Day Seven: What are the Challenges for New Believers?

Turning to Christ

As we follow Jesus, our identity and our sense of belonging are affected. Questions arise: Who am I? What are my values? New believers from Muslim backgrounds have similar questions. But in addition they also suffer intense psychological pressures that may include fear (of Allah, that He will punish them if they change, of family and relatives, of community, of death). They struggle emotionally dealing with difficult choices especially when the laws are against them or when believers do not trust those coming to faith. Some experience rejection from their community or even the Body of Christ or both, leading to shame.

Obstacles:

A huge obstacle for new believers from a Muslim background is the Body of Christ itself. Someone has said, “If we want to see Muslims coming to Jesus and growing in Him we must change our attitudes. A physical church building may be very near to new believers, yet culturally Christians can be extremely far away”.

New believers need examples of what it means to follow Christ and worship Him in a way that honours their cultural identity. For many, there are no models of how to walk by the Spirit. Others struggle to find a safe place to gather for worship, fellowship, and prayer.

Relationships:

Relationships are primary in Muslim communities so new believers ask questions like: How can we honour Christ in daily life, marriage, and raising children in a predominately Muslim society? What does one do when it is not legal to follow Christ? How can new believers find a partner and celebrate their marriage as followers of Christ in the local community? Where and how can one be buried? Because of their commitment to Christ some loose property, job, family inheritance, life partner, children, and/or participation in family or special events. Many have had the experience of being perceived as traitors to their family and culture as they seek to follow Christ. Others have died.

At the same time, there are theological questions that new believers face. Their questions about the Bible, God, attitudes and practices may not be addressed or even understood by the wider community of believers.

Prayer Starters:

* Pray for cultural sensitivity, awareness and respect among believers as we interact with new believers from Muslim backgrounds.

* Pray for wisdom, creativity and confidence for new believers and new communities of faith as they explore culturally appropriate ways to serve and worship Christ in the context of Muslim societies.

Testimony from France

I was raised in an open minded Muslim family and educated in a private Catholic school. My parents appreciated this well ordered school which encouraged morality and discipline. The cross was everywhere present in the school but it remained a mystery to me. Even as a child I was interested by the existence of God. I made several efforts to change my heart through religious practices. Finally I heard the Gospel in a clear way from two families. Their friendship and kindness touched me greatly (Romans 2:4). Eventually I came to know the forgiveness of sins and I discovered later that several people were praying for me, even someone in North America!

Day Six: Surviving in Turkmenistan

Surviving in Turkmenistan, Central Asia

Turkmenistan is not often a subject of the international news media but it did get some attention in December 2006 when its eccentric president, Saparmurat Niyasov, suddenly died. Turkmenistan is an independent nation between Iran and Uzbekistan. Almost 90% of its territory is sand or gravel desert, while the people live mainly alongside riverbanks and in various oases. The desert hides huge oil and gas deposits. Turkmenistan is the fifth largest supplier of natural gas worldwide. Even though the country receives large revenues from the hydrocarbon resources, inequality is rampant and most Turkmen struggle to survive. However, shiny marble luxury buildings pop up everywhere in the Capital city of Ashgabat.

Missionaries Expelled

Beginning in 1998, almost all missionaries were expelled by the Turkmen government. Since then all religious activities have been highly repressed. House group meetings of any kind are prohibited and people found attending secret religious meetings risk losing their home and their job. The Turkmen intelligence services carefully watch those known to be believers as well as all foreigners.

Nevertheless the church does continue to grow slowly in Turkmenistan. There are about 700-1,000 believers in the country and numbers of underground house groups that meet in secret. Two Russian speaking Christian churches have been given official permission to gather. Unfortunately the registered churches and most of the underground house groups are Russian speaking – believers are still praying for the emergence of an indigenous Turkmen speaking communities of believers. While a useable New Testament is available in the Turkmen language, the translation badly needs revision to correct some mistakes and make it more contemporary. The Old Testament translation is still in progress.

Prayer Starters:

* The Turkmen are disillusioned and are looking for the Truth. There is a huge need for people who can disciple believers and help forming strong, multiplying communities of faith that speak Turkmen and are accepted as part of the Turkmen culture.

Oppression

Turkmenistan has one of the most oppressive regimes of the world. The former president instituted a bizarre personality cult. He erected gold plated statues of himself all over the country and his portrait hung in every public room and on the outside of every public building. He wrote a book called “Ruhnama” whose teaching rules much of the daily life. Today, an entire generation has already undergone extensive brain washing.

The new president, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, has promised to continue Niyasov’s political heritage. School children are still required to memorise portions of the former president’s “holy book” Ruhnama. There is no critical voice or opposition allowed in the country and the government continues to control all media.