Discipling the Next Generation of Believers in the Middle East

Every day, God is leading our workers around the world into conversations and situations they never expected. Our worker, V, shared this story about how God answered his decades-long hope of pouring into the next generation of believers in his Middle Eastern country. In this country, like many we work in, it’s not safe to be a Christian. Christians are often faced with persecution and practicing your faith publicly can be dangerous. V has to trust in God’s promptings as he seeks People of Peace, those who are genuinely interested in hearing the Gospel.

V Finds a Person of Peace

Part of finding someone who is interested in hearing the Gospel is simply being around people. I visit coffee shops. I prayer walk around the city. I try to listen and hear God’s promptings.

In my recent visits to a coffee shop, I began to notice a young woman reading a book about faith. God led me to approach her to ask about starting a Bible study. She lit up with excitement and her first question was, “Can I bring two people?!” It turned out, she had noticed a young man at the shop who sometimes had a Bible, so I approached him, too. He couldn’t wait to learn together.

Now, I’m meeting weekly with 8-10 young believers — right in the public coffee shop! We study the Bible, learn and grow together, and even pray out loud. When we pray, we keep our eyes open and talk to the Father like we’re just having a conversation with one another. Even the barista, who is a Muslim, has taken note of these strangers who gather together to form a community. He eagerly sets up the space for us each week, knowing that something special is happening there.

Community and Worship

More people learned that we were meeting and asked if we could find a place to have a worship night together. Of course, there is danger here in gathering. We could certainly face persecution or prison, and we must be wise, but we also move forward without fear.

We found a location and for more than three hours, about 30 people came together to worship. We couldn’t stop. The presence of God was so tangible there and it was clear the Spirit was moving.

Pray

Will you join us in praying for V’s ministry? Pray that God would continue to guide and grow this ministry and use it to reach those who have never heard the Gospel. Join us in daily prayer for unreached people and the missionaries who daily seek to bring them the Gospel by subscribing to Prayer Force.