The following appeared in my Church Bulletin last Sunday, I thought it important enough to put on the Pray Network:
Ian and Darlene
Ministry to Muslims
In out last journal we hinted at some new relationships God has put in our path: a loose network of Underground Christians, the fragile shoots of a new Church growing in extremely hostile soil.
These Underground Christians face opposition on two fronts: external and internal.
Externally, their conversion is illegal. The government does not allow members of their race to convert away from Islam; if discovered, the believers themselves could be arrested, locked away in 'Religious Rehabilitation Centers', their children confiscated and given to foster families where they will be raised in the 'right path'.
Internally, this group faces opposition and discouragement from Christians (mostly western missionaries) who want them to continue in the Islamic faith. This is a new missions philosophy broadly known as the Insider Movement, which teaches new converts from Islam that they should not call themselves Christians, that they should not form churches, that they should continue to worship in the mosque, and when asked, to identify themselves as Muslim 'followers of Jesus'.
Our new friends, convicted by scripture, have rejected this advice. They are the Underground Christians, not part of the Insider Movement. They want to form a Church. They want to be identified with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And they are counting the cost right now.
Last week religious police invaded a local church and caught a group of Insider Movements converts worshipping there. Fifteen have been arrested. A lawyer has been provided for them, and he is happy to take the case as long as they deny their faith in Jesus Christ. Twelve have already accepted the deal. The church where they were meeting has declared in the newspaper that their denomination does not participate in evangelizing Muslims.
This has cast our whole network of Underground Christians into turmoil. It seems that these Insider Movements converts are ready at any moment to deny their Savior. Now what will keep them from naming names in the Underground Church, betraying those who have worshiped with them, discipled them, served them, prayed with them?
And how can these Underground Christians sustain a proper Church when the legal churches in this nation will not stand up with them when they get caught?
Please pray. Pray that God will provide godly lawyers who will fairly represent these believers in court. Pray that those arrested will not deny Christ. Pray especially for our network of believers. Unlike Inside Movement converts who are taught to call themselves Muslims in order to avoid persecution, our friends in the Underground Church are conscience-bound to proclaim Christ when asked – which virtually guarantees them time behind bars in this country.
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