Category: Changed Lives Stories

The Truth About Jesus

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By on Apr 29th, 2013

My name is Idris, and this year I learned who Jesus really is.

In my former faith, Islam, I learned that Allah was one. There is no Spirit, no Son. But almost fifteen years ago, Jesus came to me in a dream.

This dream made me doubt the faith I had known my whole life. Even my wife saw that I was not committed—and for that she divorced me. I had to know more about this Jesus, but I could not find answers from those around me.

Islam was difficult … and it grew even more difficult to practice with my increasing doubts.

One day, I turned on my television and some people from my country were talking about Jesus. I saw a phone number, and I called—hoping the people behind this campaign would have the answers to the questions I had been seeking for so many years.

I spoke with a follower of Jesus on the telephone, and he began to tell me more about Jesus. The more I heard about Him, the more I was intrigued. As he spoke the message of the gospel to me, I knew that this Jesus was the True God and I did not want to wait another second before surrendering my life to Him.

In that moment, my life changed forever. I have since discovered more about the Father, the Son, and the Spirit each day through the words of the New Testament and have been baptized to show my commitment. I saw my family come to faith in Jesus, and I will continue to proclaim the goodness of His love and forgiveness to my people for the rest of my days.

Banished

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By on Apr 22nd, 2013

From an East-West missionary

In October, my family was deported from a region in the Caucasus that we had been ministering in. After eight years of being in the trenches with over fifty unreached Muslim people groups, the Lord had called us onward. After so many years we had sown both deep and wide to thousands … only to see about 20 new disciples for Christ.

When leaving under such circumstances, we were unsure if the work of the home church would grow or start on a downward spiral to irrelevancy. People in our line of work have a healthy fear of such things because of the extreme cultural pressure that is common in Islam. Shallow roots do not last in the heat of societal pressures.

We have continued relationships with the leaders of our home church and those who are passionate in following Christ and taking Him to all peoples—from the neighbors to the world. And God is still moving in tremendous ways in this mountainous region we called home for eight years.

The ministry continues to thrive. A new generation of followers of Jesus is multiplying. Recently, one of our leaders baptized 12 new believers!

Though we may be banished, our Savior will never be bound! And as we move on to the next place that God has called us, we will continue to share the hope and grace found only our matchless Savior.

Something to Run Toward

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By on Apr 15th, 2013

My name is Marcia, and I grew up in a family that feared the Lord. But I didn’t understand it. I only wanted to leave my family in Brazil and find new life in another place far away from them. So when I turned 16, I ran away. And as each year passed, I kept running away.

Far away. Another continent away.

By age 26, I found myself in Spain. I had experienced a life of drugs and alcohol, and I was looking for something else. I wanted new experiences, but it seemed that everywhere I went my old life still followed me around.

I couldn’t escape the same realities that I had in Brazil all those years before. And I couldn’t escape the life that I had built on drugs, alcohol, and every other vice. The one thing I could escape was my parents. I hadn’t talked to them since I left Brazil, but even this brought me no comfort.

Several times I considered taking my own life. My life had no sense, no direction, and no purpose. But when I was 38, I met a pastor who told me about a man that could change my life and give me purpose.

This East-West partner told me about a loving Savior named Jesus. This man could erase all I had done and give me something to run toward instead of running away. That was when my life changed.

As soon as I believed, the first people I wanted to tell were my parents. I wanted them to know where I was and the new person that I had become because I gave my life to Jesus Christ.

My life now makes sense. I don’t need anything other than my Savior because He is my life and my hope. I may not have enough time or words to show how grateful I am to God for rescuing me, but I can preach His precious gospel and tell everyone what He did in my life.

Spreading the Light

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By on Mar 20th, 2013

JiaWhen Jia, a young believer in East Asia, graduated college, she was qualified for high paying positions at companies in her region, but she knew she wanted her life to be about more than a career … she wanted to make an impact for Christ.

Jia decided to take a small job near her college town in order to lead a house church for students—which is illegal in her country. After several months of meeting weekly in secret, the church grew to fifteen believers who attended each week despite the danger of being caught and imprisoned. But then growth stagnated.

When she heard about an East-West evangelism and church planting training in a nearby town, she decided to attend—hoping to learn how to move her group forward. It was there that she found the tools she needed to help her group impact their community.

In just one year, Jia’s training resulted in ten new churches being planted as people were turning their lives over to Christ—not only in the college town but also in the hometowns of her students.

Church Planting Movement Multiplies in Africa

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By on Mar 13th, 2013

When Gabriel received his training 2 years ago, he expected to reach his own people with the gospel, but he didn’t expect that his movement would spread beyond his own national border.

Gabriel is an East-West national partner that works to spread the gospel and train believers to share their faith and plant churches. Over the last two years, he has seen a church planting movement begin and multiply into the fifth generation.

But Gabriel did not stop in his own nation in East Africa. He sensed God’s call to trek into the mountainous forest to a neighboring nation to share the gospel message. He has now begun to share the gospel with a new tribe of people in this land—a land prone to war for the last 20 years and is finally on the road to recovery.

He has even seen three leaders of the local defense force and their families to turn to Jesus Christ, and the movement continues to spread.

There are now seven new house churches, 60 new believers, and 15 leaders being trained in order to continue the movement … because one man followed the call of the Lord to a new land and a new people.

A Lasting Impact, Part 2

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By on Mar 6th, 2013

Erlie’s Journey to Joy

I felt lost and confused. There I sat, at the bottom of the stairs in some building I had never seen before … but this is where the voice told me to go.

