Less than 2% of North American evangelical believers actively share their faith, and only 1% will ever personally lead someone to faith in Christ, according to recent surveys. That means some believers in the U.S., even if they have known the Lord for decades, will never share the Gospel with another soul. And it is legal to share your faith in America.
Meanwhile, brand new believers in other parts of the world are eager to share the Gospel, even in places that forbid conversion to Christianity. Andrew*, one of e3’s Strategy Coordinators in the Middle East and Central Asia, recently met one of these new believers, Darya*. God has instilled her with boldness and a passion to plant churches in a dark and hostile place. Read her story below:
A few months ago, a group of church leaders in one Middle Eastern country met to discuss ways to strengthen and expand the network of churches across the Middle East. At this meeting, Andrew met Darya, a young woman who had just come to know the Lord a month prior.
“Following that meeting, Darya went back to her city alone,” Andrew said. “She was ready, willing to be bold, and asking God for a church to be started through her in her city.”
Over the following three weeks, Darya led three other women to faith in Christ. Now these women are meeting together weekly – sometimes daily – to encourage and disciple one another in spreading the Gospel.
“These girls and Darya have a goal: They are begging God through prayer for three new believers each month,” Andrew said. “They led another woman to Christ this week in a different city and will be sending one of themselves to follow up with this woman this week. They are on fire!”
We are so grateful for this network of churches in the Middle East and for bold believers like Darya who are passionate about furthering the Gospel and planting healthy churches to be lights in dark places. We pray more believers – both abroad and here in North America – will catch that vision and commit to actively sharing their faith until all peoples and places have heard.
*Names have been changed to ensure safety and anonymity.