More ex-muslims celebrate easter this year

 

MORE EX-MUSLIMS CELEBRATING EASTER THIS YEAR THAN AT ANY TIME IN HISTORY

By Joel C. Rosenberg

(Washington, D.C., April 10, 2009) Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” (KJV) Guess what? He wasn’t kidding. You rarely hear about it on the news. You rarely even hear about it in churches in the West, in the East, or even in the Middle East. But the big, untold story is that more Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ today than at any other time in history. 

After criss-crossing the Islamic world over the last several years and interviewing more than 150 pastors and ministry leaders operating deep inside the most difficult countries for Inside The Revolution, I can report that in Iran, more than 1 million Shia Muslims have turned to Christ since 1979. In Pakistan, there are now more than 2.5 million followers of Jesus Christ. In Sudan, there are now more than 5 million followers of Christ. Not every country has seen millions leave Islam to become adherants of the New Testament teachings of Jesus. In Syria, there are between 4,000 and 5,000 believers, but this is up from almost none in 1967. In Saudi Arabia, there are about 100,000 followers of Jesus now, up from almost none in 1967. But overall, the trend has been dramatic and largely unreported. 

For many Muslims, despair and despondency at what they see as the utter failure of Islamic governments and societies to improve their lives and give them peace, security, and a sense of purpose and meaning in life are causing them to leave Islam in search of truth. Some have lost their way entirely and become agnostics and atheists. Others, as we have seen, have sadly turned to alcohol and drug abuse. But millions are finding that only Jesus Christ heals the ache in their hearts and the deep wounds in their souls. 

I asked a meek-looking and mild-mannered Iraqi pastor named “Shakir” how he had become a Christ follower and a pastor. 

“Were you raised in a Christian home?” I asked through our translator on my first trip to Iraq in February 2008. 

“No,” he replied quietly. “I was raised a Muslim.” 

“Really!” I said, a bit startled. “What did you do before becoming a pastor?” 

“I was a jihad cell commander.” 

I gulped. You don’t say, I thought. He certainly had my full attention now. “Please, tell me your story,” I said eagerly, pulling out my notebook. Shakir graciously agreed. 

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