Special Report by Professor Uwe Hutter
It's the month of Ramadan. This morning, the streets are almost empty. Most of the shops are closed. Our car stops in front of a simple house, in one of the smaller side streets. This house doesn't seem special. But it is. In it, one of the small Arab house churches meets regularly. In this North African country, it is illegal to open up churches, although the country is considered one of the more liberal Islamic nations. But no citizen of this country can officially become a Christian. Both of the leaders of this house church have to go twice a year to one of the local police stations. And the question they are asked is the same every 6 months: "Are you still a Christian?" Both of them were even in jail, when the authorities found out about their new found faith in Jesus Christ.
In this small group of believers, you can hardly hear the songs, because they are singing almost quietly. Unauthorized ears in the streets might hear the singing and denounce the Christians.
Teaching the Bible here is a great privilege. Time doesn't matter to them. The Christians are eager to know more about the Bible. They have many questions. Each word they hear about the Bible is like a drop of water on a barren land.
After the meeting, some of the local Christians give their testimony. "I used to be a convinced Muslim," says Munir. "But I was concerned about the fact that my faith was unable to fill out the big emptiness I felt inside. I was without any hope. And I saw all the hypocrisy which could be found under a pious Muslim façade. I saw all the lies, violence, cheating and fanaticism in the name of Allah. And then I had a dream." Munir doesn't want to go into details, but he continues: "After waking up, I suddenly knew that Jesus lives. I knew that the Gospel, I have heard about, was the truth. And I realized: I must have an "Indchil," a Gospel tract, to read the story of Jesus Christ. After obtaining a copy and reading through the whole New Testament, I decided to become a Christian and to follow Jesus Christ. Now I pray to God that many of my family, friends and neighbors can hear the Gospel. They must be saved from this dark power, which is Islam. One day the whole country will hear the Gospel," says Munir with a smile.
I was deeply impressed by this testimony. This was the fourth time I have had the opportunity to teach Arab Christians about the Bible. And I love it, just to sit under a tree or in a private home or in a café and talk with Arab believers about the teachings of the Bible. They have still to learn many things about faith, which is new for most of them. They love Jesus, but this love has to go hand in hand with sound teaching and knowledge that has to be applied in a Muslim context in their own lives. "You will be the Bible translations, your neighbors and friends will read," is the main thrust of my message this morning.
As I am traveling by train to another town, I want to start a conversation with young man who is wearing typical Arab clothes. He doesn't speak French, nor English, nor Spanish. So I have to try out my basic Arabic to give my testimony. It turns out that he is Saudi Arabian - and guess from where: from the heart of Islam, the city of Mecca. I pray he understood what I shared with him. At the station we say good-bye to each other. In his home country I could have been executed for what I have just done: sharing the Gospel with a Saudi Arabian citizen. "Allahu jubariku fikuma," "may God bless you." With a smile he shakes my hand. Will you also pray for him?
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