Two weeks ago in a conservative Islamic country (99.8% Muslim), among an unreached, conservative Muslim people group, I sat in the living room of a new friend. Seated around this room were local Muslim-background Believers (MBBs) who had requested a time of fellowship with us. All of these folks were leaders of local house churches. In typical Arab fashion, we arrived thirty minutes late (of course we were still among the first to arrive). We then visited for an hour or two prior to beginning the “official” meeting. During this time I had the opportunity to hear the glorious testimony of one of our brothers. It involved multiple interactions with followers of Jesus, hours upon hours of reading the Scriptures, even a dream or two. But what usually strikes me most when listening to the testimony of one of our brothers who came out of Islam is what happened after he committed himself to the Messiah. It was no different in this case…

As soon as his family found out, they kicked him out of his home, got him fired from his job and had him arrested. I asked where he sleeps at night. His response, “I stay at a different friend’s house or sometimes one of my cousins allows me stay with him.” Imagine that, a college educated man with no place to lay his head. My next question was how he felt about the persecution. His response broke me, “I would like to have my family back. I would like to have a place to live and a job. But none of that really matters anymore. I am a minister of the Gospel and my people need to hear about the Messiah.” This year he has led four friends to faith in Jesus, baptized them and is a leader in a local house church. He reminds me of a passage from Hebrews:

Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated – the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

The world is not worthy of our brother. Yet he has devoted his life to reaching the very ones who seek to destroy him.

An hour later, one of our brothers asked me (in front of everyone) why more brothers and sisters from America do not come to help them reach their people. I was embarrassed and began to weep. After assuring them many are going to Muslim lands and that my heart was to bring short-term teams to help in this endeavor, I had to confess that many do not go because of fear. My heart was compelled to share with them the story of one American pastor who recently told me he would not lead his people to this particular country because he is afraid of Muslims. Then I asked if they would commit to have their churches pray for our churches. To pray that many would rise up and put their faith in God and, in spite of their fears, follow Jesus to the ends of the Earth. They are now praying for us.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

How will Muslims consider Jesus worthy of their full devotion if we do not consider Him worthy of following to the ends of the Earth?

May His peace be with our persecuted yet faithful brothers and sisters,
From the Middle East

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