Thy Kingdom Come

Working in Bangladesh can be challenging and even discouraging at times. The nation is 83% Muslim, and it often takes years of work to see fruit among Muslims. People say that if one Muslim man finds Jesus, it’s a miracle work of God. This week our team was greatly encouraged by a handful of testimonies that we heard—testimonies of how Muslim men came to know Jesus through the Quran.

Shagor grew up in a strict Muslim family. At a younger age, he began reading the Quran. One day, he read something about Jesus that prompted him to ask his parents for clarity. Instead of answering his question, his father beat him for asking such a meaningless question. Although he never again sought his parents with questions regarding his faith, his desire to seek truth never faded. Eventually he turned to a local pastor for better understanding, who encouraged him to read the Bible. After several years, he then decided to abandon his family’s faith, and follow Jesus. After his baptism he faced horrible physical persecution yet still stood firm in the truth of Jesus. His family also faced so much ridicule and shame over his decision, that they disowned him and sent the brothers out to kill him. After hours of torment and beatings, trying to force Shagor to renounce Jesus, his brothers left him in an abandoned room in the middle of a field believing he would die. Three days later and by God’s strength alone, with a severed Achilles tendon and six stab wounds, Shagor brought himself to a safe place to recover. Although the persecution continues, he stands firm on the blood of Jesus and uses his scars to bring Glory to God’s name.

Another man we met also grew up in an even stronger Muslim background. He grew up in a family of Imam’s (which is often held in the same regard as a royal family). This high calling in the Muslim faith requires years of study and training. This man had been an Imam for six years when he came across something in the Quran that talked about Jesus’ power on judgment day. Wondering why Jesus was so special, he began studying the Bible and Quran side by side. In 1994, he and his family received baptism and he is now going through a nine month training program that will prepare him to take the Gospel to his home community.

These two lives testify to the power in the name of Jesus, that even His name printed in the Quran would have such an impact. They remind me of the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). There is a battle to be won in Bangladesh. Although the numbers might indicate that we are the underdogs, God’s power reigns. God is moving in Bangladesh in ways we might not even be aware of. He is lining up His troops to claim this land for the Kingdom of God!

Stop the confusion!

1. What exactly is the Window’s DTS?

DTS stands for Discipleship Training School. It is a school designed to help students know God better and grow in their ability to make Him known. It includes an 11-12 week classroom phase followed by an 8-12 week outreach phase. I did my DTS in Maui, and was led to Bangladesh for outreach. Now I am staffing a school that did their lecture phase in Bangladesh. However, this school has a specific focus of the 10/40 Window nations, hence the name Window’s DTS. The focus is not only to send teams to the 10/40 Window nations, but to prepare students for a life of full time missions.

2. What about the prayer walk across Bangladesh?

Before I left, I felt God calling me to focus on prayer and to organize a prayer walk across Bangladesh. The idea was to unite all Christians and proclaim truth over the land. Due to an upcoming government election, we felt God leading us in caution. We will still do a 2 week prayer walk beginning mid-October, but have decided to keep it small and just within YWAM. I believe that this will be a powerful time for Bangladesh, but also believe the bigger vision of uniting all Christians in a prayer walk will come again in the future.