I heard the voice earlier that day when I was a few miles down the road, and something in it made me follow it to this small, concrete building. I was exhausted from the journey. With my injuries, I could only “walk” on long braces attached to my arms. This was difficult for a few feet … and even more difficult for a few miles.

But there, at the bottom of the stairs in my complete exhaustion, I met two men who would impact my life forever.

The men, Jeff and John, met me at the bottom of the stairs, and we began talking. It became clear to me that these men were why I came to this building. I told them about the bus that ran over my legs when I was young and that even my family wanted nothing to do with me because of my injuries. I had no support … forcing me to scavenge just to survive.

Then Jeff asked me what seemed to be a strange question. He asked, “Have you ever heard of Jesus?” All I could say was “no” because that was the truth.

Jeff began to tell me a story … a story about a Man who was God and how He died for me. It was hard to believe that someone would die for me. Even my family gave up on me. But he said it was true, and I genuinely believed him.

As he finished the story, I felt such peace come over me. I had never felt that way before. Right then Jeff said something else surprising. He said, “Erlie, smile.”

I didn’t even think about it. I smiled. It made sense to smile because I had joy inside for the first time in years.

Jeff, this American that I just met, told me that my smile was beautiful. And with tears in both our eyes, we prayed. That was the day I met Jesus and decided to follow Him.

I couldn’t remember the last time I smiled before then. But that day I finally found something to smile about—a Savior who loves me more than anyone and an American friend who loved me enough to share Him with me.

A Lasting Impact, Part 1

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By on Mar 4th, 2013

Jeff’s Spirit-Led Encounter

In a simple, concrete apartment complex in Latin America, I had an encounter that would impact me forever.

It was the last day of my first ever mission trip. My interpreter, John, and I were walking down the stairs from the third floor of this small, box-like building—leaving a gathering of church workers. As I looked out the windows into the street, I couldn’t help but feel that there was something more I could do … more people with whom I could share the gospel. I looked at John, and his look said that he felt it too.

We came to the bottom of the stairs, and we saw a man—handicapped in his legs, sitting with his braces next to him. He was about 30 years old, but those years had not been kind to him. He looked sad and confused, and something told us that he was the man we were meant to meet that day.

As we approached, John said, “You look troubled. What is your name?”

“Erlie,” the man replied. “I have never been to this building before, but I know I need to be here. That’s what the voice said.” I was astounded. It was like something out of a story you hear from far away … not something you see happen right before your eyes.

Erlie was an outcast because of his injuries and had to scrounge to live. I was struck by his hopelessness when I asked, “Erlie, have you ever heard of Jesus?”

He simply replied, “No.” At that moment, I heard a clear prompt from the Lord. He said, “Give him joy, Jeff. Give him Me.”

So I began telling him about the One who loved him more than anyone else—the Man he had never heard of but needed to know. I continued through the gospel message and saw peace wash over his face.

When I finished, I heard another clear instruction from the Lord saying, “Tell him to smile.” When I did, Erlie’s face broke into a wide smile. Even as I think about it today, I remember it as one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen. So I told him, “Erlie, your smile is beautiful.”

It was then that we all began to weep and pray. That day, Erlie gave his life to Christ—finding the hope and joy for which he had been searching.

Restlessly Searching for Purpose

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By on Feb 6th, 2013

At age 23, Anton’s life came to a standstill. Having lost both of his arms, he didn’t know what purpose he could possibly fulfill now.

He desperately sought comfort and help at the bottom of a bottle … but he never found it.

Anton continued down this path for many years. He was restless in his search for hope—which turned out to be closer than he thought.

Anton’s sister began to follow Jesus Christ and was part of a home church led by an East-West national partner. She became increasingly concerned for her brother and made it possible for him to go to a rehabilitation center to overcome his addiction.

Because Anton had seen how his sister’s life had transformed, he agreed that his life also needed to be changed and agreed to attend the program.

After only two weeks in his rehabilitation program, he found Jesus and the power to overcome his hopelessness and addiction. He finished his program, stopped drinking, and returned home to share his newfound hope with his family and friends.

Today, Anton has a new purpose and a new life. He has had a part in seeing 17 of his family members become believers. And he continues to share the gospel because he cannot contain the hope and joy of his salvation through Jesus Christ.

Finding His Own Way

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By on Dec 17th, 2012

The unreached are not exclusively located on the other side of the world. Often, we can find them in our own nation. Mark, a missionary for our new Muslim Initiative, was able to engage the unreached in his own New York suburb where more than half of the population was born outside the United States.

Ibrahim came to New York from West Africa. He had long followed the religion of his devout Muslim family, but he was introduced to Christ through the Jesus Film. Full of questions, Ibrahim sought answers but knew no one that could answer them until he met Mark.

He and Mark met regularly to discuss Jesus, the gospel and even baptism. Ibrahim thought he could believe, but his family continued to pressure him to not neglect Islam. Through it all, Mark continued to meet with him and pray for his protection and salvation.

One night, Ibrahim sat up in his bed after a dream. He dreamed about a poem he read as a child of a man searching his entire life for the right path, growing tired and eventually choosing to go his father’s way because it was simplest. There in his bed he realized that Jesus Christ was the only path to paradise even if it was difficult to choose it.

Ibrahim has followed God’s call and been baptized. He continues to meet with Mark for discipleship in God’s Word and prayer.