“This was a crash course in discipleship.” “It felt like we were living out the Acts of the Apostles.” Those were just two of the reactions of the 10 young people I’ve just spent a week with in a nearby Muslim country. We had travelled to two out-of-the-way towns where no known believers live. We’d spent two days prayer-walking and telling the people about God’s love and about Jesus. We had nowhere to stay, relying on the Lord to provide accommodation or a person of peace who would invite us into their home.  

While experiencing the warm hospitality of the locals we had mixed receptions when we told them we had come to pray God’s blessing on their town. Some warned us to be quiet, while others welcomed us in, received prayer, eagerly took New Testaments, and even asked us to worship in their homes!  

Some quotes from people we met: 

·       'When you were praying the winds changed.'  

·       'I know that only Jesus knows the future.'   

·       'I will put this (a small praying-hands gift) under my pillow and pray for you to come back.' 

·       'We're not used to people praying for us, especially not for the disabled.' 

·       'There must be something to their God.' 

After two days we went on to another small town where we met some of the first ever Muslim background followers of Jesus in that region. While there we were invited by one of the believers to visit the high school where she works. Students were very excited to see these foreigners and soon conversations turned to questions about spiritual things. We answered their questions and shared the love of God with them but when some students complained about us sadly the believer lost her job. Incredibly, she’s rejoicing that good seeds were sown that day. It was challenging and a privilege to witness these brothers and sisters living in utter dependence on God. 

As we reflect on our work in the UK and our week away we at Frontiers see two things happening:  

1. God is raising up dozens of young people in Britain who are beginning to understand God’s heart for the nations. Especially those with no access to the gospel. A few dozen have joined our Prep Steps community where they can spur one another on.  

2. Significant numbers of young people in the Muslim world are disillusioned with religion, asking questions about God and desperately looking for answers. The combination of God raising up young people in the UK to go, and young people in the Muslim world looking for answers is surely no coincidence.  

What about you? Would you join us in praying for God to call out many young people to avoid the distractions of successful careers, houses and possessions, take up their crosses and follow Jesus to the ends of the earth? Would you give a gift to help us continue to raise up, train and support those who go? Would you consider joining them and going yourself? 

May the Lord guide you as you consider your role in seeing the nations reached.