October to December 2019
A very present help
At the beginning of 2019, we invited you to join us on our year’s campaign, called You Are Not Alone. This beautiful promise from the Lord is fitting for new believers and Muslim seekers from the Arab world. Though many face conflict, war and hopelessness, God has revealed his Spirit to so many. We are reminded of the omnipresence of God even in the darkest situations. We echo David’s words:
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. – Psalm 139:7-10
At Arab World Media, we continue to use digital media to remind the people of the Arab world that God has not abandoned them. We seek to reflect his omnipresent Spirit – unconfined by walls or doors and reaching people where they are. Through phones or computers, we are helping hundreds access and understand the Word of God in a way that makes sense to them.
We actively witness Jesus revealing his love to seekers across the Middle East and North Africa. Through dreams, visions, word of mouth, and online correspondence, God’s omnipresence is apparent in every testimonial.
The statistics: October to December 2019
Four times a year, we review the results of our online efforts. Have a look at the encouraging results below.
We were very encouraged to see a spike in submission forms to our ministry website this quarter, from 1,583 to 2,718. Our online campaign that encourages people to seek the truth of the gospel was highly engaging. The ads attracted much attention, and it was by far the most successful campaign in our fourth quarter.
As the number of webform submissions increased, so did the number of active contacts: from 2,466 to 3,292! These are contacts with whom our responders are regularly in touch with, discipling, and praying.
Our God is indeed ‘our refuge and strength; a very present help.’ He has called 386 of our contacts to follow him in 2019. We rejoice and praise him for his presence and work in the Arab world.
The people behind the stats
Rescue me!
Majid’s* plea could not have been more sincere. ‘Rescue me’ were the only words he felt he could write to communicate how he felt. This young man had been struggling in his spiritual journey, desperately searching for the truth for years. He first began with Sunni Islam. He felt that it was full of contradictions, so he turned to Shia Islam. Again, he discovered discrepancies so he turned to Sufism, desperately trying to follow righteousness. Once again, he was disappointed to find things that did not make sense. Broken, he searched for answers online. That’s when he reached out to us. As our responder told him about the sacrifice on the cross, Majid suddenly began crying,
‘I feel like someone is washing me from the inside.’
Letting go of his reservations, Majid fully embraced Christ as his personal Saviour.
How can I follow him?
Meissa* in Morocco filled out our Bible questionnaire form. She wrote that she’d never had a chance to read the gospel before, but that she believes it is the Word of God. After several exchanges with our responder, Meissa was convinced of everything… except the deity of Christ. It took her two whole months of grappling and in-depth discussions before she finally sent the following text: ‘I truly believe now that Christ is God. How can I follow him?’ Meissa prayed right there and then with the responder to receive the Saviour.
The gospel has shaken everything in me
‘I hesitated a lot before deciding to contact you. I wasn’t sure about engaging with the unknown. Anyhow, I want to learn about Christianity and understand it. But I don’t want anybody around me to know… There may be consequences. Please keep this between us.’
Living as a refugee with many uncertainties, Akram* bravely began a correspondence with one of our responders. Over several days, they exchanged messages and resources, informing Akram about everything he needed to know to be saved. After meditating on a biblical passage, he said:
‘These words of the gospel have shaken everything in me. My heart is deeply touched. I really believe that Jesus loves me.’
I want God to be my Father
Young Malik* from North Africa was in the midst of a faith crisis. Having been brought up in a Muslim home, he was struggling to understand the dynamic of the relationship between him and his creator.
‘Islam teaches me to pray out of fear to avoid God’s punishment after death. I hate it. I don’t want to be afraid of the grave.’
Searching for some solace on the internet, Malik came across our website. He began reading about a God who was full of love, who sent his Son to take the punishment for our sins. He mustered up the courage to send a text. One of our responders picked up his message immediately and began live chatting with him. Malik wanted to know what a relationship with God through Jesus looked like – to have a connection with his Creator free from fear. Our responder explained that Jesus’ sacrifice cleanses our sins so that we can be reconciled with God as his sons and daughters. Malik exclaimed:
‘I now feel at peace about my destiny. I want to follow Jesus, and I want God to be my Father. I accept Christ in my heart.’
Some ways to pray
At the forefront of our ministry are our team of responders. They need prayer, particularly for wisdom, strength, and encouragement as they disciple new believers who are often in difficult situations. Pray particularly for spiritual stamina, as our team keeps up with an influx of 826 new active contacts.
Please also pray that Arab World Media would be sensitive to the Spirit’s direction as we begin this new decade. We are excited to pursue new opportunities; pray that we would seek the Lord in every decision we make. Pray that we would continue to pull together as one unified body while serving him throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
* Names changed for security.
** All Bible quotations are from the ESV unless stated otherwise.
*** Testimonials shared here are direct quotes from our contacts. The views of these individuals are not necessarily the views of Arab World Media.