“Happy Morning!”

His greeting to everyone he ever met — at any hour of the day

The Man

Dr. Anis Shorrosh never met a stranger. Whether he was in an airport, a restaurant, or a church halfway around the world, he introduced himself to everyone — with a booming voice, a warm handshake, and a heart full of joy. His signature greeting was “Happy Morning!” — delivered with complete sincerity, regardless of the time of day.

He was known to burst into God Bless America in restaurants and airports, because he meant every word of it. He loved the United States deeply and was fiercely proud to be an American. He loved God and Jesus with everything he had, and that love poured out of him into every room he walked into.

Kind, boisterous, larger-than-life — Dr. Shorrosh was the kind of person you never forgot after meeting him, and never wanted to.

Early Life

Born on January 6, 1933, in Nazareth — the hometown of Jesus Christ — Anis Shorrosh grew up in the heart of the Holy Land during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. When the 1948 Arab-Israeli War broke out, his family became refugees. That experience of displacement and loss would shape his understanding of grace, redemption, and the peace that only Christ could bring.

Missionaries helped bring him to the United States, where he threw himself into education and ministry. He earned his degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1959, followed by a Doctorate of Ministries from Luther Rice Seminary and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Oxford Graduate School.

A Life of Ministry

From 1959 to 1966, Dr. Shorrosh served as a pastor and evangelist across the Middle East. He then spent the next 50 years as an international evangelist, preaching and teaching the Gospel in more than 80 countries across every continent. He spoke in churches, stadiums, universities, and public squares — to audiences of every background, culture, and faith tradition.

His unique background as a Palestinian-born Christian gave him a perspective that few evangelists could match. He understood Islam from the inside of the culture that produced it, and he spoke with both authority and compassion when addressing it. He never approached his Muslim neighbors with hostility — only with the love of Christ and a passionate belief in the truth of the Gospel.

The Great Debates

Dr. Shorrosh became internationally known for his landmark public debates with Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, one of the most prominent Islamic apologists of the 20th century. Their debates — including Is Jesus God? and The Qur’an or the Bible: Which Is God’s Word? — drew audiences of thousands and have since been watched by millions online. He also debated Canadian Islamic scholar Dr. Shabir Ally in Glasgow in 2005.

These were not hostile confrontations — they were serious, scholarly exchanges that brought the claims of Christianity before audiences who had rarely heard them presented so directly and so lovingly. Dr. Shorrosh believed that truth, spoken in love, could change lives. His own life was proof.

His Books

Dr. Shorrosh authored more than ten books that have shaped Christian-Muslim dialogue worldwide. His most significant works include:

His Legacy

Dr. Anis Shorrosh passed away on May 13, 2018, at the age of 85. He left behind a lifetime of recordings, books, and memories — and a family who loved him deeply. He lived fully, laughed loudly, loved extravagantly, and pointed everyone he ever met toward Jesus.

This website exists to preserve that voice — and make sure the joy, the faith, and the message of Dr. Anis Shorrosh lives on for generations to come.

“I was born a Palestinian refugee, but I found peace not in politics — but in the Prince of Peace.”

Dr. Anis Shorrosh