Churches in the Middle East

Will Become Active in Bringing Muslims to Christ

Friday, August 23, 2019

The believers in Jesus most qualified to communicate Christ to Muslims in any country are people who share the same culture, language, and history as the Muslims who live in that country. It can take foreign missionaries many years to become skilled in the language and feel at home in the local culture, and even then, few become “native” in their language proficiency. God does call people to share Christ cross-culturally, but indigenous Christians enjoy a distinct advantage: most speak Arabic as their mother-tongue, and they share many cultural traits with their Muslim neighbors.

This week we are praying for indigenous Christians in Muslim countries. Those believers face unique challenges: since their local laws forbid them to share the Gospel with Muslims, they face the real fear of reprisal if they are outspoken about Christ.

Let us ask God to inspire indigenous Christians who live among Muslims to be passionate and intentional about sharing Christ with their Islamic neighbors.

Prayer

God our Father, we lift to you in prayer indigenous Christians who live in Muslim lands. They are in the best position to share your love with Muslims in their own culture. Inspire these, our brothers and sisters, with increasing love and vision to share their faith with Muslims. Help them to be creative and wise in how they share. Give them the courage to overcome their fear. Lead them into relationships with Muslims who are open to you. Empower believers to step outside the limits of their own traditions and cultural expectations to truly befriend Muslims. Protect and preserve your Church, O Lord, throughout these lands. Amen.

Promise

What does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:8-9, NIV).