Muslims Seeking Jesus: The Journey
Muslims seeking Christ face a world of challenges and threats. The decision cannot be considered independently from the rest of their lives. Family, work, and community can all be drastically affected by what is regarded in the world of Islam as an illegal conversion. Muslims are not allowed to convert to any other religion, and the consequences for doing so are severe!
For these reasons, just asking questions to find out more about Jesus can be terrifyingly costly. So what sparks an interest strong enough to risk seeking Christ?
For more than a quarter of Muslim background believers (some estimate up to half), their journey starts with Jesus appearing to them in a dream. He encounters them and speaks about who He is before anyone ever tells them.
This is how much God longs for His people to know His love!
But for most Muslim background believers, this was the first step in a gradual process of coming to Christ, filled with challenges and sacrifice. The journey often looks something like this:
- Hunger is awakened in their hearts for more than Islam offers. This can come through seeing Jesus in a dream or vision or from a general sense of dissatisfaction with Islam.
- The safest way, and often the only way, to ask questions or learn more about Jesus in a Muslim country is often to turn to online resources and radio. Itʼs essential to find resources in their local language that can concisely answer complex questions as they search for truth!
These resources need to cover the topics and questions typically asked by those from a Muslim background. Guidelinesʼ content that speaks to these questions is translated into languages spoken throughout the Muslim world and made available online and on radio.
- One of the bravest steps for those searching for Jesus is to contact local believers. Sometimes the closest community of believers is hours away! The threat of being discovered by disapproving family and community members also can act as a powerful deterrent. But finding a community that can support them, offering discipleship, friendship, and encouragement, is essential!
Our partners around the world are passionate about this discipleship process as radio listeners reach out to learn more. They follow up with all listeners and seek to connect them to other believers.
- Lives then begin to be transformed. None of this would be worth the risk and loss millions of Muslim background believers face if not for the love and power of Jesus! He changes lives, continues to encounter hearts, and fills us with His Spirit. Everything about this journey for those converting from Islam declares that “Jesus is worthy of it all!”
Salvation Stories
This is one such Muslim background believerʼs story:
Klaudia comes from a Muslim family living in a remote village. When Klaudia first came to Jesus as a student a few years ago, her family responded angrily, making her daily life miserable. It was challenging for her to keep growing in her faith while facing persistent opposition from her Muslim relatives.
She shares, “Itʼs been a challenge for me to be a new Christian. My family has not been supportive of me. I needed to grow more as a believer, have confidence in Him, and walk with Jesus daily. Praise God for the support offered by my local church and the sound programming of Radio Emanuel! I have matured in my faith and showed my family that I cannot change my faithʼs path and return to Islam. I listen to many programs at Radio Emanuel, including “Guidelines For Living and Encouraging Words” programs. Dr. Sala and his wife [Guidelinesʼ founders] are a great encouragement and a great example of walking in faith with God. I hope God will give me the same strength to carry on my call during my whole life. They are a great example of true followers of Christ! Iʼm encouraged daily by their wisdom. They have a word of hope each day for me. I know that Christians can make a difference as they stand together and follow the call. Iʼm happy that Iʼm also offered the opportunity to share my testimony at Radio Emanuel and share my greatest joy that I find in God, in Jesus, His Son. I always find joy in Jesus. He is my shelter, my motivation. As followers of Christ, we must always share His joy and His hope with other people. Godʼs gifts are everlasting.”
Partner in the Process
Today you can help fund radio broadcasting and online resources translated into 12 languages reaching the Muslim world. The average cost of translating programs into one of these languages is $21,000. These programs are ideally structured in short, simple segments, presenting biblical truth easily applicable to our daily lives. They address fundamental questions about God and life while offering the hope and love of Jesus to all.