Secret Heroes
God brings his people together in surprising ways. My first acquaintance in Southeast Asia is a Christian from Africa. We exchange a few words, and he tells me that he has just come from Switzerland. When he specifies where he stayed, it turns out that he was a guest in my own church! The world is small, but God's work is huge.
Faraway country, same vision
One man who has made a deep impression on me is Yunes*. My second acquaintance is an Egyptian who serves Jesus in his country under difficult conditions: Egypt is governed by Islamic Sharia law, and evangelism among Muslims is prohibited. And yet Yunes carries a vision in his heart that is in harmony with ours: to reach one million Muslims with 1,000 evangelists.
Yunes reports that there are already 400 evangelists at work in his area. And they reach over 100,000 Muslims annually. “Their method is simple, courageous, and full of love: they sit down in restaurants, start conversations, and build relationships with individual guests. They give them small texts with stories about Jesus from time to time until they have read the entire Gospel,” says Yunes. -- Currently, many Muslims are finding their way to the Christian faith. I have never seen anything like it—and I have been doing this work for 25 years. --
When will the right one come along?
Yunes' calling begins dramatically. When God commissions him to win Muslims for Christ, he initially refuses. After six months, he agrees and spends another three months studying 300 apologetic books to thoroughly prepare for his ministry. Then he stands in a shop and waits determinedly for “the first one.”
When he enters—long beard, long robe, white hajji cap, prayer mark on his forehead—Yunes groans inwardly: “Lord, please not...” He promises God to approach the next one. The next one: long beard, long robe, white hajji cap, prayer mark on his forehead. Five more follow, all of them strictly religious. Yunes struggles with himself and fears the worst.
Perseverance is required
Suddenly, however, a clean-shaven man in jeans enters the store. “That's the one,” thinks Yunes, “I can do this!” He approaches him. His name is Yussuf. But as it soon turns out, Yussuf is a real tough nut to crack. Every objection is parried. The two discuss for a year without making any headway. Until one day, exhausted, Yunes confesses: -- Yussuf, I like you. I just want you to recognize the truth and be saved.“ Yussuf begins to cry: ”You Christians have something that we Muslims don't have: love – even for your enemies. -- The two become friends. A few weeks later, Yussuf dreams of flames. In the middle of the night, he calls Yunes. He wants to get to know the Holy Spirit – and shortly thereafter finds Christ.
A life-threatening decision
My third acquaintance is Elyas from the Islamic region of Indonesia. He is a true inspiration. The highly educated Islamic theologian with two master's degrees is now a courageous MBB (Muslim Background Believer, a Christian with a Muslim background). In order to reach Muslims, he translated the entire New Testament from Greek into his native Achinese language within four years.
He also runs a YouTube channel about Christianity—in the middle of a region where turning away from Islam is life-threatening. But Elyas bears the title “Murtadd” (apostate) with pride, because, “I have found the way to salvation in Christ,” he says. And he shows great interest in working on our project in Indonesia.
When the mountain warns
God connects his secret heroes: men and women who risk everything to point Muslims to Jesus. In the midst of a world full of resistance, Jesus is building his church. On the way home, I see the majestic Ararat from the airplane. This is where Noah's ark is said to have come to rest after the flood. The mountain rises out of the cloud cover like a finger pointing from God. It reminds me of a verse from the Bible: “At the end of time, the mountain on which the temple of the Lord stands will tower above all other mountains and hills. People from all nations will then flock here.” A hopeful thought!
