India – The domed mosque looming before them, four South Carolina volunteers struck up a conversation with a group of Muslim men standing outside the entryway. After more than a week, the practice had nearly become second nature. They already had had the same experience at many other mosques in the city.
South Carolina volunteers tell Muslim men about Isa (Jesus) outside mosques.The conversation begins with curious Muslim men pelting them with simple questions. “What is your name?” “What are you from?” The query inevitably leads into spiritual matters. The volunteers explain that they follow Isa (Jesus). They then pull out copies of the “Jesus” film and the New Testament in the state language to give to those who are interested in learning more about the man Muslims revere as a prophet.
“The guys were very bold and shared every chance they got,” volunteer team leader Alan Thomas* said. “If we didn’t find anyone to talk to, we prayed and touched the walls and read scripture.”
The team of men and women, volunteers from various Baptist churches in South Carolina, spent two weeks participating in many different forms of ministry among Muslims in and around the state capital.
“Prayer is the foundation. We did a lot of praying; we prayerwalked and prayer-drove and even prayer-shopped,” Thomas said. “We did the planting and even got to see the harvesting with a new believer. A bunch of us got to sit with this new believer and just see the tenderness in his eyes as he wasn’t sure what to ask. We were able to pray with him and encourage him, knowing that his family does not believe.
“We also got to see a house church,” Thomas said. “I’ve studied about house church; I believe in house church, but to be in a house church and feel the warmth of the people and hear their praises and their praying is so genuine. There’s nothing put on about that experience.”
Along with visiting mosques and prayerwalking the city, the team spent time with people in their homes, which allowed them to share more intimately the love of Christ with their new Muslim friends.
“The family visits were exceptionally good because now I understand more about the people,” volunteer Matt Barker* said.
Dozens of Muslims had the opportunity to hear the gospel and even study it, thanks to the materials the volunteers left behind. Though the volunteers may never see the fruits of their obedience, they trust God’s promise that his word never returns void.
“I hope that they will hear about Isa and the miracles he did and the way he loved, and remember that Americans came all the way across the sea to present those and show them God’s love,” Thomas said.
One thing is certain: Muslim individuals and families have been touched with the love of Christ through the faithfulness of volunteers from South Carolina.
“I feel like we’ve gone into places where the Good News has never gone before,” volunteer Sam Irving* said. “It was just exciting to think that we may have been part of the first time ever the true gospel and the true understanding of Jesus may have entered those places.”
*Names changed for security reasons. Wynn is a Journeyman serving as a writer in the South Asia region.