In This Issue: Lebanon, Algeria, Netherlands, and More
- LEBANON – Muslim Militiaman Turned Missionary
- ALGERIA – Jail Not Big Enough
- SOUTHERN EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA – Miracles along the Silk Road
- NETHERLANDS – Pastor Helps Free Sex Slaves
- EVENTS – Call2All, ACMC, Nomads, and Three UPG Network Meetings
Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!
World News Briefs, edited by Pat Noble, are published twice a month.
LEBANON – Muslim Militiaman Turned Missionary
Source: The Christian Post, March 24, 2009
Hicham Chehab is a missionary with a difference. A Lebanese-born Muslim, he [and his brother] took up arms during the Lebanese Civil War between Christians and Muslims.
His brother was killed by Christians and he himself still bears the scar of an attack by Christians. Despite this, he says the teachings of Jesus led him to a life of spreading the peace of the gospel.
During the Civil War, he learned how to use rocket launchers, mortars, and rifles and was told, “If you want to shoot straight, imagine that there is a Christian in your sights,” according to Chicago’s Daily Herald. He fought as a sniper.
While he was studying at the American University in Beirut, Chehab’s brother was killed by a Christian militia while trying to negotiate a truce. Following his brother’s death, Chehab brought two pistols and a silencer to campus with the intention of killing Christians.
But during his studies he came across the teachings of Jesus which had a profound effect on him, especially the Sermon on the Mount and its call to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Full story here.
ALGERIA – Jail Not Big Enough
Source: OM Headlines March 31, 2009
Even though believers in Algeria have been under intense persecution over the last months, that hasn’t stopped church pastors, leaders, and members from spreading the Good News of Jesus to those throughout the country. And the Lord is rewarding their efforts and faithfulness.
Over the last six months, many church leaders have been brought to court and charged with “insulting Islam [and] its prophet and threatening the former professing Christian that complained against them.”
When faced with the possibility of going to jail, one Algerian pastor – along with his entire congregation – told government officials that in order to imprison him and his congregation “that they need to enlarge the jail because it won’t hold all the believers in the church.” Another Algerian church began using their parking lot for more meeting space because they outgrew the three other meeting rooms in the church.
“I have been amazed by the courage of the Algerian church leaders,” said Youssef, OM’s leader in the North African country. He added that over 1500 Muslims are being baptized annually in Algeria.
Subscribe to OM’s weekly news and information service here.
SOUTHERN EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA – Miracles along the Silk Road
Source: World Christian Ministries February 27, 2009
“Abaza,” a Turk in Bulgaria, found Christ after twice attempting to commit suicide. Now he is preaching the gospel. The results are just what you would expect from an all-loving, all-powerful God.
One night in 1993 he had a dream about trekking the Old Silk Road. Some 200 million Turks live in countries the trade route passes through, with only about 250,000 believers (0.1%) among them.
“This is my dream,” said Abaza, “to plant churches among the Ottoman Turks.” So far he has planted 16 churches along the ancient route.
Once Abaza and a companion drove into a rural area of the Republic of Macedonia, stopped, got out of his car, and walked for two-and-a-half hours up a mountain. Eventually they came to a house, and Abaza knocked on the door.
A man opened the door and, with an amazed look on his face, said, “I know you.”
“How can you know me?” Abaza said. “I have never been here before.”
“I know you because two nights ago I had a dream, and in that dream I saw two men coming to my house bringing books; one of them was you.”
“Yes, we’ve brought some books,” Abaza said. Abaza gave the man a Bible.
That was the beginning of a house church in that area.
Full story in two parts, with map and pictures, here.
NETHERLANDS – Pastor Helps Free Sex Slaves
Source: Joel News International JNI 679, March 24, 2009
Ten suspected human traffickers went on trial this week in the Netherlands, as a result of an African pastor breaking voodoo curses over young Nigerian girls forced into prostitution.
After the police had arrested the gang members in the international operation, they were dismayed when none of the victims were prepared to lay charges or testify. The girls remained tight-lipped and even hostile towards the police.
The authorities realized they were up against a double fear. The girls’ handlers had told them the police would throw them out of the country. And, more terrifyingly, they would reap the consequences of voodoo curses spoken out over the girls during rituals in Nigeria if they broke their contracts.
The police engaged the help of a former victim to help the girls overcome their fear of the authorities. But breaking voodoo curses is not dealt with in police training manuals.
[Then] Nigerian pastor Moses Alagbe, who leads a Bible academy in Amsterdam, agreed to talk and pray with the girls, explaining that the God of the Bible was more powerful than the curses. One by one he earned their confidence, and eventually ten of them agreed to bring charges and to testify.
Subscribe to Joel News here.
See also the Hindustan Times article Pilgrim Sites Turn Sex Tourism Hubs. Learn how you can help fight modern slavery at the Global Forum on Human Trafficking.
EVENTS – Call2All, ACMC, Nomads, and Three UPG Network Meetings
Source: Missions Catalyst Event Calendar
April 23-25 – Kazakh Consultation (Evansville, IN, USA). Network with those with a heart for the Kazakh people.
April 24-26 – Nomads09 (Choctaw, OK, USA). Three-day missions event. “Grab your tent, your guitar, your friends, your journal, and spent a weekend with Jesus, eating Indian food, meeting new friends, and sleeping under the stars.” (Heart of God Ministries.)
April 30 to May 3 – Wolof Connection (Philadelphia, PA, USA). Join others who share a passion to see a movement toward Jesus among the Wolof people of West Africa. (Part of a network like this? We’re happy to help spread the word. Just make sure you’ve thought through the security concerns.)
June 1-4 – Call2All International Gathering (Hong Kong, China). Join Christian leaders from across the world to share best practices and focus on the world’s greatest needs and least-reached peoples. (Learn more about Call2All.)
June 5-6 – ACMC Southwest Regional Conference (Yorba Linda, CA, USA) Contact Larry Walker. (Learn more about ACMC. Events in other regions are planned for October and November, and beyond.)
October 21-24 – North American Azerbaijani Network Forum (New Hope, MN, USA).
Find more events on the Missions Catalyst Events Calendar.
Questions, comments, submissions? Contact us.