Christian numbers growing despite persecution in IranSource: missionnetworknews.com
Iran (MNN) -- Iranian secret police arrested house church leaders in four cities in what many are calling a crackdown on the house church movement in that Islamic nation. Evangelist Sammy Tippit beams Christian television programming into Iran via satellite. "We estimate that there's probably been, this year, 100 people who have been arrested, who've been interrogated and released. Just in the last week or so it has increased even more."
Tippit believes the government's trying to figure out how big it is and what to do about it. Tippit tells us why so many people are coming to Christ.
"One Iranian told me, 'Here in the Persian world, we've had a form of Islam forced on us. We know what Islam really is and we've rejected it. And so, our people are saying, 'what is the answer?' And, they're looking for an alternative. And, many of them are turning to Christ.'" Pray for safety and that more will turn to Christ.
Full story: http://www.MNNonline.org/article/9397
Full story: http://www.MNNonline.org/article/9397
CHINESE MISSIONARIES SEEING FRUIT IN MUSLIM NATION
from: Back to Jerusalem (http://www.backtojerusalem.com/) - E-mail Update - December 13, 2006
Here are highlights from a small group of house church missionaries who are working in a predominantly Muslim country: “One day I started talking with a Muslim lady who operates an Internet cafe. She wanted to learn more, but was afraid. I told her, ‘Just take the first step towards Jesus.’ Now I am ministering the gospel to her almost every day. Please pray she will soon count the cost and give her life to Jesus.”
“During the month of Ramadan, when all Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, two of us also felt that Jesus also wanted us to fast, but unto him. We fasted for 40 days, and many wonderful things occurred during this time. I met a woman who had breast cancer, and was fearful of dying. I prayed for her, and the next day she went to her doctor and he said he could not believe the results! She went back for further testing and the doctor pronounced her completely free of all cancer! She has now begun to follow Jesus. Praise the Lord.”
MOROCCO'S CHRISTIANS IRK THE WORLD OF ISLAM
They might have Islamic names like Mohammed or Ali, but every Sunday these Moroccan converts to Christianity go discreetly to "church" -- to the ire of Islamic militants and under the suspicious eye of police.
"There are about a thousand of us in around 50 independent churches across the big cities of the kingdom," explained Abdelhalim, who coordinates these evangelical Protestant groups in Morocco. "As we are tolerated, but not recognized (by the state) we must, for security reasons, conduct ourselves as a clandestine organization," said the 57-year-old, who preferred to use a pseudonym.
"As soon as a church has 20 worshippers it splits in two." When Abdelhalim returned home seven years ago, he said he was astonished by the growing number of converts to Christianity.
"At the beginning of the 1990s there were 400 of us, four years ago around 700 and today more than 1,000.”
Christianity was established in North Africa in the third century AD but was supplanted by Islam in the seventh century. In the early 1990s, Christianity started to get a new foothold when foreign missionaries passed on the word to Moroccans.
Islam is the state religion in Morocco, a country of 30 million people that counts only 5,000 Jews and 1,000 Christians. Youssef estimated that 60 percent of the Moroccan converts became Christian through personal contacts, 30 percent via television or Internet and 10 percent via missionaries. (AFP, Breitbart, 12/13/06)
Norway Church Becomes Hot Spot for Spiritually Hungry Muslims
Source: charismamag.com
Roughly 500 Muslims have been baptized through the ministry of a 15-member Norway congregation known as The Wellspring Church. Many of the converts to Christianity have sought refuge in Norway from violence in Middle Eastern nations such as Afghanistan. Based in Aal, located about four hours from the capital, Oslo,Wellspring employs full-time Iranian evangelist Daniel Marandis, who said many Muslims are hurting and desire prayer from Christians. “We try to reach the refugees when they first arrive in the capital, before they are scattered all over the country,” said Marandis, who is based in Oslo. “We invite them to our Disco Church, [where visitors can experience] cultural events with lots of ethnic foods, dancing to Middle East pop and prayer,” he said. Wellspring pastor Helge Svanaasen said it is common for the Muslims who visit his church to encounter the Holy Spirit, a key reason that many of them come to salvation. Marandis added that many Muslims have fallen under the power of the Holy Spirit and received revelation while visiting the church. “They realized that the Holy Spirit does not go together with Islam,” he said. “
Source: charismamag.com
Roughly 500 Muslims have been baptized through the ministry of a 15-member Norway congregation known as The Wellspring Church. Many of the converts to Christianity have sought refuge in Norway from violence in Middle Eastern nations such as Afghanistan. Based in Aal, located about four hours from the capital, Oslo,Wellspring employs full-time Iranian evangelist Daniel Marandis, who said many Muslims are hurting and desire prayer from Christians. “We try to reach the refugees when they first arrive in the capital, before they are scattered all over the country,” said Marandis, who is based in Oslo. “We invite them to our Disco Church, [where visitors can experience] cultural events with lots of ethnic foods, dancing to Middle East pop and prayer,” he said. Wellspring pastor Helge Svanaasen said it is common for the Muslims who visit his church to encounter the Holy Spirit, a key reason that many of them come to salvation. Marandis added that many Muslims have fallen under the power of the Holy Spirit and received revelation while visiting the church. “They realized that the Holy Spirit does not go together with Islam,” he said. “
Arabs Come to Christ in Jerusalem
Source: charismamag.com
The Middle East is notorious for being hostile to the gospel. But evangelist Elias Malki says several people accepted Christ and many were healed during a two-night crusade he led in Jerusalem in late November. "I have never experienced such a meeting,” said Malki, who has visited Jerusalem more than 50 times.
“The people were so hungry for God. I just put my hand on them and they were getting healed. Their faith was so strong. To God be all the glory.” On both nights 300 people packed into a church that seats 150. One woman who attended the first night said she was healed of rheumatoid arthritis in both of her legs and her right arm. She said she could lift her arms and legs with no pain. Another woman said she was healed of diabetes on the last night of the crusade. “This is history in the making,” Malki said.
“In the old walls of Jerusalem, this is the beginning of something that is going to happen here.” Malki has helped pioneer Christian television in the Middle East. His Good News talk-and-prayer program, which is broadcast entirely in Arabic, celebrates its 10-year anniversary on satellite this year.
The Middle East is notorious for being hostile to the gospel. But evangelist Elias Malki says several people accepted Christ and many were healed during a two-night crusade he led in Jerusalem in late November. "I have never experienced such a meeting,” said Malki, who has visited Jerusalem more than 50 times.
“The people were so hungry for God. I just put my hand on them and they were getting healed. Their faith was so strong. To God be all the glory.” On both nights 300 people packed into a church that seats 150. One woman who attended the first night said she was healed of rheumatoid arthritis in both of her legs and her right arm. She said she could lift her arms and legs with no pain. Another woman said she was healed of diabetes on the last night of the crusade. “This is history in the making,” Malki said.
“In the old walls of Jerusalem, this is the beginning of something that is going to happen here.” Malki has helped pioneer Christian television in the Middle East. His Good News talk-and-prayer program, which is broadcast entirely in Arabic, celebrates its 10-year anniversary on satellite this year.
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