Source: Christian Aid Mission, January 19, 2017
Recent terrorist attacks in Turkey led a pastor to limit invitations to his church’s Christmas Day event to his own congregation. Then a multitude of visitors showed up.
God had other plans, he said, as Muslim seekers and Christians from churches in the region arrived.
“There were rumors that ISIS was planning to attack churches during the Christmas season, and therefore with prayer and apprehension we planned to celebrate Christmas only with our own congregation,” the pastor said. “However, the Lord as always did the extraordinary, and the meal we had planned for only 60-70 individuals was shared with hundreds of guests.”
The church members in the undisclosed town on the Black Sea coast gladly offered their seats to the guests, and after [the pastor] delivered a sermon, he noticed a timid young woman trying to tell him something. She had difficulty speaking through her tears.
“I had the impression that she was probably facing a serious problem and wanted me to pray for her, but soon I discovered that hers were tears of joy as she wanted to give her heart to Christ,” he said.
Another person also received Christ that day, and Pastor Matta said his team of indigenous missionaries were encouraged by such signs that the Lord is working in Turkey, where nationalist sentiment has long blocked gospel advance. Rare instances of Turks putting their faith in Christ show that seeds indigenous missionaries sow may produce fruit in two months, 20 months, or many years, he said.
» See full story with pictures; it’s quite encouraging.