanon, which is now being used by Access International School. The board of directors authorized the purchase by faith believing that God will provide the necessary funds. Rabih told the sellers that we were doing this by faith and they accepted and wished us the best. Dr. Bill Boyd, then president of CBS Houston, and chairman of the board of CBS Lebanon, came alongside Rabih and Sandy to help raise the funds needed to make the purchase. Fifty percent of the purchase price was paid in just two months, and the remainder was paid over two years, as agreed. At the time Rabih made the last payment, the previous owner, who was a real estate investor, said about the board of CBS Lebanon, "these are the best people I have ever dealt with. Please give them my regards" and then he gave a personal donation of $5000. The building was vacant and in need of renovation, after 17 years of use as headquarters for different fighting militias in the Lebanese civil war. Renovation was done in phases over two decades and was completed in 2018..
For over 20 years the Access team connected with the community, built up the new believers, trained leaders, distributed aid, taught English, German, Computer, Piano, Carpentry, and many other services. Pictured here in 2015, the Access team founded Access International School in 2012 and managed it until June 2018, when the time came to pass on leadership to a new generation.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CBS Lebanon's mission is to facilitate the expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ among people from every culture.
Dr. Rabih Sabra
CEO
Mr. Jeff Miller
Vice President and Treasurer
Mrs. Sandy Sabra
Board Member
Mrs. Jill Miller, RN
Board Member