The following story is written by a missionary on our Diaspora team.
Just as Paul encountered rejections along his missionary journey, so do we. Suspected as profiting peddlers of the Word for God or preachers of a libertine gospel, we are often greeted by “empty” homes or slamming doors.
But there are days when the opposite is true.
That was the case when we recently visited a home looking for Massoud*—a man we’d met a month earlier who wanted to hear more about our message. To our surprise, it wasn’t Massoud who opened the door when we knocked, but his brother. We expected a door in our face, but were instead invited in to answer questions and objections to Christianity.
“The gospels were written 300 years after Jesus lived.”
“The Roman government invented Christianity.”
“The idea of the atonement is silly.”
“All that matters is that we are good people, which is what every religion teaches.”
“Jesus was only an enlightened man.”
We sat patiently with the brother for over an hour, letting him do most of the talking and only answering questions when truly asked to respond. At the end of our conversation, he confessed that he wished that what we said about Jesus was true. He didn’t believe but said he wanted Jesus to show Himself to him.
To his surprise, we had a New Testament in his native tongue with us. He gladly accepted it and thumbed through its pages.
We drove away from his house that day filled with joy. We’d faithfully given an account for our hope in Jesus. We’d personally testified about who we believe Jesus is. We’d seen the lies of Satan exposed while the light of God’s truth shines to this man. We do not know how Massoud or his brother’s stories will end, but we plan to return to their home to see how the Holy Spirit continues to work.
For all the closed doors we encounter, these encounters make to work all worth it.
Please join us in praying for the continued spiritual interest and growth in these two brothers. Ask the Lord to present more opportunities to meet with them to explore the Word of God.
*Name changed for security reasons.