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A Muslim coming to Faith
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In March of 2009, Amine came to our Arabic Church of All Nations in Dallas and he wanted to speak to me privately. He said, "I need to know the differences between Muslims and Christians. Is it true that you Christians worship three gods?" My response was, "No, not at all. Christians worship only one God but God has three Persons..." The meeting lasted over one and a half hours. I explained to him about the Trinity, the incarnation of Christ, redemption, and justification by faith. This was the beginning of a series of private meetings.
Amine grew up in a very conservative and religious Muslim family. His mother, who was Christian, was forced to become Muslim. His grandfather was the Grand Mufti of Iraq (Mufti is the one who legislates for Muslims).
As a youth Amine had a Christian friend. One day he and his Muslim friends started to curse and verbally abuse Christians, Jesus, and His cross. His Christian friend told him, "I forgive you. Our Bible and our Lord teach us not to vindicate but to forgive."
This story impacted Amine's life and caused him to desire to know more about Christianity and the Bible. Several years passed before he would come to the saving knowledge of the Savior and before he would profess Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
In May 2009, Amine showed up at the church distressed; his father had had a heart attack. His family knew about his interest in Christianity and his fellowship with us. Because of his interest in Christianity, the family was blaming Amine for his father's heart attack. I opened the Bible with him and started to counsel him from the Word of God. We read Mark 10: 29 where Jesus said, "I tell you the truth...no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel..." We continued with John 16: 1-3 in which Jesus said, "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." The Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, comforted and strengthened him.
That same day we were having the baptism of a former Muslim's brother and his brother's daughter. I asked him if he wanted to join them, and he said, "Yes!" That same day Amine was baptized.
For the next month I continued to disciple Amine. A significant help in the discipling process was the red book, "Life with God", which I translated from English into Arabic.
After that Amine disappeared. I called him several times but he rarely answered. When he would answer, he created excuses for not coming to church. We continued to pray for him every Sunday.
Just last month Jesus appeared to Amine showing him that he needs to go back to church and be in fellowship with believers. He immediately came and told all of us his story and how the Gospel had worked in his life.
The reason for Amine's withdrawal from church was his family's response to his conversion and professing Jesus as Lord and Savior. His family rejected him and threatened to kill him if he ever returned to Iraq. He had been overwhelmed by the reaction and Satan had taken the opportunity to create doubts in his mind.
Recently the Holy Spirit brought Amine to share with the Church yet another vision where Jesus came to him in his dream. It continues to give him much comfort to face the many persecutions by his family and friends in the Muslim community. Amine shared his dream like this: I was walking among the dead in a cemetery, and I asked Jesus, "Who are these people laying here?" Jesus replied, "These are those who knew me by name, but did not confess me as their Lord and Savior." (Ezekiel 37:1- 3) Then Jesus took me by the hand into a door that led me to heaven and one of my Muslim friends was not there. So I asked Jesus, "Why isn't he here?" Jesus said, "Because he did not know me."
Please pray for Amine. He is under great spiritual attack. The enemy is waging war against him to steal, kill and destroy his faith. In addition to being threatened by his family in Iraq, he is also being persecuted and pursued by his Muslim friends where he now lives and works.
Pastor Abjar Bahkou, Arabic Church of All Nations
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Help POBLO-TX Adopt a Refugee Family in Christ
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Struggling refugee families fill our streets every day. There will be approximately 3,000 more new families arriving this year in the North Dallas area. "...open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." John 4:35 POBLO-TX is right in the heart of the metroplex where these refugee families first come to know this new land.
There's no denying God has brought the nations to our front doors. But how do we begin to witness to all of these refugee families? By being able to reach out and help them with their needs - thus presenting us the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ! "...I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them away from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." Act 26:17
We are seeking a variety of ways to make a difference for these new families that are new to our streets and city. Yes, there are refugee services that help and there is government assistance, but only for a short time. Even after finding employment, most barely have enough to live on for their daily living needs and expenses. Below are examples of 2 families who have been spiritually adopted in Christ into the Arabic Church of All Nations.
· Pray daily for them.
· Organize a food drive with your church, school and neighbors for POBLO-TX food pantry at Our Redeemer in Dallas.
· Donate your used car and receive a tax write off from POBLO-TX .
· Donate your used furniture and/or small appliances/ electronics (we will pick up).
· Donate your used clothing, blankets and small space heaters.
· Help reduce their utility bills:electricity (especially in winter/summer): $ 250/month, water/ phone: $60/month
When you support POBLO-TX you are spiritually adopting a refugee family in Christ and you are indeed planting Churches of All Nations.
Without Jesus Christ these refugees (lost families) will miss the best in this life and everything in the next!
(click here for the Adopt a Refugee Family form)
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Lutheran Student Center
of All Nations at UTA
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POBLO-TX and Grace Lutheran Church in Arlington are working together to plant a Church of All Nations at LSC/UTA. Pastor Karim started the ground work for this mission plant by leading a Bible study last year with the international students from Muslim backgrounds. UTA has a multitude of international students estimating 1600 from Pakistan-India alone. Please pray that the shepherd of All Nations will bring to completion what He has started.
 We thank the Lord of the Harvest for raising and sending laborers into the mission field. Pastor Karim Baidaoui, Missionary-at-Large in Texas with Missionaries in training Sabir Bashear from Pakistan/India and Joshua Smith from LSC/UTA.
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. Rev 7:9
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Come Worship
With Us!
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Arabic Church of All Nations Pastor Abjar Bahkou
on Sundays, 12:30 p.m. at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Dallas - Fellowship meal following the Sunday Service the 1st Sunday of each month
Asian Church of All Nations
Pastor Amir Masih
on Sundays, 11:00 a.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Carrollton
All Nations Lutheran Church
Pastor Din
on Sundays, 4:00 p.m. at New Hope Lutheran Church in Dallas
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I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:16
Our office is
receiving calls on a daily basis from families looking for food. The
response has been overwhelming from some of our local churches in keeping food on our shelves, but our
food pantry keeps running out of food. This is a good problem and we
thank the Lord for that.
We can't feed these starving families without
your help.
We will provide all necessary material to promote this Emergency food drive in your church. If you are interested in partnering
with us to help organize a food drive, please contact our office at
214-368-1371 ext 241.
Together feeding the lost sheep of Abraham - POBLO-TX: Planting Churches of All Nations |
A SIMPLE & EASY WAY TO HELP POBLO-TX!
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The
next time you're at Tom Thumb, pick up a Reward Card application at
customer service or link the card you already have to our account
#12207.
Every
time you use your Reward card Tom Thumb will pay 1% of the total
purchases at the end
of each calendar quarter to POBLO-TX. Look for the application, found
in the Good Neighbor Program brochure available at Tom Thumb stores and
help support our missionaries
to day!
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Adventures from UTA: Lunch with a Buddhist,
a Hindu, and Sikh
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As the Assistant Director of the Lutheran Student Center, I have an amazing job of ministering to international and American students alike at UTA. Sometimes I never know what to expect. This was one of those times.
When a Hindu student invited me to lunch, I had no idea I was about to have lunch with not just a Hindu, but a Thailand Buddhist and a Sikh. When God lets it rain, it pours witnessing opportunities.
On the half hour or so drive to the most excellent Indian buffet, small talk ensued-everything from the recent blockbuster Avatar to their research department. It's a great, slow way to begin friendships. Over a variety of spicy curries, colorful chicken, and scrumptious deserts, conversation slowly turned to religion. (click here for the remaining article)
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