Written by: FEBA Radio SA
Article source: JOY! Magazine
Abi* used to be one of the many Muslim listeners of FEBA Mali’s radio station, KanuYah FM Sollo. When she fell gravely ill, her family sought help in the usual places – medical doctors, hospitals, and marabouts, Muslim holy men who sell amulets to ward off evil and disease. Nothing worked. Abi, who heard about the power of Christian prayer through KanuYah FM, persuaded her reluctant family to contact a pastor. He came. He prayed. Abi recovered. Now, Abi says, Jesus has taken control of her life. “I am now a Christian and hope that my family, too, will all allow Him to walk into their lives as they listen to KanuYah FM every day.”
The largest unreached group
There are about two billion Muslims worldwide, making them the largest unreached group. Given FEBA’s mission to take Christ to the unreached world through media, it is no surprise that Muslims form a huge part of our ministry. From Muslim countries in Africa and Asia to countries like Russia, which has 14 million Muslims, FEBA goes through every door that God opens to share the Good News. The work is challenging. In some cases, there is a threat of violence; in others, as James*, a FEBA partner working in a Muslim country in Southeast Asia, admits, “we’re tested in the area of perseverance, to not grow weary in doing [good].” Why is it so hard to reach Muslims with the Good News?
Seeking the truth
Becoming a believer happens in three steps: you seek the truth, you find the truth, and you accept it. The first step already presents a problem to most Muslims: firstly, because they are unaware of alternatives to what they believe; and secondly, because of fear. Most Muslims live in Muslim countries, like the one James currently works in, where their societies are insular. “Here in this nation, the people don’t have freedom to choose what their faith is. Their faith will always absolutely be the faith of their fathers, their relatives, and their people group. And their laws are very strict, so they absolutely cannot change.”
“God knows how much I love this Christian religion now and want to become a Christian.”
Fear and loathing
Fear informs Muslims’ response to those who question the Islamic faith or worse, turn to Christ. When a fellow Muslim becomes a follower of Christ, it may be held against their family or community in the final reckoning. This fear can become so intense that it gives rise to violent persecution and heartrending rejection. One FEBA listener in Mali shares, “God knows how much I love this [Christian] religion now and want to become a Christian. However, my family are all Muslim and will hate me should I abandon Islam for Christianity. Please pray for me.”
The value of broadcast media
These risks make radio and online broadcasts necessary. They provide a safe way for seekers to hear the Gospel and learn more about Christianity without drawing unwanted attention to themselves. A listener in Eurasia writes, “Your videos are great! I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time! You gave me answers to questions that no one else could answer. God is supporting me through you, though you are Christian and I am a Muslim. And now I’ve started secretly reading the Bible.”
Mass salvation through FEBA
In some cases, entire families or even villages discover Christ through FEBA’s broadcasts. “We used to hate Christians in our village,” a former Yao Muslim notes. “After listening to Litala FM [FEBA Malawi], we are very grateful to acknowledge our mistake and we have accepted Him in our lives through listening to Yao programmes.”
Truth reaches through the fear and pulls people to God
“Their friends say, ‘don’t hang around with them and don’t be with them, you’ll become a Christian’ or something like that,” says James. “But many of them, because they’ve seen the difference in our lives, still want to hang out, still want to listen, and are engaging with us and our team and becoming friends of ours.” If a Muslim has sought the truth and found it, what is the best way to present salvation so that they can accept it?
“I thank God for teaching me through the radio for more than ten years and [through] studying God’s words, so that the foundation of my faith in the Lord has taken root and grown in Jesus Christ, and my understanding of the words in the Bible has become stronger.”
Fighting fear with love
The Bible teaches that “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18), and so love becomes the key. Time and again, James has witnessed the power of love and the sacrifice necessary to bring people to Christ.
“The way that we can understand salvation best is through loving other people. When we serve among these people … we’re tested, we sacrifice … And then I have to keep loving again. I have to keep being rooted and grounded in Christ’s love.” To do this, it is essential to grasp the nature of Christ’s love. “If [we] want to understand Jesus more, [we must] be more like Him and love the unloving and serve those who despise us.”
The love of Christ makes it possible for people like this FEBA Kazakhstan listener to speak these miraculous words: “Thank you for your programmes that led me to Jesus. I was a Muslim, but now Christ lives in my heart.”
*Names changed for safety
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Date published: 09/10/2024
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only.
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